Great WeBS_UK count at the weekend throughout the #LDV with 25,500 wildfowl and 12,000 waders recorded, inc. incredible numbers of geese (6,423 Pink-feet, 679 White-fronts, 42 Tundra Beans and 11 Barnacles) + 208 Whooper Swans @yorkbirding.bsky.social
Tears of joy! SCOTLAND HAS JUST PASSED SWIFT BRICKS INTO LAW unanimously!
4 years of asking England & Scotland sorts it in a month led by ACE MARK RUSKELL MSP ♥️The RELIEF is unreal! Tell England to follow 🏴by emailing PlanningPolicyConsultation@communities.gov.uk now!WOOP!
10 Early Moths to the security lights at Anglers CP this morning.
Image of a world map showing the locations of satellite tagged Cuckoos in Africa. Four headshots of Cuckoos feature in circular frames, alongside the wording Final Cuckoo Update for 2025. The BTO logo is top right of the image.
1/ Of the 11 tagged Cuckoos that left the UK in summer, we have continued to receive regular updates from nine. ⬇️ 🪶
The furthest east of our birds are Joe & Sayaan in Democratic Republic of the Congo. Our most southerly Cuckoo is Norman in Angola. Furthest north we find Jim & Ashok, both in Gabon.
The 30th Yorkshire Bird Race, this year, in support of Swifts conservation is taking place on 3rd or 4th January 2026.
I and several other @yorkbirding.bsky.social colleagues are participating again in this full day event. Any donations would be most gratefully received.
gofund.me/a41ab6152
Legal adviser to Rachel Reeves quits after advising plans to rip up planning laws could jeopardise trade with the EU and lead to widespread habitat destruction
The laws derive from EU Habitats Regulations, and non-regression forms part of the trade deal with EU
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
@britishbugs.bsky.social Hi Tristan, just looked on NBN and I see my August record of Nysius graminicola has been accepted. Do you know if the record is as significant as it looks? I know NBN often doesnt show all records, but this makes it look new for Yorkshire. Thanks
112,000 Yorkshire Moth records submitted so far. If you haven't sent yours in, please can we have them before I get too involved in the festive season!
This time, the washes were ready! 🦢✅
After a 570km U-turn north to Aberdeenshire, likely due to low water at the Ouse Washes, the same swan has migrated south again & arrived to restored, higher levels. A real-world example of landscape-scale habitat assessment by migratory birds.
Good reminder, Andrew!
Age record for BTO-ringed Red-necked Phalarope is over 12 years, so the same bird could be making the same journey this year!
wadertales.wordpress.com/2018/01/16/w...
Blog summarising migration of 40+ species:
wadertales.wordpress.com/2017/07/20/w...
#ornithology
Eclipse drake Red breasted Merganser on the Country Park @bowintersett2.bsky.social today. Wood Sandpiper still on the Top Res. Also 2 Shelduck & 3 Pintail CP.
#rarebirdsUK
#rarebirdsUK
Quieter night last night but still worth trapping, with Bordered Straw NFG being the highlight. 373 species for 2025. #mothsmatter @migrantmothuk.bsky.social
101 birds ringed at Wintersett clump; highlights chiffchaff 63, willow warb 1, blackcap 12, whitethroat 2, reed warb 4, sedge warb 1, grasshopper warb 2.
@petesmithatwsett.bsky.social @stevied131.bsky.social
Golden Twin-spot
Southern Oak Bush Cricket
Red Underwing
Paykullia maculata
Night after the Clifden was excellent as well with 3 lifers-Golden Twin-spot, Dark Marbled Carpet and Southern Oak Bush Cricket. Last night was very quiet with Red Underwing NFY + the Calliphorid Paykullia maculata which was NFM #mothsmatter
Was a quiet, rainy, windy, cold night last night but who cares! This Clifden miraculously found the trap last night, and was a very welcome garden tick. Stunning.
This seems to resemble a Southern Oak Bush Cricket, would that be correct? In West Yorks, on edge of its range?? Thanks @andymus.bsky.social ?
Bordered Pug, second garden record
Latticed Heath, NFG
Small Mottled Willow, NFM
Fen Wainscot, NFG
I’ve forgotten to post about moths recently, so here is a catch up. Since the 26th of June, the garden moth year list has increased to 362, with recent highlights including 9 lifers and 7 garden ticks. Some recent highlights attached below. Garden moth list now on 513. #mothsmatter
@britishbugs.bsky.social Hi Tristan I assume this is a long shot given location, (West Yorks), but how does it look for Sphragisticus nebulosus? I can’t decide between this and Peritrechus. Thanks, was in moth trap. Pronotum possibly too dark?
107 birds ringed at Wintersett highlights of chiffchaff 45, willow warb 11, blackcap 12, garden warb 5, whitethroat 2, lesser whitethroat 1, sedge warb 6, reed warb 11, swallow 2, linnet 1, song thrush 1.
@petesmithatwsett.bsky.social @stevied131.bsky.social
Adult F Willow warbler REP950 was ringed by @petesmithatwsett.bsky.social on 22/7/25 at Anglers CP, Wakefield. 4 days later it was retrapped by Titchfield Haven RG at Titchfield Haven NNR. 313km due south before starting moult!
@stevied131.bsky.social
Juvenile BN Grebe off the north bank of Wintersett Reservoir this morning
97 birds ringed at Wintersett this morning, highlights chiffchaff 27, willow warb 13, blackcap 7, garden warb 2, whitethroat 4, sedge warb 10, reed warb 13, swallow 1, reed bunt 2.
@petesmithatwsett.bsky.social @stevied131.bsky.social
119 birds ringed at Wintersett; highlight chiffchaff 25, willow warb 7, blackcap 14, garden warb 1, whitethroat 4, reed warb 20, sedge warb 13, sand mart 2, swallow 12 & ad Sedge with a Belgian ring!
@petesmithatwsett.bsky.social @stevied131.bsky.social
74 birds ringed at Wintersett; highlights 32 chiffchaff, 2 willow warb, 8 blackcap, 1 garden warb, 16 reed warb, 5 sedge warb, 1 juvF cettis.
@petesmithatwsett.bsky.social @stevied131.bsky.social
📸 Patrick Common from Facebook. Song Sparrow
Song Sparrow in Yorkshire today. Identified from Facebook identification site. I bet the Yorks listers will be non too pleased it took 12 hours for the news to get out. One and only Yorks bird, a one day wonder, was over 60 years ago. Can’t be too many with that on their lists.
"Ministers understood to be drawing up amendments to Planning Bill to try to head off threatened rebellion"
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Keep emailing your MPs. It's working: action.wildlifetrusts.org/page/171483/...
1st S Little Gull at Wintersett Reservoir at 3.10pm
