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BTO Shropshire

@btoshropshire.bsky.social

Regional account for the British Trust for Ornithology in Shropshire. If you'd like to help with surveys or to find out more about BTO's work in Shropshire please send a direct message or contact bto.shropshire@gmail.com Follow the #Shropshirebirds feed!

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Martin George@jannerbirder.bsky.social · 4d ago

An "in context" post about the VP Curlew Sand'. There were no BirdTrack records in 2025. The Shropshire Bird Report shows that this "very rare passage migrant" last occurred, briefly, on 9 Nov 2022 at Bridgwalton Quarry and in 2011 at Wood Lane NR (31 Aug) and Mirelake (13-18 Sep). #ShropshireBirds

A collection of birds on a muddy spit surrounded by water, with the margins lined with pale feathers from moulting birds. The Curlew Sandpiper is in the left foreground in the margins. The small, grey bird behind it is a Pied Wagtail. The larger birds are (left to right) Lapwing, Mallard, Black-headed Gull, Cormorant, Shoveler and Teal. Wasn't paying much attention to the wildfowl at the time and the birds are mostly hunched brown balls so duck identifications should be viewed with caution!
Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS) | Goose & Swan Monitoring (GSMP)@webs-gsmp.bsky.social · 7d ago

With two weeks until our training sessions, there are still places left! Book your spot here ➡️www.bto.org/training

Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS) | Goose & Swan Monitoring (GSMP)@webs-gsmp.bsky.social · 4w ago

Not sure what WeBS is about or need a confidence boost with counting birds, before getting involved? In Sept, we will be running 3️⃣ FREE, virtual 'Counting Birds and WeBS' sessions, aimed for amateur birdwatchers who want to increase their skills. Sign up ➡️ www.bto.org/training

BTO Shropshire@btoshropshire.bsky.social · last wk.

John has since added that Turnstone is a Shropshire rarity “and this is the largest group ever seen in Shropshire (previous best were groups of three at Whixall 15 May 1994 and Alscott Sugar Beet Factory on 1 Sep 1994).” Great work by Graham and John 🙂 #ShropshireBirds

John Martin@pilning.bsky.social · last wk.

VP with G. Fewer birds but G picked up 4 juv Turnstone dropping in. They landed out of sight, emerged from behind island for 2 minutes & off to S calling. Total stay c5 min! Otherwise 2 Greenshank, 3 Green & 2 Common Sand, 3 Snipe, 10 Lapwing, 3 Y Wag, 4 Cl Yellow. #shropshirebirding 🪶 #ukwildlife

4 juvenile Turnstone along the shoreline at VP this morning, the right hand bird behind a dead Carp. Second record of the month here but it's a county rarity and this is the largest group ever recorded in Shropshire!
BTO Shropshire@btoshropshire.bsky.social · 2w ago

Good luck to the #ShropshireBirds area WeBS team for today’s count. Many of us will be “zero heroes” with no wetland birds to count as our sites are dust bowls, but negative data are as important as positive data 🙂

Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS) | Goose & Swan Monitoring (GSMP)@webs-gsmp.bsky.social · 2w ago

Today is the August Priority Core Count. 🦆With the effects of drought in much of the UK impacting our wetlands, it's more important now, than ever, that we count our waterbirds to see how their populations are faring.

A picture of an adult Little Grebe swimming on calm water is accompanied by the heading 'August WeBS Core Count Today!'. At the bottom is the WeBS logo and the web address 'www.bto.org/webs'.
BTO Shropshire@btoshropshire.bsky.social · 4w ago

In the #ShropshireBirds area any remaining wetlands, however small, are worth checking for Common, Green or (if you’re lucky) Wood Sandpipers. Did you hear Quail in the county? It may have been a record year! Please add any 2026 records to BirdTrack to help assess the extent of the influx.

BTO | British Trust for Ornithology@btobirds.bsky.social · 4w ago

It might be the middle of summer, but there are always birds on the move! Check out our latest Migration Blog to find out what to look for while you're out and about this August. www.bto.org/our-work/new... @birdtrack.bsky.social 📷 Greenshank by Philip Croft/BTO

A Greenshank walks right in the water, photo by Philip Croft/BTO.
John Martin@pilning.bsky.social · last mo.

VP this morning, hides only. Rarity - light drizzle briefly! Influx of Little Egrets (10 incl new juvs), 2+ Green & 3+ Common Sand, 4 Grey Heron, 15 Teal, 11 Egyptian Goose (5 flew in causing much scrapping), Green Woodpecker, Reed Warbler etc. #shropshirebirding 🪶

Adult Little Egret at Venus Pool, one of 10 including a number new in, mainly juvsGreen Sandpiper adult Venus PoolJuvenile Grey Heron Venus Pool
BTO Shropshire@btoshropshire.bsky.social · last mo.

Data from @birdtrack.bsky.social suggest this is the best Quail year in over 20 years. Please add details of any you find to the app 🙂

Martin George@jannerbirder.bsky.social · last mo.

There are still some Quail in North Shropshire, but enjoy them while you can, they will soon leave us to head south. Towards the end of this clip you will hear the distinctive "wet my lips" call of one of two birds calling from barley fields off Crosemere Lane in Cockshutt. #ShropshireBirds

BTO Shropshire@btoshropshire.bsky.social · last mo.

Happy new WeBS year to the Shropshire team, who were out on the count today! DM if you’d like to join us 🙂 Any remaining 2025/26 count data needs to be added to WeBS Online soon, please, to ensure your data are included in the annual analysis. #ShropshireBirds

Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS) | Goose & Swan Monitoring (GSMP)@webs-gsmp.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Happy new (WeBS) year! 🥳 Today's Core Count is the first count of the 2026/27 WeBS year, which runs from July - June. So let's get out and celebrate with our waterbirds! RSPB Science JNCC

A picture of an adult Teal stretching on calm water is accompanied by the heading 'July WeBS Core Count Today!'. At the bottom is the WeBS logo and the web address 'www.bto.org/webs'.
BTO Shropshire@btoshropshire.bsky.social · 2mo ago

And because Martin uses the @birdtrack.bsky.social app for mammals as well as birds this confirmed evidence of breeding will go the Shropshire Mammal Group via iRecord. Biological recording was never easier! Also works for reptiles, amphibians, dragonflies, damselflies, butterflies and orchids.

Martin George@jannerbirder.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Thought I'd been working too hard tonight when a dried cow pat blinked as I walked past it. A second check revealed this tiny leveret! Please indulge an unscientific 😍 emoji!

A leveret (baby Brown Hare) hiding amongst vegetation.
BTO Shropshire@btoshropshire.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Many of us think BTO News is so good it’s worth the subscription on its own, but there are plenty of other membership benefits. We’re a DM away for local info if you want to make your birding count 🙂

Julian Hughes@penrhynbirder.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Train to London, catching up on reading. BTO News read cover-to-cover as usual. Masterclass series is a brilliant example of asking world experts to convey science in an accessible way. Lots I learned about bird sleep, and it bust a long-held myth! #Ornithology @btobirds.bsky.social @maxplanck.de

First page of BTO News article: Ornithological Masterclass #40: Sleep in birds We humans all know how important a good night's sleep is, but how does shut-eye work in the avian world? Niels C. Rattenborg explains. NB. the myth busted is the belief that birds can grip a perch while sleeping thanks to its tendons stretching when relaxed, which pulls the toes tight. Although exactly how birds balance in their sleep remains unknown, the article explains why that can't be true, and also mentions several species that do not sleep upright on a branch. Mousebirds sleep hanging upside down but holding their head up, and Yellow-billed Oxpeckers cling from the 'armpits' of Giraffes!
BTO Shropshire@btoshropshire.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Thank you to all the BBS counters from the #ShropshireBirding community for another season’s data. Did you have any special sightings this year? Personal highlight for the BTO Shropshire team was a flock of Crossbills during the early visit at Haughmond Hill.

Breeding Bird Surveys (BBS)@bbs-birds.bsky.social · 2mo ago

..And that is that. We have reached the end of another BBS & WBBS survey season! Thank you so much to all surveyors. If you haven’t already, please enter your data by the end of August so that it can be verified. @btobirds.bsky.social JNCC RSPB Science #Ornithology

The caption says: 'Thanks for surveying. Please enter your data by 31 August. An image of a Nuthatch is shown. It has a dark blue back, a creamy breast and a black stripe through its eye. It has a long, chisel like beak.
BTO Shropshire@btoshropshire.bsky.social · 2mo ago

We’re always happy to welcome new WeBS counters to the team! For a map of vacant sites see app.bto.org/websonline/s... #ShropshireBirds

Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS) | Goose & Swan Monitoring (GSMP)@webs-gsmp.bsky.social · 2mo ago

If you’re a beginner birder in Shropshire, we need your help! Cottage Pool - Nib Heath was first counted in 2006 but hasn’t been covered since 2024! If you think you can help please contact us via the "Contact the Local Organiser" button at app.bto.org/websonline/s... #Ornithology #UKBirding

Underneath the headline 'WeBS Site Insight: Cottage Pool - Nib Heath, Shropshire’ is an image of a flock of female and male Mallard, swimming on calm water, with a map of the site boundary and location within the UK. The WeBS logo is beneath with the text ‘ Join WeBS - Can you help count waterbirds here?’