A small act of kindness toward someone vulnerable just went viral, proof that you do not need grand gestures to make a real difference. Sharing food, helping a hurt animal, aiding a stranger, this is
Murray Orchard
@murrayorchard.bsky.social
Retired Man of Kent living in Herts. Bird both counties but mostly N. Kent, Hoo Peninsula. Avid BTO surveyor, on KOS & HBC Committees. Love real ale & pubs!
Looking for your next wildlife read? Explore the latest book reviews in the British Birds Journal, covering everything from bird identification and ecology to conservation and natural history. Read the reviews in the latest issue: britishbirds.co.uk/volume-119/i...
N Herts: Quick check of Amwell Pits 09.15-10.30. Nice catch up with Mr Reed. 8 ad Com Terns plus juv and 2 chicks (1 large 1 small) using raft😊, also 4 large BHG young; Com Sand, Green Sand, 20+ Lapwing, 2 f Shoveler, Swift and H/Martins collecting mud😊….and lots of Gadwall! @hertsbirds.bsky.social
Medway Islands WeBS 17/7 Still breeding gulls & terns present but most departed - no Little Terns🙁. Sandwich Terns still present tho at new site, with 2+ juvs😊 so hopes for return next year. Also young Med Gull. Over 1,000 Curlew & 50+ Whimbrel Pics @bobknight.bsky.social @smp-seabirds.bsky.social
The KOS is organising a Family Bird Day at Dungeness RSPB on 16 August. Free for members and non-members. Several activities planned - see flyer. Please sign up via admin@kentos.org.uk. And do share with friends who might be interested. Thanks.
The BBC cancelling Winterwatch is such a shame, especially when we need to be connecting with nature more than ever. If we want people to protect our wildlife, we have to show them it! Add your name to ask the BBC to reconsider. you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/do...
Tell the BBC: Save Winterwatch!
The UK is losing its wildlife, and shows like Winterwatch are vital for connecting us to nature. The BBC's decision to cancel it makes no sense. Let's ask them to rethink this! Add your name here:
you.38degrees.org.uk
It's been a record-breaking year for little terns at Long Nanny, Northumberland! A minimum of 126 breeding pairs are nesting at the site this season, far surpassing the previous record of 57 breeding pairs in 1994. They're the UK’s second rarest breeding seabird so this is good news.
Evening twitch to Amwell for the 2 superb Black Terns - swooping and feeding over Hardmead Lake😊 Also 32 B/H Gull AON (2 near-fledged young), 7 Com Tern (1 AON on island, 2 AON on raft), 18+ Egyptian Geese, 2 LRP, 4+ Lapwing, m Shoveler, 16+ Cormorant nests, Sparrowhawk etc. @hertsbirds.bsky.social
We are really excited to be hosting the Honey-buzzard live stream on our new website. As seen on Springwatch 2026. tinyurl.com/42ubayu8 The Society part-funded this work, which should contribute much to our understanding of the species’ breeding ecology in Sussex. Thanks to all partners.
Honey-buzzards - The Sussex Ornithological Society
Honey-buzzards have been studied and surveyed in Sussex since the early 1990s, with many chicks ringed at the nest as part of a wider project in Britain.
tinyurl.com
Good news! Ministers have finally given green light to new #NaturalHistory GCSE. We’ve campaigned so long for this! Big hats off to tireless advocate Mary Colwell 🙌 Now our young people will have a chance to get to know & love the natural world, to feel awe & wonder, & gain skills to protect it 🌷🌳🦡
Natural history GCSE to teach teenagers to plant wildflower-friendly gardens
Long-awaited course to examine human effects on natural world and explore everyday ways to aid biodiversity
theguardian.com
My contribution to #WorldSaltmarshDay A harsh, changeable, vulnerable, scarce and declining habitat. Here, the saltmarsh of a Medway island on a spring high tide. Our gulls and terns breed on a knife edge. Photo by @Bknight_3 @smp-seabirds.bsky.social
Crested mynas, as many other birds, are born altricially, which means young are underdeveloped at the time of birth, therefore fed by parents. When they grow up, they have to learn that food doesn't simply jump into their beaks. [📹 Rebecca Gelernter] Original post
We have to end his power in November. It is life or death.
I'm calling on the Government to make sure developers deliver for nature through Biodiversity Net Gain! action.rspb.org.uk/page/192593/...
More exemptions proposed for Biodiversity Net Gain
New proposals offer developers even more exemptions when it comes to delivering for nature.
action.rspb.org.uk
Out on Medway, doing Redshank survey. Landed on Nor Marsh (with permission) where nesting B/H Gulls. A check of other islands produced 390 Med Gulls & 170 Sandwich Terns😊 The latter in new nesting area following abandonment of usual beach. So Kent’s only colony survives!?🙏 @smp-seabirds.bsky.social
Back from Devon and straight into delayed WeBS and SMP visits. Utterly grim at Cliffe RSPB, with the low water levels resulting in almost total loss of breeding season for gulls, terns and waders. However, a pair of LRP with 4 chicks😊, and one small BHG colony (83 AON) @smp-seabirds.bsky.social
Inca tern of Peru and Chile: #AGoodPlace Source: www.reddit.com/r/Damnthatsi...
Mt St Helens May 18, 1980 I just cannot imagine what seeing this would've been like. The person who took this photo had to abandon their car and escape with the motorcycle. 📸Richard Lasher
You're entitled to your own opinion. You're NOT entitled to your own facts. #BelieveTheScience What he said 💯 👇 👇 👇
PHEW!! Much better results on May Medway Islands WeBS than expected, after April survey. 320+ Med Gulls, 30 Little Terns and…..100 Sandwich Terns at new site😄 (usual beach abandoned). Also 3,500+ B/H Gulls & 35 Com Terns An unexpected Shag to finish!🤔 Pics by @Bknight_3 @smp-seabirds.bsky.social
Has anyone got our Med Gulls? North Kent has seen a major decline in breeding Med Gulls last two years. From 850 pairs in 2024, to about 150 last year and now none (so far) this year? Any other sites missing birds?, or with greatly increased numbers? @smp-seabirds.bsky.social @ukrbbp.bsky.social
Busy couple of days in Kent. Three WeBS counts & Redshank survey in N Kent and Bittern survey at Stodmarsh on Friday evening. Great to “put in”💪 Still found time for scope-filling views of the Crane at Seasalter RSPB!😂 @rspbengland.bsky.social @naturalengland.bsky.social @btobirds.bsky.social
Medway Islands WeBS. First returning Little Terns, but no activity at Sandwich Tern site - beach looks scoured/abandoned🙁- just 7 birds in estuary. B/H Gulls in low nos, mostly one main island. Very few Meds, but 3 prs GBBG? Lots of Brents! Pics by @bobknight.bsky.social @smp-seabirds.bsky.social
Happy Easter! Bright but cold & windy! - did a couple of local greenspace surveys. My first use of the App in the field (the 17/3 was a test run). Just so quick and simple! Good to provide data for assessing our public greenspaces. Singing Greenfinches at both sites👍😊 @btobirds.bsky.social
Great BTO Conference yesterday in Northampton. Packed programme of talks from Nightjars, Bird Atlas 2027-31, results of WinGS and Blackbirds/Usutu virus to tracking seabirds & Birds in Greenspaces 2026. Good networking with staff/attendees and good catering. Thanks BTO! @_BTO
Bribery!😉 My contribution for Seabird Sunday. Sandwich Terns in the Medway (Kent) earlier this year. Pic by Bob Knight. #SuperSeabirdSunday @smp-seabirds.bsky.social
Very enjoyable Naturalists Picnic Lunch at Upper Mystole Park Farm, hosted by Keith & Jenny Dugmore. Nice to say hello to long time birding colleagues and have tour of new wetland habitats. A drive through Denge Woods afterwards produced a flock of 14 Crossbills. @kentwildlife.bsky.social
The current position of Natural England is that (re)introduction of White Storks should not be supported. Evidence for their historical presence here is sketchy and it is difficult to rule out historical remains as not pertaining to regular vagrancy. Cultural evidence is weak at best #UKbirding 1/2
Margot Finn@eicathomefinn.bsky.social · last yr.'An urban rewilding group is seeking the public’s views on the potential return of white storks to London as part of a project to see if the birds could make a home in the capital.' Survey link here: app.onlinesurveys.jisc.ac.uk/s/brighton/t...
Enjoyable visit to Dover White Cliffs on Thurs despite the sea fret. A few nice flowers, a Chalk Hill Blue, pair of Stonechats, then the superb path down to the beach. A Black Redstart & Rock Pipits on the cliffs on way down. Ended with Raven flying over into the mist. @whitecliffsdover.bsky.social
