With measureable rainfall on 22 days and a total precipitation of 152 mm, November 2023 was a wet one. In fact, Rachael Park’s Formby garden rain-gauge recorded 71% more rain than average for the month. Two named storms largely passed to the south and north of us, though ‘Storm Debi’ on 13th produced severe gale-force...
BTO – New records chart remarkable lives
In July 1997, a Black Guillemot chick was ringed in Orkney. This bird successfully fledged from its nest and lived for nearly 25 years without being seen again. In May 2022, the bird was recaptured, still in Orkney, making it the oldest-known Black Guillemot in Britain and Ireland! This is one of the new records (see...
BTO – Report details mixed fortunes for the UK’s rare breeding birds
BTO Press release The latest report by the Rare Breeding Birds Panel, published today, reveals four species of birds of prey, including Osprey, have reached record totals in the UK, as have several species of rare and colonising heron. However, two species of rare breeding bird failed to breed for the second year in succession....
Dr Phil Smith’s Wildlife notes: September 2023
September was the joint warmest on record in the UK, being influenced by high pressure over Europe during the first half of the month. However, the Met Office map shows that most of the heat was in the south; we had just above average temperatures. Although it was dry here until 11th, Rachael Park’s data...
