Geolocator tracking has revealed, for the first time, the West African wintering grounds of UK-breeding Wood Warblers, which have seen their numbers crash by two-thirds since 1995. Researchers from the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) and RSPB hope this new knowledge will help uncover the threats the birds face at each stage of their long...
The Newest Green Beach at Ainsdale, Sefton Coast – 2022 update
Philip H. Smith, November 2022 Summary Floristic data were collected each year from 2011 to 2022 on embryo dunes and an associated wetland that began to form on Ainsdale beach in 2008 as a southern extension of Birkdale Green Beach. Named the ‘Newest Green Beach’ and eventually covering 2.4 ha, this feature developed rapidly by...
Birds lead the way, say scientists calling for international cooperation on migrant species
Scientists from the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) have helped to reveal which African and European nations are linked by the birds that migrate between them each year. Many species of migrant bird are declining – this new approach will allow scientists and policy-makers to pinpoint where collaboration is needed to protect them, the authors...
45-year-old seabird highlights impact of Avian Influenza
At 45 years old, a Fulmar recorded on an uninhabited Scottish island is one of the oldest of its kind ever recorded. The bird’s extraordinary age is a reminder that many seabirds live for a very long time – a trait that can make their populations particularly vulnerable to the impacts of Avian Influenza (AI)....
