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With a Great Black-headed Gull reported in Sweden last month,
when will British birders get the chance to see one here?
The only British record is of a bird shot at Exmouth, Devon,
in late May or early June 1859 – nearly 150 years ago! While the Swedish bird
is a national first, elsewhere in Europe there have been four different birds
seen in Poland this year and since 2000 they have been recorded in Estonia,
Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Portugal, Spain and Greece.
The only other species on the Birdwatch checklist that have
yet to make a confirmed return visit after such a long absence are White-faced
Storm-petrel, Egyptian Vulture and Greater Spotted Eagle.
Take part in our simple poll above and tell us which you
think will be the next to be seen? With claims of Egyptian Vultures already,
and more people going on pelagic trips, it could be a close run thing.
recommended
Our favourite features from the new Birdwatch online article database'
identification
Green and Wood Sands
Among the earliest of the southward-bound waders, Green
Sandpipers are sometimes mistaken for scarcer Wood Sandpipers. Keith Vinicombe
points out their distinguishing features.
Read more ...
where to watch
Cliffe Pools, Kent
Cliffe
Pools is an excellent North Kent RSPB reserve, within one
hour’s travel of London. The reserve has year round bird interest, with a
superb late summer wader passage.
Read more ...
books
Rare Birds Yearbook 2008
A new
yearbook, launched by Erik Hirschfeld in association with BirdLife
International, sets out to highlight the predicament of the rarest
birds in the world, and helps to support attempts to
conserve them. Read more ...
optics
Hawke Frontier 8x42
Mike Alibone field tests the latest budget binocular from
Hawke Optics to find out whether quality can be maintained at a low price.
A Wiltshire farmer is competing for the title of the nation's favourite, in a competition aimed at recognising those doing the most for the UK's wildlife.
Visitors coming to Birmingham's National Sea Life centre over the Bank Holiday weekend are being welcomed by a giant puffin and urged by the RSPB to support the fight for legislation to protect the seas off our coasts.
The Marvelous Spatuletail hummingbird, one of the world's rarest, most spectacular, and most difficult to see birds is now regularly being seen at hummingbird feeders at an accessible location in northern Peru.
The USDA announced this week that it will not allow farmers to plant crops on lands set aside in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) without paying the normal penalty for breaking their contract.
Climate change caused by the growing CO2 concentration in the atmosphere is magnifying the impact that stresses such as pollution and habitat destruction are having on ecosystems.
The EPA has announced a proposed decision that residues of carbofuran, a toxic pesticide that is used on a variety of crops, will no longer be allowed on food.
ABC is working to prevent bird collisions with buildings by advocating that green building standards include provisions that will reduce this threat, which kills millions of migrating songbirds each year.