Surfbirds News

Brazilian Merganser trip a roaring success

Sat, 11 Oct 2008 18:43:29 +0000

The first ever Brazilian Mergansers have been caught and colour ringed during a highly successful WWT and Terra Brasilis trip to Serra da Canastra, Brazil.

Trouble in the pipeline for Gray Whales

Sat, 11 Oct 2008 07:47:52 +0000

The fate of the world’s few remaining Western Gray Whales now rests on the outcome of appeals to Russian authorities and courts following the refusal of an oil consortium to consider alternatives to a proposal to lay an oil pipeline through a shallow lagoon crucial to the whales’ food supplies.

Climate change to devastate or destroy many penguin colonies

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 15:46:17 +0000

Half to three-quarters of major Antarctic penguin colonies face decline or disappearance if global temperatures are allowed to climb by more than 2°C.

More Mammals Seeing Red

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 23:08:13 +0000

Marine mammals, such as the Narwhal and Irawaddy dolphin, and land mammals, such as tree kangaroos were confirmed to be closer to extinction by IUCN’s updated Red List of Threatened Species.

The ultimate in digiscoping?

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 07:27:42 +0000

The unveiling of a new combined spotting scope and digital camera heralds a new era in digiscoping, according to Zeiss. Their latest technological innovation certainly removes many of the problems faced by digiscopers.

Migrant birds in hot water

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 07:05:31 +0000

Climate change is a major threat to migratory waterbirds, according to a new report by the British Trust for Ornithology and Wetlands International. Of 235 species of migratory waterbird occurring in Europe and Africa, all except one are experiencing some threat from climate change, and nine species face severe threats that could cause extinction.

It's time to get tough with illegal Maltese bird hunters

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 06:59:15 +0000

The illegal shooting of birds of prey and other protected species in the Maltese islands has peaked this autumn, prompting renewed calls from BirdLife Malta and the RSPB for tougher action to be taken by the Maltese authorities against the illegal hunters.

Bempton Cliffs bucks seabird trend - but puffin numbers fall

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 06:52:14 +0000

Spectacular changes in the populations of seabirds breeding at RSPB Bempton Cliffs have highlighted the international importance of the Yorkshire coast for marine wildlife.

Sad end for tagged Loch Garten osprey

Sat, 04 Oct 2008 06:37:19 +0000

One of the two ospreys from the famous Loch Garten nest, which were fitted with satellite tags for the first time this year, sadly seems to have died while on migration. The transmitter fitted to Deshar, the male bird, shows him to be at zero speed and negative altitude in mid-Atlantic suggesting that the young osprey has ditched into the ocean.

Wilson's Snipe admitted to the British List

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 20:17:47 +0000

American Common Snipe (Wilson’s Snipe) Gallinago gallinago delicata Juvenile, St Mary’s, Isles of Scilly - 9 October 1998 to 7 April 1999

UK's smallest breeding seabird weathers the storm

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 09:39:40 +0000

Seabird monitoring on RSPB Ramsey Island this summer has revealed that storm petrels, the UK's smallest breeding seabird, are showing signs of breeding on the island for the first time on record.

Red kites soar in 2008

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 09:31:20 +0000

The Scottish red kite population is now at its highest level for 200 years following one of the best ever breeding seasons this year, and an ongoing reintroduction project around Aberdeen. The Scottish population now stands at 122 breeding pairs, with the UK population as a whole growing to an estimated 1200 breeding pairs.

Return of saltmarsh aids flood defence and wildlife

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 09:25:50 +0000

A huge area of the Ribble estuary is to be returned to saltmarsh in the biggest scheme of its kind in the UK.

Poachers walk free as assault on Zimbabwe rhinos escalates

Fri, 26 Sep 2008 06:54:40 +0000

A breakdown in law enforcement against rhino poaching and horn smuggling in Zimbabwe is threatening the success of more than a decade's work bringing rhino populations back up to healthy levels.

Birds indicate biodiversity crisis – and the way forward

Mon, 22 Sep 2008 18:06:04 +0000

Common birds are in decline across the world, providing evidence of a rapid deterioration in the global environment that is affecting all life on earth – including human life. All the world’s governments have committed themselves to slowing or halting the loss of biodiversity by 2010. But reluctance to commit what are often trivial sums in terms of national budgets means that this target is almost certain to be missed.