10,000 Birds

MARCH 29, 2024

Curlews are birds of serious conservation concern in the UK, with numbers falling sharply this century. Curlews are long-lived birds, so their decline is not always apparent, with pairs returning annually to their favoured nesting area, despite not having fledged any chicks for years. Males have noticeably shorter beaks.)

Fox 189

Fox Finland Badgers Eggs 189

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 19, 2024

Note the short legs, stout body and white rump and tail I see Muntjac on virtually every birding (or dog-walking) outing, as these small Asian deer are now very numerous around my home in the Suffolk Brecks. I’ve yet to see one in the UK, but I had a memorable encounter with one while birding from a small boat on a river in Lithuania.

Fur 199

Fur Deer Boars Estonia 199

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 17, 2019

The Christmas Bird Count was the answer. The IWC census starts from mid-January following the logic that it is the period when the birds have reached their wintering grounds and are rather static, so the chance of double-counting the same flock is minimal. But it is so frustrating to pass the birds by without IDing them!

Geese 141

Geese Serbia Birds Estonia 141