Start Birding

04/10/2024

A wonderful reading by Helen MacDonald of her book, Vesper Flights

Listen to the latest episodes of Vesper Flights by Helen Macdonald on BBC Sounds.

17/09/2024

Check out Leeds Swifts’ latest newsletter

11/09/2024

Start Birding classes are back! - https://mailchi.mp/ad3d439c789b/news-from-start-birding-17224568

30/08/2024

Finally emerging from 'swift lockdown' - https://mailchi.mp/726bd044b271/news-from-start-birding-17223786

05/06/2024

On World Environment day, Yorkshire Wildlife Trust shares The State of Yorkshire’s Nature report. Download via the link

The first ever State of Yorkshire's Nature report sets out how Yorkshire's wildlife is fairing.

05/06/2024

Almost 'swift lockdown' - https://mailchi.mp/0fb620e924d0/news-from-start-birding-16533916

04/06/2024

This is terrible news! I couldn’t get through a summer without hearing the amazing song of a blackbird. If you have a garden, you might like to help the BTO with their very important survey. If this virus is marching northwards towards Yorkshire, we may start to see the drastic effects very soon.

22/05/2024

Mystery solved about our visiting bearded vulture in 2020

21/05/2024

In case you missed it

https://www.facebook.com/100064728907772/posts/847190350781921/?

17/05/2024

Peak birdsong season - https://mailchi.mp/5d9538b45241/news-from-start-birding-16532196

15/05/2024

Just back from a great tour in Suffolk with “hotter than Spain” weather, fantastic company and lots of wonderful birds including Dartford Warbler, Stone Curlew, Nightingale, Hobby, Barnacle Geese with chicks, lots of Avocets, Bittern and Cuckoo. Contact [email protected] for details of all classes and my next residential tour.

15/05/2024

I’d love to go to this and show my support but I’ll be in Leeds rehabbing grounded swifts, swallows and martins.

Rivers choking on pollution, precious woodlands destroyed, seas overfished & peat bogs burned. Nature in the UK is being assaulted.

07/05/2024

Our swifts are here! - https://mailchi.mp/10834ba98f87/news-from-start-birding-16531268

06/05/2024

News about the Leeds Birdfair

https://www.facebook.com/100068128098787/posts/766017412345855/?

Sorry to disappoint all you lovely Leeds Birdfair supporters but the event is on hold at the moment. We hope to be back soon at a new venue and at a different time of the year.

I’m immensely grateful to all the volunteers at Rodley Nature Reserve for hosting and supporting this enjoyable event since our first Birdfair in 2016. I was so pleased that we were able go ahead last year after 2 years of pandemic restrictions and a year with mechanical problems when the new access bridge over the canal was installed.

During that pause, I became heavily involved in rehabbing grounded swifts (for Leeds Swifts) the first of which arrive in early May, which is why last year’s event was brought forward from the end of June. By that time I could have up to 40 birds all needing feeding by hand every hour. Consequently, organising spring and early summer events has become too hair raising to contemplate.

Added to this, Rodley no longer has sufficient volunteers to be able to run such a big event and bringing the event forward to May has complicated this for them with it coinciding with holiday times. The Reserve has to rely on the cricket club to be able to use their parking facilities which cannot be guaranteed in the summer months. Also, I’ve been offered some really interesting talks by conservation experts and the Reserve is unable to accommodate talks and workshops due to lack of space.

Over the next few weeks I’ll be looking at venues in Leeds with the hope that we can relaunch the Leeds Birdfair very soon with an exciting programme of events. Watch this space. I’ll also be looking for a team of volunteers to help get the event back on the Leeds calendar. Contact me at [email protected] if you’d like to help

Linda at Start Birding

22/04/2024

Yorkshire birdsong - https://mailchi.mp/46138033dc87/news-from-start-birding-16527864

22/04/2024

This is encouraging! Let’s hope it puts an end to raptor persecution in (ashamedly) one of the worst places in the UK

Press release from North Yorkshire Police (18 April 2024): HEN HARRIER OPERATION ON THE HUNT FOR SUSPECTS IN THE YORKSHIRE DALES On Wednesday, (17 April 2024), a National Harrier Task Force operati…

21/04/2024

A fantastic spring day in Nidderdale yesterday visiting Gowthwaite, Scar House and the moorland above. Lovely to see so many species including dipper, grey wagtail, pied flycatcher, barn owl, swallows and martins, moorland waders, red grouse, ring ouzel, wheatear, siskin, redpoll and crossbills.

13/04/2024

Come and see my Start Birding stall at Otley Green Fair today from 10am to 4pm at the Otley Courthouse. I’m here to answer all your questions about birds in the area, migration, bird biology and swift conservation

15/03/2024

Migration Celebration - https://mailchi.mp/fc9e80c0c594/news-from-start-birding-16504364

21/02/2024

When I explain why we have to be careful not to disclose the nest sites of birds I'm often met with disbelief that people still collect bird eggs

Press release from Norfolk Constabulary (20th February 2024): Norfolk man illegally collected almost 3,000 eggs A prolific egg collector has admitted illegally hoarding thousands of rare birds’ egg…