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Top 5 highlights from this year's bird survey season…

Bird surveys are carried out so that new developments don’t disturb, destroy or damage the habitats of nesting birds. It’s essential that they’re done so that business and biodiversity can work together in harmony.

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Top 5 highlights from this year's bird survey season…

We chatted with Philien Riches-Duchemin, our Ornithology lead, to ask for his highlights of this year's bird survey season, which typically lasts from February to August. 


1. Seeing Crossbills for the first time


A flock of Crossbills were coming down from the hills and they flew into the site I was working on. I’d never seen them before so that really made my day. 


2. Spotting a Cuckoo

I had heard this bird around the site I was working on and I knew at once that it was a Cuckoo, but every time I turned to where the sound was coming from, there was nothing to be seen. It was as though he was teasing me. Eventually, I spotted the Cuckoo perched on the edge of the woodland, just singing away. It was awesome!


3. Catching a glimpse of a Buzzard

When I was doing a Wader survey, I managed to catch a glimpse of a Buzzard taking a young fledgling Oystercatcher out of the air. The Buzzard was cruising above and then swooped down and caught the Oystercatcher mid-flight. The Buzzard is, of course, a bird of prey, so it is quite majestic. 


4. Listening to the hum of the Fieldfare

I wasn’t meant to be recording the Fieldfare, because they’re a winter migrant visitor but they stayed for quite a while longer than I expected. It was quite early into the season and I saw a flock of around 30 Fieldfare on one of our Hexham sites. It was a great surprise because at first, we thought they might simply be blackbirds because they’re one of our largest thrushes but their unique colouring gave them away. The noise they make is just incredible, it’s almost like they’re humming, which isn’t something you’d expect from a member of the thrush family. The sound is so calming.


5. Listening to the song of the Grasshopper Warbler

Last but definitely not least. I heard a Grasshopper Warbler. We were going through the moorland of our site and we heard their distinct song. 

I thought there was no way it could be a grasshopper warbler… but it was! It was so wonderful to hear their truly unique call. They’re a migrant visiting bird, so it’s not too common to see or hear them, which makes it all the more special.


If you would like to explore more of our ornithology services, feel free to contact us.

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