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btobirds.bsky.social
BTO | British Trust for Ornithology
@btobirds.bsky.social
11K followers 400 following 990 posts
BTO is the UK's leading Registered Charity working with volunteers to improve our knowledge of birds through monitoring and research. www.bto.org
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btobirds.bsky.social
At BTO we hold Robert T. (Bobby) Smith’s incredible bird photographs taken over his decades in the field in our archives. 📷 Here are some of our favourites of particularly colourful birds the European Bee-eater, Hoopoe and Kingfisher! 🐦 🪶 #ExploreYourArchive #EYABeauty
A Bee-eater with its colourful chestnut and blue plumage turns to face the direction of the camera showing its red eye. A forward facing view of a Bee-eater with its colourful chestnut and blue plumage perched on a branch. A sideways view of a Kingfisher perched on a branch showing its striking blue plumage and long bill, with mud on the tip. A Hoopoe by a tree trunk showing its pinkish-orange crest raised, and its striking black and white striped wings.
November 30, 2025 at 6:00 PM
btobirds.bsky.social
This #ExploreYourArchive Week we’re delving into our BTO collections, starting with lantern slides belonging to pioneer wildlife photographer Oliver G. Pike (1877-1963). #EYAConservation #WildlifePhotography 🪶
November 29, 2025 at 6:04 PM
Reposted by BTO | British Trust for Ornithology
willrose.bsky.social
Delighted to illustrate these common UK finches for the new Birds in Greenspaces survey. Sign up for a free recources pack #birds 🪶
btobirds.bsky.social BTO | British Trust for Ornithology @btobirds.bsky.social · 4d
Know your finches? 🤔 Whether an experienced birder or new to nature we want you to help us count Birds in Greenspaces next year 🪶 Our FREE resource pack provides ID guides to 30 bird species. Sign up to the newsletter to receive it at www.bto.org/greenspaces

Illustrations by @willrose.bsky.social
Five bird illustrations by Will Rose showing Goldfinch, male and female Chaffinch, and male and female Greenfinch. The bird species name features under the illustrations and at the top of the tile is the word finches.
November 27, 2025 at 6:44 PM
btobirds.bsky.social
There’s so much we can learn about birds by listening to them. Acoustic Monitoring involves the placement of small programmable recorders to capture the sounds of birds and other wildlife, particularly in remote places. Find out more & donate➡️ www.bto.org/support-us/a... #bioacoustics #ornithology
A cut out image of a Storm Petrel in flight appears over a green background alongside the wording: Discover the power of acoustic monitoring. Image credit bottom right reads: Storm Petrel © Marc Guyt from Getty Images, via Canva.com
November 27, 2025 at 5:04 PM
Reposted by BTO | British Trust for Ornithology
ldvnnr.bsky.social
The ringing of Shoveler ducklings is somewhat of an #LDV speciality, so it was nice to receive a @btobirds.bsky.social recovery of one this week (ringed as a young male at Wheldrake Ings in July 2021 - recovered at Valle Morosina, Padova, Italy last week) 1,338 km SE of the reserve.
November 27, 2025 at 2:52 PM
btobirds.bsky.social
Know your finches? 🤔 Whether an experienced birder or new to nature we want you to help us count Birds in Greenspaces next year 🪶 Our FREE resource pack provides ID guides to 30 bird species. Sign up to the newsletter to receive it at www.bto.org/greenspaces

Illustrations by @willrose.bsky.social
Five bird illustrations by Will Rose showing Goldfinch, male and female Chaffinch, and male and female Greenfinch. The bird species name features under the illustrations and at the top of the tile is the word finches.
November 26, 2025 at 7:00 PM
Reposted by BTO | British Trust for Ornithology
webs-gsmp.bsky.social
1/ 📢Looking for counters for the International Swan Census (ISC) on the weekend of 17th-18th January 2026 in Northumberland.

Please visit the vacant site map to request a site near you: app.bto.org/gsmp/public/...

#Ornithology #UKBirding
November 26, 2025 at 9:37 AM
Reposted by BTO | British Trust for Ornithology
bbs-birds.bsky.social
(1/) As well as being monitored by the Heronries Census since 1928, there is also a BBS trend for Grey Heron! It declined across the UK by 13% between 1995 and 2023. @btobirds.bsky.social @jncc.bsky.social @rspbscience.bsky.social #Ornithology #CitizenScience
Grey Heron and trend graph.
November 26, 2025 at 8:00 AM
btobirds.bsky.social
New blog! 🐦 Read this touching story from BTO Youth’s Felix Adams about how his grandfather inspired his love for birds, and how he treasures their shared memories. 🪶

Read the blog ➡️ www.bto.org/our-work/new...
There’s a Cuckoo in here somewhere | BTO
There comes a time when those, often young people, with slightly less conventional hobbies question what it is about birding, trainspotting, unicycling or vintage knitwear that really gets them going....
www.bto.org
November 25, 2025 at 4:21 PM
Reposted by BTO | British Trust for Ornithology
bto-ni.bsky.social
Thanks to everyone who came along to the monthly Wildlife Wander in Victoria Park, Belfast last Sunday!

We were happy to see a variety of waders, seabirds and woodland birds, including a perched Kingfisher and four Black Guillemots.

Want to join us next time? 👇
bit.ly/4igeE2N

#ornithology
Photo of a sunlit path in Victoria Park, Belfast by Nia Potapova / BTO Two Black Guillemots seen in Victoria Park, Belfast. Photo by Nia Potapova / BTO A photo of a Black-tailed Godwit foraging in Victoria Park, Belfast by Nia Potapova / BTO View of the wooded islands in Victoria Park, Belfast. Photo by Nia Potapova / BTO
November 24, 2025 at 2:42 PM
Reposted by BTO | British Trust for Ornithology
btoscotland.bsky.social
Hats off to the SOC @scottishbirding.bsky.social for a superb Annual Conference. Great speakers and nice to see so many folk out. We loved our walk at @rspbscotland.bsky.social Barons Haugh reserve. Green Sandpiper were the highlight of the 49 species we saw! #BirdingScotland
Green Sandpiper. Allan Drewitt/ BTO
November 24, 2025 at 3:52 PM
btobirds.bsky.social
✨ Meet our new Youth Advisory Panel members! ✨ We’re so excited to welcome Alysia, Anna, Bethan, Grace, Sonya and Zac to our team!

They’ll be helping shape the future of BTO Youth with their ideas, energy and love for birds and nature. 🐦💬🌿

Read more on our website ➡️ www.bto.org/about/how/go...
A collage of six images of new BTO Youth volunteers. Wording in the middle reads: BTO Youth. Meet our new YAP Members! Find out more about our team at bto.org/yap
November 24, 2025 at 3:31 PM
btobirds.bsky.social
Congratulations to Joe Carroll, one of our BTO Youth Reps, who was joint winner of the @nbntrust.bsky.social Young Person’s Award 2025! 🎉

Joe is a volunteer for @bbs-birds.bsky.social and @webs-gsmp.bsky.social and shares his experience as a young birder at conferences and events. Thank you Joe!
NBN Award Recipients 2025 - National Biodiversity Network
The winners and highly commended recipients of the NBN Awards for Wildlife Recording 2025 were announced at the SS Great … Continued
nbn.org.uk
November 24, 2025 at 9:56 AM
btobirds.bsky.social
A wonderful nature journal entry by Arrietty! So brilliant to see the next generation engaging with #Birds! Thank you for sharing @brigitstrawbridge.bsky.social 😀

If you know any young people keen to learn more about birds and nature, check out our BTO Youth scheme: www.bto.org/our-work/youth
brigitstrawbridge.bsky.social Brigit Strawbridge @brigitstrawbridge.bsky.social · 7d
My granddaughter Arrietty’s Nature Journal. She comes once a week for nature studies (home ed). This week we learned about Jays, & their roles in spreading Oak trees. As chance would have it we saw (and heard) one close-up as it flew between the trees at our Allotment! @btobirds.bsky.social #birds
November 24, 2025 at 9:30 AM
btobirds.bsky.social
What’s green and defies gravity? 🤔 The Green Woodpecker of course!

The largest woodpecker species in the UK, this bird has a distinctive laughing call & forages for its favourite foots, ants, using its powerful beak & long, sticky tongue. ➡️ www.bto.org/learn/ab...

#Wicked #DefyingGravity 🪶
A Green Woodpecker on the side of a tree. The word green appears to the left with a green tick in a box next to it, and below that the words defies gravity with a green tick in a box next to them. A small image credit bottom right of the image reads: Green Woodpecker, by Liz Cutting / BTO.
November 23, 2025 at 8:00 AM
btobirds.bsky.social
A distinctive churring is often the first sign a Nightjar is near. This is why techniques like Acoustic Monitoring will be vital to improving our understanding of this incredible bird. Can you help support the development of Acoustic Monitoring?➡️ www.bto.org/acoustic... #bioacoustics #ornithology
Cut out image of a Nightjar on a green background alongside the wording: New insights unlocked with acoustic monitoring. Image credit bottom right of the image reads: Nightjar by Chris Knights / BTO.
November 22, 2025 at 6:00 PM
btobirds.bsky.social
Looks like we’re not the only ones that think #DefyingGravity is cool with #Wicked For Good hitting cinemas!🧙✨ While Elphaba uses a broomstick, #Birds have impressive physical attributes, such as streamlined bodies & lightweight skeletons, so they can take to the sky. ➡️ www.bto.org/learn/ab...
A Rough-legged Buzzard in flight with wings outstretched. Wording reads: Talk about defying gravity. An image credit in the bottom right of the corner reads: Rough-legged Buzzard by Chris Knights / BTO.
November 21, 2025 at 6:00 PM
Reposted by BTO | British Trust for Ornithology
webs-gsmp.bsky.social
1/ This weekend marks the final IGC count of the season, focusing on Greylag Goose counts, and Pink-footed Geese, at their roosts. Thank you to all of our #GSMP_UK volunteers and hope you enjoy your counts this weekend!

@btobirds.bsky.social @jncc.bsky.social @naturescot.bsky.social

#UKBirding
Picture of a Greylag Goose flying, with the words 'Icelandic-breeding Goose Census this weekend' on top and the date '22nd/23rd November' on the right hand side of the image. Photo credit: BTO/John Harding. For more information, visit www.bto.org/gsmp.
November 21, 2025 at 3:11 PM
btobirds.bsky.social
Could Waxwings be on their way to the UK? Find out in this article from @stephenmossauthor.bsky.social in @theguardian.com ➡️ www.theguardian.com/news/2025/no...
A Waxwing perches on a tree branch with bright red berries on, the bird has one of these berries in its beak. Image credit by Chris Knights / BTO.
November 21, 2025 at 3:52 PM
Reposted by BTO | British Trust for Ornithology
willrose.bsky.social
Very happy to be part of this project coming in 2026!🦅
btobirds.bsky.social BTO | British Trust for Ornithology @btobirds.bsky.social · 10d
Want a FREE resource pack with an ID guide to 30 species you’re likely to see in your local greenspace? 🐦🌳 Sign up to our Birds in #Greenspaces newsletter to receive one! ➡️ www.bto.org/greenspaces #Ornithology 🪶

Illustrations by @willrose.bsky.social
November 20, 2025 at 6:21 PM
btobirds.bsky.social
Want a FREE resource pack with an ID guide to 30 species you’re likely to see in your local greenspace? 🐦🌳 Sign up to our Birds in #Greenspaces newsletter to receive one! ➡️ www.bto.org/greenspaces #Ornithology 🪶

Illustrations by @willrose.bsky.social
November 20, 2025 at 4:56 PM
btobirds.bsky.social
Are the BTO Cuckoos still moving across Africa? Yes they are! ⬇️🌍

Cleeve has headed further south, leaving Cameroon and flying into the Republic of the Congo. He moved around 500 miles over five days! #Ornithology
Two headshot images of Cuckoos Cleeve and Frederic feature in a circular frame in the centre of the image. Underneath is their name and the words, tagged: Norfolk. Above in large writing are the words Cuckoo update. In the background is a half transparent map of the world showing BTO tagged Cuckoos locations in Africa.
November 19, 2025 at 6:00 PM
Reposted by BTO | British Trust for Ornithology
bbs-birds.bsky.social
(1/) This week, it's a throwback to the summer months with Common Tern! This elegant species declined by 4% between 1995 and 2023. The 10 year trend for this species shows a 20% decline across the UK. @btobirds.bsky.social @jncc.bsky.social @rspbscience.bsky.social #Ornithology #CitizenScience
Common Tern and trend graph.
November 19, 2025 at 8:00 AM
Reposted by BTO | British Trust for Ornithology
btoengland.bsky.social
Don't miss author James Parry's talk about Emma Turner at Norfolk Wildlife Trust Cley Marshes.

📅 Thu 20 Nov, 1-3pm. Book a space ➡️ www.norfolkwildlifetrust.org.uk/events/2025-...

From 10am to 12pm our BTO Archivist can show you original material from the Emma Turner archive too. #NorfolkBirding
James Parry - The life of bird photographer Emma Turner | Norfolk Wildlife Trust
Join Norfolk Wildlife Trust and the British Trust for Ornithology for a talk by James Parry, co-author with Jeremy Greenwood of the book Emma Turner - A life looking at birds.
www.norfolkwildlifetrust.org.uk
November 18, 2025 at 2:17 PM
Reposted by BTO | British Trust for Ornithology
smp-seabirds.bsky.social
The Arctic Skua, one of two Skua species covered by the SMP.
Look out for the adult's prominent 'pointed tail spike' and their variable colour gradations, caused by mixed breeding pairs of pale and dark morph individuals! #seabirds #birds @btobirds.bsky.social @jncc.bsky.social @rspb.bsky.social
Graphic displays an amalgamated image of three Arctic Skuas by Alex Penn/BTO. On the left is a pale morph individual, in the centre a juvenile, and a dark morph individual on the right. In the top right hand corner is the SMP logo. The caption reads: 'The Arctic Skua, one of two Skua species covered by the SMP. Look out for the adult's prominent 'pointed tail spike' and their variable colour gradations, caused by mixed breeding pairs of pale and dark morph individuals! #seabirds #birds @btobirds.bsky.social @jncc.bsky.social @rspb.bsky.social'
November 18, 2025 at 4:30 PM