Jon Heath
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jonheath.bsky.social
Jon Heath
@jonheath.bsky.social
310 followers 210 following 170 posts
Natural Science and Photography, but mainly Birds 🐦 | Cambridgeshire County Bird Recorder | Born at 356 ppm
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Reposted by Jon Heath
rspb.bsky.social
Last night the Government steamrollered its Planning Bill through, slamming the door on vital protections for nature.

They said it would be a ‘win-win’ for the economy and nature.

But in reality, they’ve pushed nature into last place.
A lone Golden Plover stands alert on a low, mist-covered mound, silhouetted against a pale grey sky. Its speckled plumage blends with the muted landscape, giving a sense of vulnerability and quiet resilience: a single bird holding its ground as its world shifts around it.
November 25, 2025 at 4:13 PM
Reposted by Jon Heath
lesserspotnet.bsky.social
Something to celebrate - our 2025 Lesser Spotted Woodpecker report - successful breeding season, the most nests monitored & highest number of chicks fledged per nest since we started in 2015. Acoustic monitoring giving amazing results too, download here www.woodpecker-network.org.uk/images/L_S_W...
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker at its nest in New Forest, photo by Steve Laycock Six Lesser Spot young in a Quantocks nest, photo Gus Robin
November 22, 2025 at 5:05 PM
jonheath.bsky.social
Lovely crisp evening at Tev Fen with 7 raptor species seen. The Marsh Harrier roost is building up nicely but no sign of any Hen Harriers yet @cambsbirdclub.bsky.social
Peregrine pair Merlin - if you can spot it
November 21, 2025 at 6:36 PM
Reposted by Jon Heath
wadertales.bsky.social
Longevity record!
Last night, @washwader.bsky.social recaught this Black-tailed Godwit, first caught and ringed 29 years ago.
The metal ring was wearing thin (and was replaced) but the bird is still going strong.
Blog about longevity of waders:
wadertales.wordpress.com/2018/01/16/w...
#ornithology
November 9, 2025 at 1:42 PM
Reposted by Jon Heath
ukrbbp.bsky.social
The latest report from the RBBP, Rare Breeding Birds in the UK in 2023, is out now in British Birds. It reports on the 104 species and races of rare breeding birds recording breeding, or showing signs of breeding, in 2023. Read the summary at rbbp.org.uk/2023-report-... #ornithology #ukbirds 🧵[1/15]
The cover of the November 2025 issue of British Birds, with a Little Ringed Plover sheltering its chicks
November 4, 2025 at 10:51 AM
Reposted by Jon Heath
epollard.bsky.social
Central Cambridge Otter!
My friend @w-mcewan.bsky.social just saw this Otter near the boathouses! (31 Oct '25)
Incredible!

@tonyjuniper.bsky.social @jonheath.bsky.social @craigbennett3.bsky.social
Otter in the River Cam
October 31, 2025 at 4:52 PM
Reposted by Jon Heath
mrjasonrose.bsky.social
Thanks to @emmaroddicksnp.bsky.social for raising the impact of fireworks on animals at First Minister's Questions. The delay to the licensing aspect of the Fireworks Act is hugely frustrating. The suffering animals continue to endure is deeply upsetting: www.onekind.org/blog/firewor...
Fireworks causing animal distress, charity warns amid legislative delays (30-10-26)
Scottish animal welfare charity OneKind is drawing attention to the distress fireworks can cause animals, urging the Scottish Government to deliver on legislation passed three years ago that has yet t...
www.onekind.org
October 30, 2025 at 12:44 PM
Reposted by Jon Heath
richardkbroughton.bsky.social
Almost a third of UK Hawfinches used artificial birdfood when available, with implications for disease transmission.

Investigating supplementary food use of UK Hawfinch Coccothraustes coccothraustes populations using DNA metabarcoding doi.org/10.1080/0006...
#BirdStudy #ornithology
(c) rob Stoeltje, wiki commons: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Appelvink._(40555770115).jpg
October 25, 2025 at 1:48 PM
Reposted by Jon Heath
bc-cambs-essex.bsky.social
Third phase of consultation opens for proposed reservoir in the Fens

New details of the plans. Consultation open until December
www.anglianwater.co.uk/news/third-p...
Third phase of consultation opens for proposed reservoir in the Fens | Anglian Water Services
Communities invited to have their say on major investment to secure water supplies for future generations and create a new destination where people, nature and water can come together
www.anglianwater.co.uk
October 17, 2025 at 8:52 PM
Reposted by Jon Heath
stevedudley.bsky.social
As a county bird recorder I can honestly say that the best and easiest way for you to make your birding count, is to upload them to either eBird or BirdTrack. Doing so contributes directly to #ornithology and bird #conservation at both local and national levels.

#birdingScotland #birdingWales
The remarkable rise of eBird – the world’s biggest citizen science project
In 2002, an online database was set up allowing birdwatchers to record their species observations. It is now a vast resource, shaping scientific research.
theconversation.com
October 10, 2025 at 7:15 PM
Reposted by Jon Heath
georgemonbiot.bsky.social
Utterly beholden to lobbyists, staggeringly ignorant and dismissive of the natural world: Rachel Reeves might not look or sound like Donald Trump, but she is behaving very much like him. This government is even more of an ecological hazard than the Tories were.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Rachel Reeves clears planning blockage amid ‘good relationship’ with developer
Exclusive: Chancellor says 20,000 homes were being held up due to ‘some snails that are a protected species or something’
www.theguardian.com
October 7, 2025 at 5:45 PM
jonheath.bsky.social
A sneak peak of some upcoming artwork featuring in the 2024 Cambs Bird Report; this wonderful Starling murmuration by Richard Fowling. If you would like to contribute some of your own artwork to the report please do let us know @cambsbirdclub.bsky.social
September 30, 2025 at 6:15 PM
Reposted by Jon Heath
rspbscotland.bsky.social
We're incredibly concerned about the welfare of two satellite-tagged golden eagles, Tarras and Wren, that have recently disappeared in Dumfries and Galloway.

Anyone with information should contact Police Scotland.

Read more 👉 bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ce80l4jgd1qo

📷 Chris Gomersall, RSPB Images
September 30, 2025 at 9:37 AM
Reposted by Jon Heath
thierryaaron.bsky.social
"Alarmingly, the new data show an accelerating pattern of decline in our bird populations, whether on our farmland, wetlands, uplands or seas, as they are pushed past their limits" - @richgreg3.bsky.social
September 24, 2025 at 8:45 AM
jonheath.bsky.social
A Manx Shearwater, which was found under a hedge in a Haddenham garden last Tuesday, was successfully released yesterday at Hunstanton. It was launched off the cliffs and flew out to sea. @cambsbirdclub.bsky.social #ukbirding
September 21, 2025 at 6:02 PM
Reposted by Jon Heath
grahamknight10.bsky.social
Swift conservationists seem to be pretty much unanimous: 2025 was an excellent year for nest numbers, brood productivity, and activity levels around colonies.

The main reason seems to be long spells of warm weather without much rain.
September 21, 2025 at 4:12 PM
Reposted by Jon Heath
richardkbroughton.bsky.social
Very firm statement on releases of captive-bred Turtle Doves, from Operation Turtle Dove inc @rspb.bsky.social & @naturalengland.bsky.social:
*Doesn't meet IUCN guidelines
*Risk of disease/genetic pollution
*Irresponsible aims
operationturtledove.org/captive-rele... 1/2 #ornithology #ukbirding
Operation Turtle Dove’s view on the release of captive-bred Turtle Doves as a conservation measure - Operation Turtle Dove
Operation Turtle Dove is a science-led conservation partnership working to reverse the decline of Turtle Doves in the UK by restoring habitat and addressing key threats. Learn why captive-bred release...
operationturtledove.org
September 17, 2025 at 12:31 PM
jonheath.bsky.social
It's been a lot of fun watching Swifts nesting in my boxes for the first time this year. The first pair fledged 2-3 young in July but surprisingly a second pair started late and have just fledged 1-2 young in the last few days. Fingers crossed they are back next year @cambsbirdclub.bsky.social
September 8, 2025 at 5:24 PM
jonheath.bsky.social
Some classic late August birding in and around Cambridge today, with a team effort producing Redstart, Tree Pipit, Spotted Flycatchers, Whinchat, Grasshopper Warbler, Willow Warbler @noahbai-123.bsky.social @jokuwildlife.bsky.social @cambsbirdclub.bsky.social
August 31, 2025 at 6:09 PM
jonheath.bsky.social
Really enjoyed this! Very well made and pretty funny
August 30, 2025 at 6:40 PM
jonheath.bsky.social
Some autumnal Whinchats, which have been hanging around their favourite field for the last few days @cambsbirdclub.bsky.social #ukbirding
August 30, 2025 at 6:39 PM
jonheath.bsky.social
Great piece. Swifts really are the best birds!
swiftlyginger.bsky.social Lara 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 @swiftlyginger.bsky.social · Aug 22
I’ve started writing on substack! Will be a lot of bird stuff, but also whatever comes to mind. For now I have posted a piece I wrote for friends at the beginning of summer about my favourite bird. A big piece about seagulls on the way for anyone interested… 🪶

open.substack.com/pub/midnight...
Swift - Nature’s Perfect Flight Machine
My favourite bird should be yours too, and here’s why…
open.substack.com
August 26, 2025 at 4:45 PM
jonheath.bsky.social
Found a juvenile Cuckoo feather at the Research Park this weekend. Hopefully part of its moult before it begins the long migration south. The other photo was taken a few weeks back at the same site; juvenile waiting to be fed by Reed Warbler foster parents @cambsbirdclub.bsky.social #ukbirding
August 17, 2025 at 8:04 PM
Reposted by Jon Heath
newseye.bsky.social
Amongst those arrested in London for peacefully protesting the genocide in Gaza is this blind person in a wheelchair.

Staggeringly embarrassing and shaming for Starmer.

“Shame on you!” being shouted by the crowd.

(🎥 Defend Our Juries)
August 9, 2025 at 1:56 PM
Reposted by Jon Heath
birdguides.bsky.social
Wonderful news this evening! A pair of Montagu's Harrier has bred at a secret location in England this summer, the RSPB has announced:
Montagu's Harrier pair successfully breeds in England
A pair of Montagu's Harrier, Britain’s rarest breeding bird, have successfully raised four chicks at a secret site in England, the first UK nesting success since 2019. Monitored by the RSPB and a farmer, the rare birds' return offers hope for the species' future in Britain.
bit.ly
July 29, 2025 at 6:56 PM