BTO Blog | Page 4 | BTO - British Trust for Ornithology

Skip to main content

RSS BTO Blog

Our blog offers specialist insight and unique perspective from a wide range of BTO staff, volunteers and guest writers, giving context and inviting discussion on various aspects of our work. It includes:

A series of important posts by BTO Youth.
Updates on how the latest tagged cuckoos are faring as they migrate to and from Africa.
How our latest strategy plays a crucial role in tackling the twin biodiversity and climate crises.
Reflections on our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusivity.

Blogs on specific topics

Demography Blog

The Demog blog covers all things realting to the study of the characteristics of populations, such as size, growth, density, distribution, and vital statistics.

BirdTrack Migration Blog

During the months when migration is at its peak, the migblog will predict which species you may see in the coming week and where best to look for migrant birds.

BTO Youth Blog

The Youth blog gives a voice to the young people we work and engage with across the UK, covering programmes of work, events, opinion pieces and interviews.

Swifts, by Philip Croft / BTO

Paul Stancliffe

Featured blog post

BirdTrack migration blog (26–3 May)

26 Apr 2024

Last week’s blog predicted the possible early arrival of Bee-eaters in the UK. Sadly, the only individual recorded was a bird found dead in a Dorset garden. Continuing the theme, Bee-eaters are still moving in strength through southern Europe. The weather forecast for the next week promises favourable conditions for the arrival of birds from the south and south-east, and Bee-eaters are likely to be among them.

Blog Series

Mistle Thrush. Edmund Fellowes / BTO

Garden birds in winter

Discover how birds survive in the cold, which thrushes might visit your garden in an icy spell, and how you can help your garden birds when the weather turns.

12 Dec 2022

Whooper Swan. Sarah Kelman / BTO

Scotland’s winter visitors: why and how do they migrate?

From geese and swans to thrushes and warblers, discover the secrets of our winter birds' migration.

22 Nov 2022

BirdTrack migration blog (November–December)

With November upon us, the focus for many birdwatchers shifts away from autumn migration and towards winter birding.

04 Nov 2022

The southern shores of Lough Neagh, Oxford Island. Sorrel Lyall

Introducing Ripple NI: BTO’s community-based engagement project

From young birder, ringer and Youth Advisory Panel member to BTO Project Officer, Sorrel Lyall’s journey into conservation takes her to Northern Ireland.

02 Nov 2022

BirdTrack migration blog (28th October - 3rd November)

As the nights draw in and trees take on the colours of autumn, the pace of migration slows and fewer species are on the move. Late October is still a great time to look for migrant birds, however, and for some species, this is the prime time of year to see them.

26 Oct 2022

Youth in Nature Summit

Why we built the Youth in Nature Summit

BTO Youth discuss the environmental sector's failure to consistently engage with young people, and set out their goals for the first ever BTO Youth in Nature Summit.

25 Oct 2022

Fieldfare. Liz Cutting / BTO

BirdTrack migration blog (21st-27th October)

With a switch to easterly winds, a flood of migrants was seen along the East coast, much to the delight of those able to get out and witness it.

20 Oct 2022

BirdTrack Migration Blog (14th - 20th October)

With birds arriving from all points of the compass, the last week continued where the previous week left off: a mix of ultra-rare species and scarcer migrants arriving alongside more commoner species.

13 Oct 2022

Greater Mouse-eared Bat. Sergey Ryzhkov / stock.adobe.com

BTO goes batty: how our Acoustic Pipeline project is contributing to bat conservation in some of Europe’s most threatened landscapes

How our Acoustic Pipeline project is contributing to bat conservation in Europe’s most threatened landscapes.

10 Oct 2022

Snow Bunting. Paul Hillion / BTO

BirdTrack migration blog (7th - 13th October)

Migration continues at a pace with some exciting rarities on our shores alongside our commoner species moving en masse to their wintering grounds.

06 Oct 2022

Into the Red. BTO

The Making of Into the Red

When 140 artists and writers come together, united by a common goal: to raise funds for the UK’s most vulnerable birds.

04 Oct 2022

Redwing, Edmund Fellowes

BirdTrack migration blog (30th September - 6th October)

As we reach the peak of Autumn migration many millions of birds are on the move across the globe.

30 Sep 2022

BirdTrack migration blog (23rd-29th September)

Given the seemingly unfavourable conditions over the past week, it has been a pleasant surprise to see such a diverse range of species on the move.

21 Sep 2022

BirdTrack migration blog (16th-22nd September)

As we reach mid-September, the pace of migration has certainly intensified: summer visitors, passage migrants, and winter visitors have been seen far and wide across Britain and Ireland.

14 Sep 2022

BirdTrack migration blog (9th-15th September)

A week dominated by easterlies certainly had an exciting effect on migration with a good mix of species seen up and down the country.

07 Sep 2022

BirdTrack migration blog (2nd-8th September)

With Swallows gathering on the wires and the nights drawing in, summer has come to an end - but the delights of autumn still await.

01 Sep 2022

BirdTrack migration blog (26th August - 1st September)

With the start of September almost upon us, the pace of migration will increase as more of our summer visitors head off to their wintering areas.

25 Aug 2022

Juliet Vickery.

How BTO data are driving positive change for UK birds

BTO's CEO Juliet explains how we use our data to drive positive change for the UK's birds.

24 Aug 2022

BirdTrack migration blog (19th-25th August)

You don’t need us to tell you that August has been very hot and dry with drought conditions across many parts of Britain and Ireland.

16 Aug 2022

Large Red and Azure Damselflies. Tony / stock.adobe.com

How and why to record dragonflies in August

Many dragonflies and damselflies are on the wing in mid and late summer. BTO’s Rob Jaques writes about watching, recording, and supporting these beautiful insects.

12 Aug 2022

Pages

Related content

Bewick's Swan. Chris Knights

BTO Data Reports

Our reports provide rigorous scientific information to inform Environmental Impact Assessments in the UK.

BirdTrack migration blog – early spring

It may still feel like winter but for some species, the increasing temperatures and lengthening days have already kick-started spring migration, with birds starting to arrive and depart across Britain and Ireland.

Songbird ID (3 sessions, Wednesdays 10am)

This course involves three weekly online sessions of 100 minutes, with a trainer:participant ratio of about 1:30. Participants' microphones are muted during the sessions but there is a large interactive component,...