BTO Blog

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The BTO blog offers comment and perspective from a wide range of BTO staff and supporters, giving context and inviting discussion on various aspects of BTO's work. Read our series of posts by Young Birders and our seasonal migration blog posts. Don't forget to visit the Demography Blog (Demog Blog) for Ringing and Nest Recording stories, and follow our Cuckoo Blogs (part of our Cuckoo Tracking Project).

Blogs on specific topics

Feature image for the People's Plan for Nature blog showing moss and lichens in a woodland setting. Mike Toms / BTO
Juliet Vickery
Featured blog post

BTO’s role in the People’s Plan for Nature

06 Jun 2023

BTO’s CEO Juliet Vickery explains how our new strategy will contribute to this ambitious call to action.

Blog Series

Equity vs Equality
BLOG

Equality vs equity: a crucial distinction in BTO’s work around diversity and inclusion

BTO's CEO Juliet Vickery discusses a shift in our focus.

01 Jun 2023

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BLOG

BirdTrack migration blog (late May–mid June)

As spring progresses towards summer, migration continues to slow. Most breeding species will be either in the full throws of breeding or close to their breeding grounds.

26 May 2023

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BLOG

BirdTrack migration blog (19–25 May)

A week of relatively settled conditions enabled a steady stream of late migrants to arrive, and allowed an occasional scarce species to make landfall. 

19 May 2023

BTO Youth Engagement Strategy
BLOG

Launching the new BTO Youth Engagement Strategy

Youth Advisory Panel member Katie Monk discusses developing BTO Youth’s new strategy, and why an inclusive environment for young people is vital for nature’s future.

15 May 2023

Swift. Philip Croft / BTO
BLOG

BirdTrack migration blog (12–18 May)

As we reach the height of spring migration, the variety of species to be found is almost at its peak, and the spell of warmer weather over the coronation bank holiday weekend brought with it a steady stream of birds.

12 May 2023

Hobby.
BLOG

BirdTrack migration blog (5–11 May)

The changeable weather over the past week meant migrating birds continued to arrive in fits and starts, although some notable rarities were found.

05 May 2023

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BLOG

BirdTrack migration blog (14–20 April)

The mixed bag of weather over the last week brought a few nice surprises and a steady trickle of migrants.

12 Apr 2023

Cuckoo.
BLOG

BirdTrack migration blog (28 April–4 May)

As expected, the mixed bag of weather over the last week resulted in a trickle rather than a flow of birds arriving.

28 Apr 2023

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BLOG

BirdTrack migration blog (21–27 April)

A week of sunshine, rain and blustery easterly winds kept the pace of migration relatively slow given the time of year.

21 Apr 2023

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BLOG

BirdTrack migration blog (7–13 April)

During the last week, spring migration has stepped up a gear with species such as Nightingale, Whitethroat, Grasshopper Warbler, and Cuckoo making their first appearance of 2023.

06 Apr 2023

Gannets and Herring Gulls foraging at sea.
BLOG

Finding food: deciphering the foraging ‘fingerprints’ of Gannets

Chris Pollock explains how studying the unique movements and behaviours of individual Gannets can help us to understand the impact of environmental change on their populations.

05 Apr 2023

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BLOG

BirdTrack migration blog (31 March–6 April)

A change in wind direction over the past week coupled with some prolonged and often heavy bursts of rain slowed migration – but some birds still made it through.

30 Mar 2023

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BLOG

BirdTrack migration blog (24–30 March)

Spring has certainly sprung in the last week, as summer migrants have taken advantage of warmer weather with a funnel of south-westerlies aiding their arrival.

24 Mar 2023

Great Crested Grebes on nest, Sarah Kelman
BLOG

Amazing nesters: a journey through the bird breeding season

Bird breeding behaviours to watch out for this spring, and how to get started with nest monitoring.

16 Mar 2023

View with the sea stacks Drangarnir in the distance, Lesley Hindley
BLOG

Ken Williamson's Faroe Islands Diaries: From Thetford to Tórshavn (and back)

BTO Archivist Lesley Hindley on her travels to the Faroe Islands to digitise the wartime diaries of Kenneth Williamson.

10 Mar 2023

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BLOG

BirdTrack migration blog (Mid-February — Mid-March)

With the songs of Great Tit, Song Thrush and Dunnock starting to fill the air, it feels like spring is just around the corner.

24 Feb 2023

Fionnuala McCully
BLOG

Finding my place(ment): taking a break from a PhD

PhD student Fionnuala McCully reflects on her placement with the BTO Communications Team, and the benefits she experienced while stepping back from her studies.

25 Jan 2023

Curlew. Annie Shadrake
BLOG

My BTO volunteering journey: surveying breeding waders in the Yorkshire Dales

Volunteer Annie Shadrake writes about her first year taking part in BTO surveys.

17 Jan 2023

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BLOG

BirdTrack migration blog (mid January–mid February)

With everything from arctic blasts to torrential rain, this winter has certainly been a testing time for birds visiting Britain and Ireland.

13 Jan 2023

Smew. Sarah Kelman / BTO
BLOG

BirdTrack migration blog (mid-December - mid-January)

With plummeting temperatures across Britain and Ireland, there is little doubt that winter has arrived - and although the main migration periods are over for this year, the recent icy conditions have resulted in some cold weather movement.

14 Dec 2022

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Feature image for the People's Plan for Nature blog showing moss and lichens in a woodland setting. Mike Toms / BTO
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