It’s an expensive time of year for birthday presents among the kittiwakes at Living Coasts, Torquay’s coastal zoo. The five adult birds all have birthdays between July 17th and August 7th. And now a chick has hatched on its mother’s birthday.
The kittiwake also hatched in the same nest and to the same parents as last year, when Living Coasts recorded its first ever breeding of this species. The kittiwake is listed as Vulnerable by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.
Senior Keeper Jason Keller has been keeping a close eye on things: “The chick seems...
On Sunday 28 April, the Killerton rangers need your help to count and learn about the creatures that live in Ashclyst Forest.
Come along to Caddihoe Scout Camp and help the team with some hands on bug hunting, flower counting and butterfly spotting at the BioBlitz day. Everything you help us find will be fed into a database to help understand more about which animals are living in the woods.
The day kicks off bright and early with a dawn chorus walk where you can enjoy the early morning bird song. Expert led walks and wildlife survey fun will then continue throughout the...
The RSPB is celebrating a very special anniversary of its world famous Big Garden Birdwatch this weekend (26-28 January).
Just one hour every year, for the last 40 years, has made the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch the largest garden wildlife citizen science project. During that time, hundreds of thousands of people have volunteered their time providing the RSPB with over 8 million hours of monitoring garden birds.
Over the last four decades, an astonishing 130 million birds have been counted giving the RSPB real insight into how our birds are faring.
This is the extraordinary moment the hatching of a rare Mauritius pink pigeon chick was caught on video – and the moment the hard work started in earnest for Paignton Zoo bird keeper Tom Tooley.
Senior Bird Keeper Tom is currently 6,000 miles away on the island of Mauritius. But if you think he’s dodged the English winter to relax on a tropical island, think again.
He’s spending time with local conservationists to help bolster the population of this bird, classed as an Endangered Species. That means hand rearing – and THAT means long days: “The first feed is at 6.00am, then...
Unassuming in the winter, male ruffs transform in the Spring with eye-catching plumage - and it's all for the benefit of the females...
Keepers at Torquay’s coastal zoo are preparing the ground for some fierce competition. They are cutting the grass and clearing undergrowth so that one species of bird can indulge in its extraordinary mating ritual.
The ruff (Calidris pugnax) is an unassuming medium-sized wading bird that breeds in marshes and wet meadows across northern Europe. Females are grey-brown and white with grey mottling, and so are males – most of the time....
The behaviour of birds on and around the River Exe Estuary is to be monitored for the next three years to understand the effects of people and their activities on this important wildlife habitat.
Monitoring of birds will help measure the effect of new Wildlife Refuges at Exmouth and Dawlish Warren, which will come into force in September 2018.
The Wildlife Refuges were agreed by the South East Devon Habitat Regulations Executive Committee (SEDHREC) in October 2017 , following a 9 month public consultation.
Chair of SEDHREC, and Chair of Exeter City Council’s...
Friday 30 March to Friday 13 April 2.00 pm-4.00 pm
Price: Some activities will have a small charge payable on the day
Get crafty with us this Easter at The Lookout at Bowling Green Marsh. Fun family activities and quizzes throughout the week.
Booking not required, just drop in.
Some activities will have a small charge payable on the day
How to get to RSPB Bowling Green Marsh nature reserve: Bowling Green Marsh is approximately a 20 minute walk from either Topsham rail station or Topsham's High Street. BY BUS: 57 service (Exeter to Exmouth) to...
Many opportunities to learn about birds with the Countryside team this year
Throughout the coming year, there are a number of events taking place at Seaton Wetlands to help you learn more about birds.
Events taking place at Seaton Wetlands in January include ‘What’s that bird?’ and bird ringing demonstrations.
‘What’s that bird?’ sessions take place twice a month throughout the year. During these two-hour drop-in sessions a volunteer guide is available in the bird hide to help visitors identify the birds they see. There are also binoculars available to borrow, free...
Are you an experienced amateur wildlife photographer who would jump at the chance to photograph Exe Estuary wildlife from the vantage point of a stationary boat? We are running a special cruise to allow for those 'once in a lifetime' shots.
Your RSPB on-board wildlife guide, Jo King, will point out species such as black-tailed godwits, dunlins, golden plovers – and of course – avocets; liaising with the skipper to stop the boat for fantastic photo opportunities.
This is a great opportunity to get up close with some stunning wildlife! Booking essential.
It's certainly worth the early start to see the wildlife on the Exe foraging for food this early in the morning on a cruise that lasts 1.5 hours (approx).
All throughout the cruise expert commentary is provided by knowledgeable RSPB volunteers who will keep a close eye out and help you spot the various species of waders and wildfowl that either flock to the Exe to overwinter or call the Exe their home.
The avocets have never failed to put on a show since our Avocet Cruises started in the late 1980s. They normally congregate between the Turf Inn and Topsham.
