Martin George
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jannerbirder.bsky.social
Martin George
@jannerbirder.bsky.social
Bird nerd, patch worker and BTO surveyor. MSc Ornithology (mostly a seabirds thing). Proud Devonian currently exiled to North Shropshire. I also run the #Shropshirebirds feed.
Pinned
I've just created a Shropshire Birding feed for bird sightings and updates in the county.

Please use #Shropshirebirding or #Shropshirebirds in your post.

A big thank you to @jamiedunning.bsky.social for his guidance.

Don't forget to pin the feed once you've followed it!

bsky.app/profile/did:...
Reposted by Martin George
New Year, new book project.
@martamaziarz.bsky.social & I are writing a new Poyser monograph for @chiffchat.bsky.social on everyone's favourite forest songster: the Wood Warbler.
Decades of long-term studies from across Europe, including our own in Białowieża Forest.
#NatureWriting #Ornithology
January 1, 2026 at 6:07 PM
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We have several squares available in Shropshire, and it's a very rewarding survey to be part of.

Just two visits in spring, plus a recce, although you do need reasonable bird ID skills. Training/mentoring may be available.

Please email or direct message for more information 🙂
#ShropshireBirds
Happy New Year to you all! Why not make it your New Year’s resolution for 2026 to take on a BBS square near you! You can find out how to take part in the survey and sign up to survey a square here: www.bto.org/get-invo... @btobirds.bsky.social @jncc.bsky.social @rspbscience.bsky.social

January 1, 2026 at 1:36 PM
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This NYD I'm not just thinking about fireworks and the overnight avian escape flights:
Any Dutch who might have thought to contest implementation of the anti-fireworks law next year are going to have a hard time making their case, after the Vondelkerk burnt down tonight www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2026/...
January 1, 2026 at 5:38 AM
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Happy New Year! 2025 was another record year at #salopobs with ✨️128✨️ species recorded (10 nocmig only), including 3 new ticks (GCGrebe, Avocet and Gannet!) bringing the overall total to 💥150💥 Three Bittern nights, Quail, Ospreys, Scoters... #happydays
December 31, 2025 at 8:08 PM
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2025 is ending on a wildfowl high for Shropshire's birding community. If the bird stays some people may get an impressive start to 2026!
Hot on the heels of the Lesser Scaup, this dinky Richardson's Cackling Goose vied for the title of Shropshire's bird of the year by the Severn at Atcham this morning... in the same Canada flock in the same spot as the 2019 Greenland Whitefront 🤔✅️ #shropshirebirding
December 31, 2025 at 12:27 PM
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This striking #leucistic #BlackHeadedGull certainly caught my eye at Passage House on S Devon's #TeignEstuary this afternoon. #DevonBirds #UKBirding #birds
December 30, 2025 at 5:44 PM
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UNBELIEVABLE! 9 Tundra Bean Goose, 74+ White-fronted Goose and Pink-footed Goose among hundreds of Geese south of Upton upon Severn!! Park in UoS, view only from PROW. #WorcsBirds
December 28, 2025 at 1:43 PM
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Welcome to the last Super Seabird Sunday of the year! This is where we ask you to share videos, photos & artwork of seabirds like my contribution of Gannets on the Bass Rock #SuperSeabirdSunday
December 28, 2025 at 9:21 AM
“Britain has the second highest total number of users – more than 1.5 million in 2024, an 88% increase from 2023. Every month, there has been a 30% increase in new users of the app, whose sound identification function was launched in 2021.”

#UKBirding
December 27, 2025 at 12:09 PM
Reposted by Martin George
"Over the past two decades, research has emerged showing that opportunities for risky play are crucial for healthy physical, mental and emotional development"
www.nature.com/articles/d41... 🧪
Why kids need to take more risks: science reveals the benefits of wild, free play
Studies reveal how risky play can benefit child development. But encouraging it can be a challenge for parents.
www.nature.com
December 25, 2025 at 2:32 PM
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Highly recommended read!

I’m biased since Roxie has always been a hero of mine. But I’ve got to say this book makes you a bigger Roxie fan no matter what you know of her. And whether you’re a #bird lover or not too. She was such an incredible person that overcame so much and accomplished so much.
December 23, 2025 at 8:53 PM
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Two Whooper swans at Edgerley, #ShropshireBirding
December 20, 2025 at 7:00 PM
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Wildlife Group at Dingle Farm. Usual hospitality there. Birch Shieldbug landed on my bag #fieldcraft ; Orthotrichum diaphanum on Elder; vac samplers got Ypsolopha ustella; flushed a Woodcock (last ditch yearly!); Keith found Cream-spot Ladybird; Jim got new psyllid for VC40 etc #ukwildlife #teammoth
December 20, 2025 at 6:29 PM
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Melverley Floods with @janettem34.bsky.social this morning. At least 57 Whooper Swans (44 Cae Howell, 13+ Royal Oak), a high count for Shrops and a fine sight & sound, 3 Mutes, 320+ Pintail, 205+ Wigeon, 345 Greylag, 280 Canadas, Canlag, 6 Egyptian Goose, L Egret etc #shropshirebirding 🪶 #ukwildlife
December 19, 2025 at 5:07 PM
Tawny Owls are turning to street lighting to help them hunt

But this adaptation to noisy urban environments could be putting owls in an ecological trap.

#Ornithology
www.britishecologicalsociety.org/tawny-owls-a...
Tawny owls are turning to street lighting to help them hunt - BES
Tawny owls are turning to street lighting to help them hunt - BES is the largest scientific society for ecologists in Europe. We're working towards a world in which nature and people thrive.
www.britishecologicalsociety.org
December 18, 2025 at 8:23 PM
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We need YOUR help!

We’re crowdfunding to become a CiC (Community Interest Company)

Please share this post— to help us find supporters!

We want to create mindful, educational programmes; community outreach projects & fundraise for land

Details: gofund.me/554dba522

#rescueanimals #animalsanctuary
December 17, 2025 at 10:46 PM
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Three male Hen Harriers of different ages visited the vole fields west of Patrington this morning #ukbirding
December 18, 2025 at 6:33 PM
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“On 13 Sept, a satellite tag belonging to a white-tailed eagle was recovered near Gwgia Reservoir, Tregynon, … police … are asking anyone who was at or around the reservoir between 11am and 1pm or on access land near Bryn y Fawnog between noon and 3pm on 13 Sept to come forward.” #birdingWales
December 17, 2025 at 4:10 PM
Some encouraging #ShropshireBirds news from County Wexford, by way of the @curlewcountry.bsky.social Facebook page.
December 18, 2025 at 12:11 AM
The ever important difference between “none recorded” and “none present”, in this case for #seabirds in Australian Antarctica.

www.antarctica.gov.au/news/2025/to...
To see or not to see – distinguishing ‘absence’ from ‘ignorance’ to improve seabird conservation – Australian Antarctic Program (News 2025)
Knowing whether a seabird species is present or absent from a site is critical for population and biodiversity studies, detecting change in species’ distributions, and prioritizing sites for protectio...
www.antarctica.gov.au
December 16, 2025 at 7:48 PM
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Interested in birds and their behaviour? Check out @birdscanada.bsky.social The Warblers podcast today to hear a brief snippet of me talking about whether birds have feelings.
#birds #neuroethology 🪶

podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/d...
Do birds have feelings? Experts answer your questions
Podcast Episode · The Warblers by Birds Canada · 2025-12-15 · 57m
podcasts.apple.com
December 15, 2025 at 1:47 PM
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A BTO member near Bridgnorth has around 60 copies of the BTO journal Bird Study dating back to 2001/02, and they're free to a good home. Please email bto.shropshire@gmail.com if you're interested. Photo for illustrative purposes only.

#ShropshireBirding
December 13, 2025 at 6:11 PM
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Final proofs of @birdsinwales.bsky.social Welsh Bird Report 2024 uploaded to the printer in Treorchy. Many thanks to Ian Spence for his design work and Alun Lambert for the cover photo. Christmas holidays mean that it won't arrive with members until next month, but hopefully worth waiting for...
December 13, 2025 at 4:26 PM
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Best encounter I've had with Black Redstarts in a good couple of decades, f'sure. Seven minutes' walk from Rochester train station. This is how to do your Christmas shopping 👍

#Medway
#KentNature

2/2
December 13, 2025 at 4:35 PM