My license is arranged for me by the *RSPB. I could apply as an individual but as you might imagine, they’re extremely difficult to obtain.
*I carry out voluntary survey work for them as well as BTO, SotE, Shetland Raptor Group and occasionally other organisations.
I could disturb a bird on a nest to see how many eggs or chicks are present (although that is rare) I may also assist in the ringing of schedule 1 birds (I only assist the ringer, I don’t have a ringing license)
Exciting day here - having relieved @coco of his Sony 200-600mm I had my first proper go at bird photography - quite a challenge as the trees were tall and the birds were small! Despite bird song all around I only got a couple of clear shots of some Blue Tits and a Pigeon. Great fun though and the lens is mega - all these taken at 600mm then heavily cropped and they don’t scrub up too bad! Looking forward to the next outing
Out at Stodmarsh NNR this morning with the 500mm (sold the 800mm) - hoped to see the Red Footed Falcon which has been sighted last few days and/or Bittern - no RFF, heard the Bittern(s) but no sightings, saw Marsh Harriers, Cuckoo (missed the shot) Long Tailed Tits, many Black Caps and quick sighting of what I thought was maybe a Peregrine. Quite a few Terns around who always delight.
Any Corncrakes up there? Was watching Spring watch, (Brutal at the moment) and they were suggesting they were only found now at the extremes of the British Isles.
They used to be regular (reasonably common) breeding birds in the early 1900s. The numbers declined steadily until in the early1980s they ceased to be a breeding species here.
There’s been sporadic breeding attempts since then, a few of which have been successful but it is an extremely rare breeder now.
The last pair was two years ago on Mainland when two chicks fledged, one of which was killed by a car when it ran across a road having been lured out by some irresponsible twat (visiting birder, though he was not alone in this ridiculous behaviour) playing recordings of their call…
It was pretty much decided at that point that in future news of any breeding attempts would be suppressed - a sensible move, in my opinion.
