Conservation on Socotra

Guest blog by Abdalgamil Mohammed Socotra Archipelago is one of the biodiversity-rich islands in the world thus gaining wide international recognitions. It is UNESCO-Man and Biosphere Reserve in 2003, UNESCO-Natural World Heritage Site in 2008, and one...

Minutes of the 38th Annual General Meeting

Minutes of the 38th Annual General Meeting held on Saturday 2nd July at the premises of the British Trust for Ornithology, Thetford, Norfolk, UK Members Present, Nabegh Ghazal Asswad, Dawn Balmer, Mike Blair, Colin Butler, Chris Clarke, Elaine...

Can you help with surveys of the Indian Ocean coast?

According to the 6th edition of the AEWA Conservation Status Report, nearly 75% of the population size estimates of the waterbird populations in the West Asian/East African flyway are based on ‘best guess’, the highest of all flyways. This...

The OSME Summer Meeting and 38th AGM

The OSME Summer Meeting and 38th AGM will be held at BTO Headquarters, Thetford, Norfolk on Saturday 2nd July. Doors will open at 10.00am for members and non-members to meet old and new friends over coffee and...

Words from BirdLife International’s Middle East Office

Guest blog from Majd Abu Zaghlan I feel very fortunate that I was born and raised in Jordan – a Mediterranean country blessed with a stunning mix of breathtaking marvels, natural resources and many unique species. From the...

World Migratory Bird Day

The 10th May is World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) an annual initiative, co-ordinated by UNEP/CMS, to raise awareness about the issues around migratory birds and their habitats. In many ways it is also a global celebration about...

Satellite tracking of Dalmatian Pelicans

Guest blog by Abbas Ashoori   Although the Dalmatian Pelican (Pelecanus crispus) population has increased in some sites in Europe as a result of conservation actions, rapid population declines in the remainder of its range are suspected...

Saving Globally Threatened steppe birds in Turkey

Doğa, the BirdLife partner in Turkey, has recently launched a new conservation programme for Globally Threatened steppe birds in extensive steppes of Turkey. The initiative will target the Sociable Lapwing, Egyptian Vulture, Steppe and Imperial Eagles, Great...

Tracking loggerhead turtles to their death in the Eastern Mediterranean

Adult female loggerhead turtle caught in a trammel net, Iskele, North Cyprus. Photographer Olkan Ergüler The Marine Turtle Conservation Project in North Cyprus is a collaboration between the Society for Protection of Turtles, The North Cyprus Environmental Protection Department...

An Azerbaijan interlude with young naturalists

During 25-30 October 2015  the youth committee of BirdLife Sweden visited Azerbaijan to study bird migration at Besh Barmag but also to meet with local young naturalists and initiate further co-operation. The trip was a great success  ...

Undiscovered owls

Undiscovered owls Magnus Robb & The Sound Approach Published by The Sound Approach, 12 Market Street, Poole, Dorset BH15 1NF, UK. Pp 308. 4 Audio CDs. 2015. Available from publisher £39.95 (including P&P: http://soundapproach.co.uk/product/undiscovered-owls/) ISBN: 978-90-810933-7-8 Whether as...

The New Birds of Kazakhstan

The New Birds of Kazakhstan by Arend Wassink. Published by Arend Wassink, Postweg 64, 1795 De Cocksdorp, Texel, The Netherlands. Pp382. 2015. Sample priceseg WildSounds £42.99 (Post free UK mainland: www.wildsounds.com), direct from publisher €49.50 (Including P&P: www.birdsofkazakhstan.com). A personal review...

Birding in Oman

A guest blog by Bart de Schutter In November/December 2012 a friend of mine visited Oman on a birding and photographing trip. Looked like a nice country for birding to me, but I was not really inspired. Not yet....

Monitoring Yelkouan Shearwaters in the Bosphorus

Guest blog post by Dilek Sahin The Yelkouan Shearwater (Puffinus yelkouan) is a globally threatened seabird species endemic to the Mediterranean. Its threat status is precautionarily assessed as Vulnerable. It is thought to be undergoing a rapid...