https://dartfordwaffler.co.uk Birding from around the world Wed, 03 Jun 2026 11:41:43 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 https://dartfordwaffler.co.uk/dunlin-rhynchokinesis-british-birding/ https://dartfordwaffler.co.uk/dunlin-rhynchokinesis-british-birding/#comments Thu, 13 May 2021 17:28:57 +0000 Nick http://dartfordwaffler.co.uk/?p=23014 Feeding niche and bill evolution specific to prey was shown by Charles Darwin to be an extemely important factor in speciation in birds and this is seldom so obvious than in shorebirds. The wide range of bill sizes and shapes in shorebirds is an obvious indicator to the different feeding techniques they employ and the [...]]]> https://dartfordwaffler.co.uk/dunlin-rhynchokinesis-british-birding/feed/ 0 https://dartfordwaffler.co.uk/oystercatcher-spectacular-british-birding/ https://dartfordwaffler.co.uk/oystercatcher-spectacular-british-birding/#comments Tue, 12 Jan 2021 21:10:35 +0000 Nick http://dartfordwaffler.co.uk/?p=22735 Eurasian Oystercatcher is one of the most recognisable shorebirds in Europe, within the region its black and white plumage and bright orange bill make it unmistakeable. One Oystercatcher is a smart bird, something that stands out in the crowd, while a small flock is even more interesting to watch because of the noisy, bickering interactions [...]]]> https://dartfordwaffler.co.uk/oystercatcher-spectacular-british-birding/feed/ 0 https://dartfordwaffler.co.uk/purple-sandpiper-close-encounter-british-birds/ https://dartfordwaffler.co.uk/purple-sandpiper-close-encounter-british-birds/#comments Wed, 21 Oct 2020 11:41:11 +0000 Nick http://dartfordwaffler.co.uk/?p=22486 The arrival of some birds really gives you a sense of the time of the year and for me when autumn comes around in UK I look forward to seeing Purple Sandpiper. This handsome little wader breeds within the arctic circle but at this time of the year they move further south and small numbers [...]]]> https://dartfordwaffler.co.uk/purple-sandpiper-close-encounter-british-birds/feed/ 0 https://dartfordwaffler.co.uk/ruddy-turnstone-feeding-behaviour-british-birding/ https://dartfordwaffler.co.uk/ruddy-turnstone-feeding-behaviour-british-birding/#comments Tue, 29 Sep 2020 11:31:29 +0000 Nick http://dartfordwaffler.co.uk/?p=22401 Whenever I visit stony or rocky coasts around Britain, no matter what other birds of interest there are to enjoy watching, eventually I am always drawn towards Ruddy Turnstones. These comical little characters are always busy running around on the rocks or among piles of seaweed, grabbing morsels of food and bickering with each other [...]]]> https://dartfordwaffler.co.uk/ruddy-turnstone-feeding-behaviour-british-birding/feed/ 0 https://dartfordwaffler.co.uk/high-tide-wader-roost-at-shellness-british-birding/ https://dartfordwaffler.co.uk/high-tide-wader-roost-at-shellness-british-birding/#comments Sat, 29 Aug 2020 19:26:10 +0000 Nick http://dartfordwaffler.co.uk/?p=22316 One of the most spectacular things in bird watching is seeing large numbers of birds together in the same place. When I am in UK there is one obvious place for me to head to in order to get a taste of this type of experience; the high tide roost at Shellness in North Kent. [...]]]> https://dartfordwaffler.co.uk/high-tide-wader-roost-at-shellness-british-birding/feed/ 0 https://dartfordwaffler.co.uk/eurasian-oystercatchers-british-birding/ https://dartfordwaffler.co.uk/eurasian-oystercatchers-british-birding/#comments Mon, 11 May 2020 13:27:34 +0000 Nick http://dartfordwaffler.co.uk/?p=22126 Which birds excite you the most? For many people rarity is a key factor in which birds they enjoy seeing. Of course we all like seeing rare birds but are they really the ones that mean the most to you? Are they the birds that you enjoy watching again and again or are their other [...]]]> https://dartfordwaffler.co.uk/eurasian-oystercatchers-british-birding/feed/ 0 https://dartfordwaffler.co.uk/thailands-wading-birds-in-flight-thailand-birding/ https://dartfordwaffler.co.uk/thailands-wading-birds-in-flight-thailand-birding/#comments Thu, 30 Apr 2020 09:44:12 +0000 Nick http://dartfordwaffler.co.uk/?p=22085 Wading birds (shorebirds to some) are group much-beloved by some birders but equally they often elicite a response of “I don’t do shorebirds” from others. I have accompanied birders with both attitudes to the Gulf of Thailand, which is undoubtedly one of the best locations in the world to observe waders. Those who love wading [...]]]> https://dartfordwaffler.co.uk/thailands-wading-birds-in-flight-thailand-birding/feed/ 0 https://dartfordwaffler.co.uk/oare-marshes-watch-point-british-birding/ https://dartfordwaffler.co.uk/oare-marshes-watch-point-british-birding/#comments Sun, 06 Oct 2019 15:08:01 +0000 Nick http://dartfordwaffler.co.uk/?p=21860 When I am in UK one of my favourite places to go birding is Kent Wildlife Trust‘s Oare Marshes reserve. It is one of those places that is always pleasant to go birding because it is a nice place to be and has the benefit of seemingly always having large numbers of birds of a [...]]]> https://dartfordwaffler.co.uk/oare-marshes-watch-point-british-birding/feed/ 0 https://dartfordwaffler.co.uk/a-trip-to-titchwell-british-birding/ https://dartfordwaffler.co.uk/a-trip-to-titchwell-british-birding/#comments Thu, 08 Aug 2019 15:52:13 +0000 Nick http://dartfordwaffler.co.uk/?p=21823 When I visit Norfolk one of my favourite places is RSPB Titchwell. Now I know not all birdwatchers will agree with me on this as Titchwell can get very busy with day-trippers and beginner birdwatchers that annoy some hard-core birders but what I like about this location is that there are always large numbers of [...]]]> https://dartfordwaffler.co.uk/a-trip-to-titchwell-british-birding/feed/ 0 https://dartfordwaffler.co.uk/tropical-shellness-british-birding/ https://dartfordwaffler.co.uk/tropical-shellness-british-birding/#comments Fri, 26 Jul 2019 16:20:28 +0000 Nick http://dartfordwaffler.co.uk/?p=21786 One of my favourite locations when birding in UK is Shellness on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent. Invariably I have the place more or less to myself and it is a remarkably wild place considering how close to London it is but the main attraction is the fact that it forms a high tide [...]]]> https://dartfordwaffler.co.uk/tropical-shellness-british-birding/feed/ 0