Latest news with #JonCarter
The Guardian
19-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
How to become a birder: 10 easy ways to start this life-changing hobby
I'm assured this is a big deal: on the far side of a field in Thetford, separated from me by a gate, there is a stone-curlew. Jon Carter, from the British Trust for Ornithology, patiently directs my binoculars up, down and past patches of grass until my gaze lands on an austere-looking, long-legged brown bird. 'Quite a rare bird,' Carter says, pleased. 'Very much a bird of the Breckland.' As a very beginner birder, I'll have to take his word for that. My interest was sparked early this summer when a friend introduced me to Merlin Bird ID. Developed at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology in Ithaca, New York, the app records birdsong and uses artificial intelligence to identify particular species – like Shazam for birds. Merlin has added a new dimension to my walks, sharpening my awareness of wildlife I'd ordinarily have tuned out. I can now identify one bird by song alone (the chiffchaff – it helpfully says its name). Having surged through the pandemic, birding may be taking off once more. Merlin has recently been shouted out on the ultra-cool NTS radio station and on Instagram by Sarah Jessica Parker, while The Residence, the recent Netflix whodunnit from Shonda Rhimes' production company, features a birdwatching detective. Birding not only gets you outdoors and moving, but engages you in nature; both benefit mental and physical health. A 2022 study found that everyday encounters with birdlife were associated with lasting improvements in mental wellbeing. Even simply hearing birdsong can be restorative. But how do you go from noticing birds to becoming a full-blown birder? Carter and other experts took me under their wings. Carter is leading me through the BTO's Nunnery Lakes reserve, just south of Thetford in Norfolk. Sixty species of birds breed here between March and August, and more stop over. In just 20 minutes, we spot a dozen or so, including a charming family of great crested grebes. Many birders practise 'patch birding', focusing their entire practice on just the one area, Carter tells me: 'It's quite addictive.' He discovered birding aged 11, when his family moved close to the RSPB's Leighton Moss nature reserve in coastal Lancashire. 'Suddenly, birds became the absolute focus.' But even urban areas teem with birdlife. Nadeem Perera, an RSPB ambassador and co-founder of the birding community Flock Together, got hooked after spotting a green woodpecker in a suburban London cemetery. 'I couldn't get over how strikingly beautiful this bird was, and moreover, that it was on my doorstep,' he says. At the time, Perera was 15 and had just dropped out of school. He was feeling hopeless and disengaged. The woodpecker represented hope and possibility. 'All I knew was that being exposed to birds in their natural environments made me feel good – so I kept on going.' Fifteen years later, Perera can confidently identify most birdsong in London. With more than 600 bird species recorded in the UK, Carter suggests starting with those you're most likely to encounter locally. A field guide such as Collins Bird Guide is the best way to familiarise yourself with different types of birds and helpful vocabulary. By learning a little about the taxonomies – and what distinguishes, say, a passerine (perching bird) from a petrel (seabird) – 'you very quickly learn how to describe the birds you see,' Carter says. But don't feel pressure to become an expert, he adds. 'People can just enjoy being in nature because it's valid and valuable.' Amy Tan, the bestselling author of The Joy Luck Club, became a 'back yard birder' in 2016, following Donald Trump's election. 'It was so depressing – I needed to find beauty again in the world,' she says. At the time, Tan was 64. Birding brought her calm and a refreshed perspective, 'getting distracting and distressing elements out of my head so I could continue with my day'. Soon she became 'obsessed' with birds; at one point, she even stored live mealworms in her fridge. In her book The Backyard Bird Chronicles (a US bestseller, to be published in the UK in August), Tan captures her visitors with whimsical descriptions and drawings. She can now identify more than 70 species – but that knowledge came gradually, she says. 'If you take on too much at once, it's overwhelming, and then you just don't want to do it any more.' Naming birds 'does not have to be a criteria' to enjoy them, she adds. 'It's a very democratic hobby, or passion – or obsession.' Technology can be a gateway to green spaces, as demonstrated by my experience with Merlin Bird ID. It's useful for engaging young people in particular in the natural world, Carter agrees – and perhaps more realistic than urging them to leave their phones at home. The Collins Bird Guide is also available as an app for on-the-go referral (though most birders seem to use the app alongside the hard copy, since the book is easier to browse). Carter also recommends the BTO's free app BirdTrack, which allows users to record their sightings, review those of others, and contribute to research. Some people prefer eBird, which, like Merlin, comes from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Though apps can augment birders' experience in the field, they can also distract from it. Carter says Merlin is best used in addition to your own instincts and identifications, rather than as a replacement – not least because 'it's not 100% accurate'. And by immediately reaching for the app to ID a bird sighting or song, you also risk skipping over steps that would make that knowledge stick or feel earned. I have now started using Merlin only after making my best guess as to what species I'm hearing. I am usually wrong (unless it's a chiffchaff) – but I feel as if I'm training my ear. Birding requires patience, which is at odds with our on-demand culture, Perera points out. That's 'one of the great things' about it – but it can be a tough adjustment. 'This isn't Netflix. There's every chance that you will see nothing. Then you realise: 'Oh, wow, the world actually doesn't happen on my terms,'' he says. 'It humbles your ego a little bit. But it makes you very appreciative of those magical moments when you do see the bird that you're after.' Birding is a widely accessible, even generally free pastime – 'but if you want to do it to a certain standard, you need to buy a pair of binoculars,' Carter says. As a one-off expense, it's worth putting in the time to find a pair that suits your purposes (and ideally try before you buy). Magnification is not the only consideration, Carter says; some have a brighter picture, but might be less sharp. Weight and size are also important. 'It's about finding ones that feel right in your hand.' Premium-brand 'bins', such as Leica and Zeiss, go for more than £1,000. (An AI-assisted pair made by Swarovski – yes, like the crystal – will set you back £3,695.) Budget models have come a long way, but Carter warns against scrimping: 'You're not going to get anything under £150 or £200 that's even really useful. But once you've got it, you're done.' Think of it as an investment, echoes Sam Walker of the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT) charity. 'You don't have to spend thousands, but it's really key. Even if it's just a small pair of field binoculars, they're going to set you up for decades into the future.' He suggests buying top brands secondhand, available at a fifth or even a tenth of the price of new. Walker's own binoculars and telescope are probably more than 10 years old, 'but it's still great-quality glass'. Birding is often a solitary pursuit, but it doesn't have to be. 'It's a more social hobby than you'd think,' says Walker. He got into birding six years ago when he started working at the WWT, and says the best way to learn is by going out with people with more experience. 'It's much easier to identify birds and retain information, because you've got others there to bounce ideas off. I'm always really keen to not be sat in a bird hide, on my own, in the dark.' Nature reserves and organisations such as the BTO and the RSPB put on birding walks, talks, training courses and events. Joining a local bird club is also a great way to meet like-minded people. Birding may still be dominated by older, white men – but that is changing. The BTO and RSPB both have youth wings, while groups such as Birds & the Belles and Birding for All are working to make the pastime more inclusive. Perera and Ollie Olanipekun co-founded Flock Together in 2020, as a 'birdwatching club for Black and brown people'. Five years on, it holds monthly birdwatching walks and has chapters in Tokyo, Toronto and New York. 'Don't let anybody intimidate you, or make you feel as though you don't belong,' says Perera, who is of Sri Lankan and Jamaican heritage. 'They're just scared that you're going to be better at it than them.' Birders love to log their sightings: the most common records are 'year lists', covering the calendar year, and 'life lists' that include everything. Walker's 2025 list is currently at 130 species, sighted around his Gloucestershire home – but he knows birders with life lists tallying 600-plus. 'You can imagine the amount of time and money that they've spent travelling around.' Many birdwatchers will go to great lengths to secure rare spots. 'It just adds a little bit of magic sparkle to your birding year, and builds up that life list as well.' But even patch-birders, focused on their local area, can get a bit obsessive about trying to catch 'em all, Walker admits. 'People get worried about going away on holiday.' While some structure or system can support your developing hobby, Carter discourages being too focused on outcomes. 'I've seen quite a few young people get into the rarity, list-building thing.' Earlier this month, a Pallas's reed bunting was spotted on Fair Isle in the Shetlands – only the fifth sighting recorded since 1976. Though the bird itself is small and unshowy, excitement levels were high: 'A mostly monochrome masterpiece, this was the stuff of birding legend,' wrote the Rare Bird Alert newsletter. Carter recalls: 'straight away, people were trying to figure out if they could get charter flights, whether there were any boats running …' He advises slowing down. 'Take your time; learn to really love birds.' Tan decries some birdwatchers' elitism, and dismissal of common species. 'They'll call a starling or sparrow a 'junk bird'; I think that's horrible.' She approaches birding as a practice of observation, and even mindfulness. 'You can start noticing what a bird is doing – these ordinary behaviours that we don't always pay attention to.' Tan also studies the pecking order playing out at her feeders. 'Trying to decipher the relationships – that's part of the fun,' she says. Drawing each bird pushes her to focus on easily missed details such as bill shape or foot colour, and 'the way that each individual bird is actually constructed'. Keeping a journal or a diary (as The Backyard Bird Chronicles began) helps 'anchor' her practice, Tan says. 'It's a good brain exercise, if you're a writer, but also just for remembering the things that made your life so meaningful and joyful.' Once you're familiar with your patch and its regulars, you can start attuning yourself to seasonal variations. Many migratory birds arrive in the UK during the spring, staying for the summer and leaving just as winter visitors are descending. The time of day and the weather affect sightings, too. Birdlife is typically most active at dawn and dusk. While rain can worsen visibility and make some species less active, it enlivens others and causes them to fly closer to the ground, making them easier to spot. Strong onshore winds can blow seabirds towards the coast from open water, and cause migratory species from North America, Europe or Asia to make a pit stop on British shores. Just a short drive or train ride can transport you to a different habitat hosting unfamiliar species, Walker says. 'Even in London, you can get out to heathland or down to the coast.' The eBird and BirdTrack apps, alerting on recent sightings and particular hotspots, can give you a sense of what to look for – but in general, Walker says, 'being out and always birding is the best place to be'. As well as offering an escape from screens, work and day-to-day stresses, birding can deepen your investment in nature. You might notice the changing climate in your area, or get involved in local efforts to protect green spaces. 'It connects you to it, so you care about it, and you're concerned when someone wants to fill in your local pond or build a road through woodland,' says Carter. You can contribute to science and conservation efforts by logging sightings on BirdTrack, adding to a national database of 'what's where and when'. The BTO also conducts regular projects and surveys – of wetland birds, breeding birds or garden birds – involving thousands of volunteers each year. Even beginners can play a part, says Carter. 'Every record is of some value: if you identify only half the birds you saw, that half is still really useful. You don't have to be an expert in telling one weird wader apart from another weird wader – there are always people who are good at that.' The Backyard Bird Chronicles by Amy Tan is published in the UK by Corsair (£20) on 7 August
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Spring's hot weather to be treat for nature lovers
With what's being called a mini-heatwave looming for the UK, it's not just humans looking forward to warmer weather. The warm spell is expected to give a temporary boost to nature as migratory birds arrive from afar and butterflies stretch their wings. The British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) says a succession of milder winters and wetter springs are all contributing to change in the natural world. But a brief warm spell won't make much difference overall, and could be a bonus for nature lovers. "On the plus side, better weather is more inviting for us to get out and enjoy the spring. Dawn chorus is at its peak at the minute and calm, warm mornings are perfect for enjoying it! " says Jon Carter of the BTO. The Met Office says a brief spell of warmth at the end of April isn't a bad thing for wildlife - and there shouldn't be much impact on water sources such as ponds. "Climate change is already having a big impact on our wildlife, but a temporary blip like this is an end of April dividend for wildlife," says the Met Office's Grahame Madge. The warmer weather will accentuate the joys of seeing wildlife, such as butterflies and birds, he adds. The peacock and short tortoiseshell are among the first to spread their wings, with more butterflies emerging from April onwards. Dragonflies start to be seen around this time, too. Summer visitors, such as swallows and swifts, can expect to find a plentiful food supply, with insects on the wing. There could also be some sightings of rare visitors such as the exotic European bee-eater, which have recently begun nesting in the UK. Wildlife charities say it's a great time to get out and about and enjoy nature, but people should be on their guard against accidentally starting a fire. Oliver Fry of Surrey Wildlife Trust says conditions are incredibly dry on the heathlands of Surrey, which creates "tinderbox conditions". The wild, flat landscapes dotted with gorse and heather are known for their wildlife, including rare species like the sand lizard, woodlark and silver-studded blue butterfly. Earlier this month conservationists warned that some of the UK's rarest wildlife is being "torched alive" and pushed closer to extinction after weeks of intense grass fires. Anne McCall, director of RSPB Scotland, says climate change is driving more regular wildfires of greater intensity, and especially so in spring. "It is not just vegetation that gets destroyed by wildfire," she says. "This is a critical time of year for our native wildlife – with birds nesting and other animals such as amphibians and reptiles coming out of winter dormancy and starting to breed." On the coasts, conservation experts say there has been a crop of sightings of whales and dolphins close to British shores – and though it's difficult to pin down a reason, warming seas and climate change are likely to be a factor. "Seeing whales and dolphins in the wild is always an awesome experience but seeing more of them, and more unusual species around UK coast may not be such a good thing," says Danny Groves from the charity Whale and Dolphin Conservation. Heatwaves and increases in sea temperatures can cause some whales to roam far from their usual areas just to survive, he adds. Follow Helen on X and on Bluesky.
BBC News
25-04-2025
- Climate
- BBC News
Spring wave of hot weather to be treat for nature lovers
With what's being called a mini-heatwave looming for the UK, it's not just humans looking forward to warmer weather. The warm spell is expected to give a temporary boost to nature as migratory birds arrive from afar and butterflies stretch their British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) says a succession of milder winters and wetter springs are all contributing to change in the natural a brief warm spell won't make much difference overall, and could be a bonus for nature lovers. "On the plus side, better weather is more inviting for us to get out and enjoy the spring. Dawn chorus is at its peak at the minute and calm, warm mornings are perfect for enjoying it! " says Jon Carter of the Met Office says a brief spell of warmth at the end of April isn't a bad thing for wildlife - and there shouldn't be much impact on water sources such as ponds."Climate change is already having a big impact on our wildlife, but a temporary blip like this is an end of April dividend for wildlife," says the Met Office's Grahame warmer weather will accentuate the joys of seeing wildlife, such as butterflies and birds, he adds. The peacock and short tortoiseshell are among the first to spread their wings, with more butterflies emerging from April onwards. Dragonflies start to be seen around this time, visitors, such as swallows and swifts, can expect to find a plentiful food supply, with insects on the could also be some sightings of rare visitors such as the exotic European bee-eater, which have recently begun nesting in the UK. Wildlife charities say it's a great time to get out and about and enjoy nature, but people should be on their guard against accidentally starting a fire. Oliver Fry of Surrey Wildlife Trust says conditions are incredibly dry on the heathlands of Surrey, which creates "tinderbox conditions". The wild, flat landscapes dotted with gorse and heather are known for their wildlife, including rare species like the sand lizard, woodlark and silver-studded blue this month conservationists warned that some of the UK's rarest wildlife is being "torched alive" and pushed closer to extinction after weeks of intense grass McCall, director of RSPB Scotland, says climate change is driving more regular wildfires of greater intensity, and especially so in spring. "It is not just vegetation that gets destroyed by wildfire," she says. "This is a critical time of year for our native wildlife – with birds nesting and other animals such as amphibians and reptiles coming out of winter dormancy and starting to breed." On the coasts, conservation experts say there has been a crop of sightings of whales and dolphins close to British shores – and though it's difficult to pin down a reason, warming seas and climate change are likely to be a factor. "Seeing whales and dolphins in the wild is always an awesome experience but seeing more of them, and more unusual species around UK coast may not be such a good thing," says Danny Groves from the charity Whale and Dolphin Conservation. Heatwaves and increases in sea temperatures can cause some whales to roam far from their usual areas just to survive, he adds. Follow Helen on X and on Bluesky.
BBC News
25-04-2025
- Health
- BBC News
London Marathon: The Sussex runners taking on the 26.2 mile course
Three determined Sussex runners have shared their different reasons for taking part in the London than 56,000 people are expected to take on the 26.2 mile (42.2 km) course on route passes Cutty Sark and Canary Wharf before finishing on The Mall, close to Buckingham Malloy, Bethany Wood and Jon Carter explain what motivates them to take on the challenge. Becki Malloy Becki Malloy, from Horsham, will be running the London Marathon for the National Brain Appeal. Her father was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's at the age of 52 and she carries the same gene, which means she is very likely to develop the disease at a similar said: "Running the London Marathon was on my bucket list so I took the crazy leap to do it."It was devastating when I found out what had happened to my dad but at the time I was quite naive, I thought it was an older person's disease."He couldn't remember me but he was still there."He father passed way last year. Ms Malloy says she hopes the money raised will help University College London to find a cure and support people when a diagnosis is has previously completed half marathons but said the training has been "a lot harder" than she thought it would be."I've chafed in places I never thought I would," she said. Ms Malloy said the training takes over "everything", adding: "I can't say I'll be running another one too soon afterwards." Bethany Wood Bethany Wood decided to run for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust as she has the condition. Cystic fibrosis is a genetic condition, causing the body's organs fill up with mucus, often with the lungs being affected the most. She wants to show people with cystic fibrosis that "life can go on and you can still go and do amazing things".Ms Wood said: "It also affects your pancreas, so a large number of people with cystic fibrosis also have diabetes as they don't have insulin like the standard person." The London Marathon will be Ms Wood's 10th marathon in just 10 mother-of-two says it is part of a big legacy challenge she is undertaking."I think my body will be screaming at me by the London Marathon," she said."I can't wait to finish and get home and take my shoes off and have a glass of wine for the first time in 10 months. I also can't wait to run a 5k in my local park."This is her second London first time she completed it, she gave the medal to her eldest says she will be giving this medal to her other daughter. Jon Carter Jon Carter is running to support his son, Ethan, who has arthrogryposis multiplex congenita (AMC), a rare congenital condition affecting joint said the charity he is supporting - Whizz Kidz - has changed his family's said: "My son has been a in a wheelchair since he was born. "He is an absolutely amazing character and so persevering, but I want to show him through hard work you can achieve more than you expect."The charity has provided his son with an electric wheelchair, which he is able to control himself, meaning he does not people to push him around anymore. Mr Carter admitted that he "doesn't like running".He said: "I'm really pushing myself to do this."Audio books have helped me a lot through my long runs in training. "It's been hard work. I'll probably collapse when I have finished but we have planned to have a fish and chip dinner as a treat when we get home."
