Author Archives: Amanda Tuke
The ‘Tree-top teasers challenge’ – calls of ‘lollies’, creepers and kinglets
***Feedback on this challenge gratefully received as a comment on this post.*** Woodlands are wonderful places to listen to bird calls, but it can be a real tease as you may not manage to catch a glimpse of the target bird at all. Even more reason to really know the calls of birds which like […]
The ‘heard before seen challenge’ – calls of wagtails
***Feedback on this challenge gratefully received as a comment on this post.*** If you know your wagtails, you may have spotted that the picture is of a rare visitor to the British Isles, a Citrine Wagtail, rather than one of the three commoner ones – Pied, Grey and Yellow – which will be the focus […]
The ‘garden frequenters challenge part 3’ – calls of thrushes
***Feedback on this challenge gratefully received as a comment on this post.*** Part 3 of the ‘garden frequenters challenge’ covers the calls of the common thrushes. Like the tits in part 2, these are birds which are usually easy to identify by sight but their calls may be harder to remember. Step 1 – Describe […]
The ‘garden frequenters challenge part 2’ – calls of Blue, Great and Coal Tits
***Feedback on this challenge gratefully received as a comment on this post.*** Part 2 of the ‘garden frequenters challenge’ covers the calls of the common ‘true’ tits. These are birds which are usually easy to identify by sight but their calls can be confusing. Great Tit calls, in particular, are numerous and varied and worth […]
The ‘garden frequenters challenge part 1’ – calls of Robin, Wren, Dunnock, and a couple of warblers
***Feedback on this challenge gratefully received as a comment on this post.*** I’m going to start with the assumption that you can already recognise the songs of common garden birds. With those under your belt, adding the calls and alarm calls of frequent garden visitors is a good place to start to build your confidence. […]
Bird calls – devising a learning programme
More confidence with distinguishing between calls might take my winter and spring birding to the next level, and I’m optimistic that the ability to learn less obvious calls is something many of us could get better at if only we had a good programme to work through and some targeted learning materials. As an educator, […]
Hunting for fungi in an Inner London woodland
It’s November so it would be extremely rude not to go and look for interesting urban fungi, at least once. I’m a beginner when it comes to identifying fungi species, but I’m hoping to learn more by working on the principle of ‘start with the local’. And I’m fantastically lucky to live in a house […]
No place like home
In my November column for Bird Watching Magazine, I track down Glossy Ibis, and what stunning birds they are. I also resolve to stop looking at birds turning up near home, when I’m on holiday elsewhere.
Choughs over the white cliffs of Dover
In the special Autumn issue of Bird Watching Magazine I have the pleasure of meeting Kent’s recent arrivals. And what a delight they are.
Pride of Newcastle
As summer comes to an end and the excitement of autumn birding begins, my trip to Newcastle back in March seems an age away. In my September column, I tell the story of welcoming one of the coolest urban birds – Kittiwakes – back to their most inland breeding site on and around the Tyne […]
The Urban Naturalist 