Andrew Harrop
banner
ahjharrop.bsky.social
Andrew Harrop
@ahjharrop.bsky.social
560 followers 350 following 92 posts
For sound recordings go to https://xeno-canto.org/contributor/HNYFHZLJOD
Posts Media Videos Starter Packs
Here’s the adult male on Isle of May, 2nd October 1954, for comparison. #BirdingScotland
Here it is again yesterday on Bressay at Kirkabister with Greylags. I'd like better views of head and bill, but note faint brown iron staining on head often shown by wild birds (see e.g. Reeber). #BirdingScotland
Reposted by Andrew Harrop
BOU @bou.org.uk · 12d
Over 30 years decline of an iconic farmland bird, Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio, in a Central European stronghold: meadow loss and shrub succession drive near-local extinction | doi.org/10.1017/S095... | Bird Conservation International | #ornithology 🪶
Reposted by Andrew Harrop
6/ Although some native species can also become superabundant & damaging (but only when triggered by disturbance), non-native species are far more likely to be implicated as a cause of global extinction:
t.co/9NUoV81a54
Reposted by Andrew Harrop
Now online in Journal of #Ornithology

Three decades of breeding bird population changes in a pristine Danish forest: climate-driven shifts and biodiversity loss compared to national trends

Open access

link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Three decades of breeding bird population changes in a pristine Danish forest: climate-driven shifts and biodiversity loss compared to national trends - Journal of Ornithology
Climatic changes are causing general ecosystem changes and species-specific range shifts. To increase our understanding of climate change effects on avian trends and range shifts, this study investigates long-term breeding bird population trends in the pristine Høstemark Forest, Denmark, from 1991 to 2024, in the context of climate change and biodiversity loss. Using territory mapping data from unmanaged pristine forest and national point count data, we examined whether climate-group classifications (leading-edge, neutral, trailing-edge) predict population trends and how a high-quality habitat buffers against climate-driven shifts. Results show significant declines in total bird territories since 1991, while forest-specific bird species abundance remained stable in the Høstemark Forest. Trailing-edge species declined both locally and nationally, while leading-edge species increased locally but not significantly at the national level. Climate-neutral species exhibited local declines despite stable national trends. Species turnover rate appeared to occur more rapidly in the Høstemark Forest compared to the national scale, with both losses of trailing-edge species and gains in leading-edge species. However, despite its ecological quality and stability, the Høstemark Forest experienced a decline in overall bird abundance, suggesting that even pristine habitats can be vulnerable to biodiversity loss, potentially driven by climate change, isolation, and edge effects.
link.springer.com
It occurred to me that I couldn't think of (m)any photos of Short-toed Larks with other species in the frame for size comparison. So here's one of the recent Yell bird (right) with a Meadow Pipit. #BirdingScotland
Reposted by Andrew Harrop
I had missed this well written rebuttal on the purported Ivory-billed Woodpecker rediscoveries; these passages in particular are gold:🪶
academic.oup.com/bioscience/a... #Ornithology
Reposted by Andrew Harrop
Just published: Conservation genomics of two
endangered buntings reveal genetic diversity
before and after severe population declines. doi.org/10.1186/s129... Despite severe population declines, both species retained high genetic diversity but experienced increased inbreeding. #ornithology #birds
Late September has brought the usual heady mix of brief rarities, misidentifications, and some scarce migrants. Numbers of many 'common' migrants have been low, the only real exceptions to date being Sky Lark and Meadow Pipit. #BirdingScotland
Reposted by Andrew Harrop
open.spotify.com/episode/1dlD...
Uncovering the migration patterns of Tengmalm’s Owl in Northern Sweden.
Wild Bird Acoustics brings you the penultimate episode of season 2.

Now Live!
The Long Black Veil; Uncovering the Secret World of Tengmalm's Owl
open.spotify.com
Striking variation, including leg colour (from bright yellow to dull olive). I've even heard the odd call during this influx, though to date I've failed to record any.
Reposted by Andrew Harrop
Gosh. That Nathusius' Pipistrelle #bat spike just got a heck of a lot spikier! Not seen anything like this in several years of recording.

@nesmammals.bsky.social @batconservation.bsky.social @mammalsociety.bsky.social
No they aren’t normal - they were indeed as they appear in the photo taken this morning (in good light).
For those interested in these things, another variant, this time a ‘brown’ Starling near Cunningsburgh. Said to be quite a common variant, but perhaps overlooked. #BirdingScotland #ornithology
The last two days have brought a surge of migrants through south Mainland, Shetland. Personal highlights have included 124 Ruffs at Spiggie (the largest number I’ve seen for years), and a healthy scattering of Wrynecks like this one at Quendale. #BirdingScotland
Reposted by Andrew Harrop
Nice to see this white morph Gyr Falcon on North Ronaldsay today. But it seemed to be bearing a ring on its leg. Still nice to see and hopefully a wild one will turn up one day…

#BirdingScotland
#OrkneyBirding
I understand the reasons for print delays, but the August issue still hasn't been uploaded online for those with a digital subscription. This presumably isn't directly to do with print issues - can you let subscribers know what is happening please? #UKBirding
A nice comparison between Black-throated (left) and Red-throated Divers at Quendale this morning. Black-throated has been regular in August at this site in recent years. #BirdingScotland
Reposted by Andrew Harrop
Living the dream working on the Cairngorm Plateau as part of the 2025 Montane Bird Survey. It was also very saddening - walking for days over swathes of beautiful habitat to find no Dotterel where there were once many... #BirdingScotland