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Julian Hughes @penrhynbirder.bsky.social · Aug 25

In the week the @eounion.bsky.social met @bangoruniversity.bsky.social, latest findings from @lesserspotnet.bsky.social provide hope for this hard-to-find bird.

@northwaleslive.bsky.social BirdNotes also rounds up the week's scarcer sightings. #BirdingWales

www.birdnotes.wales/blog/experts...

Experts help unlock the secrets of our smallest woodpecker

Leading ornithologists from across the world met in Bangor last week as the University hosted the European Ornithologists Union conference. It is only the second time the UK has been the venue for...

www.birdnotes.wales

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Mark Mallalieu @mallalieum.bsky.social · Aug 24

Some of the numerous juveniles among 44+ Hawfinches at West Dean, Sussex, this morning, feeding on beech, presumably mast. @sussexornitholo.bsky.social @sussexwildlife.bsky.social @ukrbbp.bsky.social

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Lesser Spot Network @lesserspotnet.bsky.social · Aug 13

Ken & Linda Smith will be at the BOU Woodland Birds Conference on 18 August 2025 at Bangor. Ken is giving a talk ‘Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers: how citizen science is contributing to our understanding of this enigmatic species’ Looking forward to seeing some of you there bou.org.uk/conferences-...

#BOUatEOU - Resources - British Ornithologists' Union

Woodland birds18 August 2025 - MALT Lecture Theatre, Bangor University, Wales, UK & BlueskyMain conference pagePresenter and attendee resourcesPROGRAMMEABSTRACT BOOKLETBOU GUIDE TO BLUESKY CONFERENCES...

bou.org.uk

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Ken and Linda Smith @kenandlindasmith.bsky.social · Aug 13

We will be representing Woodpecker Network the BOU Woodland Birds Conference on 18 August 2025 at Bangor. Ken is giving a talk ‘Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers: how citizen science is contributing to our understanding of this enigmatic species’ We are both looking forward to it bou.org.uk/wp-content/u...

bou.org.uk

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BOU @bou.org.uk · Aug 11

Effect of habitat quality and quantity on the occurrence and persistence of the lesser spotted woodpecker (Dryobates minor) across two time periods | doi.org/10.1016/j.bi... | Biological Conservation | #ornithology #conservation 🪶🌎

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Ken and Linda Smith @kenandlindasmith.bsky.social · Aug 3

Yes, Red Underwing moths are superbly camouflaged. We found one or 2 or more roosting in six of our nest boxes at NT Slindon Estate last week.

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Ken and Linda Smith @kenandlindasmith.bsky.social · Jul 26

Good to have our citizen science Bat recording project noted in The Times today. Since 2018 using our automatic bat detector at 100+ sites we have found bats everywhere in Chichester area, including rare Kuhl's Pipistrelle. See Chichester Natural History Society website www.chinats.org.uk/medmerry-3

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Graeme Lyons @graemelyons.bsky.social · Jun 21

333,769 records! Entered 950+ records today from a single 7-hour survey on a farm on the 8th June.

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Ken and Linda Smith @kenandlindasmith.bsky.social · Jun 21

Fantastic achievement, Graeme, well done

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Mark Mallalieu @mallalieum.bsky.social · Jun 18

Can you help find Sussex's breeding Hawfinches by locating cherry trees and looking for split cherry stones? See www.sos.org.uk/archives/6421 Thank you! @sussexornitholo.bsky.social @sussexwildlife.bsky.social @ukrbbp.bsky.social

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Richard K Broughton @richardkbroughton.bsky.social · Jun 20

Well that was quick - just flushed a Green Sandpiper from the stream at the bottom of the garden. Garden tick, but autumn migration starts here!

Richard K Broughton @richardkbroughton.bsky.social · Jun 20

Summer's over, autumn migration has begun.

ianballam.bsky.social @ianballam.bsky.social · Jun 20

First Green Sandpiper of the "Autumn" back at #LytchettFields this morning, an unusually confiding bird! @harbourbirds.bsky.social

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Ken and Linda Smith @kenandlindasmith.bsky.social · Jun 9

Yes it certainly looks good, right size and fresh. Lets hope it was used successfully this year.

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Ken and Linda Smith @kenandlindasmith.bsky.social · Jun 8

Good news for Lesser Spots to have a brood of 4 chicks

PiedFly.Net @piedflynet.bsky.social · Jun 1

Pleased to contribute a nest to this years @lesserspotnet.bsky.social monitoring. A brood of 4 revealed by the special camera thanks to @angusrobin.bsky.social

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Lesser Spot Network @lesserspotnet.bsky.social · Jun 4

Yes, a very good effort this year. Volunteers found and monitored 24 LSW nests, this represents about 1% of possible nests assuming an estimated Lesser Spot population of 2000+ pairs in England and Wales.

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Matt Livesey @mlivesey.bsky.social · Jun 1

How many nests across the country is that now? Must be approaching a record!

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Lesser Spot Network @lesserspotnet.bsky.social · May 31

Another day - another 3 Lesser Spotted Woodpecker nests found and being monitored in Devon and the New Forest. Great work by LesserSpotNet volunteers. Healthy chicks being well fed by both parents in all the nests. More nests could be found this week.

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker chicks in their nest cavity

LesserSpotNetwork volunteers observing a LSW nest high in a Birch tree

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Ed Horncastle @edhorncastle.bsky.social · Jun 4

One Lesser Spot nest has fully fledged. The other quite a way to go. Slight concerns over a small hole in the back of the nest. Noticed by both Male and Female this morning. @lesserspotnet.bsky.social @angusrobin.bsky.social #birds @stuckateur.bsky.social

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BTO England @btoengland.bsky.social · Jun 6

1/ What the @bbs-birds.bsky.social report means for England. ⬇️

Blackbird has declined by 10% here over the last 10 years. The disease Usutu Virus may be one of the contributing factors: bit.ly/GWHUsutu

@btobirds.bsky.social @jncc.bsky.social @rspbscience.bsky.social #Ornithology

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Lesser Spot Network @lesserspotnet.bsky.social · Jun 3

LesserSpotNet special pin badges presented by @angusrobin.bsky.social to volunteers Stuart @stuckateur.bsky.social (left) & Ed @edhorncastle.bsky.social (right) who found and monitored breeding outcomes at LSW nests in Devon - many thanks both

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Lesser Spot Network @lesserspotnet.bsky.social · Jun 3

As a special thank you, we are awarding unique Lesser Spotted Woodpecker pin badges to LesserSpotNet volunteers who found LSW nests this year or contributed in other ways. The Badges were designed & produced specially for us by @ukbirdingpins.bsky.social Thanks @angusrobin.bsky.social for organising

Information about the Woodpecker Network

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Mark Mallalieu @mallalieum.bsky.social · Jun 2

A remarkable West Sussex farm, intensive arable, but with breeding Turtle Doves (3+ prs), Nightingale, Cuckoo, House Martins, Swifts, lots of warblers, Goshawks in adjacent wood, and maybe Hawfinches, judging by cracked open cherry stones. @sussexwildlife.bsky.social @sussexornitholo.bsky.social

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Ed Horncastle @edhorncastle.bsky.social · May 28

Checked in with the lesser spot nest found by @stuckateur.bsky.social both Male and Female working hard to feed the young. @lesserspotnet.bsky.social clearing of what I think are faecal sacks a prominent part of the morning. Also lots of spotted flycatchers which grabbed the attention of the Male.

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RSPB @rspb.bsky.social · May 29

From deep within tree holes, Great Spotted Woodpecker chicks beg noisily.

Both parents will deliver food to the nest, until red-capped fledglings emerge, clinging to trunks and still calling hungrily.

Parents can continue to feed fledglings for around 10 days.

#SpringStories

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Ken and Linda Smith @kenandlindasmith.bsky.social · May 26

Successful trip to Kent y'day to visit 2 Lesser Spotted Woodpecker nests, our endoscope revealed 4 chicks ready to fledge, 11 m high in a dead Ash & 3 chicks snug in a dead Oak. Thanks @paulc090316.bsky.social & Jonathan for finding the nests & showing them to us - all very positive for success.

Four Lesser Spotted Woodpecker chicks snug in their nest cavity

Three LSW chicks well fed in their nest cavity and ready to fledge

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Stuart keenor @stuckateur.bsky.social · May 26

A fantastic 3 day birding in the south west looking for lesser spot nests happy to say I found nest number 17 this year!! A big thanks to @lesserspotnet.bsky.social and gus robin who came to image the nest showing possibly 3/4 young birds fantastic work these people are doing for the species 👏

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