Ivory-billed Woodpecker

One woodpecker that I very much doubt I will ever see is the Ivory-billed Campephilus principalis. You will have heard of this giant, if not you must have been hiding away for the last few years, as the debate on whether it still exists or is extinct, whether it was found recently or not found, has raged. I have been reading up on the species and the debate... there are more books on Ivory-billed than any other woodpecker. They include IN SEARCH OF THE IVORY-BILLED WOODPECKER by Jerome Jackson, THE GRAIL BIRD by Tim Gallagher and THE IVORY-BILLED WOODPECKER by James T Tanner. The story is all very sad, often strange and at times shocking.

Back to Finland

My mate Godfrey has just sent me a spreadsheet of all our wildlife sightings in Finland in July. Mammals were our main targets on that trip and our final totals were: 6 Brown Bears, 8 Wolverines, 5 Wolves, 1 Red Fox, 2 Elk, 25 Forest Reindeer, 3 Red Squirrels and 3 Arctic Hares. Not bad at all! Certainly brings back the memories. By the way, I am off there again in July 2010 with another small group.... if you are interested, drop me a line.

Flickers

My research for my woodpecker quest goes on. You might recall that when I was planning my Brazil "woodpecker" trip earlier this year my number one target was Campo Flicker. I do not know why, but the more terrestrial woodpeckers such as the flickers fascinate me. My up-coming trip to Guyana offers the chance of another Colaptes species Spot-breasted Woodpecker aka Spot-breasted Flicker.

My Woodpecker Quest

Most of you will know that my main passion on the bird front concerns woodpeckers. You probably know, too, that I wrote the handbook WOODPECKERS OF EUROPE and also keep a blog of that name. Truth is, the only birding list that I am really concerned with these days is my world woodpecker list... yes, I am trying to see all of the world's 220 (or so) species. Probably impossible to do that. But this autumn and winter I will be off, again, long-haul, to woodpecker rich places. South America is likely as I need to see the likes of the one in the photo here... Lineated Woodpecker. I will keep you informed.

Roman Snail

The Roman Snail Helix pomatia is very common in Hungary and indeed in most of Central and Eastern Europe. It is also known as Edible Snail, though it is not the only snail that can be eaten... if you are that way inclined. The shells can be quite large, up to 5cm in width, and are usually pale in colour with subtle brown spirals, bands and lines. I often find them up trees, sometimes half-way up a trunk or, like this one here in the photo, nestled in a good spot. Does anyone know why they climb trees like this ?

Yaffle and Yaffler etc

I am reading a book entitled The Cult of the Green Bird by Antony Clare Lees. It's about the mythology of the Green Woodpecker through the ages and it's full of fascinating stuff. For example, many of you will know of the English folk names Yaffle and Yaffler for this bird, due to it's laughing call, but what about these other names, many with a weather theme: Awl-Bird, Woodwall, Hakel, Laughing Betsy, Ecall, Eccle, High Hoe, Rain Fowl, Wet Bird, Fina, Speke, Galleybird, Sprite, Cut-Bill, Yappingale, Snapper, Weather Cock ?

So, I am back from the British Birdwatching Fair. It was a busy event with guides and tour companies from all over the world offering their birding trips and conservation organisations doing their stuff. There were stands packed with optics and books, outdoor clothing and other birding gear on sale and talks and lectures on not only birds but other wildlife, too. I caught up with many friends and it was a great success all round.