Spotted Flycatcher (Muscicapa striata)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Muscicapa ("Fly catch") striata ("striated")

Adult Spotted Flycatcher (subspecies M. s. striata) at Capo Murro di Porco, Sicily, Italy - May 2018

Featured Subspecies: Muscicapa striata striata
Weight: 14-20g  /  Length: 14.5cm  /  Wingspan: 23-25cm

UK RED LIST / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The Spotted Flycatcher is a low density sort of bird - a fairly drab species which doesn't always grab the most attention, and indeed I'd never knowingly seen it before first starting this blog.  However when you do see one, it can be a species that is quite bold, perched on exposed branches and flitting out briefly to feed on flying insects. For me it has generally been associated with large shrubs and hedges - often at the edge of woodland or on passage, in areas of established scrubland.

Related Species:
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Muscicapidae
Genus: Muscicapa
Subspecies: M. s. striata, M. s. neumanni, M. s. balearica, M. s. tyrrhenica, M. s. sarudnyi, M. s. inexpectata, M. s. mongola     

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - Widespread breeding Summer migrant (36,000 pairs)

 - Birds seen at several sites including Geddington, Faversham and Wooler.

ITALY - Italian - Pigliamosche Comune ("Common Flycatcher")

A widespread Summer migrant and locally abundant passage migrant.

 - SICILY 2018 TRIP - Seen from Capo Murro di Porco 

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Grey Partridge (Perdix perdix)

OTHER NAMES: Common Partridge, English Partridge

Latin Etymology: Perdix ("partridge") perdix ("partridge")

  Adult Grey Partridge (subspecies P. p. perdix) at Wooler, Northumbria - July 2009

Featured Subspecies: Perdix perdix perdix
Weight: 310-455g  /  Length: 29-31cm  /  Wingspan: 45-48cm

UK RED LIST / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The grey partridge isn't the rarest game bird in the UK, but it is in decline, and is on the red list of conservation. Its one of those species where if you happen to visit where it lives, you stand a decent chance of seeing one, but not a hope if you don't. I had some luck in the area around Wooller early on in this project, but have only caught brief glimpses of them since.

Related Species:
Order: Phasianidae
Family: Perdicindae
Genus: Perdix
Subspecies: P. p. perdix, P. p. sphagnetorum, P. p. armoricana, P. p. hispaniensis, P. p. lucida, P. p. robusta, P. p. canescens      

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A scarce and local breeding species (43,000 territories)

 - Only seen at Wooler and from the car in the Cambridgeshire countryside.

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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European Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis)

OTHER NAMES: Goldfinch, Foolscoat, Gold Spink, Thistle Finch
Latin Etymology: Carduelis ("goldfinch") carduelis ("goldfinch")

Adult European Goldfinch (subspecies C. c. carduelis) at Geddington, Northants - April 2010

Featured subspecies: Carduelis carduelis carduelis
Weight: 14-19g / Length: 12-13cm / Wingspan: 21-25cm

UK GREEN LIST / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

Goldfinches are one of the more common finches and can frequently be seen in small flocks (or "charms" as they are rather pleasantly known collectively) in many places, including town centers in some places. It will also come to feeders, particularly ones with niger seeds, of which they seem particularly fond, and this is probably the place to get best views and photographs of them.

Related Species:
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Fringillidae
Genus:  Carduelis 
Subspecies: C. c. britannica, C. c. carduelis, C. c. parva, C. c. tschusii, C. c. balcanica, C. c. niediecki, C. c. brevirostris, C. c. loudoni, C. c. paropanisi, C. c. major, C. c. subulata, C. c. caniceps

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A common and widespread breeding resident (313,000 territories) and Common Wintering species (100,000 birds)

 - Seen at sites including Rutland Water, Elmley Marshes, Rainham Marshes, Wooler, Regent's Park, Brigstock, Pitsford Reservoir and Geddington.

Further Notes: Arkive, BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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White-throated Dipper (Cinclus cinclus)

OTHER NAMES: Dipper, European Dipper, Water Ouzel

Latin Etymology: Cinclus (bird named by Aristotle) cinclus (bird named by Aristotle)

Adult White-throated Dipper (subspecies C. c. gularis) at Wooler, Northumbria - July 2009

Featured Subspecies: Cinclus cinclus gularis
Weight: 40-90g

Length: 14-22cm

Wingspan: 25-30cm
UK GREEN LIST / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The White-throated Dipper is the sole member of it's genus found within the UK, and occupies a unique ecological niche; it is a bird which thrives in shallow upland rivers and streams where it feeds by literally diving beneath the water to grab small prey. It is one of the larger non-thrush or corvid passerines, but is quite compact. It can be found in most suitable upland areas, and depending on the place you can get some stunning views of them as they can be quite bold.

Related Species: 
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Cinclidae
Genus: Cinclus
Subspecies: C. c. hibernicus, C. c. gularis, C. c. cinclus, C. c. aquaticus, C. c. minor, C. c. olympicus, C. c. caucasicus, C. c. rufiventris, C. c. persicus, C. c. uralensis, C. c. leucogaster, C. c. cashmeriensis, C. c. przewalskii      

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A scarce and local breeding resident (6,200-18,700 pairs)

 - Seen at Wooler and Haweswater

Further Notes: Arkive, BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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European Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus)

OTHER NAMES: Rabbit, Coney, Common Rabbit, Bunny
Latin Etymology: Oryctolagus ("dug up hare") cuniculus ("rabbit")

Adult Eurasian Rabbit (subspecies O. c. cuniculus) at Wooler, Cumbria - July 2009

Featured Subspecies: Oryctolagus cuniculus cuniculus

Length: 38-58cm  /  Weight: 1000-2500g
UK STATUS NOT EVALUTATED / IUCN Red List: Near Threatened

Rabbits are a very common and widespread species, and, along with grey squirrels, about the easiest wild mammals to see in the UK.  Also like the Grey Squirrel, they are not native to the UK, but instead originate in the Iberian penninsula, though introduced far earlier by the Romans.  They can often be seen in fields or along road verges in the countryside. They live in large communal warrens and act as grazers on land that would otherwise lack one due to the human tendency to block off larger animals.  Although a dangerous pest in many introduced countries, there are some species that benefit from it's presence in the UK including predators like Fox and Stoat, and the Stone Curlew which benefits from the closely grazed grassland for nesting,

Related Species:
Order: Lagomorpha 
Family: Leporidae 
Genus: Oryctolagus
SUBSPECIES: O. c. cuniculus, O. c. huxleyi, O. c. algirus

- Sighting Locations -
UNITED KINGDOM - A common resident
 - Seen commonly at a large number of sites, including but not limited to Geddington, Rutland Water and Wooler 

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .