Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos)

OTHER NAMES: N/A

Latin Etymology: Aquila ("eagle") chrysaetos ("gold eagle")

Adult Golden Eagle (subspecies A. c. chrysaotus)  near Side, Antalya, Turkey - March 2025

Featured Subspecies: Aquila chrysaetos chryseotus

Weight: 4.2kg  /  Length: 66-102cm  /  Wingspan: 180-234cm

UK AMBER LIST  / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The Golden Eagle is a large species and massively widely distributed across the Northern hemisphere and as such culturally fairly ubiquitous as an emblem in Northern Hemisphere cultures, being popular in heraldry, falconry, mythology and ritualism across North America, Europe and Asia.  While not necessarily the largest eagle, as a comparatively versatile species it can be found in a broader range of habitats than specialized larger species, although human encroachment has tended to force it to more remote locations dues to its need for large territories where it can hunt.  I first saw a Golden Eagle when I was young when I went to see the sole remaining bird in England, and while there is a full sustainable population in Scotland (and indeed, Japan), I finally caught up with this species in the hills North of Madrid, where this species is fairly scarce.

Related Species:
Order: Accipitriformes
Family: Accipitridae
Genus: Aquila
Subspecies: A. c. chrysaetos, A. c. canadensis, A. c. homeyeri, A. c. kamtschatica, A. c. daphanea, A. c. japonica

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - Rare breeding species now limited to Scotland (440 pairs)

 - The single resident bird seen at Haweswater in the late 90s, as of 2016, it is missing and so the species in probably extinct in England.

SPAIN - Spanish - Águila reál ("Royal Eagle")
Rare and local resident.

 - MADRID 2015 TRIP: A single individual seen flying over at Patones 

TURKEY  -   Turkish: Kaya kartalı ("Rock eagle")
 - ANTALYA 2025 TRIP - One in mountains near Side

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

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Crested Tit (Lophophanes cristatus)

OTHER NAMES: European Crested Tit 

Latin Etymology: Lophophanes ("crest showing") cristatus ("crested")

Adult Crested Tit (subspecies L. c. mitratus) in Parque Oeste, Madrid, Spain - June 2015

Featured Subspecies: Lophophanes cristatus mitratus

Weight: 10-13g  /  Length: 11.5cm  /  Wingspan: 17-20cm

UK AMBER LIST / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The Crested Tit is a highly distinctive species in Europe, its sharp crest being a feature not found in any other tit species on the continent making it's identification easy.  However, as a British species it's distribution is very restricted - while on mainland Europe it can be found throughout Northern and Western Europe, in the UK it can only be found in the ancient Caledonian Forests of Scotland.  Everywhere else in it's range, it can be be found in any suitable pine habitat, including in city parks such as the one in Madrid where we found this one!

Related Species:
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Paridae
Genus: Lophophanes
Subspecies: L. .c scotius, L. c. abadiei, L. c. weigoldi, L. c. cristatus, L. c. baschkirikus, L. c. mitratus, L. c. bureschi.

 - Sighting Locations -

SPAIN - Spanish - Herrerillo capuchina ("Capuchin Tit")
Fairly Common and widespread resident in suitable habitat

 - MADRID 2015 TRIP: Small flock seen in Parque Oeste

 - MADRID 2016 TRIP: Several pairs seen in treetops at El Pardo 

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

Tundra Bean Goose (Anser serrirostris)

OTHER NAMES: N/A

Latin Etymology: Anser ("goose") serrirostris ("saw billed")

Tundra Bean Goose (subspecies A. s. rossicus) with two Greylag Geese at Warnham LNR, West Sussex  - February 2015

Featured Subspecies: Anser serrirostris rossicus 

Weight: 1.7-4kg  /  Length: 68-90cm  /  Wingspan: 140-174cm

UK AMBER LIST / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

Species like the Tundra Bean Goose are examples of where a project like this gets a little complicated.  Classically, there was only considered to be one species of Bean Goose (up to the point of including the Pink-Footed Goose too) but subsequent research has found that even one the Pink-foot is removed, the species is easily divisible by two - the birds that nest in bogs in the subarctic Taiga and birds which nest in the Subarctic Tundra.  There are also physical differences between the two - for instance, the Tundra has a shorter beak.  But some authorities split the two up (such as the American Ornithologists Union) and some keep it as a single species (such as the British Union of Ornithologists) .  While I could easily just go with the BOU list, I don't implicitly assume them to be correct over any other list, so I'm going to count it as a separate species.

As to the bird itself, it is a small grey goose, fairly similar to the Pink-foot and Taiga Bean but with a shorter bill.  It is also smaller generally than the Taiga Bean.  They are found scattered throughout the UK in Winter, often with other grey geese but, unlike the Taiga Bean Goose, do not have any specific regular Wintering sites.  This individual was accompanying a flock of Greylag Geese that were grazing on the Golf Course adjacent to Warnham LNR in Horsham.

Related Species:
Order: Anseriformes
Family: Anatidae
Genus: Anser
Subspecies: A. s. rossicus, A. s. serrirostris

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - Rare and scatter winter visitor - around 320 individuals.

 - A single vagrant bird seen with a flock of Greylag Goose at Warnham LNR in February 2015 

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

Common Nightingale (Luscinia megarhynchos)

OTHER NAMES: Rufous Nightingale, Western Nightingale, Nightingale

Latin Etymology: Luscinia ("Nightingale") megarhynchos ("great bill")

                             Adult male Common Nightingale (subspecies L. m. megarhynchos) at Cliffe Pools, Kent - May 2014

Featured Subspecies: Luscinia megarhynchos megarhynchos

Weight: 20g  /  Length: 15-16cm  /  Wingspan: 20-22.5cm

UK AMBER LIST / IUCN Red List - Least Concern

The Nightingale is in theory one of the most iconic of British birds, though perhaps uniquely, more famed for its song than it's fairly average appearance.  It does indeed have a very distinctive song - powerful, elaborate, varied and much more rich sounding than any other bird in the UK.  It is however, a difficult bird to hear and an even more difficult one to see - it is increasingly rare in much of its range and very skulking where it is difficult to observe in the deep brambles and thickets where it lives.

Related Species:
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Muscicapidae
Genus: Luscinia
Subspecies: L. m. megarhynchos, L. m. africana, L. m. golzii

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A breeding Summer Migrant to the South (6700 males)

 - A number seen and heard around Cliffe Pools in May 2014, heard arpund Rye Harbour in May 2012.

SPAIN - Spanish - Ruiseñor común ("Common Nightingale")

A locally common Summer migrant

 - MADRID 2015 TRIP: Several heard near Patones
 - MADRID 2016 TRIP: Common along the river at El Pardo 

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

Red-necked Grebe (Podiceps grisegena)

OTHER NAMES: N/A

Latin Etymology: Podiceps ("vent-foot") grisegena ("grey cheek")

Adult Winter-plumage Red-necked Grebe (subspecies P. g. grisegena) at Richmond Park, London - October 2013

Featured Subspecies: Podiceps grisegena grisegena

Weight: 692-925g  /  Length: 40-50cm  /  Wingspan: 77-85cm

UK AMBER LIST  /  LEAST CONCERN - IUCN Red List

The Red-necked Grebe is by far the hardest of Britain's regular Grebes to track down, while the other species have at least small breeding populations, the Red-necked is only an occasional breeder with a small number of attempts in the last few decades.  It is also seemingly far more marine based than the other grebes, often found around the coast.  It took quite a few visits to different sites before I finally managed to catch up with this species, it seems to stay in one location for smaller lengths of time than the other migrant grebes.

Related Species:
Order: Podicipediformes
Family: Podicipedidae
Genus: Podiceps
Subspecies: P. g. grisegena, P. g. holboelii

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A rare Winter migrant (55 individuals) and occasional breeder.

 - A single vagrant at Richmond Park in October 2013,

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

Black Guillemot (Cepphus grylle)

OTHER NAMES: Tystie

Latin Etymology: Cepphus ("pale waterbird") grylle (Gotland dialect name for Black Guillemot)

Adult Summer plumage Black Guillemot (subspecies C. g. arcticus) at St. Bee's Head, Cumbria - March 2013

Featured Subspecies: Cepphus grylle arcticus
Weight: 380-575g  /  Length: 32-38cm  /  Wingspan: 49-58cm
UK AMBER LIST  / IUCN Red List Least Concern

The Black Guillemot is the rarest and most limited in range or Britain's breeding auks, it is mostly found around the West Coast of Scotland, Ireland and the Isle of Man.  However, there are also small populations in England and Wales, in Wales on Anglesey, and as is the case of this bird, in England off St Bee's Head.  They are at close range, in breeding plumage, quite a striking bird - unlike a Common Guillemot they are black all over except for the white wing panel and bright red feet and gape.  They nest right at the bottom of cliffs and rocky surfaces, well below the other auks and can sometimes be seen nesting in harbour walls.

Related Species:
Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Alcidae
Genus: Cepphus
Subspecies: C. g. mandtii, C. g. grylle, C. g. arcticus, C. g. faroeensis, C. g. islandicus

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A localised breeding resident (19,000 pairs) and Wintering species (58-80,000 birds) 

 - Single bird seen at St. Bee's Head in April 2013, .

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

Hawfinch (Coccothraustes coccothraustes)

OTHER NAMES: N/A

Latin Etymology: Coccothraustes ("seed break") coccothraustes ("seed break")

Two adult Hawfinch (subspecies C. c. coccthraustes) at El Parod, Spain - April 2016

Featured Subspecies: Coccothraustes coccothraustes coccothraustes
Weight: 46-70g  /  Length: 18cm  /  Wingspan: 29-33cm
UK RED LIST / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

Hawfinches are simultaniously by far the biggest finch, and, strangely, the hardest to locate of all the species in the UK.  Theoretically, they are very widespread, but they are very secretive and generally will hide from humans long before you know they are there.   They are more easily seen in the Winter when leaves are off the trees, but even then it's probably easiest to go see one that has been reported as being around for a while like my first bird at Rutland Water.  On the Continent they are far more common, and I came across this pair along the river at El Pardo entirely by coincidence - something that in the UK would be a massive highlight of the day.

Related Species:
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Fringillidae
Genus: Coccothraustes
Subspecies: C. c. coccothraustes, C. c. buvryri, C. c. nigricans, C. c. hummii, C. c. schulpini, C. c. japonicus

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - Scarce breeding species (500-1000 pairs) and Wintering species (10-15,000 birds)

 - A single bird at Rutland Water in December 2012, 

SPAIN -  Spanish - Picogordo ("Fat beak")

Locally fairly common resident

 - MADRID 2016 TRIP: Two seen at El Pardo

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

Hen Harrier (Circus cyaneus)

OTHER NAMES: N/A

Latin Etymology: Circus (bird named for circling flight) cyaneus ("dark blue/sea blue")

Adult male Hen Harrier (Circus cyaneus) at Frampton Marshes, Lincolnshire - February 2022

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: 290-750g  /  Length: 41-52cm  /  Wingspan: 97-122cm
UK RED LIST / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

One of the three Harrier species found in the UK, the Hen Harrier is more common than the similar looking Montague's, but is arguably the single most persecuted species of bird in Britain.  This is mainly as a result of it feeding on Red Grouse on shooting estates making it very unpopular with Game Keepers, some of whom will shoot, trap or poison them.  As such, it is apparently the bird species most likely to go Extinct in England.  It barely breeds in England at all, its main strongholds being Scotland, Wales and the Isle of Mann, but birds Winter in suitable habitat in England - often moors, farmland and marshes.  As such, if you want to find them in England, it's best to look in Winter.

Related Species:
Order: Accipitriformes
Family: Accipitridae
Genus: Circus
Subspecies: none - monotypic

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - Rare breeding species (617 pairs) and scarce Wintering species Migrant

 - Wintering female seen at Oare Marshes in 2012 

SPAIN - Spanish - Aguilucho pálido ("Pale Harrier")
Uncommon Wintering species

 - MADRID 2015 TRIP: A pair seen in the farmlands around Madrid

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

Spotted Redshank (Tringa erythropus)

OTHER NAMES: Dusky Redshank, Greater Redshank

Latin Etymology: Tringa (bird named by Aristotle) erythropus ("red-footed")

Adult Spotted Redshank (Tringa erythropus) in Autumn moult plumage at Frampton Marshes, Lincolnshire - August 2023

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: 125-160g  /  Length: 29-33cm  /  Wingspan: 59-66cm
UK AMBER LIST / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The rarest of the three "shanks" found in the UK, the Spotted Redshank is more delicate and pale than the redshank.  Spotted Redshanks are primarily passage migrants, turning up in Autumn and Spring although a few do overwinter, such as the one photographed here.   Finding one can be tricky - you need to get the hang of seeing the differences between them and a Common Redshank which is hard to do without actually seing one in the first place.  Key identification features include the longer thinner beak with a black upper jaw, larger pale stripe above the eye and general paler colours overall.

Related Species:
Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Scolopacidae
Genus: Tringa
Subspecies: none - monotypic

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A rare passage migrant (540 birds) and very rare Winter migrant (98 birds)

 - A bird at Oare Marshes in September 2012 plus a bird at Crayford Marshes in in February 2012 . 

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