Joys of Nest Recording

Rare birds are few and far between, but while nest recording you can sometimes get a rare view into the biology of a common bird, like these two newly-hatched Woodpigeons at Todmorden on 28th May. Their nest was so low I just walked up to it to get this picture. We found another Woodpigeon nest nearby, a little higher up in a hawthorn, and earlier that day we had recorded a Wren's nest with eggs and a Kestrel's with at least three downy white chicks with their eyes open. All details to go on BTO (British Trust for Ornithology) Nest Record Cards, and all monitoring is carried out to BTO procedure to avoid causing desertion of nests.