EUROPEAN BIRDS

These photographs have been taken on a number of birding trips to various countries within Europe including France, Spain, Norway, Lesbos (Greece), Cyprus, Madeira, and the Canary and Balearic Islands. Many of these trips were in the course of tour-leading parties of birders while others were simply birding holidays (is there any other kind?). Lesbos in particular is a very favourite destination and I have now visited this Aegean island almost twenty times! Unfortunately tour-leading does not always allow time for photography so I will need to re-visit some of these fabulous birding spots again!


Although I have generally avoided photos of birds 'in-the-hand', as an active ringer and having spent three autumn visits at Mølen Bird Observatory in southern Norway I have included some which I feel may be of interest.

The Association of European Records and Rarities Committees (AERC) has produced a comprehensive and generally accepted listing of Western Palearctic birds and I have decided to use this (with a few exceptions) as a basis for the sequence of European species. The taxonomic sequence does differ in some respects to others available (for example, the BOU British List) but nomenclature and taxonomy are constantly being updated and argued over, often to the annoyance of birders! English bird names used here are those in general use by birders.


European Non-passerines European Passerines