TWEETS & POSTS
I have read similar readers’ comments in the last two editions of Bird Watching. The subject boiled down to, basically, why do twitchers involve themselves in competition and not just enjoy observing any birds that are about, the same as ‘birders’? Personally, I’m a birder, but why should anybody in either camp concern themselves with the other? They are two different pastimes. Let’s just be pleased that all of us get out into the countryside and get on with what we want to do, appreciating birds, one way or the other. John Lewington Have you been on your summer holidays? What birds did you see? Went to Skomer in Wales and saw my first Puffins & Manx Shearwater Janna Hutchinson
Saw Slender-billed Gull in Portugal - beautiful bird! Jane Thompson Had an ace day watching Hobbies take food to the chicks in Bedfordshire Greg Dawes Southern France to see Bee-eater, plus Black-necked Grebes and Purple Heron Naomi Foster All sorts of things in Extremadura including bustards and Spanish Imperial Eagle Stuart Foster I was intrigued to read the Q&A from Robert Mclaughlin and see his photograph of a female Little Bittern (Bird Watching, August issue). It was taken at the Albufera Nature Reserve in Mallorca on 12 May. We visited the Albufera five days later on the 17th and took these photos of a Little Bittern at what may well be the same location. It was a very obliging bird and seemed quite happy to carry on doing its own thing, quite oblivious to the people watching and photographing it from the bridge above! Roger Pols Dave Walker asks “Why does positive management of the Golden Eagle stop at the England/scotland border?” (Your View, July 2016). It might have something to do with the appalling record of raptor persecution in the north of England, particularly on grouse moors. I cannot envisage any conservation organisation willing to invest resources in Golden Eagle conservation under the present circumstances. Ed Hutchings, Journalist and Wildlife Tour Guide I went to Menorca last week and saw Black-winged Stilt, Purple Gallinule and a Hoopoe flying away from me Thomas Banks Watched a Black-throated Diver in Scotland, lovely to see! Sarah Jones Northern Spain and I saw Griffon Vulture! Katie Wilkinson