Kevin Clements

Dr @TonyJuniper, Chair at @NaturalEngland told us that environmental protection has been registered at the highest level across government, and economic growth and nature protection are equal priorities.

🚨 JUST IN: A migratory bird just shattered world records — flying 8,425 miles (13,560 km) NON-STOP across the Pacific without landing once. The bar-tailed godwit doesn’t stop to eat, drink, or sleep during its migration across the Pacific Ocean. Its journey from Alaska to Australia takes roughly 11 days of continuous flight, covering over 13,000 kilometers through storms, headwinds, and open ocean with zero land beneath it the entire time. Before departure, it does something almost surgical to its own body. It shrinks its digestive organs down to almost nothing, converting the stomach, intestines, and liver into raw fuel. The bird essentially eats its own gut to make room for fat reserves that will power its wings for nearly two weeks straight. The brain doesn’t fully sleep either. Half of it stays active while the other half rests, alternating in shifts mid-flight at altitude over the open Pacific. The godwit is simultaneously unconscious and navigating with magnetic field sensitivity that no human instrument in the 18th century could replicate. What makes this genuinely staggering beyond the physical record is the navigational precision involved. The bird leaves Alaska and arrives in New Zealand with accuracy that would embarrass early GPS systems. It reads Earth’s magnetic field, atmospheric pressure gradients, star positions, and potentially quantum-level compass mechanisms inside its eye that literally let it see magnetic field lines overlaid on its visual field. Evolution spent millions of years building an aerospace navigation system inside a 300 gram animal. We spend billions engineering machines that do what this bird does on instinct, fat reserves, and half a sleeping brain. The longest recorded non-stop flight by a commercial aircraft is around 20 hours. This bird does 11 days. Without a runway.

Picture this: 500–2000-year-old trees—carbon vaults, biodiversity homes, flood shields—reduced to stumps & sawdust for shareholder value. Our descendants? They'll stream documentaries about what we erased. Humans can be despicable. Choose better. 🌿⚖️ #ClimateJustice

A notice to all WMBC members. The new 2026 code to the car park gate and hides will be in operation from tomorrow morning. Also access to Belvide along Shutt Green Lane is still ok, despite the road closed sign at the beginning of the road.

We are very excited to invite both members & non-members once again to the WMBC Open Day!! 🥳 📆 Saturday 16th May ⏰ 10am - 4pm 📍 Middleton Hall & Gardens This is a FREE event and will include a range of activities during the day, including guided walks, talks and stalls.

We're excited to announce a brand new partnership with @WestMidBirdClub, offering the chance to for two aspiring conservationists to visit the Obs for two weeks in August this year! For more details and how to apply, see fairislebirdobs.co.uk/opportunities.…

What a COMEBACK 😮🔴 @SouthamptonFC came from 3-0 down at half time to beat Leicester City 4-3 👏

THAT winner. THAT comeback. 🤯 (not seen on TV) 🫠

@KaneBrides @WaterbirdCM WBCM Whooper Swan in Staffordshire?

Pine Bunting at Bibbey’s Hollow 6/2/1996! Without a doubt still my biggest birding find & moment! A mere 30 Years ago today! Where does the time go! #WorcsBirds #PatchBirding ⁦@Worcs_bird⁩ ⁦@WestMidBirdClub⁩

Don't miss Chris Evans' talk TOMORROW, final day of The Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition. 'From Black Redstarts to Nightjars - iconic birds of the West Midlands area' 📆 Sun 25 Jan 📍Wolverhampton Art Gallery 📸 (c) Bence Máté, Wildlife Photographer of the Year

The local Fox hunt Trash Belvide SSSI nature reserve this afternoon. After being warned about their future conduct, when a similar incident happened several years back. They don't give a shit.

As if they laid a scent trail across the SSSI @NaturalEngland @NE_WestMids

@pmandrews1973 @Draycotebirding @Warksbirdobs @earlswoodbirds @Saxicolaobs @WestMidBirdClub Historic Annual Reports may be viewed in the members area by subscribing to the WMBC website.

@Draycotebirding @Warksbirdobs @earlswoodbirds @Saxicolaobs I would check in the annual report but most of the historic reports seem to have disappeared from the @WestMidBirdClub website in a retrograde step (unless I'm doing something wrong)

@Saxicolaobs You had a delve through Twitter then.

📣 Save the date!!! 📣 The WMBC Open Day & AGM will return this year! 📅 Saturday 16th May 2026 📍 Middleton Hall & Gardens. We have lots of exciting plans which we'll be sharing with you shortly. Watch this space 👀

Another commentator who doesn't know the Laws of the Game! Lionel Messi assisted a goal for Barcelona v Real Madrid in 2017 whilst missing a boot.

Colour-ringed Black-headed Gull 2HCA at West Park, Wolverhampton today. Previously seen here in July & December 2024. Ringed at Marsh Lane Nature Reserve #WestMidsCounty @LaneMarsh @RingersWm @EcoRecording

Have a fantastic Friday! Take a moment to watch birds, so good for our mental health. Be kind today, make someone’s day a little better, makes us feel better too. Fiery-throated Hummingbird in the highlands of Costa Rica. #birds #birding #birdwatching

2 of 10 Shoveler feeding at West Park lake, Wolverhampton ##WestMidsCounty #12DaysWild @WildlifeTrusts @WTBBC @EcoRecording

@pmandrews1973 @DW_Emley That is a BTO E ring: 'BTO NH M' on top line, 'SW7 www' on middle line & 'EZ09' on bottom line. Not pointless if a set of photos from different angles allowed the full code to be read or the bird was recaught or found dead.

@DW_Emley Always find this type of ring a bit pointless on gulls

Saw this Black-headed Gull at Westport today. Not sure there is enough info on the ring to send off but does anyone recognise the text? Not a UK ring.