#BWKM0


Now that there are a number of birders self-isolating, whether enforced or otherwise, several projects have sprung up to feed the collective ornithological soul. One of them stems from Italy, a country in widely enforced lock-down. The hashtag 'BWKM0' has been created by ornithologists as a means of both collecting data and fostering camaraderie (usefully explained by Paul Tout in a tweet):


This hashtag is now being adopted across the world, as a sign of solidarity with our European neighbours and as a recognition that we, in the UK, should also be reducing our own birding footprint to help lessen the possible spread of Corvid19. I have started my own #BWKM0 list and will be tweeting out some sightings over the coming weeks. As much as a balcony, garden or window is, to some, a poor substitute for a sea-scape or headland, concentrated or regular observations from anywhere can be productive. My own garden has provided me with big thrush and hirundine movements, Spoonbill, Honey-buzzard, Woodlark, Hawfinch, Whimbrel and Short-eared Owl, to name just a few, over the years. We may surprise ourselves and discover fly-lines that we didn't know existed, species breeding that we were unaware of and rewrite our assumptions on the status of some species in our neighbourhood. My garden is still a hot spot for House Sparrows (top) - does the roost in a neighbour's pyracantha bush still number c15 birds? I'll soon find out.

#BWKM0 - birdwatching at zero km.

It's already catching on...

Comments

Gavin Haig said…
While I applaud the 'every cloud has a silver lining' approach, I really, really hope it doesn't come to this. It will do my head in. If ever I am unavoidably cooped up at home I think I would rather immerse myself in a load of complex, taxing DIY stuff than too much #BWKM0. I'd be all too aware of what I was missing just down the road.

That's just me though...
martinf said…
I'll be bioblitzing my garden and look at new taxa. Will be trying my utmost to increase my garden beetle list!!
Steve Gale said…
Gavin - time to buy that moth trap...

Martin - time for me to start looking at all those inverts that I've studiously avoided!
Gavin Haig said…
No-o-o-ooooo!!!
John said…
Gavin
It will come to this!

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