#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...
20 March 2020 at 09:50
martinf said…
I'll be bioblitzing my garden and look at new taxa. Will be trying my utmost to increase my garden beetle list!!
20 March 2020 at 10:53
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!
20 March 2020 at 13:51
Gavin Haig said…
No-o-o-ooooo!!!
20 March 2020 at 14:04
John said…
Gavin
It will come to this!
21 March 2020 at 20:49
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