Articles by Chris Foster - Page 5

They’re one of the two thrush species which visit Britain in large numbers for the autumn and winter, alongside the handsome and perhaps better known redwing.

Little egrets, a bright white, medium-sized bird of the heron family, only started breeding here in 1996, but since have expanded so rapidly their population growth is measured in the multiple hundreds of per cent.

Their song is a fast-paced, attractive soft warble that livens up a late winter hedgerow.

Choughs are spectacular birds. British birdlife would be much the poorer without them.

The famous booming is the most conspicuous thing they’ll ever do, though, unless you happen to see one in flight. Most of the time they’re masters of disguise.

In a way, its journey on British shores is of the most remarkable kind: from nothingness back to life, a conservation resurrection.

There is a well-established conservation movement made up of millions of ordinary Americans who say these natural wonders are an indispensable part of the nation’s heritage.

Conservation organisations can’t run on practical work alone; there’s a vast quantity of work that needs doing behind the scenes, from administration to communication. In today’s broadband world, there’s no reason why you should need to travel to an office to help out with it either.

All of this goes to show that you don’t need to volunteer at Minsmere or Titchwell Marsh, vital and brilliant as these ‘flagship reserves’ are, to make a difference.