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Largely confined to the rocky coastal cliffs and islands of western Britain and Ireland, the Red-billed Chough is a striking member of the Corvid family.

With their stunning, scarlet red beak and legs, they're unmistakable for any other corvid you may see along the coast.

Listen out for their distinctive 'chi-ow' call which gives them their name.

Photo by Charlotte O'Shea

For adventurers, naturalists & conservationists on the go, every bit of space counts.

From compact binoculars to Travelscopes, Opticron specialise in offering a range of quality, lightweight optics to bring you closer to nature without weighing you down.

📷 Photos by Brais Palmas at Rewilders Mission
www.braispalmas.com

Have you seen large groups of small songbirds travelling together recently?

During late summer, flocks of birds such as T**s, Warblers & Crests begin to form. These flocks are often made up of young fledglings that group together once they’ve left their parents and start to fend for themselves. For a small fledgling it can be a very risky time, so they opt for a safety in numbers strategy to increase their chances of survival. More birds mean more eyes and ears to look out for predators such as Sparrowhawks.

Some of the most common species you're likely to see amongst these flocks are Blue T**s, Long-tailed T**s, Willow Warblers, Chiffchaffs and Goldcrests but you may even find a Treecreeper, Nuthatch or even a Firecrest in the mix if you're lucky!

As we start to bid farewell to our beloved seabirds once again as they make their way to spend winter out at sea, we’re sharing some seabird appreciation in the form of a few facts 🌊

We’d love to know if you have a favourite seabird!
Let us know in the comments below 👇

📷 Photo credits:
1-6 by Rebecca On The Wing
7 by Charlotte O'Shea

Did you know Short-eared Owls are nomadic migrants?

This means that whilst they are a migratory species, their movements are highly variable from year to year. They breed here in the UK during summer in upland habitats such as moorland however, the estimate number of breeding pairs is considered unreliable by the BTO, ranging from 610 to 2140.

During winter they are more likely to be seen along our coastal wetland habitats as birds move to lower ground. Some winters can see large influxes of Short-eared Owls move through or arrive from Scandinavia so autumn is always a good time to start looking out for them as numbers increase & they utilise more accessible habitats!

Some studies using solar-powered satellite tags have shown that weather conditions and the resultant prey availability may be the driving force behind the irregular movements of the Short-eared Owl however, a great deal of mystery still surrounds this enigmatic species and more research is needed into both their breeding numbers and their movements.

1: Steven Ward/Shutterstock
2: Mark Medcalf/Shutterstock

Did you know the Common Cuckoo is a brood parasite?

Now, you may be wondering what qualifies as a parasite... A parasite is any organism that lives on or in another species, known as the host, from which it obtains a benefit such as nutrients.

We may often think of small harmful organisms when we think of parasites but there are several bird species which are brood parasites. These birds lay their eggs into the nest of another species, in the case of the Common Cuckoo, it’s usually the nests of small songbirds that are targeted such as Meadow Pipits and Reed Warblers.

Once the Cuckoo chick hatches, it will often force the other eggs or chicks out of the nest, meanwhile the unsuspecting parent songbird begins feeding and caring for the imposter chick, raising it as its own even once it's fledged and it's several time larger than the adult songbird!

📷 Photo credits
1: Adult Common Cuckoo by Rob Laughton
2: Juvenile Common Cuckoo by Charlotte O'Shea

Two butterflies that can be easily confused are Graylings and Walls. The Wall was named for its habit of perching on stone surfaces, but Graylings do this too!

If you see a glimpse of orange upperwings held flat, it’s more likely to be a Wall, as Graylings nearly always rest with their wings shut.

Another feature to look for is the number of spots on the lower underwings. Graylings have a plain band with a single white pinprick spot, whereas Walls have a curling row of several eyespots.

by Rebecca On The Wing

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Here's some of the key benefits:

·Roughly 50% lighter than binocular equivalent
·Slender design that can fit in your pocket
·Single-handed operation
·Lower price point

Find out more about our range of monoculars online 👉 www.opticron.co.uk/our-products/monoculars