Flockdown — 00.01 on 29 November 2021

View animation here Bird flu – Latest situation: UK-wide housing measures introduced to protect poultry and captive birds against avian flu The Chief Veterinary Officers for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have agreed to bring in new measures to help protect poultry and captive birds. The new housing measures will come into force across […]

Bid for heavy ducks – original artwork

The Blue Swedish, Cayuga, Pekin and Rouen Clair are four heavy ducks depicted on paintings by Carl Donner, Wildlife Artist. These original watercolours were commissioned for the Millennium edition of British Waterfowl Standards. Each is beautifully framed and includes provenance of the original sale of work. The paintings will be auctioned on Sunday at the […]

Strict biosecurity is now mandatory

Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) Press Notice – Bird flu – Latest situation: Avian influenza prevention zone declared across Great Britain Following a number of detections of avian influenza in wild birds across Great Britain, the Chief Veterinary Officers from England, Scotland and Wales have declared an Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) across the whole […]

Bird Flu identified at a rescue centre in Worcestershire

Please be aware Defra has issued the following press notice: News Story – Bird flu identified at a rescue centre in Worcestershire   On the 26th October 2021 avian influenza H5N1 was confirmed in birds at a rescue centre near Droitwich Spa, Wychavon, Worcestershire. Further testing is underway to confirm the pathogenicity of the strain. […]

Plan ahead and reduce the risk of avian flu

The UK’s Chief Veterinary Officers are encouraging poultry keepers to take action now to reduce the risk of avian flu over the winter. The UK is currently free from avian flu, but over the last year 26 outbreaks were confirmed in kept poultry and captive birds and in over 300 wild birds. As winter approaches, […]

Remembering David Kinsman

Sadly we have to report that long-standing member, David J J Kinsman, passed away earlier this month. As a waterfowl keeper for more than 40 years, he was always generous with his time and birds and inspired many in our hobby. As a young teenager, he and a friend took the bus from Bristol as […]

Naturalised UK Barnacle Geese

Some Barnacle Geese (Branta leucopsis) stay here all year rather than returning to Svalbard or Greenland to breed. A new study is looking into the movements and demography of this naturalised UK population. Read more about the study here.

Inspired by Geese

The BWA’s latest Waterfowl magazine went to press this week. A chance conversation about wakeful Roman Geese led to this edition’s theme. One thing led to another; our tie-up with Saddle Goose Wine, The Pilgrim Goose Project and several news items have given us plenty of content. Just how our birds breed does ultimately come […]

Non-native species

A number of members asked us about an email they have received recently from Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA). Past member of the BWA, Jason Finney, works for the GB Non-Native Species Secretariat and is in the second year of a scoping exercise looking at a wide range of sectors to assess the risk […]