Latest RSPB News
Elusive Cave Spider found in a shed at RSPB Minsmere
Photo: Jon Evans
An elusive cave spider has been discovered at RSPB Minsmere nature reserve in Suffolk. Visitors to the reserve have been flocking to see the spider, which aren’t often seen, because they live without light.
The spider, which has a body no longer than 15mm long, is among one of the largest spiders in the UK. Cave spiders live in total darkness and are usually found in sites with no daylight such as cellars, long tunnels and caves – hence their name. They eat woodlice, flies and other small insects.
Ian Barthorpe, from RSPB Minsmere, said: “Although cave spiders are probably not uncommon, because of their habitat requirements of total darkness they’re not often seen and so are very under-recorded. No-one really knows how many we have in the UK, so finding one here at Minsmere is a real treat!”
The spider was discovered in a shed close to the visitor centre on the reserve almost two weeks ago but RSPB staff have been trying to verify the species before going public.
Visitors can get up close and personal with the spider by requesting a viewing at the reserve’s visitor centre.
The female spider [pictured] is guarding a white, cotton wool-like ball, which is its egg case and contains up to 300 spiderlings. She will watch over the egg case until her death. Then, next spring, the baby spiders will emerge. Spiderlings are attracted to light when they first appear to help them find new areas to colonise.
Ian continued: “This spider wont be around for much longer – she’s done all the hard work and will soon die – so anyone who wants to see her better come soon.”
Minsmere nature reserve in Suffolk is one of the RSPB flagship sites and is one of the best places for wildlife in the UK. The reserve features wonderful woodland, wetland and coastal scenery, rare birds breeding and calling-in on their migrations, shy wildlife like otters, the booming call of bitterns in spring, beautiful bugs and colourful wild flowers in summer. For more information about Minsmere and other RSPB reserves, visit www.rspb.org.uk
The spider, which has a body no longer than 15mm long, is among one of the largest spiders in the UK. Cave spiders live in total darkness and are usually found in sites with no daylight such as cellars, long tunnels and caves – hence their name. They eat woodlice, flies and other small insects.
Ian Barthorpe, from RSPB Minsmere, said: “Although cave spiders are probably not uncommon, because of their habitat requirements of total darkness they’re not often seen and so are very under-recorded. No-one really knows how many we have in the UK, so finding one here at Minsmere is a real treat!”
The spider was discovered in a shed close to the visitor centre on the reserve almost two weeks ago but RSPB staff have been trying to verify the species before going public.
Visitors can get up close and personal with the spider by requesting a viewing at the reserve’s visitor centre.
The female spider [pictured] is guarding a white, cotton wool-like ball, which is its egg case and contains up to 300 spiderlings. She will watch over the egg case until her death. Then, next spring, the baby spiders will emerge. Spiderlings are attracted to light when they first appear to help them find new areas to colonise.
Ian continued: “This spider wont be around for much longer – she’s done all the hard work and will soon die – so anyone who wants to see her better come soon.”
Minsmere nature reserve in Suffolk is one of the RSPB flagship sites and is one of the best places for wildlife in the UK. The reserve features wonderful woodland, wetland and coastal scenery, rare birds breeding and calling-in on their migrations, shy wildlife like otters, the booming call of bitterns in spring, beautiful bugs and colourful wild flowers in summer. For more information about Minsmere and other RSPB reserves, visit www.rspb.org.uk
Construction of Europe’s largest ever man-made coastal reserve begins
The habitat project. Image by David Wootton (rspb-images.com)
Environment Secretary Owen Paterson today officially launched Europe’s most ambitious man-made coastal nature project that will guarantee a place for tens of thousands of migratory birds, and combat the threats from climate change and coastal flooding.
Wallasea Island in the Thames Estuary will be transformed from levee-protected farmland into a thriving wetland, twice the size of the City of London and teeming with bird and marine life.
The landmark project, never before attempted on this scale in Europe, has been made possible through a unique partnership between the RSPB and Crossrail.
Crossrail will deliver 4.5 million tonnes of clean earth from the construction of major new rail tunnels under London to help build the nature reserve at Wallasea. The earth will be used to create higher and lower ground to restore the wetland landscape of mudflats, saltmarsh and lagoons last seen 400 years ago.
The loss of coastal habitat over the past four centuries has been dramatic. Without projects like Wallasea Island, rising sea levels are threatening to see another 1,000 hectares lost in the next decade. Wallasea Island will provide 670 hectares of secure habitat for wildlife to thrive well into the future and the RSPB predicts a significant increase in the number of birds once the project is completed.
Environment Secretary Owen Paterson said: “The excellent work that Crossrail and the RSPB are doing to create the Jubilee Marshes at Wallasea shows how major infrastructure schemes can help to generate economic growth as well as helping to improve local wildlife. This could be the gold standard against which all future projects are measured.”
Mike Clarke, Chief Executive of the RSPB said: “This is the largest coastal habitat creation of its kind in Europe and it will transform an area more than double the size of the City of London back to the coastal marshland it once was. Wallasea Island will show for the first time on a large scale, how it’s possible to ‘future proof’ low lying coasts against sea level rise caused by climate change. This will deliver benefits to wildlife and provide a wonderful place for people to enjoy. Wallasea Island could now see the return of birds that once bred in England, such as Kentish plovers that were last seen here more than 50 years ago.”
Crossrail Chief Executive Andrew Wolstenholme said: “This landmark project is a pioneering example of how the construction industry and environment groups can work in partnership to build a sustainable Britain that benefits both the economy and the environment. Crossrail is delighted to be involved in a project that will leave a lasting legacy long after the construction of the new rail line has been completed.”
About eight miles of coastal walks and cycle routes will also be created as part of the project, which means that the nature reserve will also become a wonderful place for people to explore and enjoy.
Dr Clarke added: “Many special wildlife sites have been lost in our crowded islands, but through intelligent partnerships there’s great potential to put nature back at a landscape-scale.”
Crossrail has constructed a new jetty and an excavated material handling facility at Wallasea Island. At its peak 10,000 tonnes of material will be unloaded from ships per day.
Crossrail will deliver more than 2,000 ship loads of excavated material to Wallasea Island. The earth will be transported from Crossrail’s western tunnels via freight train from west London to Northfleet in Kent where it will be loaded on to ships. Excavated material will also be loaded onto ships directly from the eastern tunnelling site at Limmo near Canning Town station in east London, with further material shipped from a storage site on the River Thames at Barking.
The government has set a combined target for the recreation of saltmarshes and mudflats, of 3,600 hectares (8,895 acres) by 2015. The Wallasea Island Wild Coast Project will deliver 670 hectares of marshland.
The Essex estuaries are in the top five most important coastal wetlands in the country and are protected by national and European law.
www.rspb.org.uk
Wallasea Island in the Thames Estuary will be transformed from levee-protected farmland into a thriving wetland, twice the size of the City of London and teeming with bird and marine life.
The landmark project, never before attempted on this scale in Europe, has been made possible through a unique partnership between the RSPB and Crossrail.
Crossrail will deliver 4.5 million tonnes of clean earth from the construction of major new rail tunnels under London to help build the nature reserve at Wallasea. The earth will be used to create higher and lower ground to restore the wetland landscape of mudflats, saltmarsh and lagoons last seen 400 years ago.
The loss of coastal habitat over the past four centuries has been dramatic. Without projects like Wallasea Island, rising sea levels are threatening to see another 1,000 hectares lost in the next decade. Wallasea Island will provide 670 hectares of secure habitat for wildlife to thrive well into the future and the RSPB predicts a significant increase in the number of birds once the project is completed.
Environment Secretary Owen Paterson said: “The excellent work that Crossrail and the RSPB are doing to create the Jubilee Marshes at Wallasea shows how major infrastructure schemes can help to generate economic growth as well as helping to improve local wildlife. This could be the gold standard against which all future projects are measured.”
Mike Clarke, Chief Executive of the RSPB said: “This is the largest coastal habitat creation of its kind in Europe and it will transform an area more than double the size of the City of London back to the coastal marshland it once was. Wallasea Island will show for the first time on a large scale, how it’s possible to ‘future proof’ low lying coasts against sea level rise caused by climate change. This will deliver benefits to wildlife and provide a wonderful place for people to enjoy. Wallasea Island could now see the return of birds that once bred in England, such as Kentish plovers that were last seen here more than 50 years ago.”
Crossrail Chief Executive Andrew Wolstenholme said: “This landmark project is a pioneering example of how the construction industry and environment groups can work in partnership to build a sustainable Britain that benefits both the economy and the environment. Crossrail is delighted to be involved in a project that will leave a lasting legacy long after the construction of the new rail line has been completed.”
About eight miles of coastal walks and cycle routes will also be created as part of the project, which means that the nature reserve will also become a wonderful place for people to explore and enjoy.
Dr Clarke added: “Many special wildlife sites have been lost in our crowded islands, but through intelligent partnerships there’s great potential to put nature back at a landscape-scale.”
Crossrail has constructed a new jetty and an excavated material handling facility at Wallasea Island. At its peak 10,000 tonnes of material will be unloaded from ships per day.
Crossrail will deliver more than 2,000 ship loads of excavated material to Wallasea Island. The earth will be transported from Crossrail’s western tunnels via freight train from west London to Northfleet in Kent where it will be loaded on to ships. Excavated material will also be loaded onto ships directly from the eastern tunnelling site at Limmo near Canning Town station in east London, with further material shipped from a storage site on the River Thames at Barking.
The government has set a combined target for the recreation of saltmarshes and mudflats, of 3,600 hectares (8,895 acres) by 2015. The Wallasea Island Wild Coast Project will deliver 670 hectares of marshland.
The Essex estuaries are in the top five most important coastal wetlands in the country and are protected by national and European law.
www.rspb.org.uk
Six more Sea Eagles have taken their first flight in Scottish skies, marking the end of a successful reintroduction programme
Image: Mike McDonnell of www.argatyredkites.co.uk
Over the past six years, 85 young birds have been released from a secret location in Fife in a bid to restore the species to its former range in eastern Scotland. Each bird has been fitted with a radio and wing tags, so both project staff and the public can follow their future progress.
The partnership, which consists of RSPB Scotland, Scottish Natural Heritage and Forestry Commission Scotland, with additional financial support from Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and Fife and Rural Tayside LEADER 2007-2013 Programme, now hope the birds will begin to produce young on Scotland’s east coast in the coming years.
Scotland Environment Minister Stewart Stevenson, said: “We have been pleased to support this project over the last six years. The return of sea eagles to the skies of Scotland's east coast marks an important step in ensuring we now have a viable population of these magnificent birds. As well as fulfilling a role in our ecosystems, the birds are an important feature for our growing nature-based tourism industry.”
As well as helping return the UK’s largest birds of prey, the project has also strengthened links between Scotland and Norway, where the sea eagle population is strong. Since 2007 project staff have worked closely with Norwegian colleagues visiting nesting sites and selecting suitable chicks to use for the East Scotland reintroduction.
Once a regular sight in Scotland’s skies, the sea eagle was driven to extinction in the Victorian era. It only returned to the UK following a successful reintroduction to the West of Scotland, on the Island of Rum in 1975.
Although the majority of the Scottish population remains on the west of the country, the species is now regularly spotted in Eastern and Central Scotland too. Of the 6 white tailed eagles released in 2012, 2 are male and 4 female. Recent figures show there are now a record-breaking 57 breeding pairs in Scotland, all of these are on the West coast of Scotland. 79 birds have however been released in Eastern Scotland between 2007-2011 of which a maximum of 56 remain alive, which equates to a survival rate of 70% in line with previous releases on the West coast. Quite a difference.
Rhian Evans, RSPB Scotland East Scotland Sea Eagle Project Officer, said: “It’s been an honour to care for this all important final batch of young eagles. These amazing birds have captured the hearts of people across the country. We owe a great deal to the volunteers, farmers, landowners, partners and of course the general public for their support and enthusiasm in helping us reach this important stage of the reintroduction. Over the past six years we’ve had around 3000 reported sightings of birds involved in the project, including sightings from as far apart as Northumberland and Caithness. It’s also pleasing to see that the east and west coast populations are mixing, which is a good sign for the future.”
Ron Macdonald, Head of Policy and Advice at SNH, added: " Scotland is once again home to a healthy sea eagle population, with many breeding successfully in the west. This project in the east will help them spread to much of their former range. It will also give more people the chance to see them and allow more communities to benefit from their status as a visitor attraction. This brings the reintroduction programme to a close and it’s important to acknowledge the huge amount of work by all those involved, from volunteers to land managers, who along with RSPB and FCS have made this project work. Alv Ottar Folkstead and his fellow fieldworkers in Norway deserve particular recognition for their work in providing the chicks for Scotland."
Charlie Taylor, who heads up the Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS) team in the area where the eagles chicks acclimatised, said; “It’s been great to be involved in this programme and to have helped ensure that these magnificent birds have had the best possible start in Scotland. We look forward to seeing them more frequently in the years to come."
Colin McLean, Head of the Heritage Lottery Fund in Scotland said: “HLF has been proud to help fund the return of this marvellous bird of prey to our skies so it can once again take its rightful place as part of our natural heritage. As part of the project, many hundreds of people have had the opportunity, through trails, events and CCTV, to learn more about the Sea Eagle and its role in Scotland’s biodiversity. I hope it will inspire and empower them to safeguard its existence for future generations.
The RSPB are encouraging sightings to be recorded by the public, you can use the email address eastscotlandseaeagles@rspb.org.uk to get in touch.
www.rspb.org.uk/community/ourwork/b/eastscotlandeagles/default.aspx
The partnership, which consists of RSPB Scotland, Scottish Natural Heritage and Forestry Commission Scotland, with additional financial support from Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and Fife and Rural Tayside LEADER 2007-2013 Programme, now hope the birds will begin to produce young on Scotland’s east coast in the coming years.
Scotland Environment Minister Stewart Stevenson, said: “We have been pleased to support this project over the last six years. The return of sea eagles to the skies of Scotland's east coast marks an important step in ensuring we now have a viable population of these magnificent birds. As well as fulfilling a role in our ecosystems, the birds are an important feature for our growing nature-based tourism industry.”
As well as helping return the UK’s largest birds of prey, the project has also strengthened links between Scotland and Norway, where the sea eagle population is strong. Since 2007 project staff have worked closely with Norwegian colleagues visiting nesting sites and selecting suitable chicks to use for the East Scotland reintroduction.
Once a regular sight in Scotland’s skies, the sea eagle was driven to extinction in the Victorian era. It only returned to the UK following a successful reintroduction to the West of Scotland, on the Island of Rum in 1975.
Although the majority of the Scottish population remains on the west of the country, the species is now regularly spotted in Eastern and Central Scotland too. Of the 6 white tailed eagles released in 2012, 2 are male and 4 female. Recent figures show there are now a record-breaking 57 breeding pairs in Scotland, all of these are on the West coast of Scotland. 79 birds have however been released in Eastern Scotland between 2007-2011 of which a maximum of 56 remain alive, which equates to a survival rate of 70% in line with previous releases on the West coast. Quite a difference.
Rhian Evans, RSPB Scotland East Scotland Sea Eagle Project Officer, said: “It’s been an honour to care for this all important final batch of young eagles. These amazing birds have captured the hearts of people across the country. We owe a great deal to the volunteers, farmers, landowners, partners and of course the general public for their support and enthusiasm in helping us reach this important stage of the reintroduction. Over the past six years we’ve had around 3000 reported sightings of birds involved in the project, including sightings from as far apart as Northumberland and Caithness. It’s also pleasing to see that the east and west coast populations are mixing, which is a good sign for the future.”
Ron Macdonald, Head of Policy and Advice at SNH, added: " Scotland is once again home to a healthy sea eagle population, with many breeding successfully in the west. This project in the east will help them spread to much of their former range. It will also give more people the chance to see them and allow more communities to benefit from their status as a visitor attraction. This brings the reintroduction programme to a close and it’s important to acknowledge the huge amount of work by all those involved, from volunteers to land managers, who along with RSPB and FCS have made this project work. Alv Ottar Folkstead and his fellow fieldworkers in Norway deserve particular recognition for their work in providing the chicks for Scotland."
Charlie Taylor, who heads up the Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS) team in the area where the eagles chicks acclimatised, said; “It’s been great to be involved in this programme and to have helped ensure that these magnificent birds have had the best possible start in Scotland. We look forward to seeing them more frequently in the years to come."
Colin McLean, Head of the Heritage Lottery Fund in Scotland said: “HLF has been proud to help fund the return of this marvellous bird of prey to our skies so it can once again take its rightful place as part of our natural heritage. As part of the project, many hundreds of people have had the opportunity, through trails, events and CCTV, to learn more about the Sea Eagle and its role in Scotland’s biodiversity. I hope it will inspire and empower them to safeguard its existence for future generations.
The RSPB are encouraging sightings to be recorded by the public, you can use the email address eastscotlandseaeagles@rspb.org.uk to get in touch.
www.rspb.org.uk/community/ourwork/b/eastscotlandeagles/default.aspx
Picture special: Two young Gannets billing at RSPB’s Bempton Cliffs reserve
Photo credit: Steve Race © - yorkshirecoastnature.co.uk
Diamonds may be a girl’s best friend, but a simple necklace of wildflowers is enough to woo your sweetheart when you live on the ledges at RSPB Bempton Cliffs.
Around 8,000 pairs of gannets return every year to the nature reserve between Bridlington and Filey in Yorkshire – and this pair were caught billing and cooing on camera by talented wildlife photographer Steve Race.
Gannets are renowned for their faithfulness, usually returning to the same nesting site with the same partner for many years and regularly re-decorating their summer home with grasses, flowers – and even bits of rope and rubbish.
Younger birds, like these two, that haven’t quite got the hang of being grown-ups, are often seen presenting each other with flowers and feathers, as they appear to work on their chat-up lines.
“The reserve is awash with colour at this time of the year, with red campion, birds foot trefoil and clover stretching as far as the eye can see,” said Bempton Cliffs manager Ian Kendall.
“We watched one of these birds bring in the red campion and pass it on to its would-be mate, which looks for all the world to be wearing it as a necklace. If the pair return next year and have a family, we’ll find out whether their adolescent romancing has paid off.
“The long spell of wet weather certainly doesn’t seem to have dampened their ardour. The gannets and other seabirds at Bempton Cliffs continue to put on an amazing show for our visitors, whatever the weather.”
Bempton Cliffs has England’s only mainland gannet colony. In 1967 there were just 22 breeding pairs, but that figure has shot up to around 8,000, as recorded in 2009. The UK’s coastline is crucial for Northern gannets with roughly 60% of the world’s population nesting here.
Gannets will be around on the reserve until late September and staff and volunteers are organising a programme of Planet Gannet events throughout the summer, including family activities, walks, photographic workshops and even tea with the gannets.
www.rspb.org.uk/bemptoncliffs.
www.yorkshirecoastnature.co.uk
Around 8,000 pairs of gannets return every year to the nature reserve between Bridlington and Filey in Yorkshire – and this pair were caught billing and cooing on camera by talented wildlife photographer Steve Race.
Gannets are renowned for their faithfulness, usually returning to the same nesting site with the same partner for many years and regularly re-decorating their summer home with grasses, flowers – and even bits of rope and rubbish.
Younger birds, like these two, that haven’t quite got the hang of being grown-ups, are often seen presenting each other with flowers and feathers, as they appear to work on their chat-up lines.
“The reserve is awash with colour at this time of the year, with red campion, birds foot trefoil and clover stretching as far as the eye can see,” said Bempton Cliffs manager Ian Kendall.
“We watched one of these birds bring in the red campion and pass it on to its would-be mate, which looks for all the world to be wearing it as a necklace. If the pair return next year and have a family, we’ll find out whether their adolescent romancing has paid off.
“The long spell of wet weather certainly doesn’t seem to have dampened their ardour. The gannets and other seabirds at Bempton Cliffs continue to put on an amazing show for our visitors, whatever the weather.”
Bempton Cliffs has England’s only mainland gannet colony. In 1967 there were just 22 breeding pairs, but that figure has shot up to around 8,000, as recorded in 2009. The UK’s coastline is crucial for Northern gannets with roughly 60% of the world’s population nesting here.
Gannets will be around on the reserve until late September and staff and volunteers are organising a programme of Planet Gannet events throughout the summer, including family activities, walks, photographic workshops and even tea with the gannets.
www.rspb.org.uk/bemptoncliffs.
www.yorkshirecoastnature.co.uk
Competition: your chance to vote for countryside heroes, luxury break for winner!
From Friday [20 July], members of the public are being asked to choose the UK’s most wildlife-friendly farmer. After months of deliberation, the judges for this year’s RSPB Telegraph Nature of Farming Award have selected four finalists to go through to a public vote to decide their fate.
The Nature of Farming Award celebrates farmers who do wonderful things for nature and find the individual who has done the most on their land to help our special countryside wildlife.
With MPs this week calling for targets to improve public engagement with nature and increase visits to the countryside to benefit the health of people in the UK, the RSPB thinks it is particularly important to reward farmers who work in an environmentally-friendly way.
Martin Harper, the RSPB’s director of conservation and one of this year’s judges, said: “Across the UK, many farmers are putting passion and dedication into protecting the habitats of all kinds of native wildlife without having an impact on food production or commercial success.
“It was a difficult task, but we've managed to choose four fantastic finalists from a record-breaking number of entries. As usual, the standard was exceptional. These farmers have shown themselves to be true guardians of the countryside, not just for the wildlife that shares their land, but also for the people that enjoy it and we should celebrate them all.
“With the fate of some of the country’s most threatened flora and fauna in their hands, it’s encouraging to know that many farmers are providing important habitat and food. I’m excited to find out who the public deem to be the best in show this year.”
Now in its fifth year, the Nature of Farming Award will see four regional finalists face the public vote throughout the summer. The national award is run by the RSPB, supported by Butterfly Conservation and Plantlife, and sponsored by The Telegraph. The shortlisted farmers have strong environmental credentials and manage their farms with bird, plant, mammal and insect populations in mind while running commercially viable businesses.
Last year over 22,000 people were inspired to cast their vote in the awards that eventually crowned Carolyne and Somerset Charrington from Mull King and Queen of wildlife-friendly farming.
Dr Martin Warren, Butterfly Conservation Chief Executive and a competition judge, commented: "Sensitive farming is vital for the survival of butterflies and moths. These four finalists have shown huge enthusiasm to demonstrate how good farming and wildlife conservation can go hand in hand. The vote will be very close this year."
People are invited to vote online, via The Telegraph by phone, post, or at various country shows. Information on how to vote can be found at www.rspb.org.uk/farmvote and everyone who votes in this year's competition will be entered into a prize draw to win a luxury prize. The winner will receive an Overnight Reviver Break for two people sharing a suite at Ragdale Hall Health Hydro and Thermal Spa in Leicestershire. This prize is worth £516 and includes breakfast, lunch and dinner on one day, plus full use of the facilities and free 50-minute massage or facial per person. Votes can be cast until 5 September 2012 and the winner will be announced later that month.
The four finalists chosen for the 2012 Nature of Farming Award are:
Rob Allan from Oxfordshire farms sustainably, delivering food for us and for wildlife. He is passionate about the huge range of diverse habitats supporting wildlife on his estate such as barn owls, corn buntings, skylarks and tree sparrows.
Henry Edmunds from Wiltshire has spent over 30 years balancing agriculture and the preservation of the countryside. On his farm, corn buntings, lapwings and grey partridges thrive amongst the crops, alongside rare arable plants.
Jack Kelly from County Down successfully integrates conservation into the management of a small mixed farm, using traditional methods. Here, linnets, reed buntings, tree sparrows and yellowhammers all thrive.
Peter Knight from West Sussex runs a mixed farm that sees conservation at its core. Farming and conservation complement each other here, through an ethic of “more output, less impact”. Peter uses his knowledge and passion to affect lasting change.
For the second year running there is also be a highly commended category to recognise the efforts of farmers who have excelled in their support of farmland wildlife. This year 28 farmers from around the UK were awarded this accolade.
This year’s judging panel:
Martin Harper – RSPB Director of Conservation
Martin Warren – Butterfly Conservation Chief Executive
Victoria Chester – Plantlife International Chief Executive
Fergus Collins – Countryfile Magazine
The competition is run by the RSPB, supported by Butterfly Conservation and Plantlife, and sponsored by The Telegraph.
The Nature of Farming Award is funded by the EU Life+ programme, safeguarding the future of our farmland birds under the EU Birds Directive.
www.rspb.org.uk/farmvote
The Nature of Farming Award celebrates farmers who do wonderful things for nature and find the individual who has done the most on their land to help our special countryside wildlife.
With MPs this week calling for targets to improve public engagement with nature and increase visits to the countryside to benefit the health of people in the UK, the RSPB thinks it is particularly important to reward farmers who work in an environmentally-friendly way.
Martin Harper, the RSPB’s director of conservation and one of this year’s judges, said: “Across the UK, many farmers are putting passion and dedication into protecting the habitats of all kinds of native wildlife without having an impact on food production or commercial success.
“It was a difficult task, but we've managed to choose four fantastic finalists from a record-breaking number of entries. As usual, the standard was exceptional. These farmers have shown themselves to be true guardians of the countryside, not just for the wildlife that shares their land, but also for the people that enjoy it and we should celebrate them all.
“With the fate of some of the country’s most threatened flora and fauna in their hands, it’s encouraging to know that many farmers are providing important habitat and food. I’m excited to find out who the public deem to be the best in show this year.”
Now in its fifth year, the Nature of Farming Award will see four regional finalists face the public vote throughout the summer. The national award is run by the RSPB, supported by Butterfly Conservation and Plantlife, and sponsored by The Telegraph. The shortlisted farmers have strong environmental credentials and manage their farms with bird, plant, mammal and insect populations in mind while running commercially viable businesses.
Last year over 22,000 people were inspired to cast their vote in the awards that eventually crowned Carolyne and Somerset Charrington from Mull King and Queen of wildlife-friendly farming.
Dr Martin Warren, Butterfly Conservation Chief Executive and a competition judge, commented: "Sensitive farming is vital for the survival of butterflies and moths. These four finalists have shown huge enthusiasm to demonstrate how good farming and wildlife conservation can go hand in hand. The vote will be very close this year."
People are invited to vote online, via The Telegraph by phone, post, or at various country shows. Information on how to vote can be found at www.rspb.org.uk/farmvote and everyone who votes in this year's competition will be entered into a prize draw to win a luxury prize. The winner will receive an Overnight Reviver Break for two people sharing a suite at Ragdale Hall Health Hydro and Thermal Spa in Leicestershire. This prize is worth £516 and includes breakfast, lunch and dinner on one day, plus full use of the facilities and free 50-minute massage or facial per person. Votes can be cast until 5 September 2012 and the winner will be announced later that month.
The four finalists chosen for the 2012 Nature of Farming Award are:
Rob Allan from Oxfordshire farms sustainably, delivering food for us and for wildlife. He is passionate about the huge range of diverse habitats supporting wildlife on his estate such as barn owls, corn buntings, skylarks and tree sparrows.
Henry Edmunds from Wiltshire has spent over 30 years balancing agriculture and the preservation of the countryside. On his farm, corn buntings, lapwings and grey partridges thrive amongst the crops, alongside rare arable plants.
Jack Kelly from County Down successfully integrates conservation into the management of a small mixed farm, using traditional methods. Here, linnets, reed buntings, tree sparrows and yellowhammers all thrive.
Peter Knight from West Sussex runs a mixed farm that sees conservation at its core. Farming and conservation complement each other here, through an ethic of “more output, less impact”. Peter uses his knowledge and passion to affect lasting change.
For the second year running there is also be a highly commended category to recognise the efforts of farmers who have excelled in their support of farmland wildlife. This year 28 farmers from around the UK were awarded this accolade.
This year’s judging panel:
Martin Harper – RSPB Director of Conservation
Martin Warren – Butterfly Conservation Chief Executive
Victoria Chester – Plantlife International Chief Executive
Fergus Collins – Countryfile Magazine
The competition is run by the RSPB, supported by Butterfly Conservation and Plantlife, and sponsored by The Telegraph.
The Nature of Farming Award is funded by the EU Life+ programme, safeguarding the future of our farmland birds under the EU Birds Directive.
www.rspb.org.uk/farmvote
Operation Turtle Dove – saving a bird on the brink
Conservationists have embarked on an urgent mission to save one of the UK’s most threatened birds from extinction.
Operation Turtle Dove, launched by the RSPB and leading sustainable farming specialists Conservation Grade and Pensthorpe Conservation Trust in Norfolk, is a three-year project to reverse the decline of one of England’s best-loved farmland birds.
From The Bible to the works of Chaucer and Shakespeare, the turtle dove is well known in literature and folklore as a symbol of love and devotion. But numbers have fallen dramatically in recent years and there now just nine birds for every 100 there were in the 1970s. Once widespread across much of England and Wales, the species has been lost from many areas. It has remaining strongholds in East Anglia and south-east England.
The cause of the population crash is not fully understood. However the birds’ diet consists almost entirely of small seeds from wild plants which grow in crops and changes in farming practices mean these plants are now scarce in our countryside.
The project’s partners will work with farmers in turtle dove hotspots to establish plots of seed-rich plants on their land. Scientists from the RSPB will work alongside Conservation Grade’s sustainable farming experts and Pensthorpe’s aviculturalists to measure the impact on the birds’ diet and breeding success.
Simon Tonkin, RSPB farmland bird advisor, said: “Turtle doves are really struggling. After many years of decline we are facing the very real possibility of losing this beautiful bird from the UK.
“This new project will build on a lot of positive work which has already been done by farmers and conservationists. As well as putting in place measures which will bring back some of wild plants which farmland birds like the turtle dove rely on, we need a better understanding of the causes of this devastating decline.”
Tim Nevard, executive director of Conservation Grade and a Pensthorpe trustee, said the key to saving the turtle dove across Europe, and in England in particular, is to ensure the right nesting and foraging habitats are provided on farms.
He said: “Conservation Grade combines first-class farmland wildlife conservation with the best sustainable agriculture production standards, and so is ideally placed to develop the right habitats to ensure the survival of turtle doves.
“We have captive turtle doves at Pensthorpe which we will use to trial a number of seed mixtures to identify the most palatable and nutritious options – from breeding to fledging and beyond – so that the right choices about forage habitat creation can be made.
“We will be working closely with Natural England, our nationwide farmer network and commercial partners to encourage widespread uptake of these habitats.”
Other factors may be contributing to the decline of the turtle dove, including illegal hunting in the Mediterranean as the species makes its annual migration, agricultural changes in the African wintering grounds and the avian disease trichomoniasis which is common in pigeons and doves.
Simon Tonkin added: “The story of the turtle dove in Europe is unsettlingly similar to that of the passenger pigeon in North America.
“A once common and widespread bird, the passenger pigeon was driven to extinction 100 years ago as a result of hunting and habitat loss. We must not let a tragedy like this happen in our countryside.”
For more information on this and other pioneering conservation projects, please visit the links below.
www.rspb.org.uk
www.conservationgrade.org
www.pensthorpetrust.org.uk
Operation Turtle Dove, launched by the RSPB and leading sustainable farming specialists Conservation Grade and Pensthorpe Conservation Trust in Norfolk, is a three-year project to reverse the decline of one of England’s best-loved farmland birds.
From The Bible to the works of Chaucer and Shakespeare, the turtle dove is well known in literature and folklore as a symbol of love and devotion. But numbers have fallen dramatically in recent years and there now just nine birds for every 100 there were in the 1970s. Once widespread across much of England and Wales, the species has been lost from many areas. It has remaining strongholds in East Anglia and south-east England.
The cause of the population crash is not fully understood. However the birds’ diet consists almost entirely of small seeds from wild plants which grow in crops and changes in farming practices mean these plants are now scarce in our countryside.
The project’s partners will work with farmers in turtle dove hotspots to establish plots of seed-rich plants on their land. Scientists from the RSPB will work alongside Conservation Grade’s sustainable farming experts and Pensthorpe’s aviculturalists to measure the impact on the birds’ diet and breeding success.
Simon Tonkin, RSPB farmland bird advisor, said: “Turtle doves are really struggling. After many years of decline we are facing the very real possibility of losing this beautiful bird from the UK.
“This new project will build on a lot of positive work which has already been done by farmers and conservationists. As well as putting in place measures which will bring back some of wild plants which farmland birds like the turtle dove rely on, we need a better understanding of the causes of this devastating decline.”
Tim Nevard, executive director of Conservation Grade and a Pensthorpe trustee, said the key to saving the turtle dove across Europe, and in England in particular, is to ensure the right nesting and foraging habitats are provided on farms.
He said: “Conservation Grade combines first-class farmland wildlife conservation with the best sustainable agriculture production standards, and so is ideally placed to develop the right habitats to ensure the survival of turtle doves.
“We have captive turtle doves at Pensthorpe which we will use to trial a number of seed mixtures to identify the most palatable and nutritious options – from breeding to fledging and beyond – so that the right choices about forage habitat creation can be made.
“We will be working closely with Natural England, our nationwide farmer network and commercial partners to encourage widespread uptake of these habitats.”
Other factors may be contributing to the decline of the turtle dove, including illegal hunting in the Mediterranean as the species makes its annual migration, agricultural changes in the African wintering grounds and the avian disease trichomoniasis which is common in pigeons and doves.
Simon Tonkin added: “The story of the turtle dove in Europe is unsettlingly similar to that of the passenger pigeon in North America.
“A once common and widespread bird, the passenger pigeon was driven to extinction 100 years ago as a result of hunting and habitat loss. We must not let a tragedy like this happen in our countryside.”
For more information on this and other pioneering conservation projects, please visit the links below.
www.rspb.org.uk
www.conservationgrade.org
www.pensthorpetrust.org.uk
Breeding waders to benefit from extension to RSPB Crook of Baldoon Reserve
Image: Nigel Blake / RSPB
RSPB Scotland is to increase its efforts to help breeding waders and wildfowl following an extension to its nature reserve at Crook of Baldoon in Wigtownshire.
The charity has successfully acquired a further 39ha of grassland next to the existing reserve, taking the total reserve size to 191 ha, of which around half will be managed for species such as lapwing, snipe and redshank.
The new land will enable RSPB Scotland to develop wetlands on both sides of the main car park and the reserve entrance point, creating suitable habitat for nesting birds and providing an opportunity for visitors to enjoy local wildlife.
Every year, internationally important numbers of wintering whooper swans, pink-footed geese, as well as a variety of wading birds can all be seen at the site, with whimbrels and black-tailed godwits using it as they pass through on migration, too.
Other species recorded on the reserve have included more than 1,000 barnacle geese flying in from Svalbard who winter on the Solway Estuary. Hen harriers and owls are regularly seen in winter, and Wigtown Bay is also home to breeding ospreys, of which live CCTV pictures can be seen in Wigtown Town Hall, and peregrine falcons.
Andrew Bielinski, RSPB Scotland Area Reserves Manager for Dumfries & Galloway, said: “Since purchasing the Crook of Baldoon in Spring 2010 we have worked hard with the help of the local community to make this a site rich in wildlife. By extending the reserve we can increase our conservation efforts to assist vulnerable species such as lapwing and redshank.
“As we gain a better understanding of how the breeding and wintering birds use the whole reserve we will start to develop appropriate visitor facilities, providing wonderful panoramic views of Wigtown Bay whilst minimising disturbance to wildlife. We’re confident this will support nature-based tourism, which, as a recent RSPB study demonstrated, is an increasing part of the visitor attraction of Dumfries and Galloway.”
More information on RSPB nature reserves can be found by visiting the link below.
www.rspb.org.uk/reserves
The charity has successfully acquired a further 39ha of grassland next to the existing reserve, taking the total reserve size to 191 ha, of which around half will be managed for species such as lapwing, snipe and redshank.
The new land will enable RSPB Scotland to develop wetlands on both sides of the main car park and the reserve entrance point, creating suitable habitat for nesting birds and providing an opportunity for visitors to enjoy local wildlife.
Every year, internationally important numbers of wintering whooper swans, pink-footed geese, as well as a variety of wading birds can all be seen at the site, with whimbrels and black-tailed godwits using it as they pass through on migration, too.
Other species recorded on the reserve have included more than 1,000 barnacle geese flying in from Svalbard who winter on the Solway Estuary. Hen harriers and owls are regularly seen in winter, and Wigtown Bay is also home to breeding ospreys, of which live CCTV pictures can be seen in Wigtown Town Hall, and peregrine falcons.
Andrew Bielinski, RSPB Scotland Area Reserves Manager for Dumfries & Galloway, said: “Since purchasing the Crook of Baldoon in Spring 2010 we have worked hard with the help of the local community to make this a site rich in wildlife. By extending the reserve we can increase our conservation efforts to assist vulnerable species such as lapwing and redshank.
“As we gain a better understanding of how the breeding and wintering birds use the whole reserve we will start to develop appropriate visitor facilities, providing wonderful panoramic views of Wigtown Bay whilst minimising disturbance to wildlife. We’re confident this will support nature-based tourism, which, as a recent RSPB study demonstrated, is an increasing part of the visitor attraction of Dumfries and Galloway.”
More information on RSPB nature reserves can be found by visiting the link below.
www.rspb.org.uk/reserves
Scientists discover a ‘glass wall’ that holds the answer to one of nature’s mysteries
Ethiopian Bush Crow family. Image: Dr Paul Donald
Here's a question for you. Why would a smart and adaptable bird, that eats almost anything and can survive happily in even the most heavily degraded habitats, have a world range so small - it would fit comfortably inside Norfolk?
That very question has baffled and confused scientists ever since the Ethiopian Bush-crow’s peculiarly restricted distribution was discovered way back in the 1930s.
But now, after researching the exact location of the birds and their nests in southern Ethiopia, a team of problem-solving, Sherlock Holmes-style scientists have unravelled the mystery. And the answer is elementary my dear readers.
A new study published in the Journal of Ornithology shows that the globally threatened bird’s range, follows almost an exact path along the edge of a unique bubble of cool, dry climate.
Lead author of the study and RSPB principal conservation scientist, Dr Paul Donald, is delighted he finally has some answers. He said: “The mystery surrounding this bird and its odd behaviour has stumped scientists for decades – many have looked and failed to find an answer. But the reason they failed, we now believe, is that they were looking for a barrier invisible to the human eye, like a glass wall.
“Inside the ‘climate bubble’, where the average temperature is less than 20°C, the Bush-crow is almost everywhere. Outside, where the average temperature hits 20°C or more, there are no Bush-crows at all. A cool bird, that appears to like staying that way.”
The reason this species is so completely trapped inside its little bubble is as yet unknown, but it seems likely that it is physically limited by temperature – either the adults, or more likely its chicks, simply cannot survive outside the bubble, even though there are thousands of square miles of identical habitat all around.
BirdLife International’s Dr Nigel Collar is co-author of the study. He added: “Whatever the reason this bird is confined to a bubble, alarm bells are now ringing loudly. The storm of climate change threatens to swamp the Bush-crow’s little climatic lifeboat - and once it’s gone, it's gone for good.”
The Ethiopian Bush-crow is a small, starling-like crow with a pale grey head and body, black wings and tail, and bare, blue skin around the eye. The bird, listed as Endangered with approximately fewer than 9,000 individuals existing in the wild, could be the most vulnerable species to climate change in the world.
Scientists are now planning to start a monitoring programme on the temperature of the birds’ nests to see if it can unlock the answer to the next question: why are they so sensitive to climate?
http://www.rspb.org.uk/climate
That very question has baffled and confused scientists ever since the Ethiopian Bush-crow’s peculiarly restricted distribution was discovered way back in the 1930s.
But now, after researching the exact location of the birds and their nests in southern Ethiopia, a team of problem-solving, Sherlock Holmes-style scientists have unravelled the mystery. And the answer is elementary my dear readers.
A new study published in the Journal of Ornithology shows that the globally threatened bird’s range, follows almost an exact path along the edge of a unique bubble of cool, dry climate.
Lead author of the study and RSPB principal conservation scientist, Dr Paul Donald, is delighted he finally has some answers. He said: “The mystery surrounding this bird and its odd behaviour has stumped scientists for decades – many have looked and failed to find an answer. But the reason they failed, we now believe, is that they were looking for a barrier invisible to the human eye, like a glass wall.
“Inside the ‘climate bubble’, where the average temperature is less than 20°C, the Bush-crow is almost everywhere. Outside, where the average temperature hits 20°C or more, there are no Bush-crows at all. A cool bird, that appears to like staying that way.”
The reason this species is so completely trapped inside its little bubble is as yet unknown, but it seems likely that it is physically limited by temperature – either the adults, or more likely its chicks, simply cannot survive outside the bubble, even though there are thousands of square miles of identical habitat all around.
BirdLife International’s Dr Nigel Collar is co-author of the study. He added: “Whatever the reason this bird is confined to a bubble, alarm bells are now ringing loudly. The storm of climate change threatens to swamp the Bush-crow’s little climatic lifeboat - and once it’s gone, it's gone for good.”
The Ethiopian Bush-crow is a small, starling-like crow with a pale grey head and body, black wings and tail, and bare, blue skin around the eye. The bird, listed as Endangered with approximately fewer than 9,000 individuals existing in the wild, could be the most vulnerable species to climate change in the world.
Scientists are now planning to start a monitoring programme on the temperature of the birds’ nests to see if it can unlock the answer to the next question: why are they so sensitive to climate?
http://www.rspb.org.uk/climate
Huge Reed Bunting roost given a helping hand by local farmers
An unusually high number of reed buntings gathering at a nature reserve in Cambridgeshire is the direct result of conservation efforts by local farmers, experts believe.
Volunteer counters at the RSPB's reserve at Fowlmere have been reporting growing numbers of the birds and believe there are now more than 500 coming into roost each day.
In the area around the reserve, farmers have been planting plots of seed-rich plants in an effort to boost local bird populations, and conservations say the exceptional roost at Fowlmere proves they are making a difference.
Reed buntings rely on farmland but their numbers have fallen by a quarter since 1970. Richard Winspear, RSPB farmland advisor, said: 'We were really excited when we heard about this reed bunting roost - I have never seen so many in one place before.
'These birds are obviously spending the day feeding in the surrounding countryside and are congregating at the reedbed at night where there is ideal habitat for them and safety in numbers.
'There are several farmers in the area who want to do their bit for nature and one of the measures they have taken is planting patches of wild bird seed mix. This provides vital winter food for seed eating birds like reed buntings, corn buntings, yellowhammers and linnet.'
It's not the first time the site has attracted large numbers of reed buntings. Two years ago 1,200 were counted coming in to roost on a single day – one of the largest counts ever seen in the UK. The winter numbers of reed buntings at the reserve has been gradually increasing as more and more farmers in the area take up agri environment measures to help threatened farmland wildlife.
Nearby farmer Robert Law said: 'I believe it is vital that farmers manage their land with wildlife in mind. We are custodians of the countryside and we have a duty to ensure there is always space for nature.
'Wild bird seed mixes is one of the agri environment measures I have on my farm and it is wonderful to see that it is giving local wildlife populations a boost.'
Mr Winspear added: 'These measures are backed by rigorous scientific research so we know they work, but it is fantastic to see real results up close like this. If there were more of these measures in our countryside then we could reverse farmland bird declines.
'Changes to the Common Agricultural Policy and the overall EU Budget could mean funding for agri environment measures are cut. This would undermine all the work farmers and conservationists are doing to make space for nature in our countryside.'
www.rspb.org.uk
Volunteer counters at the RSPB's reserve at Fowlmere have been reporting growing numbers of the birds and believe there are now more than 500 coming into roost each day.
In the area around the reserve, farmers have been planting plots of seed-rich plants in an effort to boost local bird populations, and conservations say the exceptional roost at Fowlmere proves they are making a difference.
Reed buntings rely on farmland but their numbers have fallen by a quarter since 1970. Richard Winspear, RSPB farmland advisor, said: 'We were really excited when we heard about this reed bunting roost - I have never seen so many in one place before.
'These birds are obviously spending the day feeding in the surrounding countryside and are congregating at the reedbed at night where there is ideal habitat for them and safety in numbers.
'There are several farmers in the area who want to do their bit for nature and one of the measures they have taken is planting patches of wild bird seed mix. This provides vital winter food for seed eating birds like reed buntings, corn buntings, yellowhammers and linnet.'
It's not the first time the site has attracted large numbers of reed buntings. Two years ago 1,200 were counted coming in to roost on a single day – one of the largest counts ever seen in the UK. The winter numbers of reed buntings at the reserve has been gradually increasing as more and more farmers in the area take up agri environment measures to help threatened farmland wildlife.
Nearby farmer Robert Law said: 'I believe it is vital that farmers manage their land with wildlife in mind. We are custodians of the countryside and we have a duty to ensure there is always space for nature.
'Wild bird seed mixes is one of the agri environment measures I have on my farm and it is wonderful to see that it is giving local wildlife populations a boost.'
Mr Winspear added: 'These measures are backed by rigorous scientific research so we know they work, but it is fantastic to see real results up close like this. If there were more of these measures in our countryside then we could reverse farmland bird declines.
'Changes to the Common Agricultural Policy and the overall EU Budget could mean funding for agri environment measures are cut. This would undermine all the work farmers and conservationists are doing to make space for nature in our countryside.'
www.rspb.org.uk
First assessment of endangered Northern Rockhopper Penguins since oil spill
Photograph: RSPB images
Almost one year since thousands of endangered penguins’ lives were threatened by an oil spill on Nightingale Island - part of Tristan da Cunha, a UK Overseas Territory in the South Atlantic - a survey to assess the birds’ population has now taken place.
When the bulk carrier, MS Oliva, ran aground on 16 March last year, a huge effort to rescue the penguins was launched. The ship was travelling from Brazil to Singapore with a cargo of 65,000 tonnes of soya beans and 1,500 tonnes of bunker fuel when it ran aground. As the ship broke up in the rough seas, the soya and oil were discharged into the waters around Nightingale. In the days that followed, the oil reached Inaccessible Island, a World Heritage Site, and Tristan more than 30km away.
With the group of islands being home to over 65% of the global population of endangered northern rockhopper penguins, residents of Tristan da Cunha, known as Tristanians and the Tristan Conservation Department, followed by staff from the RSPB and Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB), came together and moved quickly to collect and clean up the oiled birds and prevent many more from coming into contact with the oil.
Although efforts to rescue and rehabilitate the penguins were huge, it has been unknown until now just how much the rockhopper population has been affected by the spill. While results from the latest counts suggest the breeding population hasn’t suffered as much as anticipated, scientists are warning that the news should be met with caution.
Dr Juliet Vickery, the RSPB’s head of international research, said: “It’s a big relief that the initial results of the counts are better than we had anticipated. Weshould not, however, relax our watch. There is much we don't know about this species and the extent to which breeding colony counts reveal the true picture of population trends is hard to ascertain.
“Though immediate impact is not as bad as we feared, there may be longer term sub-lethal effects reducing breeding success,so it is vital that we continue to monitor the birds closely for several more years to establish the true impact of the oil spill.”
Breeding populations of northern rockhopper penguins have been monitored on Tristan da Cunha since the 1970s. Updated population counts across all four of the islands at Tristan da Cunha (Tristan, Inaccessible, Nightingale and Middle Islands) were made in 2009 by Tristan Conservation Department staff with assistance from RSPB’s Brad Robson and Peter Ryan of University of Cape Town. Estimated breeding numbers at these four islands were Tristan 6,700 pairs, Inaccessible 54,000 pairs, Nightingale 25,000 pairs and 83,000 pairs at Middle Island.
Estimations show approximately 154,000 penguins bred on the island in 2011 but estimates in the 1950s suggest there were ‘millions’ of birds, with two million pairs on Gough alone. The species remains globally threatened and the causes of the historic decline remain unknown.
As well as the long-term effects on the penguins, the oil spill has caused concern for the important rock lobster fishery. The fishery, which is Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified as a sustainable and well-managed fishery, is a mainstay of the island’s economy.
Latest evidence shows that catches are way below normal and rotting soya has been spotted on the traps. A dive survey showed that the wreck had broken up considerably over the winter months. On the advice of experts the Nightingale fishery has closed and the quota for the fishery at Inaccessible Island was reduced from 92 to 53 tonnes for the 2011/12 season.
After the disaster, the RSPB launched an emergency appeal to raise funds to help with the clean up. The appeal has raised almost £70,000 and will be used to support penguin monitoring, strengthen the island’s biosecurity, and facilitate rodent control on Tristan to reduce risk of rats being introduced to Nightingale.
Katrine Herian works for the RSPB on the island, was involved in the clean-up mission last year, and helped carry out the counts. She said: “Something really needs to be said about the huge Tristanian efforts in response to this disaster - without them, this could have been a very different story. While the true impact of the spill won’t be known for some time yet, we can at least know that everything that could be done was done.”
www.rspb.org.uk
When the bulk carrier, MS Oliva, ran aground on 16 March last year, a huge effort to rescue the penguins was launched. The ship was travelling from Brazil to Singapore with a cargo of 65,000 tonnes of soya beans and 1,500 tonnes of bunker fuel when it ran aground. As the ship broke up in the rough seas, the soya and oil were discharged into the waters around Nightingale. In the days that followed, the oil reached Inaccessible Island, a World Heritage Site, and Tristan more than 30km away.
With the group of islands being home to over 65% of the global population of endangered northern rockhopper penguins, residents of Tristan da Cunha, known as Tristanians and the Tristan Conservation Department, followed by staff from the RSPB and Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB), came together and moved quickly to collect and clean up the oiled birds and prevent many more from coming into contact with the oil.
Although efforts to rescue and rehabilitate the penguins were huge, it has been unknown until now just how much the rockhopper population has been affected by the spill. While results from the latest counts suggest the breeding population hasn’t suffered as much as anticipated, scientists are warning that the news should be met with caution.
Dr Juliet Vickery, the RSPB’s head of international research, said: “It’s a big relief that the initial results of the counts are better than we had anticipated. Weshould not, however, relax our watch. There is much we don't know about this species and the extent to which breeding colony counts reveal the true picture of population trends is hard to ascertain.
“Though immediate impact is not as bad as we feared, there may be longer term sub-lethal effects reducing breeding success,so it is vital that we continue to monitor the birds closely for several more years to establish the true impact of the oil spill.”
Breeding populations of northern rockhopper penguins have been monitored on Tristan da Cunha since the 1970s. Updated population counts across all four of the islands at Tristan da Cunha (Tristan, Inaccessible, Nightingale and Middle Islands) were made in 2009 by Tristan Conservation Department staff with assistance from RSPB’s Brad Robson and Peter Ryan of University of Cape Town. Estimated breeding numbers at these four islands were Tristan 6,700 pairs, Inaccessible 54,000 pairs, Nightingale 25,000 pairs and 83,000 pairs at Middle Island.
Estimations show approximately 154,000 penguins bred on the island in 2011 but estimates in the 1950s suggest there were ‘millions’ of birds, with two million pairs on Gough alone. The species remains globally threatened and the causes of the historic decline remain unknown.
As well as the long-term effects on the penguins, the oil spill has caused concern for the important rock lobster fishery. The fishery, which is Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified as a sustainable and well-managed fishery, is a mainstay of the island’s economy.
Latest evidence shows that catches are way below normal and rotting soya has been spotted on the traps. A dive survey showed that the wreck had broken up considerably over the winter months. On the advice of experts the Nightingale fishery has closed and the quota for the fishery at Inaccessible Island was reduced from 92 to 53 tonnes for the 2011/12 season.
After the disaster, the RSPB launched an emergency appeal to raise funds to help with the clean up. The appeal has raised almost £70,000 and will be used to support penguin monitoring, strengthen the island’s biosecurity, and facilitate rodent control on Tristan to reduce risk of rats being introduced to Nightingale.
Katrine Herian works for the RSPB on the island, was involved in the clean-up mission last year, and helped carry out the counts. She said: “Something really needs to be said about the huge Tristanian efforts in response to this disaster - without them, this could have been a very different story. While the true impact of the spill won’t be known for some time yet, we can at least know that everything that could be done was done.”
www.rspb.org.uk
RSPB Scotland “seriously concerned” about wind farm impact on Eagles
RSPB Scotland is seriously concerned about the impact a recently consented scheme by Scottish Ministers to extend a wind farm will have on golden eagles and white-tailed eagles. The scheme, to develop six new wind turbines, would be built in addition to the already consented 33-turbine Muaitheabhal Windfarm on the Eisgein Estate on the Isle of Lewis. Each new wind turbine would measure 150m to the tip of the blade and have a blade diameter of up to 120m making them some of the largest onshore turbines in the UK.
The conservation charity is particularly concerned that not enough attention is being paid to the cumulative effect of consented and proposed schemes but they do back the development of renewable energy, including windfarms, as an essential part of efforts to tackle climate change, which is a major threat to birds and wildlife in Scotland and across the world.
Martin Scott, RSPB conservation officer for the Western Isles, said: “The area where the turbines will be built supports one of the highest densities of golden eagles in the world and it is increasingly important for white-tailed eagles. We need renewable energy developments, including wind farms, to tackle climate change but any developer would be hard pushed to find a worse place in Britain to develop a scheme of this sort. We are very disappointed that our recommendations seem to have been ignored and that the development has been driven through without robust data being collected.”
Mr Scott explained: “This area supports around a dozen breeding pairs of golden eagles and we believe that chicks fledged here effectively prop up the Scottish population. This is why we treat any threat to them so seriously.
“The area also forms the nucleus of the recent expansion of white-tailed eagles in the Western Isles, following similar increases on Mull and Skye; and satellite-tagged white-tailed eagles from other Scottish sites have been shown to be drawn into the area to forage over prolonged periods.
“We believe that the gradual, incremental, development of windfarms in these areas risk a serious long-term impact on the populations of our largest and most magnificent birds of prey. It is very important that the cumulative impact is taken account of when these schemes are being proposed.
“Whilst we are obviously very disappointed that this scheme has been given the go-ahead, it is vital that a detailed and robust monitoring programme is put in place to ensure that we can improve our knowledge of the way in which eagles react to wind farms.”
The vast majority of wind farms do not pose any significant threat to birds. During the 5-year period 2005 to 2009, the RSPB objected to 150 wind farm cases – just 10% of all wind farm cases in which we were involved during that period.
www.rspb.org.uk
The conservation charity is particularly concerned that not enough attention is being paid to the cumulative effect of consented and proposed schemes but they do back the development of renewable energy, including windfarms, as an essential part of efforts to tackle climate change, which is a major threat to birds and wildlife in Scotland and across the world.
Martin Scott, RSPB conservation officer for the Western Isles, said: “The area where the turbines will be built supports one of the highest densities of golden eagles in the world and it is increasingly important for white-tailed eagles. We need renewable energy developments, including wind farms, to tackle climate change but any developer would be hard pushed to find a worse place in Britain to develop a scheme of this sort. We are very disappointed that our recommendations seem to have been ignored and that the development has been driven through without robust data being collected.”
Mr Scott explained: “This area supports around a dozen breeding pairs of golden eagles and we believe that chicks fledged here effectively prop up the Scottish population. This is why we treat any threat to them so seriously.
“The area also forms the nucleus of the recent expansion of white-tailed eagles in the Western Isles, following similar increases on Mull and Skye; and satellite-tagged white-tailed eagles from other Scottish sites have been shown to be drawn into the area to forage over prolonged periods.
“We believe that the gradual, incremental, development of windfarms in these areas risk a serious long-term impact on the populations of our largest and most magnificent birds of prey. It is very important that the cumulative impact is taken account of when these schemes are being proposed.
“Whilst we are obviously very disappointed that this scheme has been given the go-ahead, it is vital that a detailed and robust monitoring programme is put in place to ensure that we can improve our knowledge of the way in which eagles react to wind farms.”
The vast majority of wind farms do not pose any significant threat to birds. During the 5-year period 2005 to 2009, the RSPB objected to 150 wind farm cases – just 10% of all wind farm cases in which we were involved during that period.
www.rspb.org.uk
Orkney project awarded major funding boost
RSPB Scotland have welcomed the news that a project to promote the natural heritage of Orkney has been awarded more than £300,000 of European money.
The Enjoy Wild Orkney Project will put in place measures to promote the islands as a wildlife tourism destination to the British and global marketplace, helping to benefit the local economy, generate income for local businesses and improve the tourism experience on the islands.
A grant from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) will allow locals and visitors to Orkney to take part in field teaching sessions with specialist educational staff, enjoy an annual nature festival, visit wildlife viewing hides and look at updated interpretation. Visitors will also benefit from new CCTV facilities that will bring local species closer than ever.
Other features include podcasts and downloadable apps for smartphones and tablets which will interpret the local wildlife while people are on the move about the islands. All of the activities will be delivered in conjunction with local communities and existing tourism and visitor organisations.
A new inter-island ranger post will also be created, with the successful applicant working with communities and existing ranger services in the outer islands to encourage visitors to venture to the more remote parts of Orkney.
Andy Knight, RSPB Scotland’s Orkney Reserve Manager, said: “We’re absolutely delighted that this first part of the grant application to make RSPB Scotland’s Enjoy Wild Orkney project a reality has been successful. We’ve had tremendous support from communities across Orkney for the bid, who deserve a massive thank you, and without them we simply would not have got this far. This award from ERDF is a major milestone along the way to achieving the funding we need to make Enjoy Wild Orkney a reality.”
This is the first tranche of money for the proposal, and it is hoped that matching funding will also be awarded in the New Year from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF). The total value of the project is more than £800,000, lasting three years from April 2012.
www.orkney.com/explore
The Enjoy Wild Orkney Project will put in place measures to promote the islands as a wildlife tourism destination to the British and global marketplace, helping to benefit the local economy, generate income for local businesses and improve the tourism experience on the islands.
A grant from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) will allow locals and visitors to Orkney to take part in field teaching sessions with specialist educational staff, enjoy an annual nature festival, visit wildlife viewing hides and look at updated interpretation. Visitors will also benefit from new CCTV facilities that will bring local species closer than ever.
Other features include podcasts and downloadable apps for smartphones and tablets which will interpret the local wildlife while people are on the move about the islands. All of the activities will be delivered in conjunction with local communities and existing tourism and visitor organisations.
A new inter-island ranger post will also be created, with the successful applicant working with communities and existing ranger services in the outer islands to encourage visitors to venture to the more remote parts of Orkney.
Andy Knight, RSPB Scotland’s Orkney Reserve Manager, said: “We’re absolutely delighted that this first part of the grant application to make RSPB Scotland’s Enjoy Wild Orkney project a reality has been successful. We’ve had tremendous support from communities across Orkney for the bid, who deserve a massive thank you, and without them we simply would not have got this far. This award from ERDF is a major milestone along the way to achieving the funding we need to make Enjoy Wild Orkney a reality.”
This is the first tranche of money for the proposal, and it is hoped that matching funding will also be awarded in the New Year from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF). The total value of the project is more than £800,000, lasting three years from April 2012.
www.orkney.com/explore
Hen Harriers disappearing from England for a second time
The RSPB have now confirmed that the hen harrier is the species most likely to become extinct again in England - mainly, because of human pressure.
A 2011 joint survey of the English uplands by the RSPB and Natural England found that only four nesting pairs of hen harrier successfully raised young; all on a single estate in the Forest of Bowland, Lancashire.
This is believed to be the lowest population in England since they recolonised in the 1960s following extinction in the late Nineteenth Century. Historically, the hen harrier was widespread in England.
A government-backed report – the Hen Harrier Conservation Framework – published in February 2011 by the Joint Nature Conservation Committee, proved that illegal persecution on driven-grouse moors is the main factor restricting the growth of the hen harrier population in the UK. The framework reported that England’s uplands could support at least 320 pairs of this bird of prey.
Hen harriers disappearing from England for a second time will see the government break its recent commitment in the revised England Biodiversity Strategy to avoid any human-induced extinctions before 2020.
Hen harriers were formerly widespread in the UK, but persecution forced the mainland extinction of the hen harrier in Britain, and by 1900 it was confined in the UK to Orkney and the Western Isles of Scotland. In the 1940s, it recolonised mainland Britain, and two decades later it recolonised England.
Hen harriers sometimes prey on red grouse on upland shooting estates, making them unpopular on many grouse moors. Given the bird’s potential for extinction in England, the RSPB and Natural England are appealing to grouse moor owners to support techniques being trialed to reduce predatory impacts on grouse from harriers.
A demonstration partnership project at Langholm Moor, in the Scottish Borders, is looking at the effectiveness of a measure known as ‘diversionary feeding’, where an alternative food supply is left for the harriers, so that the birds have a source of food and won’t be tempted to take red grouse chicks. Early results look promising, enabling the birds to nest successfully without causing alarm to grouse moor owners and managers. Preliminary results show no grouse chicks have been brought to monitored hen harrier nests in four years at the study site.
Martin Harper is the RSPB’s Conservation Director. He said: “With only four pairs of hen harrier in England, this bird only has four steps before extinction and the Government has very little time to act to prevent breaking their promise.
“We believe the potential for diversionary feeding will provide a lifeline for the recovery of the English hen harrier and a way for grouse moor managers to maximise the number of grouse.”
Recolonisation of the British mainland began in 1939 in Scotland and the birds have regained some of their former range, but they remain almost completely absent from land managed for intensive grouse shooting. The last 20 years has seen a perilous decline of an already tiny English population, to leave it barely clinging to existence in England.
The RSPB has recently launched the ‘Skydancer’ project with over £300,000 financial support from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF). The ‘Skydancer’ project, which is designed to help the hen harrier recover across northern England, will provide a mix of community engagement and direct conservation work over four years to inspire people about this magnificent bird of prey. The Skydancer project is named after the male hen harrier’s ‘rollercoaster’ aerial display, known to many birders as ‘skydancing’.
The 2010 hen harrier survey recorded an estimated 646 pairs of hen harriers nesting in the UK and the Isle of Man. This is down from an estimated 806 pairs in 2004. The hen harrier is one of 52 species of bird which appear on the red list of the Birds of Conservation Concern in the UK.
www.rspb.org.uk
A 2011 joint survey of the English uplands by the RSPB and Natural England found that only four nesting pairs of hen harrier successfully raised young; all on a single estate in the Forest of Bowland, Lancashire.
This is believed to be the lowest population in England since they recolonised in the 1960s following extinction in the late Nineteenth Century. Historically, the hen harrier was widespread in England.
A government-backed report – the Hen Harrier Conservation Framework – published in February 2011 by the Joint Nature Conservation Committee, proved that illegal persecution on driven-grouse moors is the main factor restricting the growth of the hen harrier population in the UK. The framework reported that England’s uplands could support at least 320 pairs of this bird of prey.
Hen harriers disappearing from England for a second time will see the government break its recent commitment in the revised England Biodiversity Strategy to avoid any human-induced extinctions before 2020.
Hen harriers were formerly widespread in the UK, but persecution forced the mainland extinction of the hen harrier in Britain, and by 1900 it was confined in the UK to Orkney and the Western Isles of Scotland. In the 1940s, it recolonised mainland Britain, and two decades later it recolonised England.
Hen harriers sometimes prey on red grouse on upland shooting estates, making them unpopular on many grouse moors. Given the bird’s potential for extinction in England, the RSPB and Natural England are appealing to grouse moor owners to support techniques being trialed to reduce predatory impacts on grouse from harriers.
A demonstration partnership project at Langholm Moor, in the Scottish Borders, is looking at the effectiveness of a measure known as ‘diversionary feeding’, where an alternative food supply is left for the harriers, so that the birds have a source of food and won’t be tempted to take red grouse chicks. Early results look promising, enabling the birds to nest successfully without causing alarm to grouse moor owners and managers. Preliminary results show no grouse chicks have been brought to monitored hen harrier nests in four years at the study site.
Martin Harper is the RSPB’s Conservation Director. He said: “With only four pairs of hen harrier in England, this bird only has four steps before extinction and the Government has very little time to act to prevent breaking their promise.
“We believe the potential for diversionary feeding will provide a lifeline for the recovery of the English hen harrier and a way for grouse moor managers to maximise the number of grouse.”
Recolonisation of the British mainland began in 1939 in Scotland and the birds have regained some of their former range, but they remain almost completely absent from land managed for intensive grouse shooting. The last 20 years has seen a perilous decline of an already tiny English population, to leave it barely clinging to existence in England.
The RSPB has recently launched the ‘Skydancer’ project with over £300,000 financial support from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF). The ‘Skydancer’ project, which is designed to help the hen harrier recover across northern England, will provide a mix of community engagement and direct conservation work over four years to inspire people about this magnificent bird of prey. The Skydancer project is named after the male hen harrier’s ‘rollercoaster’ aerial display, known to many birders as ‘skydancing’.
The 2010 hen harrier survey recorded an estimated 646 pairs of hen harriers nesting in the UK and the Isle of Man. This is down from an estimated 806 pairs in 2004. The hen harrier is one of 52 species of bird which appear on the red list of the Birds of Conservation Concern in the UK.
www.rspb.org.uk
Bitterns are booming in UK quarries
Quarries are providing a unique safe haven for rare bitterns to nest and breed, helping them to make a resounding comeback in this country.
Making use of the bird’s distinctive ‘booming’ call, conservationists have found that 2011 has proved to be a bumper year for this species, which was once extinct in the UK.
For the first time since 1911, over 100 birds have been found to be nesting in 26 sites throughout England, 15 of them at working or former quarries. This growth represents a vast improvement on the overall count of just 11 birds recorded in 1996 and the minerals industry has played a vitally important role in ensuring the species' success.
Nature After Minerals (NAM) - a partnership between RSPB and Natural England, with support from the minerals industry - aims to encourage the effective and sustainable restoration of quarries. It works closely with industry, local councils and conservationists, for the benefit of wildlife and local communities.
Darren Moorcroft, Head of Species and Habitats Conservation at the RSPB, said: “Nature is intrinsically valuable and studies demonstrate it is fundamentally important to our wellbeing and our economy.
“But we are losing it at an alarming rate. The mineral products industry is uniquely positioned to step up and help turn this around.
“It is fantastic new that all the effort that has been put in to restoring quarry sites around the country has provided a home for this rare and unique bird. Catching a glimpse of a bittern as it takes off from a reed bed, and hearing its amazing booming call are the real rewards for this vital work.”
MPA Chief Executive Nigel Jackson said: “Protecting and enhancing the UK’s biodiversity is finally being recognised as one the industry’s hidden benefits.
“As a critical part of the UK’s manufacturing base, we are not only essential to construction, to the economy and to growth but are also uniquely placed to make a nationally significant contribution to halting the decline in the UK’s biodiversity.
“Our members already manage or control an area of land that adds up in size to a small national park. Given the right recognition and support, we can achieve a great deal more yet.”
In 2006, research conducted by Nature After Minerals concluded that 9 out of the 11 priority wildlife habitats listed in the Government’s former UK Biodiversity Action Plan could be delivered on minerals sites alone.
At its site at Needingworth Quarry in the Fenlands of Cambridgeshire, Hanson Aggregates is working in partnership with the RSPB to create one of the largest areas of wetland habitat in Europe.
The creation of vital reedbed at this site will help secure the future of breeding bitterns but also that of marsh harriers, snipe, reed buntings, bearded tits, sedge and grasshopper warblers. Water voles, otters; a whole range of plants and insects – not forgetting the threatened Desmoulin’s Whorl snail – will also stand a better chance of thriving, as a result of this high-quality, appropriate restoration. Such work on minerals sites is being replicated across England by operators large and small.
The minerals industry has long placed great store in the effective restoration of its sites, as the 40 year history of the Mineral Products Association’s Restoration Awards Scheme will testify. In October the Mineral Products Association and Natural England launched their inaugural Biodiversity Awards at the Royal Society in London.
CEMEX UK, in partnership with the RSPB, was the first operator to win this new award, for its positive, large-scale heathland restoration work at Rugeley Quarry in Staffordshire. Placing the needs of biodiversity firmly at the centre of its plans to create rare, lowland heathland habitat at this site, the company hopes to support priority BAP species including nightjar, tree pipit, woodlark, great crested newt and adder.
Hanson UK was the runner-up, for its work at the Kings Dyke Nature Reserve in Peterborough. Here, bitterns were heard booming for the second summer in a row and young were sighted for the first time this year.
www.rspb.org.uk
www.afterminerals.com
Making use of the bird’s distinctive ‘booming’ call, conservationists have found that 2011 has proved to be a bumper year for this species, which was once extinct in the UK.
For the first time since 1911, over 100 birds have been found to be nesting in 26 sites throughout England, 15 of them at working or former quarries. This growth represents a vast improvement on the overall count of just 11 birds recorded in 1996 and the minerals industry has played a vitally important role in ensuring the species' success.
Nature After Minerals (NAM) - a partnership between RSPB and Natural England, with support from the minerals industry - aims to encourage the effective and sustainable restoration of quarries. It works closely with industry, local councils and conservationists, for the benefit of wildlife and local communities.
Darren Moorcroft, Head of Species and Habitats Conservation at the RSPB, said: “Nature is intrinsically valuable and studies demonstrate it is fundamentally important to our wellbeing and our economy.
“But we are losing it at an alarming rate. The mineral products industry is uniquely positioned to step up and help turn this around.
“It is fantastic new that all the effort that has been put in to restoring quarry sites around the country has provided a home for this rare and unique bird. Catching a glimpse of a bittern as it takes off from a reed bed, and hearing its amazing booming call are the real rewards for this vital work.”
MPA Chief Executive Nigel Jackson said: “Protecting and enhancing the UK’s biodiversity is finally being recognised as one the industry’s hidden benefits.
“As a critical part of the UK’s manufacturing base, we are not only essential to construction, to the economy and to growth but are also uniquely placed to make a nationally significant contribution to halting the decline in the UK’s biodiversity.
“Our members already manage or control an area of land that adds up in size to a small national park. Given the right recognition and support, we can achieve a great deal more yet.”
In 2006, research conducted by Nature After Minerals concluded that 9 out of the 11 priority wildlife habitats listed in the Government’s former UK Biodiversity Action Plan could be delivered on minerals sites alone.
At its site at Needingworth Quarry in the Fenlands of Cambridgeshire, Hanson Aggregates is working in partnership with the RSPB to create one of the largest areas of wetland habitat in Europe.
The creation of vital reedbed at this site will help secure the future of breeding bitterns but also that of marsh harriers, snipe, reed buntings, bearded tits, sedge and grasshopper warblers. Water voles, otters; a whole range of plants and insects – not forgetting the threatened Desmoulin’s Whorl snail – will also stand a better chance of thriving, as a result of this high-quality, appropriate restoration. Such work on minerals sites is being replicated across England by operators large and small.
The minerals industry has long placed great store in the effective restoration of its sites, as the 40 year history of the Mineral Products Association’s Restoration Awards Scheme will testify. In October the Mineral Products Association and Natural England launched their inaugural Biodiversity Awards at the Royal Society in London.
CEMEX UK, in partnership with the RSPB, was the first operator to win this new award, for its positive, large-scale heathland restoration work at Rugeley Quarry in Staffordshire. Placing the needs of biodiversity firmly at the centre of its plans to create rare, lowland heathland habitat at this site, the company hopes to support priority BAP species including nightjar, tree pipit, woodlark, great crested newt and adder.
Hanson UK was the runner-up, for its work at the Kings Dyke Nature Reserve in Peterborough. Here, bitterns were heard booming for the second summer in a row and young were sighted for the first time this year.
www.rspb.org.uk
www.afterminerals.com
Last chance for protest against coal-fired power station at Hunterston
Local people will have one last chance to demonstrate their opinion on plans to build a new coal-fired power station at Hunterston during a council meeting on November 9.
The meeting, which will take place at Cunninghame House at 14:00 hours, will see North Ayrshire Council make their decision on whether to lodge an official objection to the proposals to the Scottish Government. If they do, it will automatically trigger a public inquiry, and send a strong message that the power station is not wanted by people in North Ayrshire.
If built, the new power station would destroy a large section of a Site of Special Scientific Interest, an area which is a refuge for local wildlife. It would also make a mockery of the Scottish Government’s world-leading climate change ambitions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 42% by 2020.
The Portencross Coast SSSI includes important areas of sandflats, mudflats and eelgrass beds. The SSSI is one of the best remaining examples of inter-tidal habitat left on the Outer Clyde, and provides an important feeding ground for wintering birds such as oystercatcher, curlew, wigeon, eider and shelduck. The proposed plan would involve infilling and destroying this valuable habitat and the loss of the habitat used by these birds as feeding and roosting areas.
Zoe Clelland, from RSPB Scotland, said: “We’re encouraging as many people as possible to come along on the day to ensure elected members at North Ayrshire Council understand the level of local opposition to these plans. We’ve been working on the campaign against the new power station for over two years now, and although this isn’t the final decision, this meeting is a really key moment.”
Almost 21,000 people have now objected to the plans, more than any other application in Scottish history.
RSPB Scotland, WWF Scotland, Friends of the Earth Scotland and Scottish Wildlife Trust, along with other charities, faith groups, and local campaigning organisations have vowed to continue the fight to stop the damaging scheme.
Objectors are invited to attend the meeting, at 2pm in Cunninghame House, Irvine, on November 9. For more details, contact Kelsie Pettit on 0131 317 4172.
www.rspb.org.uk
The meeting, which will take place at Cunninghame House at 14:00 hours, will see North Ayrshire Council make their decision on whether to lodge an official objection to the proposals to the Scottish Government. If they do, it will automatically trigger a public inquiry, and send a strong message that the power station is not wanted by people in North Ayrshire.
If built, the new power station would destroy a large section of a Site of Special Scientific Interest, an area which is a refuge for local wildlife. It would also make a mockery of the Scottish Government’s world-leading climate change ambitions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 42% by 2020.
The Portencross Coast SSSI includes important areas of sandflats, mudflats and eelgrass beds. The SSSI is one of the best remaining examples of inter-tidal habitat left on the Outer Clyde, and provides an important feeding ground for wintering birds such as oystercatcher, curlew, wigeon, eider and shelduck. The proposed plan would involve infilling and destroying this valuable habitat and the loss of the habitat used by these birds as feeding and roosting areas.
Zoe Clelland, from RSPB Scotland, said: “We’re encouraging as many people as possible to come along on the day to ensure elected members at North Ayrshire Council understand the level of local opposition to these plans. We’ve been working on the campaign against the new power station for over two years now, and although this isn’t the final decision, this meeting is a really key moment.”
Almost 21,000 people have now objected to the plans, more than any other application in Scottish history.
RSPB Scotland, WWF Scotland, Friends of the Earth Scotland and Scottish Wildlife Trust, along with other charities, faith groups, and local campaigning organisations have vowed to continue the fight to stop the damaging scheme.
Objectors are invited to attend the meeting, at 2pm in Cunninghame House, Irvine, on November 9. For more details, contact Kelsie Pettit on 0131 317 4172.
www.rspb.org.uk
Reintroduced Irish Sea Eagle is rescued after dramatic team effort
A sea eagle, released as part of a reintroduction project in the Republic of Ireland, has been the subject of a dramatic rescue on the Aberdeenshire coast.
RSPB Scotland, with help from Banff based business North 58° Sea Adventures, were called to a remote cove, inaccessible by land, near Pennan, following reports of an injured bird.
The distressed eagle was first spotted by sea kayaker John Creighton and his wife on Saturday, with RSPB Scotland alerted the following day. After further investigations, the location was confirmed and a rescue mission launched.
Rhian Evans, RSPB Scotland’s East Scotland Sea Eagle Officer rescued the bird: “It wasn’t until we approached the beach that we saw that the eagle was alive, but was clearly tired and wet. Despite being there for three days, it was still fairly feisty and it actually took a while for us to retrieve it. Eventually I had to flush it off the cliffs by swimming towards it! Fortunately, thanks to John raising the alarm and to the amazing expertise of North 58° Sea Adventures we managed to bring it safely back to the mainland and it’s currently recovering from its ordeal at the vets.”
Ian Page, the skipper of the North 58° boat, Buchaneer said: “We had a falling tide and we were losing water and light. We could see Rhian running down the beach and then heading into the water. It was quite a decathlon but an excellent result.”
The bird has been identified as a young male released in Ireland as part of the Irish Sea Eagle reintroduction project in 2010. Sea eagles mainly eat fish and waterbirds, but also take small mammals such as rabbits, as well as feeding on larger animal carcasses as carrion.
100 young Sea eagles have been released in Killarney National Park, Co. Kerry, since 2007 as part of the Irish White-tailed Sea Eagle reintroduction programme. The programme is managed by the Golden Eagle Trust in collaboration with the National Parks & Wildlife Service in the Republic of Ireland.
Project Manager of the Irish Sea Eagle Reintroduction programme Dr Allan Mee added: “It was a shock to hear one of our young Sea Eagles was found in poor condition but fantastic that it’s been rescued and now has a real chance of recovery. This bird is the fifth confirmed Irish released Sea Eagle to have travelled to Scotland over the last 4 years. We are indebted to Rhian and the rescue team for their efforts”.
www.rspb.org.uk/ourwork/conservation/projects/eastscotlandeagles
RSPB Scotland, with help from Banff based business North 58° Sea Adventures, were called to a remote cove, inaccessible by land, near Pennan, following reports of an injured bird.
The distressed eagle was first spotted by sea kayaker John Creighton and his wife on Saturday, with RSPB Scotland alerted the following day. After further investigations, the location was confirmed and a rescue mission launched.
Rhian Evans, RSPB Scotland’s East Scotland Sea Eagle Officer rescued the bird: “It wasn’t until we approached the beach that we saw that the eagle was alive, but was clearly tired and wet. Despite being there for three days, it was still fairly feisty and it actually took a while for us to retrieve it. Eventually I had to flush it off the cliffs by swimming towards it! Fortunately, thanks to John raising the alarm and to the amazing expertise of North 58° Sea Adventures we managed to bring it safely back to the mainland and it’s currently recovering from its ordeal at the vets.”
Ian Page, the skipper of the North 58° boat, Buchaneer said: “We had a falling tide and we were losing water and light. We could see Rhian running down the beach and then heading into the water. It was quite a decathlon but an excellent result.”
The bird has been identified as a young male released in Ireland as part of the Irish Sea Eagle reintroduction project in 2010. Sea eagles mainly eat fish and waterbirds, but also take small mammals such as rabbits, as well as feeding on larger animal carcasses as carrion.
100 young Sea eagles have been released in Killarney National Park, Co. Kerry, since 2007 as part of the Irish White-tailed Sea Eagle reintroduction programme. The programme is managed by the Golden Eagle Trust in collaboration with the National Parks & Wildlife Service in the Republic of Ireland.
Project Manager of the Irish Sea Eagle Reintroduction programme Dr Allan Mee added: “It was a shock to hear one of our young Sea Eagles was found in poor condition but fantastic that it’s been rescued and now has a real chance of recovery. This bird is the fifth confirmed Irish released Sea Eagle to have travelled to Scotland over the last 4 years. We are indebted to Rhian and the rescue team for their efforts”.
www.rspb.org.uk/ourwork/conservation/projects/eastscotlandeagles
Influx of Redwings and Fieldfares in the Highlands this Autumn
RSPB Scotland is reporting interesting wildlife movements in the Highlands as autumn progresses and the nights draw in.
Conservation manager Stuart Benn has noticed an influx of redwings from Scandinavia. Stuart said: “Redwings are members of the thrush family and can easily be recognised by a distinctive creamy eyestripe and a red patch under the wing. However you don’t have to see them to know that they are about. It’s often possible to hear flocks of redwings passing overhead when it gets dark. They have a very characteristic “seep” contact call which the birds use when they are migrating at night. If you don’t have the TV on too loud you can sometimes even hear them indoors!”
As well as redwings Stuart has noticed fieldfares, another member of the thrush family, moving into the area. “Fieldfares are larger than redwings with a black tail and grey upperparts. They make a harsh clacking sound when they are travelling which, like the redwings, makes them quite easy to find. Both species can sometimes be seen flocking together in fields looking for earthworms or taking berries from trees and shrubs.”
Perhaps more surprising has been the sight of red admiral butterflies. “November seems very late for butterflies to be on the wing. The recent spate of unseasonal warm weather must have encouraged the red admirals to make one last sortie in search of nectar before hibernation. It seems strange to see redwings and red admirals on the same walk. But nature has a habit of throwing up surprises!”
www.rspb.org.uk
Conservation manager Stuart Benn has noticed an influx of redwings from Scandinavia. Stuart said: “Redwings are members of the thrush family and can easily be recognised by a distinctive creamy eyestripe and a red patch under the wing. However you don’t have to see them to know that they are about. It’s often possible to hear flocks of redwings passing overhead when it gets dark. They have a very characteristic “seep” contact call which the birds use when they are migrating at night. If you don’t have the TV on too loud you can sometimes even hear them indoors!”
As well as redwings Stuart has noticed fieldfares, another member of the thrush family, moving into the area. “Fieldfares are larger than redwings with a black tail and grey upperparts. They make a harsh clacking sound when they are travelling which, like the redwings, makes them quite easy to find. Both species can sometimes be seen flocking together in fields looking for earthworms or taking berries from trees and shrubs.”
Perhaps more surprising has been the sight of red admiral butterflies. “November seems very late for butterflies to be on the wing. The recent spate of unseasonal warm weather must have encouraged the red admirals to make one last sortie in search of nectar before hibernation. It seems strange to see redwings and red admirals on the same walk. But nature has a habit of throwing up surprises!”
www.rspb.org.uk
Record breakers: RSPB Scotland Loch Gruinart nature reserve welcomes 35,000 Barnacle Geese
Photograph: http://walking.visitscotland.com
For the second year running, a record number of barnacle geese have touched down at RSPB Scotland Loch Gruinart nature reserve on Islay.
Loch Gruinart reserve is a working farm, but is open all-year round to visitors. The visitor centre is open from 10am to 5pm for information and hot drinks.
Jack Fleming, RSPB Scotland area manager, said: “We’ve got wall to wall feathers at the reserve at the moment, it’s absolutely incredible! This isn’t a sign that the overall population of barnacle geese has suddenly had a dramatic increase. It’s just that the feeding conditions at the reserve, and probably the weather conditions while the birds were migrating, have brought more of the existing population here at the same time.
“Many of these birds will now disperse to different areas over the next few weeks, leaving us with around 25,000 regularly using the roost at Loch Gruinart – still a remarkable spectacle morning and evening!”
The barnacle geese that winter in the Hebrides, breed in Greenland, and have travelled almost 2,000 miles to reach Islay. Loch Gruinart reserve is an ideal staging point for them, as they can feed on the large areas of grassland, and take refuge on the saltmarsh and mudflats.
Barnacle geese, known as ‘barnies’ by birdwatchers, are small geese with distinctive black and white markings and a call like a yappy dog. They’ve been joined at Loch Gruinart by around 400 Greenland white-fronted geese, a grey goose that only winters in very restricted areas of Scotland.
Visitors to Loch Gruinart can witness the goose spectacle for themselves from the comfort of the RSPB visitor centre.
The reserve will also be running guided walks on Thursday, October 20 and October 27, at 10am. There is a small charge, and participants are asked to come prepared for the unpredictable autumnal weather. Contact 01496 850 505 or email: loch.gruinart@rspb.org.uk for more information.
www.rspb.org.uk
Loch Gruinart reserve is a working farm, but is open all-year round to visitors. The visitor centre is open from 10am to 5pm for information and hot drinks.
Jack Fleming, RSPB Scotland area manager, said: “We’ve got wall to wall feathers at the reserve at the moment, it’s absolutely incredible! This isn’t a sign that the overall population of barnacle geese has suddenly had a dramatic increase. It’s just that the feeding conditions at the reserve, and probably the weather conditions while the birds were migrating, have brought more of the existing population here at the same time.
“Many of these birds will now disperse to different areas over the next few weeks, leaving us with around 25,000 regularly using the roost at Loch Gruinart – still a remarkable spectacle morning and evening!”
The barnacle geese that winter in the Hebrides, breed in Greenland, and have travelled almost 2,000 miles to reach Islay. Loch Gruinart reserve is an ideal staging point for them, as they can feed on the large areas of grassland, and take refuge on the saltmarsh and mudflats.
Barnacle geese, known as ‘barnies’ by birdwatchers, are small geese with distinctive black and white markings and a call like a yappy dog. They’ve been joined at Loch Gruinart by around 400 Greenland white-fronted geese, a grey goose that only winters in very restricted areas of Scotland.
Visitors to Loch Gruinart can witness the goose spectacle for themselves from the comfort of the RSPB visitor centre.
The reserve will also be running guided walks on Thursday, October 20 and October 27, at 10am. There is a small charge, and participants are asked to come prepared for the unpredictable autumnal weather. Contact 01496 850 505 or email: loch.gruinart@rspb.org.uk for more information.
www.rspb.org.uk
A third of global population of rare Spoon-billed Sandpiper's discovered at threatened site in China
A third of the global population of the critically endangered spoon-billed sandpiper has been discovered at a key stop-over site in China. A world record 103 birds were recorded at a new site within the Rudong mudflats in China last week.
The estimated total number of spoon-billed sandpipers is thought to be less than 300 adults, meaning the site is depended upon as a stopover for about a third of the world’s population. However, plans to redevelop the site may have serious impact on the suitability of the area for spoon-billed sandpipers, plunging the birds’ future into further danger.
Declining at a rate of a quarter each year, the spoon-billed sandpiper could be extinct within a decade unless action to halt development on the bird’s flyway is taken. Members of the Shanghai Wild Bird Society (SWBS) were responsible for the find and have been financially supported by the East Asian Australasian Flyway Partnership (EAAFP). Tong Menxui from the SBWS discovered the unusually high numbers over a series of days, peaking at 103 on October 12.
He said: “The sudden cold spell and bad weather might have triggered the birds to stop migrating further so the birds are assembling on Rudong before crossing larger distances. Among the flocks were only two juveniles, which are known to migrate separately and usually later. We intend to continue to monitor the site for more birds passing through over the coming days and weeks.”
The spoon-billed sandpiper is threatened by loss of essential intertidal feeding sites along its 8000km migration route from Russia to its wintering grounds in south and south-east Asia, and also by trapping on its non-breeding grounds. While these issues are being tackled by the joint efforts of the Spoon-billed Sandpiper Task Force - a programme has begun to create a captive breeding population of the bird in the UK.
An emergency rescue mission to save the spoony got underway in May. A partnership of conservationists, including experts from the RSPB, Birds Russia and WWT, travelled to the remote far east of Russia to take eggs and hatch them in captivity. The birds will soon be brought to the UK where they will be part of a captive breeding programme. It is hoped offspring of the birds will be used to supplement the wild population in years to come.
The conservation-breeding programme is just part of an international campaign to save the spoon-billed sandpiper and will benefit many endangered species that use the same migratory flyway. The RSPB and Birds Russia, together with BirdLife International, WWT and the BTO as well as other partners in the Spoon-billed Sandpiper Task Force are encouraging governments to conserve the most important wildlife sites, and recognise their great natural value to human society.
Christoph Zöckler, the Coordinator of the EAAFP Spoon-billed Sandpiper Task Force, said: “These are very exciting findings and I congratulate Tong Menxui on finding such a big flock. The fact that so many of the world’s population of spoon-billed sandpipers have been spotted here means this site is extremely important to them.
“Immediate and urgent action is required to stop any further development and to protect the intertidal mudflats in Rudong and at other sensitive areas on the Chinese coast, such as the Minjiang Estuary, in order to prevent the extinction of this and potentially many other species for which this area is of great significance.
“This is an opportunity for China to lead the way, just as the country has with its work to save the Giant panda. By simply safeguarding this site, the Chinese Government could do more for the future of this endangered bird than the rest of us put together.”
The estimated total number of spoon-billed sandpipers is thought to be less than 300 adults, meaning the site is depended upon as a stopover for about a third of the world’s population. However, plans to redevelop the site may have serious impact on the suitability of the area for spoon-billed sandpipers, plunging the birds’ future into further danger.
Declining at a rate of a quarter each year, the spoon-billed sandpiper could be extinct within a decade unless action to halt development on the bird’s flyway is taken. Members of the Shanghai Wild Bird Society (SWBS) were responsible for the find and have been financially supported by the East Asian Australasian Flyway Partnership (EAAFP). Tong Menxui from the SBWS discovered the unusually high numbers over a series of days, peaking at 103 on October 12.
He said: “The sudden cold spell and bad weather might have triggered the birds to stop migrating further so the birds are assembling on Rudong before crossing larger distances. Among the flocks were only two juveniles, which are known to migrate separately and usually later. We intend to continue to monitor the site for more birds passing through over the coming days and weeks.”
The spoon-billed sandpiper is threatened by loss of essential intertidal feeding sites along its 8000km migration route from Russia to its wintering grounds in south and south-east Asia, and also by trapping on its non-breeding grounds. While these issues are being tackled by the joint efforts of the Spoon-billed Sandpiper Task Force - a programme has begun to create a captive breeding population of the bird in the UK.
An emergency rescue mission to save the spoony got underway in May. A partnership of conservationists, including experts from the RSPB, Birds Russia and WWT, travelled to the remote far east of Russia to take eggs and hatch them in captivity. The birds will soon be brought to the UK where they will be part of a captive breeding programme. It is hoped offspring of the birds will be used to supplement the wild population in years to come.
The conservation-breeding programme is just part of an international campaign to save the spoon-billed sandpiper and will benefit many endangered species that use the same migratory flyway. The RSPB and Birds Russia, together with BirdLife International, WWT and the BTO as well as other partners in the Spoon-billed Sandpiper Task Force are encouraging governments to conserve the most important wildlife sites, and recognise their great natural value to human society.
Christoph Zöckler, the Coordinator of the EAAFP Spoon-billed Sandpiper Task Force, said: “These are very exciting findings and I congratulate Tong Menxui on finding such a big flock. The fact that so many of the world’s population of spoon-billed sandpipers have been spotted here means this site is extremely important to them.
“Immediate and urgent action is required to stop any further development and to protect the intertidal mudflats in Rudong and at other sensitive areas on the Chinese coast, such as the Minjiang Estuary, in order to prevent the extinction of this and potentially many other species for which this area is of great significance.
“This is an opportunity for China to lead the way, just as the country has with its work to save the Giant panda. By simply safeguarding this site, the Chinese Government could do more for the future of this endangered bird than the rest of us put together.”
Rare Sandhill Crane blown into RSPB Loch of Strathbeg reserve by Hurricane Katia
Photograph: Pauline Johnson
A rare adult sandhill crane, only the fourth ever to be recorded here in Britain, has been spotted at the RSPB's Loch of Strathbeg nature reserve. The reserve may be currently playing host to thousands of wintering geese but it is this rare American visitor that is attracting all the attention in Aberdeenshire.
The species normally breeds in North America and Canada, migrating south in the autumn months. Reserve staff believe the bird may have been blown off course by Hurricane Katia.
Diana Spencer, Visitor and Publicity Officer at RSPB Loch of Strathbeg said: “We’ve had a few ‘lost’ American birds on the reserve recently, but we’ve never had one as large as this. It’s quite unmistakable, similar in size to a heron with a bright red forehead, and long dark pointed bill. Despite having 12,000 geese on the reserve, all eyes, binoculars and telescopes have been on this new arrival. We’re expecting it’ll attract a lot of interest over the weekend from birders across the country.”
Staff are also keen to hear from a visitor who reported a crane on the reserve last Saturday. It was presumed at the time this was a common crane but it’s now thought this may have been the first sighting of the new arrival.
Birds like the Sandhill crane, which turn up miles from where they are supposed to be, are called vagrants. There is no way of knowing where this bird will go next. It has been seen preening itself, which suggests it is moulting. It is therefore likely it will remain at Loch of Strathbeg until it is in perfect condition to continue travelling south.
Footage of the bird taken by a reserve visitor on Sept 22,19:00 hours can be viewed below.
www.rspb.org.uk
The species normally breeds in North America and Canada, migrating south in the autumn months. Reserve staff believe the bird may have been blown off course by Hurricane Katia.
Diana Spencer, Visitor and Publicity Officer at RSPB Loch of Strathbeg said: “We’ve had a few ‘lost’ American birds on the reserve recently, but we’ve never had one as large as this. It’s quite unmistakable, similar in size to a heron with a bright red forehead, and long dark pointed bill. Despite having 12,000 geese on the reserve, all eyes, binoculars and telescopes have been on this new arrival. We’re expecting it’ll attract a lot of interest over the weekend from birders across the country.”
Staff are also keen to hear from a visitor who reported a crane on the reserve last Saturday. It was presumed at the time this was a common crane but it’s now thought this may have been the first sighting of the new arrival.
Birds like the Sandhill crane, which turn up miles from where they are supposed to be, are called vagrants. There is no way of knowing where this bird will go next. It has been seen preening itself, which suggests it is moulting. It is therefore likely it will remain at Loch of Strathbeg until it is in perfect condition to continue travelling south.
Footage of the bird taken by a reserve visitor on Sept 22,19:00 hours can be viewed below.
www.rspb.org.uk
Thousands of wintering Pink-footed Geese arrive back at reserve hotspot in Scotland
Follow the action - www.rspb.org.uk/goosewatch
The first of tens of thousands of wintering geese have started to arrive back in Scotland as part of their annual migration. Over 1,000 pink-footed geese were recorded at RSPB Scotland’s Loch of Strathbeg nature reserve in Aberdeenshire over the weekend.
In recent years the reserve has acted as a night-time roost for one of the biggest flocks in the UK, with up to 70,000 geese touching down.
Often described as Scotland’s equivalent of the wildebeest migration in Africa, every year hundreds of thousands of geese stop off in the UK as they migrate from their summer breeding grounds in the Arctic circle.
In Scotland the most commonly sighted species are the pink-footed goose, greylag goose and barnacle goose. Numbers of the birds usually reach their peak in October but smaller flocks can be spotted at lochs and estuaries right through until March time.
Louise Smith of RSPB said: “It’s always an exciting time when the geese return, not only does the reserve burst with activity again but it also provides visitors with a chance to see one of Scotland’s most stunning winter spectacles. The sight of tens of thousands of geese lifting off as one is a truly magical experience."
Over the next few months, the geese will feed and rest on the reserve before continuing on their passage south. During that time RSPB will conduct regular counts to monitor the population. RSPB reserves at Mersehead, Vane Farm and Loch Gruinart are also well known goose ‘hotspots’ with thousands of geese arriving throughout the Autumn.
You can follow all migratory goose news via www.rspb.org.uk/goosewatch as it happens.
www.rspb.org.uk
In recent years the reserve has acted as a night-time roost for one of the biggest flocks in the UK, with up to 70,000 geese touching down.
Often described as Scotland’s equivalent of the wildebeest migration in Africa, every year hundreds of thousands of geese stop off in the UK as they migrate from their summer breeding grounds in the Arctic circle.
In Scotland the most commonly sighted species are the pink-footed goose, greylag goose and barnacle goose. Numbers of the birds usually reach their peak in October but smaller flocks can be spotted at lochs and estuaries right through until March time.
Louise Smith of RSPB said: “It’s always an exciting time when the geese return, not only does the reserve burst with activity again but it also provides visitors with a chance to see one of Scotland’s most stunning winter spectacles. The sight of tens of thousands of geese lifting off as one is a truly magical experience."
Over the next few months, the geese will feed and rest on the reserve before continuing on their passage south. During that time RSPB will conduct regular counts to monitor the population. RSPB reserves at Mersehead, Vane Farm and Loch Gruinart are also well known goose ‘hotspots’ with thousands of geese arriving throughout the Autumn.
You can follow all migratory goose news via www.rspb.org.uk/goosewatch as it happens.
www.rspb.org.uk
Residents battling to help save Northern Ireland's dwindling Yellowhammer population
Beautiful Yellowhammer in full song.
Local bird lovers are battling to boost numbers of yellowhammer - once a familiar sight in Northern Ireland’s hedgerows, but unfortunately now an endangered species.
It is estimated that the Yellowhammer population in Northern Ireland has declined by a dramatic 90% over the last 12 years and the species is now on the RSPB’s Red List of birds of high conservation concern.
In 2006 the RSPB set up a five year project in the east Co Down area to try and rally numbers. The scheme has just come to an end and although the statistics are currently being analysed, the initial results look promising.
Claire Barnett, NI farmland bird recovery officer for the RSPB, said: “At one time you’d have seen Yellowhammers all over Northern Ireland but we estimate that there are now only around 5,000 pairs left, which represents a dramatic drop in the local population.
”Yellowhammers are seed-eating farmland birds. They are sparrow-sized and the males have a bright yellow head and a rusty back. They also have a very distinctive song and will fly to the highest perch they can find - a telegraph pole, a tall tree or the highest hedge - and sing their hearts out. Their song is supposed to sound like ‘A little bit of bread and no cheese!’
“They are absolutely gorgeous and a beautiful addition to our natural environment. It is such a shame that it is now a threatened species.”
Claire added: “The decline in numbers is most likely a result of modern farming practices: more grass and less cereals are being grown across the country and the autumn sowing of cereals like wheat and barley that are being grown mean the loss of winter stubble, which is affecting many other seed eating farmland birds, such as skylarks, linnets and tree sparrows.
“Our work has been concentrated in eastern Co Down, an area of largely arable and mixed farms and one of the last remaining strongholds in Northern Ireland for Yellowhammer. We’ve been giving farmers in the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development’s Countryside Management Scheme advice - they have grown sources of seed specifically for birds over the winter and reduced the use of insecticides and herbicides on their crops.
“This provides an essential winter seed source for the birds and adequate supplies of insects in the spring and summer for the birds to raise their chicks. Other farmers didn’t change their practices so we were able to make comparisons. More than 50 farms were involved and the signs so far are very positive,” she said.
“The general public can help too. Yellowhammers can be attracted into gardens with bird food such as corn and seed, especially in winter and spring when natural food supplies are short.”
www.rspb.org.uk
It is estimated that the Yellowhammer population in Northern Ireland has declined by a dramatic 90% over the last 12 years and the species is now on the RSPB’s Red List of birds of high conservation concern.
In 2006 the RSPB set up a five year project in the east Co Down area to try and rally numbers. The scheme has just come to an end and although the statistics are currently being analysed, the initial results look promising.
Claire Barnett, NI farmland bird recovery officer for the RSPB, said: “At one time you’d have seen Yellowhammers all over Northern Ireland but we estimate that there are now only around 5,000 pairs left, which represents a dramatic drop in the local population.
”Yellowhammers are seed-eating farmland birds. They are sparrow-sized and the males have a bright yellow head and a rusty back. They also have a very distinctive song and will fly to the highest perch they can find - a telegraph pole, a tall tree or the highest hedge - and sing their hearts out. Their song is supposed to sound like ‘A little bit of bread and no cheese!’
“They are absolutely gorgeous and a beautiful addition to our natural environment. It is such a shame that it is now a threatened species.”
Claire added: “The decline in numbers is most likely a result of modern farming practices: more grass and less cereals are being grown across the country and the autumn sowing of cereals like wheat and barley that are being grown mean the loss of winter stubble, which is affecting many other seed eating farmland birds, such as skylarks, linnets and tree sparrows.
“Our work has been concentrated in eastern Co Down, an area of largely arable and mixed farms and one of the last remaining strongholds in Northern Ireland for Yellowhammer. We’ve been giving farmers in the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development’s Countryside Management Scheme advice - they have grown sources of seed specifically for birds over the winter and reduced the use of insecticides and herbicides on their crops.
“This provides an essential winter seed source for the birds and adequate supplies of insects in the spring and summer for the birds to raise their chicks. Other farmers didn’t change their practices so we were able to make comparisons. More than 50 farms were involved and the signs so far are very positive,” she said.
“The general public can help too. Yellowhammers can be attracted into gardens with bird food such as corn and seed, especially in winter and spring when natural food supplies are short.”
www.rspb.org.uk
RSPB asking for one final 'Swift' push forward...
Swiftly heading back to Africa.
Summer? What Summer! Although summer might not have been immediately obvious for many of us, one thing that brightened the days was screaming swifts in full majestic flight through UK skies.
Sadly though, after just a few weeks, the summer migrants are starting the long journey to their winter homes over Africa.
The RSPB reports that its been delighted by the number of swift sightings they’ve received since they launched their annual ‘swift search’ at the start of summer, to find out where the rapidly declining birds are nesting. And now the wildlife charity is making a final call for last reports as the final few birds leave for Africa.
Kevin Goodwin, who has swifts nesting near his home, says: “I live in a Victorian terraced house and all summer we’ve had swifts screaming up and down our street, darting between the rows of houses.
“They’ve become an unofficial guest at BBQs and parties and we’ve grown to love having them around. But a few days ago we noticed that there are far fewer and this week there have hardly been any except one or two in the evening. We’re sad to see them go but know we’ll be able to set our clock by them next year. And let’s hope they’ll bring more sunshine with them too!”
Swifts have declined by a third in recent years and they have been placed on the amber list, meaning they are of serious conservation concern. The exact causes of the decline aren’t clear, but a loss of nest sites due to building improvement or demolition is a major problem.
Swifts nest almost exclusively on buildings, especially old structures with lots of gaps and nooks. Almost all sightings in last year’s survey were swifts found nesting on buildings and over three quarters of them (77%), were found nesting in houses. Over half of the buildings were over ninety years old and exactly a quarter were built between 1919-1944. By their nature such buildings often need repair and maintenance work and this often leads to loss of nest sites, some of which may have been in use for many years.
As the swift search kicked off in June, the RSPB highlighted the good, the bad and the ugly, as reports proved that although lots of people are helping swifts when they arrive in the UK for summer, sadly there are many who are making their lives harder.
Worryingly, the RSPB has received reports of people intentionally damaging nest sites, by putting up scaffolding and fitting plastic spikes around swift nest sites, preventing access. Swift nests are protected by law whilst in use.
As swifts will only be seen for a few more days, the wildlife charity is asking for any sightings they’ve not yet heard about of groups screaming at roof level, a good sign they are breeding nearby, or where they have seen swifts nesting – perhaps entering a hole in the building or under a roof.
The RSPB has now made almost 25,000 records of swifts around the UK available on the internet, via the National Biodiversity Network. It uses the information to encourage developers, local councils and building companies to retain or create nest sites.
The survey is ongoing, and the RSPB would like any sightings reported to them via their website at www.rspb.org.uk/helpswifts - so head on over for more info.
www.rspb.org.uk
Sadly though, after just a few weeks, the summer migrants are starting the long journey to their winter homes over Africa.
The RSPB reports that its been delighted by the number of swift sightings they’ve received since they launched their annual ‘swift search’ at the start of summer, to find out where the rapidly declining birds are nesting. And now the wildlife charity is making a final call for last reports as the final few birds leave for Africa.
Kevin Goodwin, who has swifts nesting near his home, says: “I live in a Victorian terraced house and all summer we’ve had swifts screaming up and down our street, darting between the rows of houses.
“They’ve become an unofficial guest at BBQs and parties and we’ve grown to love having them around. But a few days ago we noticed that there are far fewer and this week there have hardly been any except one or two in the evening. We’re sad to see them go but know we’ll be able to set our clock by them next year. And let’s hope they’ll bring more sunshine with them too!”
Swifts have declined by a third in recent years and they have been placed on the amber list, meaning they are of serious conservation concern. The exact causes of the decline aren’t clear, but a loss of nest sites due to building improvement or demolition is a major problem.
Swifts nest almost exclusively on buildings, especially old structures with lots of gaps and nooks. Almost all sightings in last year’s survey were swifts found nesting on buildings and over three quarters of them (77%), were found nesting in houses. Over half of the buildings were over ninety years old and exactly a quarter were built between 1919-1944. By their nature such buildings often need repair and maintenance work and this often leads to loss of nest sites, some of which may have been in use for many years.
As the swift search kicked off in June, the RSPB highlighted the good, the bad and the ugly, as reports proved that although lots of people are helping swifts when they arrive in the UK for summer, sadly there are many who are making their lives harder.
Worryingly, the RSPB has received reports of people intentionally damaging nest sites, by putting up scaffolding and fitting plastic spikes around swift nest sites, preventing access. Swift nests are protected by law whilst in use.
As swifts will only be seen for a few more days, the wildlife charity is asking for any sightings they’ve not yet heard about of groups screaming at roof level, a good sign they are breeding nearby, or where they have seen swifts nesting – perhaps entering a hole in the building or under a roof.
The RSPB has now made almost 25,000 records of swifts around the UK available on the internet, via the National Biodiversity Network. It uses the information to encourage developers, local councils and building companies to retain or create nest sites.
The survey is ongoing, and the RSPB would like any sightings reported to them via their website at www.rspb.org.uk/helpswifts - so head on over for more info.
www.rspb.org.uk
Booming Bitterns enjoying best year ever say RSPB and Natural England
Britain’s loudest bird - the bittern, once extinct in the UK, has enjoyed its best year since records began according to a new survey by the RSPB and Natural England.
The bittern – a threatened relative of the more familiar grey heron – is bouncing back thanks to intensive conservation efforts, which has seen its population rise over the last 15 years from 11 males in 1997 to 104 this year.
Bitterns are highly secretive wetland birds and spend most of their time within dense stands of reed, making them very difficult to count. However, the males have an amazing ‘beatbox’ ability, where they fill their gullets with air which they release to make a booming ‘song’ which can be heard several kilometers away. Incredibly, it's this booming which has enabled scientists to determine the bird’s population.
The bittern is one of 52 species on the UK Red List of Birds of Conservation Concern. 246 species are listed in total on either red, amber or green lists, depending upon their current conservation status. But, this summer, researchers found evidence of at least 104 ‘singing’ or ‘booming’ males, principally in East Anglia. It seems the species has also recolonised the Somerset Levels (in 2008), where surveyors found 25 males, up from 14 in 2010. Following an intensive period of habitat management since the mid 1990s, Somerset is now the second most important county for booming bitterns in England, after Suffolk, which recorded 33 boomers. Norfolk (where Birding24/7 has most bittern success - Cley marshes) was third in the list with 23 booming males recorded.
The bittern has had a rollercoaster history in Britain, as the bird was extinct as a nesting species between 1886 and when it recolonised the Norfolk Broads in 1911. The bird’s population rose once more until the 1950s when another decline brought the population to a recent low in 1997.
Natural Environment Minister Richard Benyon said: “To see a species that was once extinct in the UK rise to a population of over one hundred is a real achievement. This is largely down to the work of the RSPB and Natural England, and shows what can be achieved if we work together. This partnership work is vital as we work to meet the commitments set out in the Natural Environment White Paper and the England Biodiversity Strategy.”
Martin Harper is the RSPB’s Conservation Director. He said: “To lose the bittern once in Britain was regrettable, but to have lost it twice would have been unforgiveable. Concern for the bittern in the 1990s led to an intensive species-recovery programme, with research and habitat improvement and creation playing major roles. Focussed work on bitterns has led to great gains for reedbeds and all the wildlife associated with this priority habitat.
“This species-led approach to bittern conservation has been vital for the recovery of the bird in England. We look forward to seeing an extension to this approach for other threatened species as a central theme in the England Biodiversity Strategy delivery plan.”
Seventeen out of every 20 English booming bitterns (85%) were recorded on nature reserves and overall almost two thirds (65%) of booming bitterns in 2011 were recorded on Sites of Special Scientific Interest.
Still facing threatsThe bittern still faces several threats, including sea level rise, where freshwater sites along the coast could be inundated by saltwater. Additionally, a potential issue is the need for sites suitable for nesting bitterns to receive on-going management.
Dr Pete Brotherton, Natural England’s Head of Biodiversity said: “The bittern’s recovery is a great conservation achievement and shows what can be done when government, conservationists and landowners work together. This is an encouraging sign that we can restore and improve our wetland habitats, which bring vital benefits to both people and wildlife.”
The number of booming males recorded in the top five counties during the 2011 survey is highlighted below (The figures in brackets refer to the figures in 1997): Suffolk 33 (4); Somerset 25 (1); Norfolk 23 (3); Cambridgeshire 7 (0); Lincolnshire 4 (0).
The survey also recorded the number of nesting bitterns. A minimum of 63 nest have been confirmed in England at 26 sites, compared to the low point of six nests at four sites in 1996. With 21 confirmed nests, Suffolk was also the best county for nesting bitterns in 2011. Somerset was second with 19 confirmed nests and Norfolk was third with 11 confirmed nests.
Since the mid 1990s the European Commission has provided EU LIFE funding for two bittern conservation projects to create new reedbeds or manage existing ones. Of the 63 nesting bitterns, 37 were recorded on sites included within these projects. The bittern monitoring programme is jointly funded by the RSPB and Natural England, through the Action for Birds in England programme.
www.rspb.org.uk
www.naturalengland.org.uk
The bittern – a threatened relative of the more familiar grey heron – is bouncing back thanks to intensive conservation efforts, which has seen its population rise over the last 15 years from 11 males in 1997 to 104 this year.
Bitterns are highly secretive wetland birds and spend most of their time within dense stands of reed, making them very difficult to count. However, the males have an amazing ‘beatbox’ ability, where they fill their gullets with air which they release to make a booming ‘song’ which can be heard several kilometers away. Incredibly, it's this booming which has enabled scientists to determine the bird’s population.
The bittern is one of 52 species on the UK Red List of Birds of Conservation Concern. 246 species are listed in total on either red, amber or green lists, depending upon their current conservation status. But, this summer, researchers found evidence of at least 104 ‘singing’ or ‘booming’ males, principally in East Anglia. It seems the species has also recolonised the Somerset Levels (in 2008), where surveyors found 25 males, up from 14 in 2010. Following an intensive period of habitat management since the mid 1990s, Somerset is now the second most important county for booming bitterns in England, after Suffolk, which recorded 33 boomers. Norfolk (where Birding24/7 has most bittern success - Cley marshes) was third in the list with 23 booming males recorded.
The bittern has had a rollercoaster history in Britain, as the bird was extinct as a nesting species between 1886 and when it recolonised the Norfolk Broads in 1911. The bird’s population rose once more until the 1950s when another decline brought the population to a recent low in 1997.
Natural Environment Minister Richard Benyon said: “To see a species that was once extinct in the UK rise to a population of over one hundred is a real achievement. This is largely down to the work of the RSPB and Natural England, and shows what can be achieved if we work together. This partnership work is vital as we work to meet the commitments set out in the Natural Environment White Paper and the England Biodiversity Strategy.”
Martin Harper is the RSPB’s Conservation Director. He said: “To lose the bittern once in Britain was regrettable, but to have lost it twice would have been unforgiveable. Concern for the bittern in the 1990s led to an intensive species-recovery programme, with research and habitat improvement and creation playing major roles. Focussed work on bitterns has led to great gains for reedbeds and all the wildlife associated with this priority habitat.
“This species-led approach to bittern conservation has been vital for the recovery of the bird in England. We look forward to seeing an extension to this approach for other threatened species as a central theme in the England Biodiversity Strategy delivery plan.”
Seventeen out of every 20 English booming bitterns (85%) were recorded on nature reserves and overall almost two thirds (65%) of booming bitterns in 2011 were recorded on Sites of Special Scientific Interest.
Still facing threatsThe bittern still faces several threats, including sea level rise, where freshwater sites along the coast could be inundated by saltwater. Additionally, a potential issue is the need for sites suitable for nesting bitterns to receive on-going management.
Dr Pete Brotherton, Natural England’s Head of Biodiversity said: “The bittern’s recovery is a great conservation achievement and shows what can be done when government, conservationists and landowners work together. This is an encouraging sign that we can restore and improve our wetland habitats, which bring vital benefits to both people and wildlife.”
The number of booming males recorded in the top five counties during the 2011 survey is highlighted below (The figures in brackets refer to the figures in 1997): Suffolk 33 (4); Somerset 25 (1); Norfolk 23 (3); Cambridgeshire 7 (0); Lincolnshire 4 (0).
The survey also recorded the number of nesting bitterns. A minimum of 63 nest have been confirmed in England at 26 sites, compared to the low point of six nests at four sites in 1996. With 21 confirmed nests, Suffolk was also the best county for nesting bitterns in 2011. Somerset was second with 19 confirmed nests and Norfolk was third with 11 confirmed nests.
Since the mid 1990s the European Commission has provided EU LIFE funding for two bittern conservation projects to create new reedbeds or manage existing ones. Of the 63 nesting bitterns, 37 were recorded on sites included within these projects. The bittern monitoring programme is jointly funded by the RSPB and Natural England, through the Action for Birds in England programme.
www.rspb.org.uk
www.naturalengland.org.uk
Your chance to see 50,000 Manx Shearwaters in feeding frenzy before they migrate for winter
Manx Shearwater.
50,000 Manx Shearwaters are in a feeding frenzy at Borth Beach, Wales and you won't want to miss this spectacle if you can make a visit. Once the birds have eaten enough food and their young have fledged, they will start preparing for a long winter migration, so be sure not to miss your chance to witness this spectacular event.
Manx are a small shearwater with long, straight and slim wings. They are black above and white below. They fly with a series of rapid stiff-winged flaps followed by long glides on stiff straight wings over the surface of the sea, occasionally banking or 'shearing'.
RSPB staff and volunteers will be at the viewpoint most days over Borth Beach, from 10.30am - 5pm, although they might be there earlier at high tides. To find them, simply follow the signs to Borth and Ynys Las. The viewpoint is in the car park at the junction in Ynys Las. It is adjacent to the beach, and the entrance to the car park is next to the bus stop. There will be a RSPB flag in the car park. Make sure you bring some change with you – the car park costs £2!
For information on arriving by public transport you're advised to visit the arriva bus timetable and for all other enquiries you can phone RSPB Cymru on 029 2035 3008, or alternatively drop them an email cymru@rspb.org.uk
www.rspb.org.uk
Manx are a small shearwater with long, straight and slim wings. They are black above and white below. They fly with a series of rapid stiff-winged flaps followed by long glides on stiff straight wings over the surface of the sea, occasionally banking or 'shearing'.
RSPB staff and volunteers will be at the viewpoint most days over Borth Beach, from 10.30am - 5pm, although they might be there earlier at high tides. To find them, simply follow the signs to Borth and Ynys Las. The viewpoint is in the car park at the junction in Ynys Las. It is adjacent to the beach, and the entrance to the car park is next to the bus stop. There will be a RSPB flag in the car park. Make sure you bring some change with you – the car park costs £2!
For information on arriving by public transport you're advised to visit the arriva bus timetable and for all other enquiries you can phone RSPB Cymru on 029 2035 3008, or alternatively drop them an email cymru@rspb.org.uk
www.rspb.org.uk
Farmland birds are most threatened species group in Europe - numbers fall to an all time low
Grey Partridge has declined by 90 per cent.
Farmland bird populations across Europe are at their lowest levels since records began, new figures reveal. The Pan-European Common Bird Monitoring Scheme looked at population figures for 145 of the most common bird species in 25 European countries between 1980 and 2009. The results show that farmland birds are the most threatened species group, and are at an all time low.
Half of the top ten most threatened birds across Europe are farmland birds including grey partridge, which has declined by 90 per cent in the UK, and linnet, which has declined by 57 per cent. The Pan-European Common Bird Monitoring Scheme is a joint initiative of the European Bird Census Council and BirdLife International, supported by the RSPB.
Conservationists say the results prove the need for reform of the Common Agricultural Policy so that it rewards and encourages farmers who put conservation measures in place on their land.
Proposals for the upcoming reform of the CAP are set to be published in October and the RSPB is concerned that it does not contain enough support for agri environment schemes which fund wildlife friendly farming measures.
Jenna Hegarty, RSPB CAP policy officer, said: “We know that farmland birds have halved in number in the UK since the 1970s, but these shocking figures show that the story is the same across Europe.
“This is no coincidence – the one thing that farmed landscapes in European countries all have in common is that they are shaped by the Common Agricultural Policy. This policy has helped farmers to produce more food, but wildlife has suffered as a result.
“Now we have an opportunity to reform the CAP and make it address today’s challenges – one of which is a massive loss of biodiversity across Europe. With proper targeted funding for wildlife friendly farming and effective and efficient schemes in place we can reverse these declines and make our countryside richer and healthier for birds, plants, insects and people as well as producing food.
“I hope that these stark figures on wildlife population declines bring home to policy makers the vital importance of a CAP that works for people and nature. Many farmers are doing brilliant things for wildlife but there still isn’t enough money in the pot. It’s not a choice between food and birds, because we can have both.”
Recent EU Budget announcements have made it clear that decision makers plan to allocate less money to Pillar 2 environmental payments, such as England’s Entry Level Stewardship and Higher Level Stewardship schemes. A recent leaked CAP document has also revealed that they plan to allow member states to move money away from agri environment schemes and into other areas.
The results of the European bird population survey suggest that after missing its 2010 biodiversity conservation target, the EU will go on to miss the 2020 biodiversity conservation target unless further action is taken.
The new EU Biodiversity Strategy commits the EU to "halt the deterioration in the status of all species and habitats covered by EU nature legislation”. Although Member States endorsed the new strategy in June this year, they have yet to make any commitment to deliver the actions needed to achieve its aims.
www.ebcc.info
Half of the top ten most threatened birds across Europe are farmland birds including grey partridge, which has declined by 90 per cent in the UK, and linnet, which has declined by 57 per cent. The Pan-European Common Bird Monitoring Scheme is a joint initiative of the European Bird Census Council and BirdLife International, supported by the RSPB.
Conservationists say the results prove the need for reform of the Common Agricultural Policy so that it rewards and encourages farmers who put conservation measures in place on their land.
Proposals for the upcoming reform of the CAP are set to be published in October and the RSPB is concerned that it does not contain enough support for agri environment schemes which fund wildlife friendly farming measures.
Jenna Hegarty, RSPB CAP policy officer, said: “We know that farmland birds have halved in number in the UK since the 1970s, but these shocking figures show that the story is the same across Europe.
“This is no coincidence – the one thing that farmed landscapes in European countries all have in common is that they are shaped by the Common Agricultural Policy. This policy has helped farmers to produce more food, but wildlife has suffered as a result.
“Now we have an opportunity to reform the CAP and make it address today’s challenges – one of which is a massive loss of biodiversity across Europe. With proper targeted funding for wildlife friendly farming and effective and efficient schemes in place we can reverse these declines and make our countryside richer and healthier for birds, plants, insects and people as well as producing food.
“I hope that these stark figures on wildlife population declines bring home to policy makers the vital importance of a CAP that works for people and nature. Many farmers are doing brilliant things for wildlife but there still isn’t enough money in the pot. It’s not a choice between food and birds, because we can have both.”
Recent EU Budget announcements have made it clear that decision makers plan to allocate less money to Pillar 2 environmental payments, such as England’s Entry Level Stewardship and Higher Level Stewardship schemes. A recent leaked CAP document has also revealed that they plan to allow member states to move money away from agri environment schemes and into other areas.
The results of the European bird population survey suggest that after missing its 2010 biodiversity conservation target, the EU will go on to miss the 2020 biodiversity conservation target unless further action is taken.
The new EU Biodiversity Strategy commits the EU to "halt the deterioration in the status of all species and habitats covered by EU nature legislation”. Although Member States endorsed the new strategy in June this year, they have yet to make any commitment to deliver the actions needed to achieve its aims.
www.ebcc.info
New round of oil and gas exploration licenses could cause more pain and suffering for wildlife
Kittiwakes face difficult future on all fronts.
Conservationists are calling on ministers to rethink a new round oil and gas exploration licences – some of which are within a few miles of sensitive seabird colonies which are home to Puffins, Gannets, Kittiwakes and other species.
This week sees the close of the public consultation on the 26th Oil and Gas Licensing Round, being overseen by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC). The RSPB has responded by highlighting several key wildlife sites close to the areas under consideration.
Stuart Housden, director of RSPB Scotland, said: “We are extremely concerned. This process will result in exploration licences, allowing companies to go out looking for oil and gas. If they are successful, that is highly likely to lead to full scale drilling and exploitation. We’ve seen off the coast of Aberdeenshire that no matter how carefully drilling is done, there is always the risk of an oil spill. In this case the spill happened far away from any vulnerable wildlife colonies – but just imagine if that oil was washing ashore a globally important Puffin colony.
“These risks are real, and are clearly untenable. We cannot stand by and allow demand for fossil fuels to increase the pressure on our already threatened coastal wildlife. Instead of investing in new oil and gas infrastructure we should be doing the right thing and investing in renewable energy like wind power, and the development of green technology such as electric cars.”
The RSPB has identified several European designated wildlife sites which are threatened by new oil and gas exploration. The charity is calling for the Government to turn down the applications for exploration licenses close to the following Special Protection Areas (SPAs) and Special Areas of Conservation (SACs):
As well as the potential for oil spills, the RSPB is also concerned about the potential impact on sensitive seabird colonies, disturbance of sea / air traffic and the potential need for new pipelines and other infrastructure associated with oil and gas rig developments. All this would cause pollution and waste to delicate ecosystems.
Earlier this week, the Scottish First Minister announced that an inquiry would be staged following the events at Shell’s Gannet Alpha platform. The RSPB has called for a full and open investigation into the spill to determine whether the preparedness of the authorities and industry standards are adequate.
www.rspb.org.uk
This week sees the close of the public consultation on the 26th Oil and Gas Licensing Round, being overseen by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC). The RSPB has responded by highlighting several key wildlife sites close to the areas under consideration.
Stuart Housden, director of RSPB Scotland, said: “We are extremely concerned. This process will result in exploration licences, allowing companies to go out looking for oil and gas. If they are successful, that is highly likely to lead to full scale drilling and exploitation. We’ve seen off the coast of Aberdeenshire that no matter how carefully drilling is done, there is always the risk of an oil spill. In this case the spill happened far away from any vulnerable wildlife colonies – but just imagine if that oil was washing ashore a globally important Puffin colony.
“These risks are real, and are clearly untenable. We cannot stand by and allow demand for fossil fuels to increase the pressure on our already threatened coastal wildlife. Instead of investing in new oil and gas infrastructure we should be doing the right thing and investing in renewable energy like wind power, and the development of green technology such as electric cars.”
The RSPB has identified several European designated wildlife sites which are threatened by new oil and gas exploration. The charity is calling for the Government to turn down the applications for exploration licenses close to the following Special Protection Areas (SPAs) and Special Areas of Conservation (SACs):
- Rathlin Island SPA and SAC, Northern Ireland - home to Puffins, Razorbills and Kittiwakes;
- Sites in the Western Solent and west towards Portland - home to internationally important numbers of breeding terns, gulls and wintering geese, ducks and waders; Balearic Shearwater - extremely vulnerable to oil spills and on the IUCN Red List Critically Endangered and UK Birds of Conservation Concern Red List - also uses the area;
- Liverpool Bay SPA -home to thousands of Common Scoters and hundreds of Red-throated Divers each winter;
- Flamborough and Bempton Cliffs SPA, Yorkshire - home to the only mainland-breeding colony of Gannet in Britain and large numbers of breeding Kittiwakes and auks;
- SPAs in Shetland and Orkney - notably Foula, West Westray and Papa Westray - home to Great and Arctic Skuas and Europe’s largest concentrations of Common Guillemots, Razorbills and Kittiwakes and Fulmars;
- East Caithness Cliffs SPA and the Troup, Lion and Pennan Head SPA, Scotland - home to internationally important numbers of cliff-breeding seabirds;
As well as the potential for oil spills, the RSPB is also concerned about the potential impact on sensitive seabird colonies, disturbance of sea / air traffic and the potential need for new pipelines and other infrastructure associated with oil and gas rig developments. All this would cause pollution and waste to delicate ecosystems.
Earlier this week, the Scottish First Minister announced that an inquiry would be staged following the events at Shell’s Gannet Alpha platform. The RSPB has called for a full and open investigation into the spill to determine whether the preparedness of the authorities and industry standards are adequate.
www.rspb.org.uk
RSPB staff left amazed as adventurous juvenile Red Kite gets itchy feet and heads south early
Staff from RSPB Scotland have been surprised by the adventurous travels of a newly-fledged red kite. The bird which was satellite-tagged while still in the nest on the Black Isle near Inverness was tracked as far south as Ayrshire just a few days after leaving the nest.
RSPB conservation officer Stuart Benn said: “Juvenile red kites are well known for undertaking extensive travels during their first year but they usually spend some time around their home area before moving on. This bird, however, seems to have had itchy feet and has flown south almost immediately. He has spent some time near Prestwick Airport – not too far from other travellers seeking the sun and warmer weather!”
RSPB staff and volunteers regularly monitor the movements of a number of satellite-tagged red kites and their movements are uploaded on to a dedicated website: www.eyestotheskies.org.uk
The movements of the red kite have been recorded as follows:
www.eyestotheskies.org.uk
RSPB conservation officer Stuart Benn said: “Juvenile red kites are well known for undertaking extensive travels during their first year but they usually spend some time around their home area before moving on. This bird, however, seems to have had itchy feet and has flown south almost immediately. He has spent some time near Prestwick Airport – not too far from other travellers seeking the sun and warmer weather!”
RSPB staff and volunteers regularly monitor the movements of a number of satellite-tagged red kites and their movements are uploaded on to a dedicated website: www.eyestotheskies.org.uk
The movements of the red kite have been recorded as follows:
- 6 August – bird close to nest where it fledged. Munlochy Bay
- 8 August – Coignafearn, upper Findhorn, later in woodland north of Dalwhinnie
- 9 August – between Stirling and Loch Lomond, later over the south side of Glasgow then to south-west Lanarkshire where it spent the night
- 10 August – spent day in east Ayrshire
- 11 August – spent day at sand and gravel quarry south of Kilmarnock
- 12 August – north-east of Prestwick then stayed in north Ayrshire until the 17th
- 17 August – tracked south of Glasgow to the Strathaven area and then Douglas
- 18 to 20 August – south of Muirkirk and then did a tour down to Sanquhar across to Cumnock and then back up towards Muirkirk.
www.eyestotheskies.org.uk
RSPB scientists publish new study with solution on how to plug 'hungry gap'
Yellowhammer set to profit from study.
Conservationists have come up with a solution to the ‘hungry gap’ – the annual problem of farmland birds struggling for survival in late winter and early spring.
Small birds like yellowhammers and reed buntings often suffer from a lack of seed food during winter. This is a particular problem in the grassland areas of western Britain. Even the best measures by farmers to tackle the problem run out of seed long before the winter ends leading to what conservationists call the ‘ hungry gap’. But RSPB scientists have published a study proposing a new answer.
The study, funded by Defra and published in the journal Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment this month, shows that by simply leaving patches of common ryegrass to go to seed instead of cutting them for silage, birds have an abundant supply of seeds to last them through the winter.
RSPB conservation scientist David Buckingham said: “We carried out trials on 12 farms in the West Midlands and found that when small patches of ryegrass around the edge of fields was left to go to seed we managed to attract high numbers of birds.
“Because of the way our countryside has changed over the years the supply of seeds that small birds like yellowhammers rely on often runs out in the depths of winter, leaving them struggling to survive. It is vital that these birds make it through the winter so they can produce a healthy new brood in the spring and help restore population numbers.
“Farmland bird numbers have declined by half since 1970 and we want to work with the many farmers out there who are doing their bit to reverse this trend. Ryegrass is grown for grazing and silage across the UK so this is a simple, effective measure that can be put in place on any dairy or mixed farm to help struggling farmland birds.
“We hope this study will eventually lead to a new measure in the Government’s environmental stewardship schemes for farmers. If this happens then farmers will get support and advice to put this measure in place and the birds will have a better chance of making it through the winter.”
The study found that ½ hectare patches around the edge of ryegrass fields which were left after the first silage cut in May put seeds needed by wintering birds back into the farmland.
Other agri-environment measures to help wintering birds include leaving over-winter stubble and sowing seed-rich cover crops – however these often run out of food before spring arrives.
The seeded ryegrass measure is of particular importance in the West of England where the problem of winter seed food hits birds the hardest. Defra are currently considering the proposal to include the measure in the Entry Level and Higher Level Stewardship schemes.
www.rspb.org.uk
Small birds like yellowhammers and reed buntings often suffer from a lack of seed food during winter. This is a particular problem in the grassland areas of western Britain. Even the best measures by farmers to tackle the problem run out of seed long before the winter ends leading to what conservationists call the ‘ hungry gap’. But RSPB scientists have published a study proposing a new answer.
The study, funded by Defra and published in the journal Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment this month, shows that by simply leaving patches of common ryegrass to go to seed instead of cutting them for silage, birds have an abundant supply of seeds to last them through the winter.
RSPB conservation scientist David Buckingham said: “We carried out trials on 12 farms in the West Midlands and found that when small patches of ryegrass around the edge of fields was left to go to seed we managed to attract high numbers of birds.
“Because of the way our countryside has changed over the years the supply of seeds that small birds like yellowhammers rely on often runs out in the depths of winter, leaving them struggling to survive. It is vital that these birds make it through the winter so they can produce a healthy new brood in the spring and help restore population numbers.
“Farmland bird numbers have declined by half since 1970 and we want to work with the many farmers out there who are doing their bit to reverse this trend. Ryegrass is grown for grazing and silage across the UK so this is a simple, effective measure that can be put in place on any dairy or mixed farm to help struggling farmland birds.
“We hope this study will eventually lead to a new measure in the Government’s environmental stewardship schemes for farmers. If this happens then farmers will get support and advice to put this measure in place and the birds will have a better chance of making it through the winter.”
The study found that ½ hectare patches around the edge of ryegrass fields which were left after the first silage cut in May put seeds needed by wintering birds back into the farmland.
Other agri-environment measures to help wintering birds include leaving over-winter stubble and sowing seed-rich cover crops – however these often run out of food before spring arrives.
The seeded ryegrass measure is of particular importance in the West of England where the problem of winter seed food hits birds the hardest. Defra are currently considering the proposal to include the measure in the Entry Level and Higher Level Stewardship schemes.
www.rspb.org.uk
New project announced to tackle decline in Ring Ouzel numbers on Dartmoor
Male Ring Ouzel - Dartmoor decline.
A new project set to tackle the alarming decline in Ring Ouzel numbers on Dartmoor, Devon has been announced. The RSPB will team up with environmental funder SITA Trust and the Dartmoor National Park Authority in an attempt to stem the flow of decline of these beautiful thrushes.
The birds are closely related to Blackbirds, but breed only in upland areas. The male’s black plumage, broken by a white breast band and silvery wing panels, is distinctive and gives the birds their name.
The new project is the absolutely vital first stage in stemming the decline and potential extinction of the Ring Ouzel in southern England. Since 1979, this Red-Listed species has declined by 63% on Dartmoor, which was formerly one of its breeding strongholds.
Thanks to a grant of over £30,000, conservationists and volunteers will survey the fragile remnant Dartmoor population over two breeding seasons, to research the reasons for the ongoing decline, and to try to work out how future populations can be made more sustainable. Jools Granville, of SITA Trust, said: “The rate of decline has been so steep that it was vital that the RSPB undertake this work immediately on Dartmoor, while there is still a breeding population of Ring Ouzels, so that they may implement emergency measures to protect the population.
“The loss of breeding birds over the past decade on Exmoor in Somerset and the Long Mynd in Shropshire is testament to the urgency of this work. Naturally we were only too happy to be able to provide the necessary capital for this project to go ahead.”
The survey work is being co-ordinated for the RSPB by Dartmoor resident and TV naturalist Nick Baker.
Nick said: “For me this bird has a special place; it’s a wild, rugged and windswept place and there is nothing more poignant than its plaintive tri-syllabic song — it is the soundtrack of the remote and secret spaces. Listening to those notes being snatched by the wind on a blustery tor or rugged and rocky valley in springtime encapsulates for me the essence of what is so special about Dartmoor National Park.
“If the decline continues and this population goes the way of the birds on Exmoor (that have not bred there since 2002), then for me we’ve lost one of the fundamental elements of the moors. Without the Ring Ouzel we lose the beating heart of Dartmoor.”
The work is also being supported by the Dartmoor National Park Authority. Norman Baldock, Senior Ecologist for the National Park, said: “The reasons for the decline in Ring Ouzel numbers nationally are poorly understood, so it is vital that every effort is made to learn what measures can be taken on Dartmoor to help maintain the small breeding population of this special upland bird.”
You can view a detailed pdf file of the Dartmoor Ring Ouzel project here.
www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk
The birds are closely related to Blackbirds, but breed only in upland areas. The male’s black plumage, broken by a white breast band and silvery wing panels, is distinctive and gives the birds their name.
The new project is the absolutely vital first stage in stemming the decline and potential extinction of the Ring Ouzel in southern England. Since 1979, this Red-Listed species has declined by 63% on Dartmoor, which was formerly one of its breeding strongholds.
Thanks to a grant of over £30,000, conservationists and volunteers will survey the fragile remnant Dartmoor population over two breeding seasons, to research the reasons for the ongoing decline, and to try to work out how future populations can be made more sustainable. Jools Granville, of SITA Trust, said: “The rate of decline has been so steep that it was vital that the RSPB undertake this work immediately on Dartmoor, while there is still a breeding population of Ring Ouzels, so that they may implement emergency measures to protect the population.
“The loss of breeding birds over the past decade on Exmoor in Somerset and the Long Mynd in Shropshire is testament to the urgency of this work. Naturally we were only too happy to be able to provide the necessary capital for this project to go ahead.”
The survey work is being co-ordinated for the RSPB by Dartmoor resident and TV naturalist Nick Baker.
Nick said: “For me this bird has a special place; it’s a wild, rugged and windswept place and there is nothing more poignant than its plaintive tri-syllabic song — it is the soundtrack of the remote and secret spaces. Listening to those notes being snatched by the wind on a blustery tor or rugged and rocky valley in springtime encapsulates for me the essence of what is so special about Dartmoor National Park.
“If the decline continues and this population goes the way of the birds on Exmoor (that have not bred there since 2002), then for me we’ve lost one of the fundamental elements of the moors. Without the Ring Ouzel we lose the beating heart of Dartmoor.”
The work is also being supported by the Dartmoor National Park Authority. Norman Baldock, Senior Ecologist for the National Park, said: “The reasons for the decline in Ring Ouzel numbers nationally are poorly understood, so it is vital that every effort is made to learn what measures can be taken on Dartmoor to help maintain the small breeding population of this special upland bird.”
You can view a detailed pdf file of the Dartmoor Ring Ouzel project here.
www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk
New stamp issue to help raise funds for Henderson Island Restoration Project
The endangered Henderson Petrel.
A new stamp issue from the Pitcairn Islands Philatelic Bureau will help raise money for an RSPB project to protect the endangered Henderson Petrel. Henderson, which is part of the Pitcairn group of islands, is a UK Overseas Territory. It is home to some 55 endemic animal and plant species. Four endemic birds are depicted on the stamps: Henderson Petrel, Henderson Crake, Henderson Fruit Dove and Henderson Reed Warbler.
It is the plight of the petrel that has captured the attention of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and they have initiated the Henderson Island Restoration Project which involves the planned eradication of introduced rats that are driving the Henderson petrel towards extinction. Over 95% of petrel chicks on Henderson are killed by rats within one week of hatching - over 25,000 chicks every year. These rats are also competing with the other land birds and therefore may be limiting their populations.
During August-September 2011, the RSPB operational vessel will be at Henderson, carrying two helicopters that will use GPS technology to methodically drop poison bait across the entire island. This highly targeted, short-term intervention will bring really long-term benefits: the Henderson petrel saved from its slide towards extinction, a large island restored and at least ten further unique species safeguarded for future generations to enjoy. The overall cost of the eradication project is in the region of £1.5 million. Proceeds from the sale of the stamps will help towards these costs.
Sir David Attenborough had this to say on the project: “Step ashore onto Henderson Island and you will see fairy terns arguing on bare branches and a tiny black flightless crake emerging from the dense underbrush. The ground of the forest floor is strewn with coral heads and giant clamshells, symbols of the rich wildlife on these distant shores. Climb a small tree and listen to sounds heard nowhere else on earth: crooning doves and chattering pairs of courting petrels flying overhead. “Yet, all of these birds are under threat because of Pacific rats, one of the few human legacies. Rats simply cannot resist eating a fluffy day-old petrel chick. Luckily, technical expertise is advancing in leaps and bounds. We now have an opportunity to rid Henderson forever of the rats and ensure the island remains a natural jewel. I am sure that you share my concern for Henderson Island’s exceptional wildlife and you will want to ensure its survival. With your help, it will be secure for generations to come.”
You can buy the stamps by heading this way and for all those interested, here is a short YouTube Henderson Island Restoration Project video.
It is the plight of the petrel that has captured the attention of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and they have initiated the Henderson Island Restoration Project which involves the planned eradication of introduced rats that are driving the Henderson petrel towards extinction. Over 95% of petrel chicks on Henderson are killed by rats within one week of hatching - over 25,000 chicks every year. These rats are also competing with the other land birds and therefore may be limiting their populations.
During August-September 2011, the RSPB operational vessel will be at Henderson, carrying two helicopters that will use GPS technology to methodically drop poison bait across the entire island. This highly targeted, short-term intervention will bring really long-term benefits: the Henderson petrel saved from its slide towards extinction, a large island restored and at least ten further unique species safeguarded for future generations to enjoy. The overall cost of the eradication project is in the region of £1.5 million. Proceeds from the sale of the stamps will help towards these costs.
Sir David Attenborough had this to say on the project: “Step ashore onto Henderson Island and you will see fairy terns arguing on bare branches and a tiny black flightless crake emerging from the dense underbrush. The ground of the forest floor is strewn with coral heads and giant clamshells, symbols of the rich wildlife on these distant shores. Climb a small tree and listen to sounds heard nowhere else on earth: crooning doves and chattering pairs of courting petrels flying overhead. “Yet, all of these birds are under threat because of Pacific rats, one of the few human legacies. Rats simply cannot resist eating a fluffy day-old petrel chick. Luckily, technical expertise is advancing in leaps and bounds. We now have an opportunity to rid Henderson forever of the rats and ensure the island remains a natural jewel. I am sure that you share my concern for Henderson Island’s exceptional wildlife and you will want to ensure its survival. With your help, it will be secure for generations to come.”
You can buy the stamps by heading this way and for all those interested, here is a short YouTube Henderson Island Restoration Project video.
Nesting success for Middle East's rarest bird
Conservationists have feared that Syria’s current political unrest may have affected the fortunes of the northern bald ibis – currently the most threatened bird in the Middle East with just one breeding pair left.
But counter to the trepidation, for the first time in the last three years the remaining pair has successfully reared two healthy young, which have left the nest and have begun their migration to the highlands of Ethiopia.
The northern bald ibis – named for its distinctive bald-headed appearance - is distantly related to storks, herons and spoonbills.
TeeteredChris Bowden is the RSPB’s international species recovery officer, coordinating the northern bald ibis programme for BirdLife International. He said: “This species has teetered on the brink of extinction in the Middle East for several years, but we’re delighted to report that the fledging of two chicks has reignited our hopes for the recovery of this bird.” The Syrian Desert Commission has successfully protected the birds.
Chris Bowden added: “This species has been an important cultural and religious icon in the Middle East and it had special significance to the Egyptian Pharaohs, but now it has become a symbol of optimism too.
“As we trace their migration route across the Middle East, we have colleagues across the region poised to monitor them on their journey. However, difficulties, such as petrol shortages are confounding our efforts. One of our Yemeni colleagues was forced to wait nine-hours for fuel before starting to search for the birds!”
Feared extinct
The wild population of northern bald ibis was feared extinct in the Middle East, when in 2002 birds were found nesting in the mountains of Syria, near Palmyra - after not being seen in Syria for 70 years. Since then conservationists have sought to give the birds protection by working with local people and by using state-of-the-art technology to track the birds’ movements. This research has identified that the Syrian adult birds head to the highlands of Ethiopia to spend the winter, but where the juveniles go still remains a mystery.
The Critically Endangered northern bald ibis was once widespread across North Africa and the Middle East. Aside from Syria, the only other nesting population occurs in Morocco, where just over 100 breeding pairs still occur in two coastal locations near Agadir, on the Atlantic coast. The outlying birds in Syria will be an important addition but only if the population can be sustained.
Two of the three adult birds carry tracking devices and their daily progress can be followed by visiting the following website: www.rspb.org.uk/ibistracking and for more background visit www.iagnbi.org
But counter to the trepidation, for the first time in the last three years the remaining pair has successfully reared two healthy young, which have left the nest and have begun their migration to the highlands of Ethiopia.
The northern bald ibis – named for its distinctive bald-headed appearance - is distantly related to storks, herons and spoonbills.
TeeteredChris Bowden is the RSPB’s international species recovery officer, coordinating the northern bald ibis programme for BirdLife International. He said: “This species has teetered on the brink of extinction in the Middle East for several years, but we’re delighted to report that the fledging of two chicks has reignited our hopes for the recovery of this bird.” The Syrian Desert Commission has successfully protected the birds.
Chris Bowden added: “This species has been an important cultural and religious icon in the Middle East and it had special significance to the Egyptian Pharaohs, but now it has become a symbol of optimism too.
“As we trace their migration route across the Middle East, we have colleagues across the region poised to monitor them on their journey. However, difficulties, such as petrol shortages are confounding our efforts. One of our Yemeni colleagues was forced to wait nine-hours for fuel before starting to search for the birds!”
Feared extinct
The wild population of northern bald ibis was feared extinct in the Middle East, when in 2002 birds were found nesting in the mountains of Syria, near Palmyra - after not being seen in Syria for 70 years. Since then conservationists have sought to give the birds protection by working with local people and by using state-of-the-art technology to track the birds’ movements. This research has identified that the Syrian adult birds head to the highlands of Ethiopia to spend the winter, but where the juveniles go still remains a mystery.
The Critically Endangered northern bald ibis was once widespread across North Africa and the Middle East. Aside from Syria, the only other nesting population occurs in Morocco, where just over 100 breeding pairs still occur in two coastal locations near Agadir, on the Atlantic coast. The outlying birds in Syria will be an important addition but only if the population can be sustained.
Two of the three adult birds carry tracking devices and their daily progress can be followed by visiting the following website: www.rspb.org.uk/ibistracking and for more background visit www.iagnbi.org
RSPB news: A chance to see rare Little Tern colony at Caister
Little terns are Britain's second rarest tern, with 1,900 breeding pairs in the UK each year - the roseate tern is the rarest. The Norfolk coastline is a stronghold for breeding little terns, supporting at least one third of the national population. With such low populations across the UK, this delightful chattering seabird is becoming a species of increasing national conservation concern.
Little terns can travel over 11,000 miles each year, flying from their winter homes in South Africa in May each year to spend summer on a select few locations on the UK coast. And with some individuals living up to 14 years, these little sea birds could have covered over 100,000 miles in that time – more than the average car! The RSPB has run a protection scheme at Great Yarmouth North Denes since 1986, with the permission of Great Yarmouth Borough Council, the landowner. Natural England (formerly English Nature) has supported the project for most of that period
Until last year, the largest breeding colony in the area could be found at North Denes, but this year the graceful birds have colonised a variety of locations along the Norfolk coast including Winterton, Caister and Eccles, as well as just across the border at Kessingland. Due to the rarity of the birds, the RSPB are providing round-the-clock protection at the largest colony at Caister. and are using the new ‘flying’ fence and dedicated wardens at key coastal sites.
To date, the little tern colony at Caister has exceeded all expectations, currently home to over 40 nests, with over 30 chicks hatched and 1 fledgling already taking tentative flights under the watchful eye of its parents.
As part of their ‘Date With Nature’ scheme, RSPB staff and volunteers will be on hand with binoculars, stories and buckets of passion and enthusiasm, to bring the plight of this special sea bird to life for local residents and visitors. To make a date with the little tern colony, look out for the RSPB’s branded fisherman’s tent on Caister sea-front every day from 9am – 8pm until mid-August.
Daniel Hercock, RSPB Warden, says: “Much like in the story of Goldilocks, the Caister’s coastline is ‘just right’ for the little terns, and it is my job, supported by my team, to help them breed successfully during their stay with us. We are delighted with the success of the colony at Caister so far, although we are not counting our ‘chickens’ yet as a lot can still happen.
“And it is not just down to me. To protect these birds we all need to step up for nature together. Many of the threats to little terns involve disruption to their nests, so it is important that everyone in the area knows to be considerate to the birds during their crucial breeding season, and observe them from a distance.
“The colony at Caister is an ideal opportunity to show visitors this amazing bird without causing any disturbance to their nests. We would welcome the public to come and have a chat with us to understand how best to view the little terns and to learn more about one of the rare species of wildlife the area attracts.”
In addition to welcoming the public to their little tern ‘Date With Nature’ at Caister, the RSPB are urging the public to help by reporting any sightings of nesting little terns on 01603 660 066.
Little terns can travel over 11,000 miles each year, flying from their winter homes in South Africa in May each year to spend summer on a select few locations on the UK coast. And with some individuals living up to 14 years, these little sea birds could have covered over 100,000 miles in that time – more than the average car! The RSPB has run a protection scheme at Great Yarmouth North Denes since 1986, with the permission of Great Yarmouth Borough Council, the landowner. Natural England (formerly English Nature) has supported the project for most of that period
Until last year, the largest breeding colony in the area could be found at North Denes, but this year the graceful birds have colonised a variety of locations along the Norfolk coast including Winterton, Caister and Eccles, as well as just across the border at Kessingland. Due to the rarity of the birds, the RSPB are providing round-the-clock protection at the largest colony at Caister. and are using the new ‘flying’ fence and dedicated wardens at key coastal sites.
To date, the little tern colony at Caister has exceeded all expectations, currently home to over 40 nests, with over 30 chicks hatched and 1 fledgling already taking tentative flights under the watchful eye of its parents.
As part of their ‘Date With Nature’ scheme, RSPB staff and volunteers will be on hand with binoculars, stories and buckets of passion and enthusiasm, to bring the plight of this special sea bird to life for local residents and visitors. To make a date with the little tern colony, look out for the RSPB’s branded fisherman’s tent on Caister sea-front every day from 9am – 8pm until mid-August.
Daniel Hercock, RSPB Warden, says: “Much like in the story of Goldilocks, the Caister’s coastline is ‘just right’ for the little terns, and it is my job, supported by my team, to help them breed successfully during their stay with us. We are delighted with the success of the colony at Caister so far, although we are not counting our ‘chickens’ yet as a lot can still happen.
“And it is not just down to me. To protect these birds we all need to step up for nature together. Many of the threats to little terns involve disruption to their nests, so it is important that everyone in the area knows to be considerate to the birds during their crucial breeding season, and observe them from a distance.
“The colony at Caister is an ideal opportunity to show visitors this amazing bird without causing any disturbance to their nests. We would welcome the public to come and have a chat with us to understand how best to view the little terns and to learn more about one of the rare species of wildlife the area attracts.”
In addition to welcoming the public to their little tern ‘Date With Nature’ at Caister, the RSPB are urging the public to help by reporting any sightings of nesting little terns on 01603 660 066.
Insects: RSPB ups the ante
They might not be colourful, pretty or elegant like some insects, but ants are a fantastic addition to any wildlife garden. And as the tiny creatures are currently at their most active and noticeable, the wildlife charity RSPB is asking householders and gardeners to be sympathetic to what are actually fascinating, clever insects.
The RSPB says that outdoor ants should be completely left alone where possible, as small, ground feeding birds in particular, like wrens, robins, dunnocks, house sparrows will welcome them as a snack.
Ants help plants by suppressing other insects that eat them, by carrying seeds to new areas and by aerating soil. Lots of other invertebrates depend on ants for food or shelter.
Some butterflies attract ants to their caterpillars, where the ants guard them and they may finish their development inside the ant nest, and some woodlice live only in ant nests.
Flying ants are also beneficial to the garden and other creatures. The warm temperatures and damp conditions are building towards the annual flying ant swarm when black garden ants emerge in their millions to mate, but the weather conditions have to be just right.
It’s thought this mass mating evolved to increase the ants’ chances of reproducing and as a self-defence mechanism; safety in numbers you see.
Flying ants have very short lives and the males die soon after mating while the females shed their wings once they’ve flown to a new site.
The wildlife spectacle of the mass of insects that gather is with us for a very short time and will attract the attention of birds like starlings, gulls, house martins and swifts. It’s estimated that birds, particularly swifts, eat one out of every ten. It helps the birds, especially the young, beef up their body mass and get fit for the long migratory journey back across Europe and down to Africa, where they’ll spend the winter.
Many people try to destroy ants using chemicals like insecticides, gasoline or soap. Some try to drown them with water, particularly boiling water from the kettle but the RSPB says these methods are often ineffective.
Ants are social insects just like humans, they build elaborate nests in walls or under stones in soil, logs and paving stones. They also perform important roles such as suppressing other pests like aphids and aerating soil.
Mark Gurney, from the RSPB says: “Ants are farmers, workers, conquerors and thieves.
“They’re fascinating creatures, and a vital part of the food chain in gardens. The RSPB would urge people to leave them to go about their business without trying to get rid of them wherever possible.”
The RSPB says that outdoor ants should be completely left alone where possible, as small, ground feeding birds in particular, like wrens, robins, dunnocks, house sparrows will welcome them as a snack.
Ants help plants by suppressing other insects that eat them, by carrying seeds to new areas and by aerating soil. Lots of other invertebrates depend on ants for food or shelter.
Some butterflies attract ants to their caterpillars, where the ants guard them and they may finish their development inside the ant nest, and some woodlice live only in ant nests.
Flying ants are also beneficial to the garden and other creatures. The warm temperatures and damp conditions are building towards the annual flying ant swarm when black garden ants emerge in their millions to mate, but the weather conditions have to be just right.
It’s thought this mass mating evolved to increase the ants’ chances of reproducing and as a self-defence mechanism; safety in numbers you see.
Flying ants have very short lives and the males die soon after mating while the females shed their wings once they’ve flown to a new site.
The wildlife spectacle of the mass of insects that gather is with us for a very short time and will attract the attention of birds like starlings, gulls, house martins and swifts. It’s estimated that birds, particularly swifts, eat one out of every ten. It helps the birds, especially the young, beef up their body mass and get fit for the long migratory journey back across Europe and down to Africa, where they’ll spend the winter.
Many people try to destroy ants using chemicals like insecticides, gasoline or soap. Some try to drown them with water, particularly boiling water from the kettle but the RSPB says these methods are often ineffective.
Ants are social insects just like humans, they build elaborate nests in walls or under stones in soil, logs and paving stones. They also perform important roles such as suppressing other pests like aphids and aerating soil.
Mark Gurney, from the RSPB says: “Ants are farmers, workers, conquerors and thieves.
“They’re fascinating creatures, and a vital part of the food chain in gardens. The RSPB would urge people to leave them to go about their business without trying to get rid of them wherever possible.”
RSPB news: Familiar call returns to NI Countryside...
Corncrake is an iconic species in Northern Ireland that migrates here from South Africa every spring. Although a very secretive bird it is their distinctive call that gives these birds their iconic status. In the early summer months, the evening mating call of the corncrake was once deafening as it rang through fields of long grass across Northern Ireland’s countryside. However, in the last 30 years the number of corncrake has declined dramatically because of changes in grass cutting timings (due to the increase of silage being grown in replace of the later cut hay) and land management on farms, today our fields have fallen silent of the corncrake call and the species are on the verge of extinction in Northern Ireland.
A recovery programme in Scotland has been hugely successful. A Scottish survey in 2007 found 1,273 calling males the highest corncrake numbers in Scotland in 30 years!!
Northern Ireland is not without its own potential success story even if it is on a much smaller scale. Recently the McGrath family who own land outside Benburb called the RSPB reporting hearing a male corncrake calling from a silage field outside their house for over a month now. RSPB’s Farmland Bird Recovery Officer, Claire Barnett visited the site and confirmed that there was a male corncrake calling. Jody and his wife Angela have happily agreed to allow the field to be cut for hay giving the corncrake a chance to breed successfully on their farm.
The McGraths enthusiasm and cooperation over the potential breeding of corncrake on their land is a great example to all Northern Ireland farmers that production and wildlife friendly farming can co-exist. This family’s positive reaction to the corncrake’s arrival on their land is good news for RSPB staff who have just started managing land on Rathlin Island to cater for corncrakes. RSPB are using a mixture of land belonging to their reserve on Rathlin, the NIEA and local farmers.
This combined effort involves planting nettles, and other tall vegetation to provide early cover for corncrake to spot as they fly overhead, land and use as a nesting site. These plants are perfect for corncrake as they grow to reach heights of 8-10inches, which is tall enough to give them the secrecy and security they like but are also open so the birds and their fledglings can move easily amongst the vegetation.
These areas are known as “corncrake corridors” and run along suitable field edges. This early cover will be protected from grazing in late winter and spring. The RSPB will also be planting wild bird cover, left un-grazed this grows into tall open cover ideal for corncrakes whilst also providing winter seeds for farmland birds. Two-year bird cover will also be planted. By next spring, this will have grown to provide early cover for migrating corncrakes and will hopefully attract and host breeding corncrakes.
It is hoped that these first steps towards corncrake conservation and recovery will eventually lead to a success that matches the species revival in other parts of the UK.
To find out what you can do for corncrakes on your land please contact the RSPB head quarters on: 02890 491 547
A recovery programme in Scotland has been hugely successful. A Scottish survey in 2007 found 1,273 calling males the highest corncrake numbers in Scotland in 30 years!!
Northern Ireland is not without its own potential success story even if it is on a much smaller scale. Recently the McGrath family who own land outside Benburb called the RSPB reporting hearing a male corncrake calling from a silage field outside their house for over a month now. RSPB’s Farmland Bird Recovery Officer, Claire Barnett visited the site and confirmed that there was a male corncrake calling. Jody and his wife Angela have happily agreed to allow the field to be cut for hay giving the corncrake a chance to breed successfully on their farm.
The McGraths enthusiasm and cooperation over the potential breeding of corncrake on their land is a great example to all Northern Ireland farmers that production and wildlife friendly farming can co-exist. This family’s positive reaction to the corncrake’s arrival on their land is good news for RSPB staff who have just started managing land on Rathlin Island to cater for corncrakes. RSPB are using a mixture of land belonging to their reserve on Rathlin, the NIEA and local farmers.
This combined effort involves planting nettles, and other tall vegetation to provide early cover for corncrake to spot as they fly overhead, land and use as a nesting site. These plants are perfect for corncrake as they grow to reach heights of 8-10inches, which is tall enough to give them the secrecy and security they like but are also open so the birds and their fledglings can move easily amongst the vegetation.
These areas are known as “corncrake corridors” and run along suitable field edges. This early cover will be protected from grazing in late winter and spring. The RSPB will also be planting wild bird cover, left un-grazed this grows into tall open cover ideal for corncrakes whilst also providing winter seeds for farmland birds. Two-year bird cover will also be planted. By next spring, this will have grown to provide early cover for migrating corncrakes and will hopefully attract and host breeding corncrakes.
It is hoped that these first steps towards corncrake conservation and recovery will eventually lead to a success that matches the species revival in other parts of the UK.
To find out what you can do for corncrakes on your land please contact the RSPB head quarters on: 02890 491 547
RSPB news: Scientists scale new heights to monitor Scotland's mountain birds
Scotland’s elusive mountain birds have formed the focus of an important research project led by RSPB Scotland and Scottish Natural Heritage. Conservationists are now looking for some help from the public to provide sightings of some of our rarest birds.
For the past 10 weeks, surveyors have been climbing to some of Scotland’s highest ground to survey the population of two species, the dotterel - a type of wading bird - and the snow bunting – a seed-eating bird a little larger than a sparrow.
Both species breed only on the highest mountain tops of Scotland and as such could be affected by changes in habitat, prey abundance and climate.
LimitedMany species may adapt to climate change by moving north and in some cases further uphill. This has prompted concern that species already limited to the highest, coolest conditions, may have nowhere else left to go in the UK.
The study is looking at current populations of dotterel and snow bunting to establish whether there have been changes, and if further research and conservation effort is needed.
Smaller and more compact than its commoner relative, the golden plover, the dotterel is unusual in that it turns the tables on traditional gender roles. The brightly-coloured females lead in courtship before leaving the smaller, drabber males to incubate the eggs and raise the young.
Found most commonly in the Cairngorms, the dotterel has not been surveyed across the country for more than a decade.
Some of Scotland’s highest mountains are also the preferred breeding location of the very rare snow bunting, the most northerly breeding songbird on earth. Its stark black-and-white summer plumage helps it blend into landscapes of snow and scree. Scotland represents an edge of their breeding range, and it is believed the estimated population may stand at as little as 50 breeding pairs.
Mark Eaton, RSPB Principal Conservation Scientist, is leading the survey: “This research could shed light on the fortunes of two of our mountain species. Both birds breed in some of the highest parts of the country, and in some of the harsher conditions. Will their numbers be affected by changes to their habitat? Have the recent wetter and warmer summers impacted on numbers? These are just some of the things we want to learn, so in the coming months we will be analysing our findings in the hope of building a clearer picture of dotterel and snow bunting populations in the UK. “
Far from complete pictureAndy Douse, SNH Senior Ornithologist, said: "I'd encourage walkers to report any sightings of these mountain birds to help with this important survey. Dotterel and snow bunting are both fascinating birds, but we are far from having a complete picture of how they're faring in Scotland in recent years. This survey, as well as help from the public, should make all the difference."
As the survey draws to a close, we are asking the public to help contribute to the survey by reporting any sightings made of either species in 2011. Sightings including details of which species, how many, along with the date and location (including grid reference, if possible) can be emailed to dotterel@rspb.org.uk.
The snow bunting and the dotterel are protected by Schedule 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, making it an offence for anyone to intentionally or recklessly disturb these species at their nesting sites.
For the past 10 weeks, surveyors have been climbing to some of Scotland’s highest ground to survey the population of two species, the dotterel - a type of wading bird - and the snow bunting – a seed-eating bird a little larger than a sparrow.
Both species breed only on the highest mountain tops of Scotland and as such could be affected by changes in habitat, prey abundance and climate.
LimitedMany species may adapt to climate change by moving north and in some cases further uphill. This has prompted concern that species already limited to the highest, coolest conditions, may have nowhere else left to go in the UK.
The study is looking at current populations of dotterel and snow bunting to establish whether there have been changes, and if further research and conservation effort is needed.
Smaller and more compact than its commoner relative, the golden plover, the dotterel is unusual in that it turns the tables on traditional gender roles. The brightly-coloured females lead in courtship before leaving the smaller, drabber males to incubate the eggs and raise the young.
Found most commonly in the Cairngorms, the dotterel has not been surveyed across the country for more than a decade.
Some of Scotland’s highest mountains are also the preferred breeding location of the very rare snow bunting, the most northerly breeding songbird on earth. Its stark black-and-white summer plumage helps it blend into landscapes of snow and scree. Scotland represents an edge of their breeding range, and it is believed the estimated population may stand at as little as 50 breeding pairs.
Mark Eaton, RSPB Principal Conservation Scientist, is leading the survey: “This research could shed light on the fortunes of two of our mountain species. Both birds breed in some of the highest parts of the country, and in some of the harsher conditions. Will their numbers be affected by changes to their habitat? Have the recent wetter and warmer summers impacted on numbers? These are just some of the things we want to learn, so in the coming months we will be analysing our findings in the hope of building a clearer picture of dotterel and snow bunting populations in the UK. “
Far from complete pictureAndy Douse, SNH Senior Ornithologist, said: "I'd encourage walkers to report any sightings of these mountain birds to help with this important survey. Dotterel and snow bunting are both fascinating birds, but we are far from having a complete picture of how they're faring in Scotland in recent years. This survey, as well as help from the public, should make all the difference."
As the survey draws to a close, we are asking the public to help contribute to the survey by reporting any sightings made of either species in 2011. Sightings including details of which species, how many, along with the date and location (including grid reference, if possible) can be emailed to dotterel@rspb.org.uk.
The snow bunting and the dotterel are protected by Schedule 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, making it an offence for anyone to intentionally or recklessly disturb these species at their nesting sites.
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