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Headlines from week beginning 24 October 2016 |
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A round up of the top countryside, conservation, wildlife and forestry stories as chosen by the CJS Team.
How
much do you really know about your UK mammals?
– Mammal Society The Mammal Society announces National Mammal Week
2016 Mammals are some of our most charismatic and well
known animals in the UK, yet they are also some of our most under
recorded species. Many of our mammals are unique, for example our
Scottish wildcat and grey seal, both of which are rarer than African
elephants and found almost nowhere else in the world. The Mammal Society’s National Mammal Week is from
the 22nd-30th October 2016. It aims to celebrate our UK mammals
and encourage mammal conservation. There are many ways to get involved with National
Mammal Week:
Discover more about our mammals. Visit
www.mammal.org.uk/national-mammal-week for more ways to get involved
in National Mammal Week and learn about our UK mammals, or follow the
Mammal Society on Facebook or Twitter and use the hashtags
#nationalmammals or #mammalweek.
Help
the Mammal Society’s Annual Hedgehog Watch Winter is nearly here and it’s time for hedgehogs
to hibernate. But how have they fared this year? As part of
National Mammal Week, the Mammal Society is appealing to the public to
help with a new survey that will review how many hedgehogs – dead or
alive – have been spotted this year. Hedgehog (image: Ben Andrew Fiona Mathews, Chair of the Mammal Society and
Associate Professor at the University of Exeter says “Hedgehogs are one
of our most appealing animals. Sadly, they seem to be in long-term
decline, and we are still not sure of the cause. In fact they are
so scarce in many parts of the country, that people can remember exactly
how many they have seen and where they were at the time. This is
critical information that will help us to understand what we can do to
help.” Laura Kubasiewicz, the Mammal Society’s Science
officer adds “It is really important that people who have seen no
hedgehogs at all also take part: this will let us identify areas that
have a real conservation problem, and in the future will allow us to
monitor whether strategies to get hedgehogs back are working”. For more surveys and organsations
asking for you record your sightings please see our
Surveys and Fieldwork section.
Scotland’s forests grow: £6.5 million scheme boosts planting rate Plans to plant 1200 hectares of new woodland
across Scotland have been backed with £6.5 million in funding.
National Grid reveals extensive measures to reduce impact of £2.8bn
Cumbrian connection – National Grid National Grid proposing to put lines underground
and under Morecambe Bay to protect the Lake District National Park. New connection needed to link the planned Moorside
nuclear power station in Cumbria into electricity network Extensive measures proposed to reduce the impact
of what will be the biggest new power line project since electricity
network was built Ten weeks of consultation from 28 October 2016
until 6 January 2017 National Grid has unveiled its detailed proposals
for the £2.8bn project to connect the proposed nuclear power station at
Moorside in Cumbria into the electricity network, ahead of starting
consultation on Friday 28 October. The company is proposing extensive
measures to reduce the impact of the project on the landscape of Cumbria
while balancing this with the need to keep energy bills affordable. It
has today announced plans to look at putting 23.4km (14.5 miles) of new
line underground through the entire western section of the Lake District
National Park. This could see the existing lines there being removed
completely, leaving this part of the park free of pylons for the first
time in 50 years. This is in addition to: - putting cables through a
tunnel measuring approx. 22km (13 miles) under Morecambe Bay to avoid
the south part of the national park at a cost of £1.2bn - removing many
of the existing pylons owned by Electricity North West (ENW) and
replacing them with fewer, taller pylons of its own operating at a
greater voltage - replacing the low voltage line in the area around the
Hadrian’s Wall UNESCO World Heritage Site with underground cables
Consultation on the proposals starts on Friday 28 October and nearly
90,000 newsletters have been mailed to homes and businesses along to
route to explain how people can take part. Response:
Lake district power line to go underground -
CPRE Douglas Chalmers, Chief Executive at Friends of
the Lake District said: “We have fought a long and well-supported
campaign to stop these giant pylons being built within the Lake District
National Park and we’re delighted that the stunning landscape within the
park has been spared from a line of 50 metre tall pylons. National Grid
should be congratulated for listening to public opinion and respecting
the designation of national park status which affords the Lake District
landscape the highest level of protection in the UK.” Kim Hagen, Senior Energy Campaigner at the
Campaign to Protect Rural England, said: “It's brilliant news that
National Grid proposes to underground all of the planned cables through
the National Park. This would be a great victory for one of our most
cherished landscapes. It would mean the character and beauty of the Lake
District is protected for generations to come. Let's hope this sets new
standards for the future.” National Grid is still proposing to erect pylons
along a 14 km section of the southern route running close to the
national park boundary which has raised some significant concerns about
their impact on some additional parts of the west coast that do not
enjoy the protection afforded by national park status, but contribute to
the setting of the Lake District’s landscapes.
Your say on protection for Solway marine birds – Scottish Natural
Heritage Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) and Natural England are inviting
views on proposals to protect important areas for marine birds in the
Solway Firth. A formal public consultation launched today (Tuesday 25) by SNH on
behalf of Scottish Government is asking people to comment on a proposed
Special Protection Area (pSPA) in the UK’s third largest estuary. SNH and Natural England have worked closely together to develop the
proposals that will benefit a wide range of marine birds at the site,
which straddles the Scottish/English border on the west coast. The proposals involve extending the boundary of the existing Upper Solway Flats & Marshes SPA, to protect internationally important populations of red-throated diver, common scoter and goosander, which return to Scotland each year to spend the winter in the Solway.
Small, perfectly formed and causing great excitement -
Northumberland Wildlife Trust
Up until now, the Mediterranean coastal snails commonly referred to
as Theba pisana have only been recorded in a number of sand dune systems
in northern Cornwall and South Wales. However, they have now been discovered in this region, 100 metres
away from the Drift Café in Cresswell, by a mollusc expert on holiday
from Lancashire, who went away and researched it before contacting the
wildlife charity, which has five reserves along Druridge Bay, including
Creswell Pond and Cresswell shore. In Britain and France, the snail has an annual life cycle, breeding
in summer and autumn, whilst in the Mediterranean; it has a biennial
life cycle with breeding in autumn and winter. It is very
frost-sensitive, so conservationists were very surprised to find them
surviving the cold Northumberland winter and think they may have been in
the area for some time, possibly avoiding frost damage by burying into
sand. Upon further investigation it became apparent that this animal may
have been recorded previously, possibly over 100 years ago, but the
report of that appears to be lost in the mists of time; additionally,
the list of species records in Northumberland was found to be sparse.
Government decides on new runway at Heathrow
– Department for Transport
In a major boost for the UK economy the government
today (25 October 2016) announced its support for a new runway at
Heathrow – the first full length runway in the south-east since the
second world war. The scheme will now be taken forward in the form of a
draft ‘National policy statement’ (NPS) for consultation.
Reaction:
Third runway at Heathrow will have impacts for Berks & Bucks wildlife,
says BBOWT The Berks, Bucks & Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust is deeply concerned
about the impacts for wildlife of the proposed expansion of Heathrow
Airport, following the announcement today of a third runway at Heathrow,
and calls for a world class approach to dealing with the impacts on
nature.
Most of the land required for the new runway will be within London.
However, there will be significant direct and indirect effects for
wildlife in Berkshire and Buckinghamshire as a result of the proposed
expansion. The full extent of the impacts aren’t clear from the announcement,
because details about the redesign of the M25 are yet to be finalised. The M25 will have to be either tunnelled or diverted, as the new
runway will cross its existing path. Key concerns are the impact on
internationally important populations of wildfowl, and the effects of
air pollution and recreational pressure on sensitive wildlife sites. Matt Jackson, Head of Conservation Policy & Strategy for BBOWT said:
“The Government’s policy is that they want this generation to be the
first to leave the natural environment of England in a better state than
it inherited.
London Wildlife Trust has warned that the
disappointing, but unsurprising, decision to proceed with a third runway
at Heathrow Airport will pose a huge threat to the natural environment. Most of the land required for the new runway will
be within Greater London and there will be significant direct and
indirect effects for nature and wildlife as a result of the proposed
expansion. A number of wildlife sites are impacted under the
proposed expansion, potentially resulting in the loss of or damage to
over 60 hectares of woodland and 12km of river habitats. In addition,
the impact on internationally important populations of wildfowl at
nearby waterbodies, and the effects of air pollution and noise on
sensitive wildlife sites, such as along the River Colne, will be
profound. Mathew Frith, director of conservation at London
Wildlife Trust said: “Progress is not measured in air miles. It is
measured in public health and wellbeing, in cleaner air and water, and
action to protect and promote the quality of our natural environment.
This retrograde decision rewards shareholders but shows complete
disregard for the wildlife and natural environment in and around
Heathrow. It also snubs future generations who will suffer from the
detrimental effects of air pollution, carbon emissions and noise.” The proposed expansion at Heathrow has yet to take
full account of the likely impacts on wildlife and wildlife habitats,
although the Trust expects these to be considerable.
Climate change driving toad disease from fungus in Pyrenees –
Imperial College London
Researchers quantify effect of global warming on fungal disease in
frogs and toads for the first time. At high altitudes, frogs and toads are being infected by a deadly
chytrid fungus at increasingly high rates in the Pyrenees Aspe Valley,
France. The spike in mortality of these toads is blamed on warming in
these mountains, which drives fungal infection in frogs and toads, and
is expected to get worse. Following years of speculation that climate change was driving deaths
by chytrid, this eight-year study by researchers at Imperial College
London and ZSL (Zoological Society of London), published in
Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, is the first to
compare temperature with amounts of disease in order to infer future
patterns at high altitudes. The fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis
(Bd) has severely affected over 700 amphibian species worldwide causing
more extinction events than any other infectious disease known to
science. From analysing lake melt and amphibian infection rates over eight
years, the researchers found that the earlier that the valley’s lakes
melted in the springtime, the higher were the rates of infection for
both frogs and toads. Read the paper here: Clare, F. C.
et al (2016)
Climate forcing of an emerging pathogenic fungus across a montane
multi-host community Published 24 October 2016 as part of a Special
Issue on Emerging Fungal Threats in Philosophical Transactions of the
Royal Society B
New protected marine areas announced –
Scottish Government Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham will
today (26 October) designate two new Marine Protection Areas (MPAs)
around the Fair Isle and in the Firth of Clyde. The announcement will be
made at the Marine Conservation Society Annual Conference in Edinburgh. • The Wreck of Iona I Historic MPA (HMPA) will
preserve the wreck of a 19th century paddle steamer, Iona I, which was
built in 1862 for use in the American Civil War, but sank shortly after
launch in the Firth of Clyde. The Fair Isle D&R MPA demonstrates a community-led
approach to marine environment sustainability, which was overwhelmingly
supported by local communities and presents opportunities for increased
recreation, tourism, research and education. The wreck of Iona I is the well-preserved sunken
Clydebuilt 19th-century paddle steamer and a site of national
importance. Operating on the Clyde as a passenger vessel, it was then
purchased by Confederate agents to run the blockade of Southern ports
during the American Civil War. As one of very few surviving paddle steamer
wrecks, Iona I makes a significant contribution to the cultural
landscape of the Clyde basin and our understanding of Clyde paddle
steamers and Scotland’s role in the American Civil War. Ms Cunningham said: “I am pleased to confirm the
designation of these new Marine Protection Areas and I would like to
thank all those who contributed to the consultation. Scotland’s seas
have played and continue to play a valuable cultural and economic roles.
Not only are they fundamental to our way of life, they are habitats for
a huge diversity of marine and wildlife. It is our duty to protect these
rich areas and historical sites while ensuring they benefit local
communities. These MPAs will help protect and enhance our marine
environment so it remains a prized asset for future generations.”
Scotland’s largest conservation charity, the
National Trust for Scotland has welcomed the Scottish Government’s
announcement that a Marine Protection Area (MPA) is to be established in
the waters around Fair Isle. On 26 October, Environment Secretary Roseanna
Cunningham confirmed that a community-led Fair Isle Demonstration and
Research MPA will be established in order to enable development of new
or improved forms of marine management to protect seabirds and promote
ecotourism. Fair Isle, which is 24 miles from Shetland, is the
most remote inhabited island in the UK and has been owned by the
National Trust for Scotland since 1954. The Trust has been supporting
the islanders’ efforts to have the MPA established since 1995 as it
ensures the charity’s key objectives of conserving Fair Isle’s
internationally important seabird colony and the marine habitats that
underpin it, with resulting economic benefits for the human community. The Trust acquired Fair Isle from George
Waterston, founder of the island’s permanent bird observatory, which was
located there because of its unique importance as a bird migration
watchpoint. As well as the migrants, the island supports one of the most
important seabird colonies in Europe, hosting species such as such as
Atlantic Puffin, Arctic Skua, Great Skua, and Arctic Tern, Common
Guillemot, Razorbill, Northern Gannet, Black-legged Kittiwake and
Northern Fulmar. The marine environment is vital to the wellbeing
of these seabirds and the MPA is a significant step forward. The residents of Fair Isle make a living through
crofting, traditional crafts such as boat-building, spinning, weaving
and, of course, knitting – the internationally famous Fair Isle jumpers
originated here. In recent times, islanders have increasingly
benefited from eco-tourism and hence protection of marine and island
environments is equally important to people as it is to wildlife.
People's Postcode Lottery supports new schools' project to celebrate
local nature – RSPB Scotland Free school sessions begin this autumn to
introduce local children to some of the wonderful wildlife living on
their doorsteps An exciting new project has been launched today by
RSPB Scotland, giving pupils from Perth & Kinross, Dundee, Fife and
Angus the opportunity to learn about Scotland’s threatened wildlife and
the nature that lives near them. RSPB Scotland has received nearly £20,000 thanks
to players of People’s Postcode Lottery. The funding boost from Postcode
Local Trust will enable RSPB Scotland to take local primary schools to
beautiful locations around the Tay Estuary to learn about the inspiring
return of white-tailed eagles. Sara Rasmussen, RSPB Scotland Community Outreach
Officer said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for local children to
learn first-hand about white-tailed eagles and other wonderful wildlife
that lives on our doorstep. The return of these iconic birds is a great
way to engage children in discovering and connecting to their local
wildlife and inspire them to become future guardians of the natural
world. We are really grateful for all the support from the players of
People’s Postcode Lottery that has made this possible.”
New action plan to tackle fly-tipping launches
– Keep Britain Tidy Reaching the Tipping Point: our action plan for
fly-tipping is launched at the Tidy Britain All-Party Parliamentary
Group. The launch comes as we reveal the results of two new surveys that
show the true scale of the problem. In the first of two surveys, we found out that 70%
of local authorities say fly-tipping is a major problem, while a
separate Ipsos MORI survey shows that over a third of people (36%) said
they thought it was OK to do things that are legally defined as
fly-tipping. The growing cost of clearing up unsightly
fly-tipped rubbish is putting pressure on local authorities that are
already struggling with funding problems. 53% of local authorities who said fly-tipping was
a major problem think that changes – including the increase of bulky
waste charges and closing recycling centres - have contributed to the
problem. Keep Britain Tidy Chief Executive Allison
Ogden-Newton said: “We know that local authorities are at their wits’
end trying to tackle the growing crisis of dumped rubbish and our
surveys show that there is a real challenge here to educate the public
that not only is it not OK to fly-tip, it is illegal and can result in a
substantial fine for householders and a criminal record.” The Ipsos MORI nationwide survey of 1,133 people
in England aged 18+ revealed that 47% of people don’t know that they’re
responsible in law if their waste is fly-tipped by a third party and 36%
of people think it is acceptable to get rid of an unwanted sofa or
mattress in a way that is, legally, classed as fly-tipping. The latest
figures for fly–tipping show that there were more than 900,000 reported
fly-tipping incidents in 2014/15 and fly-tipping is costing local
councils in excess of £50million a year to deal with. We have launched an action plan to tackle the
blight of fly-tipping, aimed at working in partnership with local
authorities and their contractors to raise awareness with the public and
help them drive home the message that if residents and businesses want
cleaner communities, they need to understand that they have a legal duty
of care. Download the report
Reaching the Tipping Point: our action plan for fly-tipping (PDF)
Fly-tipping results in closure of nature reserve car park
– Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust has been forced
to close the car park of its Broad Colney Lakes Nature Reserve due to
repeated fly-tipping.
The car park at Broad Colney Lakes, to the South
of London Colney near St Albans, will be locked from 1st November,
following a large number of fly-tipping incidences at the reserve. The
reserve will still be accessible on foot, but cars will no longer be
able to park on site.
Landmark report shows global wildlife populations on course to decline
by 67 percent by 2020 - WWF and
Zoological Society of London WWF calls on governments to fast-track action on
conservation, climate change and sustainable development New data released by WWF and ZSL (Zoological
Society of London) today reveals that overall global vertebrate
populations are on course to decline by an average of 67 per cent from
1970 levels by the end of this decade, unless urgent action is taken to
reduce humanity’s impact on species and ecosystems. Global populations of fish, birds, mammals,
amphibians and reptiles have already declined by 58 per cent on average
since 1970. This is an average annual decline of two per cent,
with no sign yet that this rate will decrease. Populations that
have been impacted by human activity include those of African elephants
in Tanzania, maned wolves in Brazil, hellbender salamanders in the USA,
leatherback turtles in the tropical Atlantic, orcas in European waters
and European eels in UK rivers. The Living Planet Report 2016 is the world’s most
comprehensive survey to date of the health of our planet. It highlights
how human activities including deforestation, pollution, overfishing and
the illegal wildlife trade, coupled with climate change, are pushing
species populations to the edge as people overpower the planet for the
first time in Earth’s history. However, widespread ratification of the
Paris agreement on climate change, new restrictions on the international
trade in threatened species including pangolins and African grey
parrots, and conservation measures that are leading to increases in
global tiger and panda populations indicate that solutions are possible.
Orca populations in European waters are under
threat from persistent organic pollutants (POPs). Despite legislative
restrictions on their use, these pollutants are still present in orcas’
blubber at levels that exceed all known marine mammal toxicity
thresholds. The European eel is declining due to disease,
overfishing and changes to its freshwater habitat that impede its
migration to the sea to breed. Conservation measures including the preservation
of habitat and strict controls on hunting have led to population
increases in Europe for the brown bear, grey wolf and Eurasian lynx.
Populations have increased by 108 per cent since 1960, 303 per cent
since 1970 and 495 per cent since 1963 respectively.
Read the data and access the report.
Unlocking the River Severn for people and wildlife
- Environment Agency and Natural England Funding announced for major new wildlife project
to reopen the River Severn for fish and wildlife. A major new wildlife project to reopen the mighty
River Severn has secured almost £20 million of funding – £10.8 million
from the Heritage Lottery Fund and £6 million from the European Union
LIFE programme. The scheme will re-open the mighty River Severn
and its major tributary for fish and wildlife whilst reconnecting
millions of people and local communities with the lost natural, cultural
and industrial heritage of this magical river. This is the largest project of its kind ever
attempted in Europe and will reopen the UK’s longest river to all fish
species, many of which became extinct in the upper reaches following the
installation of weirs required to power the Industrial Revolution in the
1800s. The work will remove blockages and secure the long-term future of
many of the UK’s declining and protected fish species by substantially
increasing access to important spawning grounds. The project was developed as part of a 3 year long
collaborative partnership between the Severn Rivers Trust, the Canal &
River Trust, the Environment Agency and Natural England. Today, more than 6 million people live within
close proximity of the River Severn, and the project will build upon the
wide economic and social benefits to local communities the river brings. In reconnecting people with the river, the project
will raise awareness of the value of UK rivers, not only for enhancing
biodiversity, tourism and fishing, but ensuring the River Severn system
is protected for our future generations to enjoy as part of our natural
and historic heritage, and an important piece of what made Britain the
economic powerhouse it is today. Work to install the first of seven
state-of-the-art fish passes will begin in 2017, and the project will
take approximately 5 years to complete.
Unlocking the River Severn: a major new project to benefit people and
wildlife – Natural England blog Lynne Farquhar, a Conservation Advisor at Natural
England, tells us about a major new
project that will help secure the long-term future of many of the
UK’s declining protected fish - including the rare shad - whilst
re-connecting millions of people with the River Severn along the way.
Report finds slow growth for red kites in Northern Scotland
– Scottish Natural Heritage Reintroduced red kite numbers are on the rise
throughout much of Scotland, with at least 283 pairs in 2015, but a new
Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) report has found the population in the
North Scotland continues to grow more slowly than other reintroduced
populations.
The report updates earlier work and suggests that
illegal killing is still considered to be the main reason red kite
numbers are not higher in North Scotland. The report, commissioned by SNH and carried out by
RSPB’s Centre for Conservation Science, found that, although not at risk
of decline, the red kite population in North Scotland continues to grow
very slowly. There are currently around 70 breeding pairs in North
Scotland. The report shows that, had there been no illegal killing,
there could have been as many as 1500 pairs. However, it also estimates
that, even with this mortality continuing, there could still be around
131 pairs by 2024, and in the longer term, there could be around 550
pairs by 2044, although predictions are less certain over a longer time
period. Survival rates, and the proportion of illegally
killed birds being found, were similar to the previous study. Of 57 dead
red kites recovered between 2007 and 2014, 24 (42%) were confirmed to
have been illegally killed. This compares with a figure of 40% of
recovered dead birds confirmed to have been illegally killed throughout
the period from the start of the reintroduction in 1989 up to 2006. Most
red kites being killed are young birds, resulting in lower numbers
reaching the breeding population. As a result, the population growth has
been much slower than elsewhere. Assuming the level of persecution remains
unchanged, the study also assessed the impacts of a 2014 incident of
illegal poisoning of red kites in Ross-shire as well as potential risks
from wind farms. The incident in Ross-shire, in which 16 red kites were
found dead with 12 subsequently confirmed to have been poisoned, raised
fears of a significant impact on the kite population. The report found
that when modelled as a one-off event, the Ross-shire incident had a
relatively small impact in the short-term, but reduces the predicted
2024 population by 5% to 124 pairs and the estimated 2044 population by
7% to 513 pairs. response:
Scottish Gamekeepers Association statement: Red
Kite Report In response to a report by the RSPB, commissioned
by SNH, on red kites in Scotland between 2007 and 2014, the Scottish
Gamekeepers Association issued the following statement.
Half a million pounds to improve access to Wales’ Great Outdoors
– Welsh Government Visitors and local communities will now be able to
enjoy even more of Wales’ great outdoors thanks to over half a million
pounds of access funding, announced by Environment Secretary Lesley
Griffiths today (28/10). In total, the Welsh Government has allocated
£532,000 for 2016/2017 to improve accessibility in three of Wales’
iconic National Parks and four of our Areas of Outstanding Natural
Beauty. Proposed work in the Brecon Beacons includes
improvements to the access road and facilities at Llyn y Fan Fach in the
West Beacons, and visitor and traffic management improvements at
Pontneddfechan in Wales’ popular Waterfall Country. Last year, Welsh
Government funding allowed the park to repair damage caused by illegal
off-roading. Snowdonia National Park Authority will use the
money to further develop the final section of the Snowdon circular route
and to improve Cwellyn car park and Snowdon’s Watkin path. Previous funding allowed Pembrokeshire Coast
National Park Authority to improve accessibility to the award-winning
coast path. This year they will focus on improving the visitor offer at
car parks by redesigning, adding interpretation, and improving surfacing
and traffic flow. Our Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty have
successfully obtained this access funding for the first time. The grant
will allow them to create further access opportunities for people of all
abilities to enjoy what they have to offer.
Rare geese return to Caithness for the winter
– RSPB Scotland RSPB Scotland has reported that rare Greenland
white-fronted geese have begun returning to Caithness. They have been
seen at the RSPB’s Broubster Leans nature reserve, south west of Thurso,
and at a number of other nearby locations. Their return follows an appeal last month from the
RSPB , NFU Scotland and BASC for wildfowlers to take special care so
that the geese are not mistaken for more common quarry species and
accidentally shot. All three organisations are distributing specially
commissioned geese identification cards to heighten awareness of the
geese and help wildfowlers and others to correctly identify the birds.
Police Scotland has added its support to the
initiative. Superintendent Colin Gough said, “This is a good example of
partnership working giving practical and easily understood advice to
prevent accidental shooting of these migratory birds." Dave Jones, RSPB Scotland’s site manager for
Caithness said, “Caithness hosts a small but important population of
Greenland white-fronted geese each winter. These birds have been placed
on the Red List of birds of conservation concern and they are fully
protected. They are lively sociable birds and can usually be seen in
family groups, often a mixture of adults and juveniles. The juveniles
lack the distinctive white markings of the older family members which
can make them more difficult to identify. It’s always a pleasure to
watch and hear them. Their calls have a yodelling quality about them
which, once learnt, is quite easy to recognise. Our reserve at Broubster
Leans is a good place to see them but they are very mobile and will
travel from place to place to feed and roost. It’s great that so many
people and organisations are recognising the importance of these geese
to Caithness and I hope they continue to find the county a safe winter
home as they have for so many generations past.”
First record of a bearded tit in Herefordshire!
– Herefordshire Wildlife Trust Earlier this week (24th October), a bearded tit
was spotted at a wetland sight in the Lugg Valley - the first time this
species has ever been recorded in Herefordshire.
Reed beds, found around the edges of lowland
lakes, are the bearded tits’ preferred habitat. They feed on the seeds
of the reeds during the winter and in spring they build their nests from
the reed stems. However, this type of habitat is becoming increasingly
scarce across the country. In Herefordshire, the lakes which fill the
exhausted gravel pits along the Lugg Valley have the potential to
provide large areas of reed bed which would be of huge benefit to a wide
range of wildlife. At Bodenham Lake nature reserve, Herefordshire
Wildlife Trust are planning to re-profile areas of the lake to create
shallower sides and areas of reed bed. The Lugg Living Landscape Officer, Sophie Cowling,
commented: “This is such an exciting sighting. The bearded tit is
exactly the sort of reed bed specialist we are hoping to attract to the
reserve".
Scientific Publications Perry, G. L. W., Moloney, K. A. & Etherington, T. R. (2016)
Using network connectivity to prioritise sites for the control of
invasive species. Journal of Applied Ecology.
DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.12827 Mannocci, L., Roberts, J. J., Miller, D. L. & Halpin, P. N. (2016)
Extrapolating cetacean densities to quantitatively assess human impacts
on populations in the high seas. Conservation Biology.
DOI: 10.1111/cobi.12856
Hanmer, H. J., Thomas, R. L. and Fellowes, M. D.
E. (2016),
Provision of supplementary food for wild birds may increase the risk of
local nest predation. Ibis. Accepted Author Manuscript.
doi:10.1111/ibi.12432 Francesca Bretzel, Francesca Vannucchi, Daniela
Romano, Fernando Malorgio, Stefano Benvenuti, Beatrice Pezzarossa,
Wildflowers: from conserving biodiversity to urban greening − a review,
Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, Available online 25 October 2016, ISSN
1618-8667, DOI: 10.1016/j.ufug.2016.10.008.
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A
small snail, usually found in the Mediterranean region, has been
recorded at Cresswell on Druridge Bay and causing great excitement at
Northumberland Wildlife Trust.
Shoveller,
one of many species of duck that overwinters on the lakes west of
Heathrow. Pic Roy McDonald
image:
© Imperial College London
Fly-tipping
at Broad Colney Lakes
Orca
in the North Sea (image: WWF)
Red
kite in flight (image: SNH)
Adult
male Greenland white-fronted goose at the RSPB Loch Gruinart nature
reserve (image, Andy Hay, RSPB)
Bearded
tit, photo from Espen Quinto-Ashman via Herefordshire Wildlife Trust
