BirdGuides Blog

Swans tower above recent flood

2012-05-18T15:05:00.000+01:00

As flooding affects the nesting season on the Ouse washes at WWT Welney, one pair of swans were towering above the lapping water.

A determined pair of Mute Swans are refusing to lose their nest to the flood waters at Welney. Gathering what vegetation they can find, they are trying to weather the lapping waters to continue incubating their eggs and hopefully hatch the cygnets inside.

As a result of the flooding on the Ouse washes this spring the breeding season at Welney has come to a standstill. But one of the many pairs of Mute Swans that breed on the reserve is not giving up without a battle. Since the waters came on they have increased the height of their nest from its origins on the banks of the ditch next to the footpaths.

‘The water levels are now dropping, relieving the pressure on this particular pair of Mute Swans’ says Marketing and Events Officer, Emma Brand. ‘We hope the levels will continue to drop over the weekend to have paths to some of the hides open next week, then we should be back to normal with regards to access for the June half term activities, which include pond-dipping, moths on display and biodiversity blitz sessions’.

With the water levels decreasing, the hope is that the reserve will start to open up again to visitors and provide feeding areas for the birds once more. Updated information about the access on the reserve and what activities are available can be found at www.wwt.org.uk/Welney .

Emperor Moth flashmob

2012-05-09T17:41:00.000+01:00

I took the rash step of buying my brother an iPod Touch for Christmas. It's proving to have been a good purchase. Earlier this week this snippet of interesting video arrived in my inbox...

How cool. I imagine there's an emerging female Emperor Moth in the wall. There are a few more clips, and you can see literally hundreds of male moths flying over the moor to investigate. I just need to persuade Fraser that filming in landscape is a better option.

Cuckoo Lyster on BBC breakfast

2012-05-04T22:29:00.003+01:00

Any early birds will be able to see some amazing footage of Lyster, filmed shortly after his return to the UK, on BBC One's Breakfast show tomorrow morning (Sat 6th May).

Everyone involved in this project was filled with a sense of wonder, amazement and elation as news broke that Lyster was the first Cuckoo to complete the epic 10,000 mile round trip, returning to a location just 5 miles from his tagging site. Phil Atkinson and Paul Stancliffe of the BTO rushed to the Norfolk Broads in the hope of catching a glimpse of our returning hero, undaunted by the odds against finding one Cuckoo in miles of marsh and farm land. As you will see in the BBC's footage, luck was certainly shining on Phil and Paul, even if the sun wasn't!

Check out the BTO website tomorrow for the full, behind the scenes, story of how we managed to film amazing footage of Lyster within hours of his return to the UK.

It's not such happy news for Martin, though. We have received no further data from him since 9th April, and sadly must now assume that he is dead.

Martin made it as far as Lorca in southern Spain, where we last heard from him. In that last transmission his tag temperature dropped from a normal 30-32 °C to 11.7 °C, a gradual change over the course of a night. While fearing for the worst, we did hope that he might pop up further north. We are now convinced that this is very unlikely, and must announce Martin's demise.

Martin has bequeathed a wealth of knowledge that has improved our understanding of Cuckoo migration. Of our original band of five, Martin was the first to return to Europe. As the only Cuckoo over two years old, he was looking good to be the first bird to return. He may have fallen victim to some severe weather conditions, which the other birds avoided by crossing the Mediterranean a little later.

--BTO

Wales Coast Path Bird Race 2012

2012-05-03T16:37:00.001+01:00

To mark the official opening of the Wales Coast Path on 5^th May 2012, Visit Wales is organising the first ever ‘crowdsourced’ count of bird species along the Welsh coast.

Partnering with key national and local wildlife groups and people, the aim is to set a new record for the number of species of birds seen in one day around Wales.

We’re asking local enthusiasts, ramblers, reserve wardens and visiting birders to share what they’re seeing, wherever they are.

Join in

While walking anywhere along the Wales Coastal Path, people can tell us what they’ve seen via Twitter or Facebook.

Visit Wales will then highlight the top sightings of the day and track the total number of species seen between dawn and dusk — in the process setting a new record for Wales.

To get involved, take to the Wales Coast Path and simply share the species of bird spotted, plus the rough location:

· Via Twitter, by including the hashtag: #WCPbirds in a tweet

· By leaving a comment on the Visit Wales Facebook page

Follow the action

· By following @WCPbirds on Twitter

· By checking the live blog on the day at http://blog.visitwales.co.uk/

And then there was one

2012-04-23T04:18:00.002+01:00

Only two of the three Tawny Owl eggs in the BTO nestbox hatched. The smaller of the two young owls quickly disappeared, leaving a single chick. Nevertheless, both parents have been busy bringing in a variety of food, including the odd Blackbird.

Farm manager pleads guilty to charge of possessing illegal pesticide

2012-04-18T20:37:00.001+01:00

A 50 year old man has pled guilty to a charge of possession of the banned pesticide Carbofuran.
Today at Oban Sheriff Court, Tom McKellar pled guilty to a charge of having the poison while working as a Farm Manager at the Auch Estate, near Bridge of Orchy in Argyll in 2009.
Outlining the background of the case the Procurator Fiscal, Kate Fleming, noted that McKellar had admitted to police that a gamebag found on the porch of his home with a container holding Carbofuran belonged to him. He also admitted that he set out meat laced with the poison as bait for foxes.
The police were first alerted to the estate on 8th June 2009, when a group of hillwalkers phoned RSPB Scotland to report finding the body of a Golden Eagle on the slopes of Beinn Udlaidh, near Bridge of Orchy.
RSPB Scotland Investigations staff, accompanied by a Wildlife Crime Officer from Strathclyde Police, retrieved the body as evidence.
Tests by the Scottish Government laboratories revealed that the adult Golden Eagle had been poisoned with Carbofuran, which has been illegal to possess or use in the UK since 2001.
A follow-up search of land and buildings on Auch Estate, led by the police, with the assistance of RSPB Scotland, SSPCA, Scottish Government and the National Wildlife Crime Unit, revealed a dead fox, confirmed as poisoned, and a sheep carcass laced with Carbofuran.
Sheriff Small asked that the case be continued for preparation of social enquiry reports. Defence agents will outline the mitigation for the offence when the case resumes on the 29th May.
At an earlier hearing in December 2010 at the High Court in Glasgow, McKellar also plead guilty to various firearms offences and was sentenced to 300 hours community service.

Lyster on the move

2012-04-15T21:46:00.000+01:00

Everyone following the BTO Cuckoos was worried about Lyster; there had been no news from him since 1st April, when he was in Ivory Coast. At 12.55 on Friday afternoon, a partial signal was received showing his location as Algeria! There was an anxiously wait for a stronger signal. Sure enough this data came through an hour later, enabling confirmation that Lyster is still very much with us and has nearly completed his Sahara crossing.

The signal came from a location just 75 miles west of where Chris was recorded in the Great Erg desert on his way to Italy.

Chris and Martin have stayed put in Italy and Spain respectively. One of the reasons for this may be because of adverse weather. Southern Spain, where we last heard from Martin, has had thunderstorms, hail and strong northerly winds in the last few days — just one of the many hazards faced by migrating birds.

BTO Tawny Owls have chicks

2012-04-02T15:59:00.001+01:00

Two of the three eggs in the Tawny Owl nestbox have hatched; the first on 29th March and the second on 31st March. You can watch all of the Tawny Owl videos on the BTO's YouTube channel.

Mystery bone

2012-03-08T17:45:00.000Z

This bone was found last autumn in upstate New York in a marshy area 500 yards from the shores of Lake Ontario. We reckon we might know what it is... but we're prepared to be completely wrong — we'd love to hear what you think what it might have once belonged to!

All photos by Rod Gehan

Spring jolly

2012-02-26T21:06:00.000Z

The sun is shining; Blackbirds are singing; I even took the fleece lining out of my jacket this afternoon!

The day started with mothing — plenty in the traps after the mild weather, including this Dotted Border showing off its dotted border.

Then onwards to Barnes where this Caspian Gull was pottering about on the wader scrape and a female Bombus lapidarius pottering about the flowerbeds.

Beautiful!

Batumi Raptor Count intern position

2012-02-23T09:31:00.000Z

The Batumi Raptor Count (BRC) seeks a motivated and passionate intern to work with BRC on developing conservation and monitoring programmes in the Republic of Georgia. The intern will live near the Black Sea city of Batumi, capital of Ajara region, from April 16th to September/October 2012. The intern will be required to act as the BRC’s representative “on the ground” and also assist with the organisation of monitoring, education and ecotourism work. This is a unique opportunity to play a key part in a major conservation activity and is also an excellent chance for the intern to get experience of applied conservation work. BRC aims to keep the costs to the volunteer low and will provide free accommodation, food, in-country transport and cover the costs of travel to and from Georgia.

As well as organising our activities volunteers will also get the chance to participate in the 2012 autumn migration count where >80,000 raptors can be seen in a day!

Lesser Spotted Eagle & Steppe Buzzards — photo: Stephen Menzie

Please visit the BRC website to download a PDF with more details, including how to apply, or contact Danny Heptinstall djheptinstall@googlemail.com — or if you know someone who you think might be interested in the position, do pass along this information.

2012 Annual Scottish Birdwatchers' Conference

2012-02-14T11:57:00.000Z

This year's BTO/SOC Scottish Birdwatchers' Conference, held in partnership with Argyll Bird Club, takes place at The Corran Halls, Oban on Saturday 17th March 2012. The conference will showcase leading scientific research on some of Scotland's most iconic wildlife and internationally recognised habitats found on the Isles and mainland of the beautiful west coast.

A PDF of the full programme can be downloaded here. Attendance costs £29 and included conference fee, lunch, and teas & coffees. For further information/booking enquiries please contact Anne Cotton at BTO Scotland: anne.cotton@bto.org or 01786 466560. Ensure you book your place before 26th February 2012 to avoid disappointment.

A free BTO-led Wetland Bird Survey walk will take place on Sunday 18th March. Further details can be found on the conference pdf.

Sneak peek at Bird Atlas 2007-11

2012-02-08T14:58:00.001Z

The latest news from Bird Atlas 2007-11 is now online: you can download the pdf here.

The Atlas field work is now complete and the newsletter includes details of local atlas projects, preliminary results, breeding season coverage, and a look at species pages from the book.

Blizzard of birds hits frozen gardens

2012-02-07T13:07:00.000Z

Huge numbers of birds have swept into gardens over the last few days, latest results from the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) Garden BirdWatch reveal.

Fieldfares and Redwings, both migrant thrushes to our shores, have led the charge. Compared with the preceding week – when thousands of people took part in the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch – over five times as many Fieldfares have recently been seen in gardens, and over twice as many Redwings.

The results, collected by participants in the year-round BTO Garden BirdWatch survey, show that numbers of other thrushes, such as Song Thrush (up 72%), Mistle Thrush (up 49%), have also increased hugely over the past week. Numbers of the familiar Blackbird are up by a third.

Gardens have been inundated across the UK, even where snow has not settled. In southwest England, for instance, where conditions are typically milder than elsewhere, numbers of Redwing and Fieldfare have rocketed. Here and in Wales, gardens are likely to be providing a refuge for many birds displaced from further north and east.

The exciting activity, featuring notable increases of Pied Wagtail, Woodpigeon, Brambling, Wren and Jay, shows just how much things can change in a week.

Tim Harrison, BTO Garden BirdWatch, commented: “Many householders will be really disappointed that this huge influx of birds has come a week too late for their RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch count. Thankfully, however, people can make their garden count all year round through BTO Garden BirdWatch.”

Data collected by BTO volunteers show how sensitive our resident bird populations are to severe winter weather. Last winter’s cold snap saw numbers of Robins and Wrens drop by a third, Song Thrushes by a quarter and Dunnocks by a fifth, compared with the five-year average. Fortunately, many of these losses were offset by a bumper breeding season during 2011 but there are now lots of inexperienced birds out there feeling the cold.

Tim continued: “The survival of these birds is on a knife-edge but there is much that householders can do to help. Peanuts, finely grated cheese and beef suet can provide a calorific hit; windfall or fresh fruit will help sustain thrushes, and sunflower hearts are a particular favourite with finches. The other important way to help is by counting your visitors. You can do this whatever the weather through BTO Garden BirdWatch.”

Britain's birds need runners

2012-02-01T10:28:00.000Z

It is well known that some of our favourite birds are in trouble. Birds like the Swift, Cuckoo, House Sparrow and Starling. If you can run, you can help.

The British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), based in Thetford, Norfolk, has reserved a number of places in this year’s Brighton marathon, to be held on 15th April, and it has a small number of them left. By taking part for the BTO, money raised will help conserve Britain’s birds. Last year, runners in the Brighton marathon, helped to fund much-needed research into birds like the Cuckoo, Nightingale and Swift, all of which have shown dramatic declines as breeding birds in this country.

Rachel Irvine, of the BTO, commented, “It is amazing what people will do for Britain’s birds; we have had people jump out of aeroplanes, shave their beard off and cycle coast to coast, all to raise vital funds for research and conservation. Over the last twenty-five years, we have lost over half of our breeding Cuckoos and, more recently, over half of our Nightingales and a quarter of our Swifts. Whilst we know some of the pressures that these birds face, we don’t have the whole picture; until we have this it is difficult to target conservation action to help reverse these declines. By running twenty-six miles you can help birds like these that travel up to ten thousand miles each year. Right now we are tracking Cuckoos in their winter quarters in Congo, Central Africa, using the very latest satellite tracking technology. These birds have already told us a lot we didn’t know but there is still a lot more to learn."

If you want to secure a place, or for more information, please visit www.bto.org/run or call Rachel Irvine on 01842 750050

BTO Bird Atlas Species Auction

2012-01-25T18:09:00.001Z

Next week the BTO and BirdWatch Ireland will be running a joint auction of the last seven bird species for Bird Atlas — Long-tailed Duck, Great Northern Diver, Hen Harrier, Oystercatcher, Iceland Gull, Fieldfare and Hooded Crow. If you would like to take part please visit the auction webpage for the auction details. Don't miss out on this last chance to see your support of a species displayed in Bird Atlas 2007-11!

Peeping Peregrine

2012-01-23T09:20:00.001Z

Some of us would complain about a nosey neighbour who peeked through the window and into our bedroom each day, but not Deirdre Baker — she receives a daily visit from a curious Peregrine Falcon that nests nearby.

Deirdre, who’s feathered friend has been perching on the windowsill of her apartment in Stroud, Gloucestershire, since early December, said: “It was a bit of a shock when I first spotted him, but after a while we got used to each other. He flies over to my window each morning as soon as it’s light and doesn’t leave, apart from to search for food, until dusk.”

Until recently, Peregrines were widely regarded as birds of wild crags or lonely sea cliffs, but changing landscapes mean they have adapted to living in more unlikely places. To a Peregrine, a tall building offers the same benefits as a cliff face: high, away from danger, and surrounding areas offering a good source of food (usually, in cities, Feral Pigeons). Iconic locations they have chosen as their homes include London’s Tate Modern, Lincoln Cathedral, Birmingham’s Fort Dunlop, Manchester’s Exchange Square and Cardiff City Hall.

Peeping Peregrine — photo by Deirdre Baker

Birds in Cheshire and Wirral

2012-01-20T10:34:00.002Z

Birds of Cheshire and Wirral – A breeding and wintering atlas — judged 4th place in the prestigious British Birds/BTO Best Book of the Year 2009 and the perfect model for future county avifauna and atlas publications — has taken another revolutionary step; its entire content has now been published online. The publication can be accessed at:

— www.cheshireandwirralbirdatlas.org —

The website contains the same graphics and highly informative information that was originally published in the book, accessible at the click of a mouse — and it's free to access everything. CAWOS and the author are to be congratulated on this forward thinking move that well and truly brings bird atlases into the 21st Century.

Brush up on your thrushes

2012-01-18T10:35:00.000Z

Both Song Thrush and Mistle Thrush are currently brightening up the grey January mornings with the far-carrying songs; but how to tell them apart when they're not singing? The BTO have put together an excellent guide to identifying Song & Mistle Thrushes.

If you have Song Thrushes or Mistle Thrushes visiting your garden — or any other birds, for that matter — and would like to contribute your garden bird sightings to help the BTO monitor changing trends in garden wildlife, why not sign up for BTO's Garden BirdWatch? Details of Garden BirdWatch can be found online: http://www.bto.org/volunteer-surveys/gbw/join or email gbw@bto.org

BTO have also put together a thrush masterclass video:

If you enjoyed the video, you might like to take a look at British Birds Video Guide from where much of the footage originated.

New study reveals Slavonian Grebes’ breeding must-haves

2012-01-13T16:12:00.001Z

Stopping the introduction of Pike into Scottish lochs could help ensure the future of one of Scotland’s rarest birds, according to research by RSPB Scotland. The study, led by RSPB and part funded by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), looked at what factors influence breeding Slavonian Grebes to choose certain lochs to raise young. It found that the moderately sized lochs with an abundance of small fish (sticklebacks and minnows) to feed on, clear water to hunt fish and plenty of nesting habitat were most suitable for the species. It also revealed that lochs containing Pike had fewer small fish, which are a valuable food source for grebes.

The Slavonian Grebe only began breeding in the UK in 1908; its population today remains restricted to northern Scotland where latest counts have shown only 29 breeding pairs remain. Conservationists hope a better understanding of species, particularly during the breeding season, could help determine what measures are needed to reverse the population decline. Ron Summers, RSPB Scotland’s Principal Conservation Scientist said “The Slavonian grebe is still a relative newcomer to the UK and as such we have much to learn about its behaviour and factors affecting its population size. This research helps us understand what kind of conditions are suitable for grebes when raising young. In this way, we can help ensure suitable habitat is maintained and that the species isn’t competing against others, such as Pike, for food. By considering these measures we stand a better chance of improving breeding success in the future.”

Tim Dawson, SNH South Highlands area officer, added: “We'd all like to make sure these striking birds not only remain in the Highlands, but also increase their small numbers. This study is an important first step, giving us information on how to help protect these vulnerable birds.”

African Bird Club awards reach £100,000

2012-01-09T14:26:00.003Z

The African Bird Club Conservation Fund has reached a new milestone having awarded a total of £100,000 to bird study projects since it was launched in 1996.

In that time, ABC has assisted over 120 applicants in over 30 African countries. These have ranged from bird and habitat surveys, to educational and promotional materials for use with community projects. Assistance has also been given to expeditions poorly-known areas in Africa. Usually the grants are around £750-£1500 and are often awarded to applicants whose criteria do not match those of larger funds who work with larger projects. Applicants should normally be resident in Africa, but consideration will be given where the applicant is not in Africa, but involving colleagues who are.

The Club is particularly grateful to a number of individual members who have offered to finance specific projects that it has selected for support. This is a hugely valuable source of assistance and allows the Club to help a larger number of groups than would otherwise have been possible.

Full details of the ABC Conservation Fund can be found here: http://www.africanbirdclub.org/club/ConsFund.html

Applications should be made by 28 February, 30 June or 31 October with a lead time of at least six months.

If you would like to help the Conservation Fund or apply for project support please get in touch. Email: conservation_fund@africanbirdclub.org

Community service for former gamekeeper who poisoned four buzzards

2012-01-05T14:16:00.000Z

From RSPB Scotland:

A 45 year old man, has been ordered to carry out 100 hours of community service after admitting to poisoning four Buzzards. David Alexander Whitefield was today sentenced for killing the protected birds of prey whilst working as a gamekeeper at the Culter Allers Estate in South Lanarkshire in 2009. On passing sentence, Sheriff Nicola Stewart said the punishment was a direct alternative to a custodial sentence and that poisoning is a serious offence.

During an earlier hearing, Whitefield claimed he was under pressure from his superiors to reduce the Buzzard population “as he saw fit”, although he had not been specifically told to kill them or engage in illegal activity. RSPB Scotland was first alerted to the estate in April 2009, when a member of the public reported finding two sick birds and a dead Carrion Crow on a track near Coulter. Tests by Scottish Government laboratories revealed the crow had been poisoned with a banned substance known as Alphachloralose. Six months later, following similar reports, RSPB staff, accompanied by the Scottish SPCA, recovered a freshly-dead Buzzard lying on the remains of a rabbit; both tested positive for Alphachlorose. Finally, on 11th November 2009, the Scottish SPCA led a multi-agency search of the estate, involving police, the National Wildlife Crime Unit, the Scottish Government and RSPB Scotland. During the operation, they discovered a large quantity of high concentration Alphachloralose poison in buildings used by Whitefield. Deadly fumigants, including the banned chemical Sodium Cyanide, were also found in unlocked outbuildings.

A search of a nearby small wood led to the recovery of a further two decomposing Buzzards and a third freshly-dead bird hanging in a tree. All three were later confirmed to have been poisoned.

Speaking following today’s sentencing, Bob Elliott, Head of Investigations at RSPB Scotland, said: “We are pleased that Mr Whitefield’s actions have been viewed as a serious crime by the courts. We would like to commend Scottish SPCA for their hard work in ensuring this case resulted in a conviction. Today’s sentence is a reminder that the illegal practise of poisoning protected birds of prey will not be tolerated. With the introduction of vicarious liability at the start of this year, it is imperative that landowners are now clear with gamekeepers that this intolerable activity has no place in today’s society, or they too could also find themselves facing serious criminal charges before the courts.”

The conviction is Whitefield’s second for wildlife offences. On 1st October 2008 at Lanark Sheriff Court, Whitefield pleaded guilty to trapping a Buzzard for at least 48 hours, and failing to meet its needs whilst it was in the trap. This was the first conviction involving a wild bird under the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2008. For that offence, he was fined £300.

One man and his metal detector

2012-01-05T13:47:00.001Z

Finding a British ring and a Dutch ring in the pellets below an old Peregrine's nest almost 15 years ago sparked a passion for Mark Lawrence. Searching below nest sites with a metal detector, Mark has managed to collect an impressive number of bird rings — adding valuable data to the ringing scheme in the process. Amongst the many rings he's found, there have been a significant number from foreign ringing schemes:

Starlings from Denmark, Latvia, Lithuania (5), Russia, Estonia, the Netherlands and Sweden; Redwings from Belgium (4), France, Sweden and the Netherlands (2); A Dutch Song Thrush; Blackbirds from Germany, and the Netherlands (2); Fieldfares from Norway and Finland; a Black-headed Gull from Lithuania; Common Terns from the Netherlands and West Africa; a Chaffinch from the Netherlands; a Sandwich Tern from Sweden; and Chaffinch, Woodcock and Sand Martin from France.

The full story of Mark's metal-detecting can be read on the BTO website: http://www.bto.org/volunteer-surveys/taking-part/volunteering/volunteer-stories/winters-tale

Tawny Owl back again

2011-12-30T18:23:00.002Z

At the start of this year we blogged about the dramas of a pair of Tawny Owls nesting in a camera nest box - the male disappeared half way through the breeding season leaving the female to fend for herself and four chicks. She managed beautifully with all four young fledged successfully. Now the female is back at her box and she seems to have found a new mate. You can watch the latest footage on the BTO's YouTube channel and we'll blog about the latest news from Maison Tawny as and when anything happens.

The (BirdGuides) Nutcracker Suite

2011-12-23T16:36:00.000Z