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The reintroduction of the Chequered Skipper
On Monday 21st May, I was fortunate enough to travel to the Fagne-Famenne region of Belgium with Butterfly Conservation to collect Chequered Skippers for translocation to Rockingham Forest. It only took two days and nights for us to find ourselves in a stand-off with a family of boar, assaulted by marauding thunderstorms, dazzled by all manner of creepy-crawlies, deafened by the croaks of lime-green frogs, overawed by beautiful Belgian woodland, and (almost) claimed by a tractor on a blind bend. All in pursuit of an itty-bitty, fuzzy-wuzzy, gold and brown butterfly that vanished from England in 1976.
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: The reintroduction of the Chequered Skipper – Back From The Brink
Can Scotland save its wildcats from extinction?
The secretive mammals are fast disappearing from the Highlands but last-ditch efforts to save them are fraught with challenges
Source: Can Scotland save its wildcats from extinction? | Environment | The Guardian
INSTAR magazine for young entomologists issue 2
INSTAR Magazine Issue 2
Issue 2 of INSTAR, the digital magazine for young entomologists has been published. Find out more about insects and those people who study them….
Chris Packham warns of ‘ecological apocalypse’ in Britain
Springwatch presenter says Britain is increasingly ‘a green and unpleasant land’
Source: Chris Packham warns of ‘ecological apocalypse’ in Britain | Environment | The Guardian
Latest trends in butterfly indicators revealed
Male Orange Tip Butterfly by Harry Appleyard, Howe Park Wood 3 April 2017
Though better than the previous year, 2017 was a relatively poor year for butterflies; attributable to periods of poor weather during the spring and summer and preceding winter months.
In the UK, since 1976, the habitat specialists butterflies index has fallen by 77%, whilst wider countryside abundance is down by 46%.
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Butterfly Conservation – Latest trends in butterfly indicators revealed
New campaign to protect wildlife at sea
Today The Wildlife Trusts launch a new campaign – #WaveOfSupport – to give everyone across the country the chance to back 41 new Marine Conservation Zones and protect our part of the Blue Planet around the English coast.
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: New campaign to protect wildlife at sea | The Wildlife Trusts
Look out for dragons this summer
The British Dragonfly Society is launching a national dragonfly and damselfly hunt.
Source: Look out for dragons this summer | Discover Wildlife
Where have all our insects gone?
When Simon Leather was a student in the 1970s, he took a summer job as a postman and delivered mail to the villages of Kirk Hammerton and Green Hammerton in North Yorkshire. He recalls his early morning walks through its lanes, past the porches of houses on his round. At virtually every home, he saw the same picture: windows plastered with tiger moths that had been attracted by lights the previous night and were still clinging to the glass. “It was quite a sight,” says Leather, who is now a professor of entomology at Harper Adams University in Shropshire.
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Where have all our insects gone? | Environment | The Guardian
Mystery Solved
Lane asked for assistance in identifying the objects in these photos.
Found on a Devon coastal road (one during the evening and one in the daylight) near East Prawle on 5th June. It rolls into a ball like a pillbug when alarmed.
I’m delighted to say that Ayla Webb has identified the mystery object as the larvae of a Bloody-nosed beetle Timarcha tenebricosa
Scottish cull of ravens sanctioned
Scottish Natural Heritage is allowing the killing of 69 ravens a year to protect nesting waders.
Source: Scottish cull of ravens sanctioned | Discover Wildlife
Lyme Disease vaccine set to become available soon
In an exciting announcement, French drug manufacturer Valneva has announced that they’ve successfully completed their first-ever human trial of a vaccine against the disease. The vaccine, which is reportedly up to 96% effective, might soon be available in the UK and US at a “reasonably low” price.
Source: Lyme Disease vaccine set to become available soon, as first trials successfully passed
Why we should care about the vanishing of the swifts
It is the most miraculous bird, the ultimate winged messenger, exploring our globe, spending its life on the breeze. Sickle-shaped wings silhouetted against the sky, the swift is the fastest of all birds in level flight and remains entirely airborne for 10 months, or more, feeding, sleeping and mating on the wing. These long-lived creatures can clock up 4 million miles, commuting between English summers and African winters.
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Why we should care about the vanishing of the swifts | Patrick Barkham | Opinion | The Guardian
Unified habitat classification system is launched
A new unified and comprehensive classification coding system for all terrestrial, freshwater and marine habitats in the UK has been published.UKHab, which is free to use, has been published by the UK
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Unified habitat classification system is launched | Centre for Ecology & Hydrology
Antarctica: plastic contamination reaches Earth’s last wilderness
Plastic and traces of hazardous chemicals have been found in Antarctica, one of the world’s last great wildernesses, according to a new study.
Source: Antarctica: plastic contamination reaches Earth’s last wilderness | Environment | The Guardian
Trip Report – Rushden Lakes 5 June 2018
This week’s meet took place at Rushden Lakes in Northamptonshire, a large reserve of lakes, woodland and flower meadows owned by The Wildlife Trusts. While this site is somewhat further afield from many of our previously-visited sites, like many of our more familiar parks and reserves in Milton Keynes, it is a mere stone’s throw away from a large retail park which continues to grow day by day. Such a busy urban setting might put a casual wildlife enthusiast off from the area but as we gathered from our visit, this is an incredibly rich and diverse area in terms of both habitats and species.
As usual for our outdoor meetings, our walk began around 7pm, led this time by Reserve Ranger Toni Castello and three of his volunteers from The Wildlife Trusts. For much of the day, the weather was dull and overcast but fortunately as we made our way there, the low-level cloud cleared, bringing warm sunshine and a mostly clear sky for the rest of the evening, ideal for finding basking insects and bird-watching. After a brief introduction to the site, its history and its management, our walk began, passing by two of the lakes, the Nene Valley River and into two of the meadows.
While the breeze on the surface of the lakes prevented us from seeing the clouds of damselflies Toni and his volunteers claimed to see frequently there, we found no shortage of them basking along the waterside vegetation, two of the most numerous being the Red-eyed Damselfly and the stunning Banded Demoiselle. Male Banded Demoiselles were frequently popping up from the nettles and bushes as we walked by, with a few females and a mating pair among them also. While we were stopped next to one of the lakes, we also spotted many freshly-emerged damselflies with their exuvia in the reed-beds including Common Blue and Azure Damselflies.
Much of the discussion from Toni and the volunteers went into the making and management of various parts of the reserve, including the man-made lakes, one of which was said to be far more productive and beneficial for wildlife having been dug to various depths, rather than a mere large hole in the ground filled with water.
Fellow society member Mary Sarre wrote about the meadows and their rich diversity of flora:
“The large meadows we saw had never been ploughed and there were cattle grazing. There are two meadows, both categorised as MG4 (Lowland Meadow), the western one drier, and the eastern one wetter.
The western meadow had a range of tall grasses, and Great Burnet (Sanguisorba officinalis) in flower, and earlier in the year the Cuckoo flower, Ladies bedstraw, Birds foot Trefoil, and Meadow Vetchling would be showing.
The eastern meadow is wetter, with wet flushes containing Yellow flag Iris, soft rush and Water figwort. A Thalictrum sp was mentioned by the guide, but not seen.”
While the densely covered trees and hedgerows prevented us from seeing many of them, it was a great evening for birdsong and observing several species around the lakes. Several Black-headed Gulls were seen over the lakes, with Cormorants and Grey Herons passing over. Just before the walk began, a distant Cuckoo was heard from the circular walk and warblers were singing constantly through the evening, including 5 Garden Warblers, Reed Warblers, Willow Warblers as well as 3 Song Thrushes. This year’s unprecedented lack of hirundines was unfortunately apparent here also but a group of at least 10 Swifts could be seen over the lakes.
This trip was a satisfying and educational end to what started off as an otherwise dull day, at a site that I’m sure many of us will visit again in the future to find out more. It is apparently a notable site for waterfowl in the winter, so a recommendation for local bird-watchers for sure.
Article by Harry Appleyard and Mary Sarre
Click on any of the pictures for a larger image.
Pictures from top to bottom:
Briefing at start of the walk ©Peter Hassett
Female Banded Demoiselle ©Harry Appleyard
View over the lakes ©Harry Appleyard
Nene Valley River ©Harry Appleyard
Blue-tailed damselfly ©Julian Lambley
Meadow ©Harry Appleyard
Male Banded Demoiselle, ©Harry Appleyard
Lakeside view ©Harry Appleyard
Lakeside Trees and Reeds ©Harry Appleyard
Female Red-eyed Damselfly ©Harry Appleyard
Black-headed Gull ©Peter Hassett
Kingfisher Carving ©Harry Appleyard
Vision in Birds
Osprey ©Peter Hassett Everglades, florida 26 February 2011
Vision has a strong influence on animal behaviour and survival. Vision expert Graham Martin explains how exactly birds see the world around them
Click here to read the rest of the article.
The week in wildlife – in pictures 8 June 2018
Foraging wood ducks, an adder taking a dip and a fearless baby rabbit are among this week’s pick on images from the natural world
Source: The week in wildlife – in pictures | Environment | The Guardian
Bats in the Brecks
A citizen science initiative in Norfolk and Suffolk has been mapping the area’s importance for bat populations. BTO’s Stuart Newson and Breckland Society’s James Parry explain more.
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: BBC Blogs – Springwatch – Bats in the Brecks
Drowning, a mysterious cause of death amongst young starlings
Drowning has emerged as a mysterious cause of death amongst groups of young common starlings (Sturnus vulgaris), according to research by a team of scientists led by international conservation charity the Zoological Society of London (ZSL).
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Drowning has emerged as a mysterious cause of death amongst groups of young common starlings
New app makes identifying moths easier
Need help identifying a moth? Want to know which moth species might be on the wing tonight in your area? Now you can find out easily using ‘What’s Flying Tonight’, a new smartphone app. Lead
Source: New app makes identifying moths easier | Centre for Ecology & Hydrology
The week in wildlife – in pictures 16 June 2018
A colourful sand lizard, a giant baobab tree and a racoon with a head for heights are among this week’s pick of images from the natural world
Source: The week in wildlife – in pictures | Environment | The Guardian
Five birds brought back from the brink
Conservation is working: 25 bird species have been saved from the Critically Endangered category this century alone. Read five of the most inspiring stories of birds that have recovered thanks to the dedication of conservationists and communities.
Source: The Comeback Kids: five birds brought back from the brink | BirdLife
New Nature Magazine June 2018 published
New Nature Magazine June 2018
New Nature is the only natural history magazine written, edited and produced entirely by young people: by young ecologists, conservationists, communicators, nature writers and wildlife photographers each boasting an undying passion for the natural world. It is intended, foremost, as a celebration of nature, but also of the young people giving their time, freely, to protect it.
Spectacular display of Bee Orchids along Grafton Street
This month (June 2018), a stretch of grassland along Grafton Street (V6) between Bradville and New Bradwell is a riot of colour. In previous years, these grass verges have been mown in early June but following concerns raised by local residents, The Parks Trust has reviewed the management regime for this area and the grass is not cut until later in the summer.
The early results of this change in practice are spectacular. I visited the area last week and was amazed to see hundreds of bee orchids – many of which seem taller than is usual – on the grass banks between Wheelers Lane, Bradville and the New Bradwell aqueduct (on the east side of the V6). Carol Allen, Helen Wilson and myself paid a visit on 10thJune and as well as bee orchids, noted the following species:
Bird’s Foot Trefoil Lotus corniculatus
Common Vetch Vicia sativa
Black Medick Medicago lupulina
Self-heal Prunella vulgaris
Red Clover Trifolium pratense
White Clover Trifolium repens
Meadow Buttercup Ranunculus acris
Ox-eye Daisy Leucanthemum vulgare
Yarrow Achillea millefolium
Sorrel Rumex acetosa
These flowers we noted in a quick, 15 minute visit and there are sure to be many more species to be found by the discerning botanist! Also seen were meadow brown, common blue and brown argus butterflies and burnet companion moths. Plenty of bumblebees too.
To witness this lovely display I would suggest parking in either Wheelers Lane or Nightingale Crescent, Bradville and then walking along the redway parallel to the V6 for 200 yards or so. But don’t leave it too long – it will be past its best in early July.
Martin Kincaid
Ravens and crows may be just as clever as chimps
A new study suggests that ravens can be as clever as chimpanzees, despite having much smaller brains, indicating that rather than the size of the brain, the neuronal density and the structure of the birds’ brains play an important role in terms of their intelligence.
Bat Roost Count
Do you know of a bat roost near you, or do you have bats roosting on your property?
Help us monitor how different bat species are faring across the UK by taking part in the Roost Count. All you need to do is to count bats emerging from the roosts on two or more evenings during the summer.
Click on the link for more information: Roost Count – Bat Conservation Trust
Fifth of Britain’s wild mammals ‘at high risk of extinction’
Species including the wildcat and black rat may be lost within a decade while others such as deer are thriving, analysis shows
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Fifth of Britain’s wild mammals ‘at high risk of extinction’ | Environment | The Guardian
Trip Report – Aston Clinton Ragpits 12 June 2018
About ten of us made the rather long trek down to Aston Clinton on a lovely sunny but cold evening. The Ragpits are a tiny reserve full of interesting butterflies and flowers but as it was a cold evening the butterflies were not in evidence. However the orchids were putting on a a lovely show especially the fragrant orchids which looked gorgeous in the evening sunlight. There were also common spotted, butterfly and pyramidal orchids and many twayblades in flower.
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- Cross between a Common Spotted and Southern Marsh orchids © Julian Lambley, Clinton Ragpits 12June 2018
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- Orchid identification ©Julie Lane Clinton Ragpits 12 June 2018
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- Fragrant Orchid ©Julie Lane, Clinton Ragpits 12 June 2018
Amongst the other floral delights was squinancywort, fairy flax, yellowort and white milkweeds. The quacking grass also looked lovely in the low sunlight. A blackcap was singing and kites were flying overhead.
Just as we were leaving Jenny found an orchid which nobody could identify on site which looks a bit like a southern marsh orchid to me – any ideas? (It has now been identified at a cross between a Common Spotted and Southern Marsh orchids).
Julie Lane
The Great British Bee Count 17 May to 30 June 2018
Join Friends of the Earth’s Great British Bee Count from 17 May to 30 June 2018, and our free app will get you off to a flying start in identifying and recording different species.
Click here for more information:
The Great British Bee Count | Friends of the Earth
The Great British Bee Count in pictures
Heartwood’s wildlife numbers double
Over six years more than 40 dedicated volunteers have been monitoring the wildlife at Heartwood Forest – a newly planted woodland near St Albans. Their results show how, since planting half a million trees, some wildlife numbers have more than doubled, and new species have begun moving to the site.
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Heartwood’s wildlife numbers double – Woodland Trust
headstarting – Project Godwit
We are almost half way through the wader breeding season and what a rollercoaster it has been. We started on some highs, with the return of Mark Whiffin as our Senior Researcher on the ground who was joined by Helen Jones, new to Project Godwit but not to wader research. The reserve team at RSPB Nene Washes had been very busy getting the habitat ready and the predator fences erected. So with the research team in place and the reserve looking fantastic, the godwits started to return and just as the first ones were about to start laying eggs, a huge amount of rain combined with high tides and the whole reserve went under water. This was a massive low point for everyone.
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: headstarting – Project Godwit
Vegetative guide to orchids of the British Isles
Green-winged Orchid ©Harry Appleyard, Tattenhoe, 30 May 2018
An aid to identifying 39 orchid species when they are not in flower was produced by ID Trainer For The Future Mike Waller. It’s available to download from the Natural History Museum website.
Click here to download the guide.
Can the world’s largest rewilding project restore Patagonia’s beauty? | Environment | The Guardian
Click here to read the of the article: Can the world’s largest rewilding project restore Patagonia’s beauty? | Environment | The Guardian
Milton Keynes Festival of Nature 6-15 July 2018
Organised in partnership with The Parks Trust and Berks, Bucks and Oxon Wildlife Trust and MK Natural History Society the Festival of Nature is a celebration of the fascinating and varied nature that can be found across the city.
There is a wide-ranging programme of activities available for people of all ages, located in areas across MK.
Full details about each activity can be found in the MK Festival of Nature booklet and please go to The Parks Trust website for booking events (please note that the Teens Go Wild event is taking place at Linford Lakes Nature Reserve not MK Museum as advertised in the booklet).
If anyone is happy to help us run the Teens go Wild event on 14th July or help with our activities at the Nature Day on 14th July please contact Julie Lane at silverteasel@hotmail.com Your help would be very much appreciated.
Marsh Tit Species Focus
Marsh Tit by Harry Appleyard, Howe Park Wood 16 February 2017
Do you know why Marsh Tits are in decline, their typical lifespan or how many gardens they are recorded in? Find out in this article from the BTO quarterly magazine,
Click here to download the article
National Bat Monitoring Programme
Bat numbers in the UK have declined dramatically over the last century. You can help to monitor the UK’s bats by taking part in our surveys and observing these fascinating mammals in your local area.
Source: National Bat Monitoring Programme – Bat Conservation Trust
Exhibition – Milton Keynes’ Hidden Jewel 16 June – 6 July 2018
Westbury Arts Centre had a grant from Heritage Lottery’s My Heritage Fund to explore aspects of local history or heritage. The main focus is the history of the site, the old manor and farm. MKNHS have contributed work on the natural history heritage. A summary of the observations recorded are included in the free exhibition and booklet.
The image above shows one of the 24 panels on display at the exhibition. The exhibition is for every one interested in the world around them and especially for those who think Milton Keynes has no history.
Click on the link for more information: Upcoming Events | Exhibition – Milton Keynes’ Hidden Jewel | Westbury Arts Centre
MKNHS is not responsible for the content of external Internet sites. You should check details of any events listed on external sites with the organisers.
Trip report – Knocking Hoe Nature Reserve 9 June 2018
Leader: Matt Andrews
We all agreed this reserve was a star visit for botanists in the MKNHS calendar (but not for hay fever sufferers).
Joe and I compiled a list of outstanding flora, and others contributed observations on fauna.
We met at the ‘Live and Let Live’ pub in Pegsdon, just off the road to Hitchin, Bedfordshire, where we were treated to a rapid passing of a Merlin. We then set off with Matt who had arranged for us to walk up the private farm track along which we had sightings of several farmland birds, including skylarks, partridge, whitethroat, and yellow hammer.
Then we headed up into the chalk hills and immediately found displays of the chalk fragrant orchid (Gymnadenia conopsea) and impressive spreads of Dropwort (Filipendula vulgaris), and Hounds-tongue (Cynoglossum officinale), a member of the Borage family. The tight grassland sward showed the many characteristic plants of this habitat: fairy flax, milkwort, salad burnet, rock rose, Sainfoin, etc.
Burnt-tip orchid ©Mary Sarre, Knocking Hoe NR 9 June 2018
One of our target species, the Burnt tip orchid, (Orchis ustulata) was also abundant, as well as the Pyramidal orchid and a few Bee orchids.
The Pasqueflower was largely over (photo at top of page of the one last) but its presence was clear from the many fluffy seed-heads, mostly on the southern side of the hill. The Field fleawort and Moon-carrot were also spotted here.
The spires of Wild Mignonette, Reseda lutea and Weld, Reseda luteola were noticeable rising from the longer grasses as we walked along the ridge towards the Beech woodland on the top. Here we saw a few White Helleborines, and Sanicle, common in woodland on chalk and limestone.
Returning down by the field paths, we were intrigued by a field of red poppies, perhaps a crop for poppyseed, with fumitory, candytuft and Field madder on the edge. A Brown argus, brimstone and Common blue were seen here.
We were then ready for a very welcome sit-down and refreshment at the pub. Many thanks to Matt for his expert local knowledge and direction.
Article supplied by Mary Sarre
Photo of Pasqueflower ©Phil Sarre
Swift Awareness Week, 16-23 June 2018
This summer, Britain will become the first country in the world to dedicate a national week in support of Swifts.
Swift Awareness Week will run from 16 – 23 June. There will be events and publicity all around the country, organised by dozens of local Swift groups. These events aim to raise awareness of Swifts and bring a focus to their plight, and of course provide information about how to help them. The Swift is one of the few endangered species that individuals really can help in their own property and there are many groups across the country working hard to try to halt their dramatic decline of 50% in just 20 years.
Source: Action for Swifts: 2018 UK Swift Awareness Week, 16-23 June
Why do some butterflies and moths have eyespots?
One of many overwintered Peacocks basking in the sunshine
Discover how some species use their colourful wings as effective anti-predator defences.
Click on the link for more information: Why do some butterflies and moths have eyespots? | Natural History Museum
Wild wolf shot and killed in Denmark
Captive Wolf ©Peter Hassett 13 March 2011
One of the first wild wolves to roam free in Denmark for 200 years has been shot and killed, threatening the survival of the species in the country.
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Wild wolf shot and killed in Denmark | Environment | The Guardian
Australian magpies understand other bird calls
Australian magpies can understand what other birds are saying to each other, a new study has found.
The research, published in the journal Animal Behaviour, says the wily magpie has learned the meanings of different noisy miner calls and essentially eavesdrops to find out which predators are near.
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Australian magpies can understand other bird calls, study finds | Environment | The Guardian
Butterfly Walk – Salcey Forest 23 June 2018
Wood White ©Paul Lund, Bucknell Wood, 8 July 2017
Woodland Wings will be hosting a butterfly walk in Salcey Forest
Salcey Forest. (SP801509, ‘horsebox’ car park, Nearest Postcode: NN7 2HA) Saturday 23rd June, 10:30am
Join butterfly expert Doug Goddard to learn about and look for woodland butterflies, with target species including Wood White and the rare Black Hairstreak. Parking is limited so please let us know if you are planning on coming.
Use the following links to find out more information:
Woodland Wings Events 2018
Download the Woodland Wings Project Overview
Water shortages to be key environmental challenge of the century
Freshwater supplies have already seriously declined in 19 global hotspots – from China to the Caspian Sea – due to overuse, groundbreaking study shows
Australia completes world’s largest cat-proof fence
Feral cats kill a million native birds every night and have caused extinction of 20 native species
Would you climb Ben Nevis to find this bird?
Thanks to dedicated birders, the UK snow bunting population has been calculated for the first time.
Source: Would you climb Ben Nevis to find this bird? | Discover Wildlife
Common Cranes at Gallows Bridge
The Common Crane is a rare vagrant to Buckinghamshire and despite reintroduction schemes in the UK in recent years, there were no sightings of this species in 2016 and 2017. So when Warren Claydon…
Click here to read the rest of the article: Cranes at Gallows Bridge • Buckinghamshire Bird Club
Illegal sales of endangered wildlife rife in Europe
Exclusive: Study finds 12,000 items worth $4m, including ivory, live orangutans and a huge number of reptiles and birds for the pet trade
Source: Illegal online sales of endangered wildlife rife in Europe | Environment | The Guardian
Why are scientists so interested in orangutan poo?
Researchers have been investigating the contents of orangutan faeces.
Source: Why are scientists so interested in orangutan poo? | Discover Wildlife
Operation Turtle Dove
Turtle doves are ecologically unique, being Europe’s only long distance migratory dove. They spend just a third of the year on their breeding grounds in Europe and spend the winter on their non-breeding grounds in sub-Saharan West Africa. There are four main factors associated with the decline of turtle doves. These include the loss of […]
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Why are turtle doves in trouble? – Operation Turtle Dove
Red squirrel kits rescued
The three young red squirrels were rescued by the Scottish SPCA.
Does garden feeding shape populations?
Our understanding of the impact of feeding wild birds is far from complete, but we are beginning to unravel the effects of providing foods at garden feeding stations. An important area of research has been to examine how supplementary foods shape populations through its impacts in individuals.
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Does garden feeding shape populations? | BTO – British Trust for Ornithology
RSPB Swift Conservation Project
Swifts are in trouble. Their breeding numbers plummeted by 47 percent between 1995-2014, making them amber-listed on the list of Birds of Conservation Concern
Source: Swift Bird Conservation Project – The RSPB
You can also listed to an RSPB podcast on the Swift Conservation Project by clicking here.
Has the decline of the seal hunt saved the polar bear?
Despite vanishing sea ice and shorter winters, Labrador’s polar bear population is among the healthiest in the world – and it could be thanks to the harp seals
How do cuckoo bumblebees trick other species?
BBC Wildlife contributer Richard Jones discusses cuckoo bumblebees.
Source: How do cuckoo bumblebees trick other species? | Discover Wildlife
Rushden Lakes walk 5 June 2018
Please note the additional details Peter Meadows has provided about this walk.
Site-fidelity in Black-tailed Godwits
Shorebirds are generally philopatric (site-faithful to breeding areas) – youngsters settle to breed in areas near where they were raised and adults don’t move far in subsequent years. What happens to this process when a species is expanding its range or if chicks are reared away from their parents?
Vote for your favourite ‘bug’!
Buglife has launched a national poll to choose a bug for each nation.
Good for the mongoose
Research reveals how banded mongoose cope with competition.
RSPBNBLG Walk – 17 June 2018 Floodplain Forest NR
The RSPB North Bucks Local Group are leading a field trip:
Location: Meet at Haversham Road car park (free) near Ouse railway viaduct
SP 816 421
A second visit to this newly created Parks Trust reserve. From the three hides we should see young waders and plenty of dragonflies.
Leader : Pete How
Time: 10 am to 12.30 pm
Price: Free
Find out more about this premiere birding site on our Wildlife Sites page.
See the RSPB North Bucks Local Group website for more information
MKNHS is not responsible for the content of external Internet sites. You should check details of any events listed on external sites with the organisers.
Preventing disease at bird feeders
Bullfinch on feeder ©Peter Hassett, Summer Leys 14 January 2017
If you feed your backyard birds or know someone who does check out our new brochure on “Strategies to prevent and control bird-feeder associated diseases and threats”. Help spread the info and help prevent disease and threats to birds.
Click here to download the guide.
Timor-Leste’s incredible marine life
Situated in the heart of the ‘coral triangle’, this young nation boasts some of the most biodiverse waters in the world. As it emerges from years of unrest, it now faces the challenge of protecting its coasts, and the communities that rely on them, in the face of growing development
Click here to view the pictures: Timor-Leste’s incredible marine life – in pictures | Environment | The Guardian
National Moth Night – Bucknell Wood 16 June 2018
MKNHS members mothing at Linford Lakes NR by Julie Lane, 9 July2016
As part of National Moth Night, Woodland Wings will be hosting an event at Bucknell Wood. (SP660451, Nearest Postcode: NN12 8TW)
- Saturday 16th June, 8:30pm (bat walk at approx. 9pm)
- Sunday 17th June, 8am
As part of National Moth night the moth group will be inviting members of the public to join them to see what species are caught in their moth traps. Join us for the evening to see the traps getting set up, then go on a bat walk whilst we wait for some moths to get trapped. In the morning a light breakfast will be provided whilst we identify and show you what moths were caught overnight. Pick and choose whether you would like to join us for the whole event or just the evening or morning, but please let us know if you are coming.
Use the following links to find out more information:
Woodland Wings Events 2018
Download the Woodland Wings Project Overview
How to make a bee-friendly garden
Attract more bees to your garden: 7 top tips
Click on the link for more information: How to make a bee-friendly garden | Discover Wildlife
Plantlife June Wildflower Spotter Sheet
Bee Orchid
Plantlife produce a number of interesting guides to wildflowers.
30 Days Wild
Can you do something wild every day throughout June? That’s 30 simple, fun and exciting Random Acts of Wildness.
We’re giving you a free pack of goodies to help you plan your wild month, plus lots of ideas from your Wildlife Trust to inspire you to stay wild all throughout June (and beyond!). You’ll also get inspiring emails from your Wildlife Trust, invites to exclusive events and a chance to join in on social media.
Click on the link for more information: 30 Days Wild | The Wildlife Trusts
How to rewild your garden
Rewilding excites people with its images of wolves and ambition to return entire landscapes to nature as humans withdraw after centuries of domination. But the grandeur of rewilding can also make the concept seem remote or irrelevant to people living ever more urban lives.
Source: How to rewild your garden: ditch chemicals and decorate the concrete | Environment | The Guardian
UK government to ban ivory sales
The environment secretary says the ban will be one of the toughest in the world.
Source: UK government to ban ivory sales | Discover Wildlife
Climate change on track to cause major insect wipeout
Global warming is on track to cause a major wipeout of insects, compounding already severe losses, according to a new analysis.
Source: Climate change on track to cause major insect wipeout, scientists warn | Environment | The Guardian
Corncrakes may have bred on Rathlin Island
RSPB staff and volunteers heard the unmistakeable call of the corncrake on Rathlin Island in Northern Ireland during the last weekend of April.
Although this species has been heard on the island before, the timing is much earlier than usual and has prompted hopes that this is the offspring of previously heard birds.
Click here to read the rest of the article
Pangolins under pressure
The armour that protects pangolins makes them acutely vulnerable to the deadliest predator of all. James Fair reports on the conservationists fighting to save these amazing mammals from Homo sapiens.
How beavers can do dam good work
New research reveals the impact of beavers on their local environment.
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: How beavers can do dam good work | Discover Wildlife
Snakes care for their young
Biologists have discovered the first known example of an egg-laying snake providing care for its hatchlings.
Puffins could die out on Farne Islands
National Trust finds 12% decline since 2013, with the population of one island off Northumberland down 42%
Source: Fears puffins could die out on Farne Islands as numbers plummet | Environment | The Guardian
Where are all our Swifts?
BirTrack chart of Swift migration 2018
Data from @BirdTrack show the delay in Swift arrivals this spring. There’s still time for them to arrive but it is getting late.
You can read the BirdTrack April 2018 migration update here.
Thanks go to Sue and Andrew Hetherington for drawing my attention to BirdTrack;’s tweet.
Hydrotherapy helps a hedgehog to recover
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In November 2017, a hedgehog that was unable to move its hind legs came into the care of the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA).
A vet at the Scottish SPCA’s National Wildlife Rescue Centre recommended physiotherapy to help the hedgehog regain its strength, but this presented the centre with an interesting dilemma.
Click here to read the rest of the article
Glyphosate shown to disrupt microbiome ‘at safe levels’
Study on rats said to show that the chemical, found in Monsanto’s Roundup weedkiller, poses ‘a significant public health concern’
Source: Glyphosate shown to disrupt microbiome ‘at safe levels’, study claims | Environment | The Guardian
Mayflies
Last week (22 May 2018) on our walk around Stony Stratford Nature Reserve we saw lots of mayflies pulsating up and down above the river and settled in the foliage on the banks. On coming home I then read a very interesting article on mayflies by Nick baker in the BBC wildlife magazine and thought I would pass on some of the interesting facts here.
Green Drake mayfly, (Ephemera danica) by Frupus (CC BY-NC 2.0)
The mayfly we saw is I think the green drake or Ephemera danica which is the biggest of the British species, some of the other 51 species being absolutely tiny.
These mayflies, commonly copied by anglers for their lures, dance above the water in a mating frenzy with the females emitting an intoxicating perfume that attracts the males before she scatters her clutch of up to 8000 eggs into the waters to pass on her genes to the next generation. These eggs sink to the bottom and turn into nymphs which spend the next 1-3years developing in the sediment at the bottom of the river. Meanwhile their parents dancing above last but a day or two before they die (having no mouthparts they rely on the fat reserves laid down as a nymph to power them through this stage).
The nymphs carry on their lives in the river moulting up to 50 times before they are finally ready to return to the surface. At this stage they blow up like little air filled balloons and bob to the surface. Almost immediately on hitting the surface they unzip in a matter of seconds and emerge as adults with fully functioning wings. You might think this was their final moult but no they are unique in the insect world in having a second moult from one rather dull winged form to another, this time the sparkling beauty we saw last week. Why they do this no-one really knows.
Then the dancing begins and the whole lifecycle starts all over again.
One final fact – mayflies are the most primitive insects alive today and have been around since before the dinosaurs.
What an amazing insect!
Article kindly supplied by Julie Lane
Wildlife rescuers perform a miracle
A female seal trapped by boulders has returned to the wild.
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Wildlife rescuers perform a miracle | Discover Wildlife
Brown rats eradicated in South Georgia
The world’s largest rodent eradication project has been established as a success after South Georgia (a remote island in the southern Atlantic Ocean) is confirmed to be rodent-free.
Click here to read the rest of the article
Big Half Term Hedgehog Watch 2018
The hedgehog is rapidly disappearing from Britain. This half term week we need you to help us find out why. Hedgehogs are thought to have declined by around a third over the past 10 years, and the reasons for the decline remain largely unknown. To help solve the mystery we would like you to record when and where you see hedgehogs …
Click on the link for more information: Big Half Term Hedgehog Watch 2018 – The Mammal Society
Cooperation across the flyway for turtle doves
Yesterday (24 May 2018) a much-needed action plan was launched to save our most rapidly declining migratory bird: the turtle dove. The RSPB has worked for three years to get wide support for this plan and I am delighted to host this blog from my colleagues, Joscelyn Ashpole, Ian Fisher and Carles Carboneras, to say more.
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Good news for a Friday: cooperation across the flyway for turtle doves – Martin Harper’s blog – Our work – The RSPB Community
GDT nature photographer of the year 2018
Winning images from the prestigious annual competition held by the Society of German Wildlife Photographers (Gesellschaft Deutscher Tierfotografen – GDT) which showcases talent from within the EU. This year’s winner is German photographer Maximilian Hornisch with his image of a golden eagle
Click here to view the photos: GDT nature photographer of the year 2018 – in pictures | Environment | The Guardian
Shropshire Hills Discovery Centre launch Dragonfly Hotspot
Emperor Dragonfly (male) ©Peter Hassett Bucknell Wood, 8 July 2017
THE British Dragonfly Society have teamed up with the Shropshire Hills Discovery Centre at Onny Meadows to launch England’s first ever Dragonfly Hotspot.
Click here for more information
Aylesbury Peregrine Project Watch Day 31 August 2018
Event details
Thu, 31/05/2018 – 10:00am – 2:00pm
Join us at our Peregrine Watch Day. We will be located near the Clock Tower, Market Square with our telescopes to show you these magnificent birds and their chick.
Venue location
Market Square, Aylesbury,
Aylesbury ,
Buckinghamshire ,
HP20 1TW
Click here to see the organiser’s web site.
Return of the skipper
Extinct butterfly flies in England again after more than 40 years.
Click here for more information:
Discover Wildlife
The Guardian
Cricket ‘ticklers’ help threatened bugs back from the brink
Conservationists are using a technique called ‘tickling’ to round up young field crickets to help establish new populations.
Click here for more information.
Meadows and the Agriculture Bill
Ancient meadows have quietly disappeared from under our feet. Without the roar of chainsaws or the sound of mighty oaks crashing to the ground, sites with undisturbed floral histories going back generations can be lost in a single afternoon. Since the 1930s, over 97% of our meadows – a staggering 7.5 million acres – have been ploughed, ‘improved’ or built on. This is a key driver in the higher-profile declines of pollinators and birds – and a loss to us all.
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Colouring our countryside: meadows and the Agriculture Bill
Springtails Identification Guide
AJC Springtails have produced a useful guide to Springtail identification. Click here for more information.
RSPBNBLG Walk – 6 June 2018 Calvert Jubilee & Gallows Bridge Farm
The RSPB North Bucks Local Group are leading a field trip:
Location: Meet: roadside car park (tiny—please car-share if possible) 300m N of Calvert X-roads: SP 681 250. Short walk, but uneven in places.
CALVERT JUBILEE RESERVE & GALLOWS BRIDGE FARM, BUCKS
Two BBOWT reserves. Calvert, a former clay-pit, has “chalkland” butterflies like green hairstreak, dingy and grizzled skippers. Scrub holds many warblers, incl. possibly nightingale. Three miles on, Gallows Bridge Farm, part of the important Upper Ray Meadows, has breeding curlew.
Leader: Chris Coppock
All welcome
Time: 10 am to 1 pm
Price: Free
See the RSPB North Bucks Local Group website for more information
MKNHS is not responsible for the content of external Internet sites. You should check details of any events listed on external sites with the organisers.
Kew Gardens’ Temperate House restored – in pictures
After five years, 10,000 plants uprooted and replanted, 15,000 panes of glass replaced, 69,000 sections of metal, stone and timber repaired or replaced, enough scaffolding to stretch the length of the M25, and £41m spent, the largest Victorian glasshouse in the world is ready to open its doors again. The Temperate House in Kew Gardens is once again, as Sir David Attenborough describes it, ‘a breathtakingly beautiful space’
Click here for more information: Kew Gardens’ Temperate House restored – in pictures | Science | The Guardian
Plant ‘thugs’ crowd roadside flowers
Bee Orchid by Julian Lambley at Three Locks on 11 May 2016
Wild flowers are being driven off Britain’s roadside verges by air pollution and poor management, the charity Plantlife claims.
It says emissions from vehicle exhausts are acting as a fertiliser for a group of nitrogen-loving plants like nettles, which outcompete traditional flowers.
Boaty McBoatface leads £20m mission to melting Antarctic glacier
The precarious state of a vast, remote Antarctic glacier will provide an inaugural mission for the British vessel once dubbed Boaty McBoatface, as scientists from the UK and US set up a new £20m research operation.
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Boaty McBoatface leads £20m mission to melting Antarctic glacier | Environment | The Guardian
Wind power overtakes nuclear for first time in UK across a quarter
News of milestone comes as MPs say policy changes have caused collapse in investment in renewables
Source: Wind power overtakes nuclear for first time in UK across a quarter | Environment | The Guardian
Cranes in Buckinghamshire 2018
Two cranes arrived at Gallows Bridge BBOWT reserve on Wednesday 16 May 2018. They remain there to date (21 May 2018) so it is a possibility they will remain. They are unringed which gives some clues as to where they came from – or rather where they did not come from. Educated guesses say they may have come from Otmoor. Some display behaviour has been observed.
Text and photo by Sue and Andrew Hetherington
Buckinghamshire Bird Club have published a blog posting on the cranes which you can view here.
The UK government wants to put a price on nature
Defining Earth’s resources as ‘natural capital’ is morally wrong, intellectually vacuous, and most of all counter-productive
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: The UK government wants to put a price on nature – but that will destroy it | George Monbiot | Opinion | The Guardian
See every British Orchid in under a minute!
Click on the play button to watch the video
Hawaii bans sunscreens harmful to coral reefs
Coral reefs and sunshine keep tourists flocking to Hawaii but add sunscreen to that holiday mix and the result can be serious damage to the marine environment that makes the islands so attractive to visitors in the first place.
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Hawaii becomes first US state to ban sunscreens harmful to coral reefs | Travel | The Guardian
Waterbirds in the UK – Summary report 2016-17
Teal ©Peter Hassett, Willen 25 January 2018
Waterbirds in the UK presents the results of the annual WeBS report, with digital PDF copies of current and past editions available below. It provides a single, comprehensive source of information on the current status and distribution of waterbirds in the UK for those interested in the conservation of the populations of these species and the wetland sites they use.
Click on the link for more information: Waterbirds in the UK – Summary report | BTO – British Trust for Ornithology