A team of researchers from the University of Antwerp has found evidence of heavy metal ingestion by wild birds causing changes in their personalities. In their paper published in Science of The Total Environment, the group describes the multiple ways they studied bird behavior near a site known for emitting cadmium and lead, and what they found.
Source: Study results suggest wild birds suffer personality disorders due to ingestion of heavy metals
Interrupted hibernation can play havoc with the caterpillar population with the consequences seen in butterfly numbers later in the year
Peregrine by Harry Appleyard, Hazeley Wood, 29 May 2016
Mike Wallen of Buckinghamshire Bird Club has kindly agreed to let us publish this update on our local peregrines:
The birds have finally decided that the purpose built platform put up for them is desirable after all and the female is on it, sitting on at least 2 eggs. I was very happy to receive this news today. There is a camera ( plus other security) on this platform, no plans to stream the images to the public yet, but we’ll see how things develop in the coming weeks.
Good Birding
Mike
28 March 2018
Butterflies are among our prettiest garden visitors, but many are dwindling in numbers.
According to a Butterfly Conservation report published in 2015, The State of Britain’s Butterflies, three-quarters of UK butterflies have shown a 10-year decrease in either their distribution or population levels.
You can you do your bit for butterflies by making them welcome in your garden. Adults feed on nectar, and are especially fond of plants with long, tubular flowers – so the more of these you can grow, the better.
The RSPB North Bucks Local Group are leading a field trip:
Location: Meet: Forestry Commission car park on South side of Hartwell—Stoke Goldington road. SP 811 509.
NB this is NOT the main visitor centre car park.
SALCEY FOREST, NORTHANTS
Wide rides are busy with flowers and insects, including white admiral, purple hairstreak and possible purple emperor butterflies. Easy walking.
Leader: Chris Coppock
All welcome
Time: 10 am to 1 pm
Price: Free
See the RSPB North Bucks Local Group website for more information
Modern farming has wiped out billions of insects and birds. Plans to restore them will only work with public pressure
Use this link to download the Spring 2018 newsletter for BTO members and volunteers in the Buckinghamshire region.
There are lots of opportunities to get involved in bird surveys.
Good science has always been at the heart of Butterfly Conservation. The data gathered by our world renowned recording schemes such as the United Kingdom Butterfly Monitoring Scheme (UKBMS), Butterflies for the New Millennium (BNM) and the National Moth Recording Scheme (NMRS) underpins everything we do.
Published twice per-year, this newsletter will bring you the latest news about the ground-breaking science and research produced by Butterfly Conservation’s team of ecologists and statisticians, often working in collaboration with universities and research institutions across the UK and Europe.
Click on the link for more information: Science News – Welcome to the first edition
Blackbirds live longer in cities than in forests. But their telomeres, repetitive stretches of DNA at the ends of the chromosomes, show that these city birds have a much poorer health status than their rural cousins. These findings from a study in five European cities led by University of Groningen biologists were published in Biology Letters on 21 March.
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: City-dwelling blackbirds have poorer measures of health
March has been a busy month, with the Beast from the East bringing with it a flurry of birds to our gardens. It is now finally beginning to look like spring, and we’re starting to receive reports of nesting activity.
We’re also starting to record more invertebrates in gardens, and from April we’ll join in with the UK Pollinator Survey’s 10-minute flower-insect counts, in our garden at head office. I hope that many of you will also get behind the project, which aims to improve our understanding of pollinator populations.
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: GBW enews: Learning more about wildlife health
More than 120 species of wildflowers grow in arable habitats and together make up one of the most threatened groups of plants in the UK. Flowers such as pheasant’s-eye were once picked from cornfields south of London and sold in Covent Garden as ‘Moroccan red’. Many of our most beloved plants – such as cornflower, corn marigold and corncockle – have drastically declined and no longer colour our farmland. However, they are an essential source of pollen and nectar for bees, butterflies and other pollinators and their seeds can support huge populations of small mammals and farmland birds.
Click on the link for more information: Plantlife :: Arable farmland
In Britain approximately £1.7billion is spent every single year on trying to tackle the problem of invasive non-native species.
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Plantlife :: Invasive, non-native plants
Linford Lakes Nature Reserve visitors enjoying an Open Sunday
Open Sunday at Linford Lakes NR 15 April 2018 10:00-16:00hrs.
Tea and coffee, home-made cakes available.
Second-hand books on sale as well as crafts and bird seed.
Great views through the new windows.
Here’s hoping for some warmer dryer weather as this can be a busy time on the reserve with lots of new arrivals. Birds singing and nest building, bees a buzzin, crickets chirping and butterflies and flowers too.
Come and enjoy the reserve a new, now we are free of any current building plans to spoil our enjoyment.
In Britain, we have more than 3,000 invasive non-native plant and animal species. That’s a big figure, and they have a big impact on our environment, causing damage to property and infrastructure, affecting ecosystems, harming wildlife habitats and out-competing some of our native species. It is worth remembering that only a very small proportion of non-native species become invasive and establish themselves. Plenty of pets, livestock and ornamental plants that are not native to this country are brought here and cause no damage.
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: How to decide what makes the invasive species ‘banned’ list
Take a look to see the full results for the Big Garden Birdwatch 2018 by clicking here
Volucella zonaria Hoverfly ©Julie Lane. Johnson’s Field, Olney. 25 July 2017
“Hoverflies carried pollen from 59 plant taxa, suggesting they visit a wider number of plant species than previously appreciated”
Dozens of species have seen their numbers decline, in some cases by two-thirds, because insects they feed on have disappeared
Palloptera muliebris (female) by Martin Cooper
(CC BY 2.0)
Steven Falk has produced an identification guide to Pallopteridae
Introducing flutter flies (Pallopteridae), a small family (13 British species) of some very attractive wing-waving. picture-winged flies, most of which are fairly easy to record. I’ve provides a wing chart and a scan of Alan Stubb’s 1994 key.
Dear AllI am delighted to inform you that the appeal against the refusal of planning permission at Linford Lakes has failed and the appeal has been rejected.I have copied the Planning Inspector’s summary below – but in short he has found that although MK Council have failed to demonstrate a 5 year housing supply, in this case the considerations of Landscape and Ecology (Biodiversity) outweigh the National Planning Policy Framework’s presumption in favour of development.I believe this decision has been significantly influenced by the evidence and submissions of those who attended the enquiry and spoke against the appeal and all those who wrote in to oppose the appeal on grounds of ecology.It is a tremendous validation of the power of persuasion by people who truly deeply care about our environment and local resources.I congratulate all of you who took the time and effort to get involved.Tony BedfordChair FoLLNR
Use this link to view this month’s edition of the Northern Chilterns Chalk Living Landscape newsletter: Wildlife Trust
Finches and tits have enjoyed a golden year, according to the results of this year’s RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch.
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Big win for small birds as feeders help finch and tit species to thrive | Environment | The Guardian
This May the small brown and gold wings of the chequered skipper will once again beat in the woods of England. Susannah O’Riordan from Butterfly Conservation is here in the butterfly’s spiritual home, the Chequered Skipper pub in Ashton, to reveal the plot to an enthusiastic audience of 80 or so.
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Country diary: with luck and help, the chequered skipper will rise again | Environment | The Guardian
Red-Tailed Bumblebee by Harry Appleyard, Tattenhoe 11 April 2016
Will Hawkes has produced a guide to pollinators which you can download by clicking here.
The RSPB North Bucks Local Group are hosting a talk:
“The Nature of France” – Dennis Furnell
Location: The Cruck Barn, City Discovery Centre, Bradwell Abbey, Milton KeynesPostcode: MK13 9AP (Google map)
From birding near the Channel Ports to Southern France and the Champagne region, Dennis will tell us about his life as a naturalist, writer and broadcaster, working with French tourism regions to develop their wildlife potential. Expect Storks, migrant Cranes, plus flowering plants, butterflies – and much more.
Time: Doors open 7.15pm for a prompt 7.45pm start, ends at 10pm
Price: Group members £3, Non-group members £4, Children £1
See the RSPB North Bucks Local Group website for more information
Crows ©Julie Lane, Olney 28 March 2018
I have a large group of crows outside my room all cawing their heads off. Why would they be doing this? There are usually only two local crows but it seems they have all come together for a meeting and are making an awful racquet!
Photo and text by Julie Lane
The Migrant Watch survey has now been running for 10 years, 2008-2017. Over that time 58,811 reports of Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) and Humming-bird Hawk-moth (Macroglossum stellatarum) have been reported through the website. Surprisingly, Humming-bird Hawk-moth records (35,248 reports in total) considerably outnumber those of Painted Lady butterflies (23,563 reports). Indeed, in seven of the 10 years, there have been more reports of the moth than of the butterfly, and only in the amazing Painted Lady year of 2009 did butterfly sightings greatly outnumber those of Humming-bird Hawk-moth. More than half (54%) of all the Painted Lady reports ever submitted to Migrant Watch came in 2009!
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Butterfly Conservation – Results of 2017 Survey
Birds are not just diverse, vivid and extraordinary. They can also save our souls – let’s protect them
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: The radical otherness of birds: Jonathan Franzen on why they matter | Environment | The Guardian
Guest blog by Howard Jones, RSPB Investigations Officer
Goshawk, credit Roy Mangersnes
My job as an investigations officer can take you into some privileged positions. One moment that particularly sticks in my mind, is the time when I arrived with a couple of my colleagues to check on an active goshawk nest in the Peak District that we had been a putting a considerable amount effort into protecting that spring. We were visiting the nest site on a regular basis under an approved license, every time expecting the worst to have happened and the nest to have failed – as has often happened to goshawks breeding in the Peak District.
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: The goshawks and the gunshots: a grim Easter story – Investigations – Our work – The RSPB Community
Green Shieldbug (Palomena prasina) by Peter Hassett, Old Warden Tunnel NR, 21 September 2016
A text summary and map is provided for each species. Maps were produced using DMAP for Windows v7.4 and are based on a dataset of 50,000 records collated up to 2014, which formed the basis of the recent IUCN status review (Bantock, T. A review of the Hemiptera of Great Britain: The shieldbugs and allied families (Natural England 2016). Since 2014 one additional species has been added to the British list, the pentatomid Sciocoris homalonotus.
Common Frogs by Harry Appleyard, Howe Park Wood 01Mar16
Frogspawn has always been one of the earliest and most eagerly anticipated signs of spring, but with a trend for milder winters you may spot it earlier than ever. Late January and early February records are certainly not uncommon.
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Understand frog breeding behaviour | Discover Wildlife
Conservationists were left baffled when they discovered frog spawn up a tree, but the answer to the mystery lies in picky predators, not a new breed of tree frog.
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Frog spawn in tree mystery solved – Independent.ie
FoLLNR logo
Task Day at Linford Lakes NR
Please Note Change of Date!
The date has been changes as the Task Day fell on Easter Sunday.
Sunday 8th April. (not 1st April)
10:00- 13:00hrs.
Come and help tidy up and give a bit of a spring clean to the reserve.
Great way to keep fit, work with a friendly group of people.
Refreshments available for helpers.
Oystercatcher ©Peter Hassett, Floodplain Forest NR 19 June 2017
Buckinghamshire Bird Club will be hosting a field trip on
8 Apr 2018 – 09:30 to 13:00
at Manor Farm, Haversham Road, Wolverton (Lat/Long 52.0717 and -0.809521)
FLOODPLAIN FOREST NR, (Manor Farm), MK
Waders and spring migrants
Meet at car park: SP817422 Post Code MK12 5RH
Click here for more information:
The Flower-Insect Timed Count (FIT count) is a survey designed to collect data on the changes in numbers of flower visitng insects across the UK. It is one element of a wider set of studies for the National Pollinator Monitoring Scheme (PoMS), co-ordinated by the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, in partnership with the Bumblebee Conservation Trust, Butterfly Conservation, University of Reading and many more.
The course will be held on Wednesday, 9 May 2018 at 10:00
Click here for more details and to book your ticket: Pollinator ID course for the national Pollinator Monitoring Scheme Tickets, Wed, 9 May 2018 at 10:00 | Eventbrite
In 2015, the NNSS and Defra launched the first Invasive Species Week, bringing together a range of organisations to raise awareness of invasive non-native species and inspire people to #GetINNSvolved and stop the spread
This year Invasive Species Week is back and bigger than ever! We’re delighted to have Ireland, the Isle of Man, Jersey and Guernsey involved for the first time.
Click on the link for more information: Invasive Species Week – GB non-native species secretariat
Butterflies were once a common sight in Britain, but they are declining year after year. What is happening to our butterfly population and why does it matter, asks CLIVE HARRIS
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Why protecting our butterflies is vital to the environment
Winner. Hoverflies by Mark Strutton. 3 July 2016
Recent declines in wild pollinators represent a significant threat to the sustained provision of pollination services. Insect pollinators are responsible for an estimated 45% of strawberry crop yields, which equates to a market value of approximately £99 million per year in the UK alone.
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Syrphine hoverflies are effective pollinators of commercial strawberry | Hodgkiss | Journal of Pollination Ecology
The shortlist for the coveted Bird Photographer of the Year awards has been announced by Nature Photographers and the British Trust for Ornithology. Here we display a few of the entries in the running for the awards, which will be announced by Chris Packham in August at the annual Rutland Birdwatching Fair
Source: Bird Photographer of the Year 2018 – in pictures | Art and design | The Guardian
Howe Park Wood Education and Visitor Centre by Peter Hassett
The Parks Trust are looking for Volunteers to help with some activities if you have some free time.
If you are interested in helping please contact Carla Boswell
At c.boswell@theparkstrust.com by Friday 30th March.
It’s the Annual Spring clean of the Canal in partnership with the Canal & Rivers Trust (CRT) and MK branch of the Inland Waterways Association (IWA).
Please note that CRT donate a minibus to take people back to the starting point if you have driven to Fenny Lock on Friday and Giffard Park on the Saturday, you will not be left stranded!
I am away on holiday for my birthday I couldn’t make this clean up but wanted to know if there was any interest in doing smaller sections again like last year, so I organise it with the Community Ranger Team the year please.
Friday 13 April 2018
http://www.theparkstrust.com/parks/ouzel-valley-park
The Parks Trust Volunteers will aim to do a morning stretch of litter picking along the canal Broadwalk and in the bushes lead by The Community Ranger team, snacks will be supplied.
Meeting at the car park in Woolstones at 10.45am to collect & distribute litter pickers, high viz and bags before walking along the tow path south to Peartree Bridge and return, as it is unlikely to meet the Tea boat. Car park is at the junction of Pattison and Marshalls Lane, MK15 0BS.
This is just over 4Km (4.3km or 3miles) walk in total litter picking. Please remember sturdy walking shoes/boots and old clothes and no valuables.
Saturday 14 April 2018
Meeting and parking at TPT Stanton Low car park off Newport road in New bradwell/Oakridge Park, next to Asda at Oakridge Park to concentrate on Joan’s piece woodland area and walk back along the canal to Stanton Low Park. The canal boat tea stop is by Joan’s piece for 11.30am, timings approximate.
If anyone is interesting in joining the canal clean up with The Parks Trust sections or the IWA full stretches, please let me know by Easter weekend/ 30 March 2018, so I can make a decision on Tuesday 2 April and I can send you more details then.
I look forward to hearing from you shortly
Dear Volunteers
Thanks to those of you who came to the coffee morning on 1 March and signed up with a general interest for the River Warden Role.
For those of you not in the know, basically, this role falls under the Upper and Bedford Ouse Catchment Partnership and an is extension of the Volunteer Ranger role, in patrolling a section of the River Ouzel within your local park. The Green Sand Trust Volunteers are already doing this upstream in Leighton Buzzard and The Trust has been contacted to get involved to help survey and monitor the next section of The River Ouzel.
What is the purpose? This volunteer role will help to create a baseline data with local eyes and ears on the ground, as River wardens you will recognise any subtle changes to the river water, invasive species, wildlife and the channel itself over the monthly checks. This data will build up picture to influence potential project, similar to those where we have placed willow bundles along the river to aid bank restoration in Ouzel valley park.
We are still looking to recruit some more volunteers to help survey the Ouzel in pairs once a month, which we have divided into 7 sections from Willen North to Caldecotte South.
We have now secured a training date with our Partners from The Green Sand Trust, The Environment Agency and The Wildlife Trust to deliver this expert training and advice on what to look out for on your walkover surveys and give you an overview of the partnership and cover the all-important Health and safety training for the role.
Training Date – Wednesday 18 April 12.30-5pm
Campbell Park Pavilion
Lunch provided
Walking shoes/wellies and outdoor gear for a short walkover site visit.
Commitment:
Equipment provided
If you are interest or would like to know more information then please do not hesitate to contact Me, Martin or Susi, who attended the training session today.
If you cannot make the 18 April training date, an alternative session will be provided at a weekend when I have an idea of numbers.
If you can respond to this email to register your interest by Thursday 5 April 2018 and what training session you can attend, simply state 18 April or weekend, that would be most helpful.
I look forward to hearing from you soon!
Kind regards, as always
Carla Boswell
Volunteer Co-ordinator
The Parks Trust
Campbell Park Pavilion, 1300 Silbury Boulevard, Campbell Park, Milton Keynes, MK9 4AD
Tel: 01908 255 388 Mob: 07770 646581
The RSPB North Bucks Local Group are leading a field trip to College Lake, Near Ivinghoe, Buckinghamshire
Location: Meet in the car park (Suggested donation £3 to support BBOWT’s work). Signposted off the B488 Ivinghoe to Tring road
SP 936 138
Postcode: HP23 5QG (Google map)
This flagship Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust reserve has a fine visitor centre and cafe – and the flooded chalk pit always holds a good range of birds. An easy walk around site on (mostly level) paths.
Toilets on site, picnic area. All welcome.
Leader : Brian Lloyd
Access information : Two Tramper mobility aids are available to hire which can take visitors around the whole site on the main track. To hire a Tramper (no fixed charge but donation welcome), it’s best to’phone ahead to book one and, if you’re a new user on this site, you’ll need to register – so please arrive early & bring ID.
Time: 10 am to 1 pm
Price: Car park donation
See the RSPB North Bucks Local Group website for more information
House Sparrow by Harry Appleyard, Furzton Lake 28 December 2016
20th March 2018 is World Sparrow Day.
You can see the results of the BTO Garden BirdWatchers results here.
Use this link to learn how to spot the difference between a House and Tree Sparrow.
Now is the time to go out and find Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers. This year as well as trying to find nests, we want to monitor territories, so please send us information on any birds you find, see more at Woodpecker Network – Home
Common Frogs by Harry Appleyard, Howe Park Wood 01Mar16
Infectious diseases are not the only cause of amphibian mortality. Dead amphibians, sometimes in large numbers, can also be the result of non-infectious events such as ‘winterkill’. Some amphibians, mostly common frogs (Rana temporaria), might overwinter in the silt and vegetation in the bottom of ponds, which usually does not harm the animals. However, sometimes they don’t survive hibernation due to winterkill, which usually occurs if the pond becomes frozen over. The exact cause of this is not yet known, but it is thought to be caused by lack of oxygen or potentially the toxic effect of gases produced by decomposing organic material beneath the ice during long cold spells. Alternatively, winterkill can affect frogs overwintering in very shallow ponds if the entire water body freezes.
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: ‘Winterkill’ in Amphibians – Garden Wildlife Health
Stock Dove by Harry Appleyard, Howe Park Wood 13 February 2017
The colourful hues of cornfield flowers were once a familiar part of our arable landscape. Sadly they are also the fastest declining suite of plants in the UK. Fascinating, sometimes rare, and often overlooked – they are frequently threatened by the arable farming on which they depend. This has a knock-on effect for other wildlife, including ground beetles, bats and birds.
Click on the link for more information: Colour in the Margins – Back From The Brink
Entocast have released a podcast
In this episode we talk to Professor Helen Roy (@UKLadybirds) and discuss the role of citizen science in tracking invasive species. We also discuss the value of citizen science and potential advantages and disadvantages.
Click here to download the podcast: Citizens and Invasive Species — Entocast
A rare flutter-wing fly, Palloptera laetabilis, not seen in the UK for over 100 years has been found at Den of Airlie Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), a woodland in Angus. This is also the first time this fly has ever been found in Scotland.The rare fly was presumed to be extinct, but was found during site condition monitoring surveys completed by Caledonian Conservation under contract to Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) in 2015. The discovery has since been confirmed and published by Steven Falk (the fly expert on the project team) in the most recent issue of Dipterists Digest.Den of Airlie SSSI is only the fifth site that this species has been recorded at in the UK, and the only one in Scotland. The other four sites are all located in England, with the last record being from Oxfordshire in 1907.Chris Cathrine, Director of Caledonian Conservation and project leader for the 2015 invertebrate site condition monitoring project said: “Finding a species last recorded over a century ago is very exciting. That this is also the first record for the species in Scotland makes this all the more special. We found a great number of rare species during our surveys across Scotland. While Palloptera laetabilis is undoubtedly the most exciting, we hope to publish records from all 25 sites, including the Isle of Rum, in the future.”The invertebrate records collected by Caledonian Conservation during these surveys (including Den of Airlie SSSI) are available on NBN Atlas at: https://registry.nbnatlas.org/public/show/dp4Learn more about SNH’s work in Scotland at: http://www.snh.gov.uk/Steven Falk’s paper on Palloptera laetabilis is available on the Caledonian Conservation publications page, or directly here.Steven Falk was contracted by Caledonian Conservation to complete surveys for this project through his previous role at Buglife – the Invertebrate Conservation Trust. For more information on Steven Falk’s work and photography, please visit: http://www.stevenfalk.co.uk/For more information about the Dipterists Digest visit: http://www.dipteristsforum.org.uk/sgb_dipterists_digest.phpPhoto: Female Palloptera laetabilis from Den of Airlie Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) © Steven Falk
Source: ‘Extinct’ flutter-wing fly last seen 100 years ago found in Angus, Scotland
There are about 70 parking spaces outside The Chrysalis Theatre so most people should be able to park here. Otherwise, please park at the Peace Pagoda car park, opposite Camp Hill off the V10. Note that parking charges will not apply on the evening. It is a short walk from this car park over a bridge to the venue, and parking marshalls will direct you. Can we also ask members to car share on the evening to reduce the number of cars on site
The air you breathe, the water you drink and the food you eat all rely on biodiversity, but right now it is in crisis – because of us. What does this mean for our future and can we stop it?
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: What is biodiversity and why does it matter to us? | News | The Guardian
The Millennium Seed Bank Partnership is the largest wild seed conservation project in the world. Based at Wakehurst – the Royal Botanic Garden, Kew’s Millennium Seed Bank (MSB) stores over 86,000 seed collections, representing more than 39,000 plant species from across the globe.
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Introducing the Seedbank project – Back From The Brink
Water Vole ©Peter Hassett, WWT Arundel 19 July 2011
The UK’s longest running water vole recovery project, led by the Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust, is reporting a significant and steady increase in water vole activity over the last 10 years.
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Water voles thriving in Oxfordshire and Berkshire and given a helping hand in Buckinghamshire | Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust
In the UK, our most intensively farmed land is a wasteland for biodiversity.
It pains me to say this as a botanist but far too often plants are seen as no more than a backdrop, an out-of-focus green screen in front of which our more ‘charismatic’ wildlife can appear. This apparent ‘plant blindness’ shrouds the ultimate truth, as set out by Sir David Attenborough: “plants capture energy from the sun and all life on land, directly or indirectly, depends on them. So, ultimately, plants fuel the diversity of life on earth.”
Click here to read the link to read the rest of the article: Recolouring The Countryside – Why We Need To Put Meadows Back On The Map
Parts of a Weevil
The February 2018 issue of Basic & Applied Ecology is dedicated to insects
Click here to download the magazine: Basic and Applied Ecology | Insect Effects on Ecosystem services | ScienceDirect.com
In 2016 the Field Studies Council (FSC) was awarded a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund to develop a project to address the lack of people able to identify and record difficult species groups, with a focus on the West Midlands and South East regions of England. We spent nearly a year consulting with a wide range of professionals and volunteers involved in the natural history sector and something become very clear: professionals and volunteers alike expressed their concerns that not enough young people were joining the ranks of biological recorders and it is widely recognised that a generational skills gap is developing in field and identification skills, largely due to changes in the way biology and ecology is taught at all levels of the education system.
Source: Addressing the generational skills gap | Biodiversity Projects
What’s small, pink, and can be seen from space?
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Fishing for krill is an eco-disaster: we must protect the Antarctic | Chris Packham | Opinion | The Guardian
Butterfly Conservation Upper Thames Branch have published their White-letter Hairstreak Report for 2017
Britain’s obsession with feeding the birds could be driving disease within avian populations, a new study suggests.
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Bird tables and feeders in gardens could spread diseases, warn experts
After a long winter, and especially after a snowed-in first week of March, I’m looking forward to some warmth. As it’ll be my first spring as county sawfly recorder, I thought I ought to work out which are the first species we should be on the look-out for. So I’ve spent a couple of evenings going through ‘Benson’ and ‘Quinlan & Gauld’ {note to self – I’ll need to do a blog post soon on the identification literature}, and tabulating the flight-period information contained therein. That is, in the identification keys where you get to a species, it gives details of range, status, larval food-plants and flight-period, e.g. under Cladius pectinicornis Benson gives ‘V-IX’ (i.e. May to September). It’s half a century out of date, likely to be affected by climate change, range spread and taxonomic revisions (I may well be missing some post-Benson spring species from this article), but it’s the best I’ve got access to. You have to start somewhere.
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Sawflies of Norfolk: Sawflies to look for in March
At the end of March Butterfly Conservation will launch an e-newsletter exploring the wide range of science that we are involved with. The e-newsletter will highlight and review recent scientific papers of interest on Lepidoptera, particularly those where we have collaborated using our data.
Source: Butterfly Conservation – Butterfly Conservation’s Science News
Sadly, the area is under threat from development of adjoining land which will inevitably lead to increased disturbance to all of the wildlife that makes the site its home. Helping to create a successful breeding colony of sand martins will not only benefit the birds and the overall biodiversity of the site, but it will help to secure this important site’s position as the premier nature reserve in Milton Keynes and protect it from further damage from human activity.
Click on the link for more information: Crowdfunding to build the “Sand Castle” – an artificial sand martin colony at Linford Lakes Nature Reserve in Milton Keynes on JustGiving
A blog about my wildlife friendly allotment with lots of pictures showing the changes through the year. I am also into naturalistic planting design.
Source: My Wildlife Allotment: Bumblebee queens in spring: The awakening of sleeping beauties
From time to time you may encounter a bird with plumage that is rather different from that which would be typical for the species. Some of these abnormalities may result from abnormal feather growth or feather loss, while others may be a consequence of problems with pigmentation.
Changes in the amount and/or distribution of particular feather pigments are some of the most commonly reported types of plumage abnormality. Most often, these abnormalities occur within the common feather pigments, like melanin, and so we tend to see a pattern to the types of abnormalities being reported. Through our Abnormal Plumage Survey, we know that the most frequently spotted plumage irregularities are when birds gain odd white feathers.
Click here to read the rest of the article.: Plumage abnormalities | BTO – British Trust for Ornithology
Having had difficulty sourcing carabid species images, especially for larvae; I decided Tony presented a great opportunity as a model. Images could then be used for ID, reference, diagrams, extension, and promotion. The latter is very important. From the start it has surprised and delighted me how people have engaged with “Tony”, in the office and online! I have had lots of questions, so it has furthered understanding and appreciation of carabids and beetles more widely. Also I have got some new beetley contacts too.
Source: Never work with children, animals, or immature beetles… – BeetleKell
The RSPB North Bucks Local Group are leading a field trip to
Location: Wilstone Reservoir – Meet in the car park (free but space is limited) below the dam on the B489 Marsworth to Aston Clinton road
The biggest and best of the four Tring Canal Reservoirs, especially good for wildfowl and passage waders.
Our early 2017 visit gave us a diverse range of birds – 51 in total including a Green Sandpiper … & an Aylesbury Duck!
Please note : steep steps up to the reservoir and (probably) muddy paths too.
Walk leader : Pete How
SP 904 135
Time: 10 am to 1 pm
Price: Free
See the RSPB North Bucks Local Group website for more information
This sad old male, widowed many years before, would regularly return to his ancient nest to search for his mate and to “gaze out over the wide horizon and wait”. He would wait and search in vain.
Source: White-tailed eagles: Bringing back an icon #OurBluePlanet | Our Blue Planet
Bardsey Island, Llyn Peninsular, Gwynedd, North Wales..
2018 marks the 50th anniversary of the founding of Milton Keynes Natural History Society.
To celebrate this special occasion, the Society is delighted to present a talk by
Patrick Barkham on the subject of Islanders: an exploration of some of Britain’s smaller islands
| When: | Tuesday 27th March 2018 at 7:30pm |
| Where: | Chrysalis Theatre, Japonica Lane, Willen Park South, Milton Keynes. MK15 9JY |
| Parking: | There are about 70 parking spaces outside The Chrysalis Theatre so most people should be able to park here. Otherwise, please park at the Peace Pagoda car park, opposite Camp Hill off the V10. Note that parking charges will not apply on the evening. It is a short walk from this car park over a bridge to the venue, and parking marshalls will direct you. Can we also ask members to car share on the evening to reduce the number of cars on site |
| Tickets: | £5 (Society members and under 18s free) |
Click here to book your tickets. 
Patrick Barkham is a well-known natural history author and writer for The Guardian. His books include “The Butterfly Isles” and “Badgerlands”. Recently he has published “Islander: a journey around our archipelago”, an exploration of eleven of the smaller islands of Britain which will be the focus for his talk.
Do join us for this special evening!
Greenfinch by Andy Morffew, Itchen Abbas 6 November 2012
We just diagnosed our first case of garden bird salmonellosis for 2018. Caused by Salmonella bacteria, most often affects seed-eating birds e.g. finches & siskins.
More info on salmonellosis & how you can protect garden birds & yourself here: Salmonellosis in Garden Birds – Garden Wildlife Health
The Migrant Watch survey has now been running for 10 years, 2008-2017. Over that time 58,811 reports of Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) and Humming-bird Hawk-moth (Macroglossum stellatarum) have been reported through the website. Surprisingly, Humming-bird Hawk-moth records (35,248 reports in total) considerably outnumber those of Painted Lady butterflies (23,563 reports). Indeed, in seven of the 10 years, there have been more reports of the moth than of the butterfly, and only in the amazing Painted Lady year of 2009 did butterfly sightings greatly outnumber those of Humming-bird Hawk-moth. More than half (54%) of all the Painted Lady reports ever submitted to Migrant Watch came in 2009!
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Butterfly Conservation – Results of 2017 Survey
There are 25 species in Britain, but with queens looking different to males (and sometimes to workers), as well as different colour forms for most species, there can be a bewildering array of different-looking bees. When, later in the year, sun-bleached and worn bees are prevalent, identification can be very tricky indeed!
The first thing to be aware of is that only seven or eight bumblebee species are both widespread and abundant: these species are likely to make up around 95-99% of your bumblebee sightings. There are a further six species (the cuckoo bumblebees) which are parasitic in the nests of these common species and so are largely similarly widespread, but at a much lower abundance. The remaining 11 species tend to be localised or habitat-specific, and are correspondingly rarer, though they can be abundant where present.
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Identification tips – Bumblebee Conservation Trust
Serendipity plays a pretty important role in scientific advances; indeed, it was involved in the discovery of penicillin, microwaves and x-rays. And now, it seems a bunch of old moth scales can be added to that list.Scientists drilling cores from lake sediments in Germany – hoping to learn about
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Flying with dinosaurs: the evolution of moths and butterflies – Douglas Boyes: Blog
New Nature Magazine March 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.
Almost one-fifth of Europe’s wood beetles are at risk of extinction due to a widespread decline in ancient trees, according to a new report which suggests their demise could have devastating knock-on effects for other species.
Our most recent winter walk took place at Floodplain Forest, Old Wolverton on 4th March 2018. With the chaos brought about by ‘The Beast from the East’ over the previous 2-3 days, leaders Joe Clinch and Martin Kincaid had considered calling off the walk. On Friday the conditions were treacherous and the access road into Manor Farm Court was impassible. However, by Sunday the thaw had set in and conditions were much improved. No fewer than 23 Society members and guests arrived for the 2pm start.
We divided into two groups with Joe taking a group clockwise around the nature reserve and Martin taking his anti-clockwise. The first sighting of note was a very large flock of Canada geese grazing in the fields below the farm buildings. Joe’s group soon had binoculars and cameras trained on one of the local little owls as it sat up in its usual ash tree roost. These tiny owls nest around Manor Farm each spring – look out for them through the spring in the dead trees behind the Farm Hide. The many water bodies were still largely frozen so wildfowl numbers were down but among the commoner duck were 10 goosander and about the same number of shoveler. A few snipe were also observed by both groups, usually as they flew away from us at speed.
There was very little in flower compared with the same time in 2017, but the bright yellow flowers of colt’s foot were seen on the muddy banks and wild plum was in blossom. At the eastern end of the reserve, Martin’s group spotted kestrel and, a rarity on this site, little grebe. Eagle eyed Sue also picked out a solitary female pochard among the wigeon and tufted ducks. Passerines were still few and far between but a few small charms of goldfinch were spotted and we enjoyed watching a wren work its way along flood debris in the river.
Fortunately, Alan Piggott had brought his scope and he set this up by the Iron Trunk hide. We had noticed one of the male goosanders displaying to the females. This courtship display is similar to that of the goldeneye, with the male bird stretching his neck straight up and giving a little flurry. As we watched, one of the females went into a submissive posture, with her head below the water. The drake swam around her several times, almost as if he didn’t know what to do, before quickly mounting and mating with her! None of us had every witnessed this behaviour before so we felt quite privileged to have seen it today. Goosander have been breeding in our area for at least 7 years now and regularly nest at Olney and Newport Pagnell. As we stopped to view the little owl in his tree, a large flock of wigeon came out of the water to graze on a patch of ground close to the Farm Hide. We had a fine view of these handsome ducks. Here too we had a grisly discovery – the half-eaten carcass of a lapwing, presumably the work of a fox.
The two groups merged again to walk back up the hill to the car park. We had all enjoyed getting outdoors after the big freeze and had amassed a fairly respectable list of birds. Thanks to everybody for braving the elements and making this meeting a success.
Birds: Great Crested Grebe; Little Grebe; Cormorant; Mute Swan: Canada Goose; Greylag Goose; Goosander; Mallard; Gadwall; Teal; Wigeon; Shoveler; Tufted Duck; Pochard; Grey Heron; Little Egret; Snipe; Coot; Moorhen; Black-headed Gull; Herring Gull; Lesser Black-backed Gull; Kestrel; Woodpigeon; Little Owl; Great Spotted Woodpecker; Carrion Crow; Rook; Jackdaw; Magpie; Wren; Blackbird; Redwing; Fieldfare; Robin; Great Tit; Long-tailed Tit; Goldfinch.
Flowering Plants: Colt’s-foot; Wild Plum.
Briefing at the start of the walk
Canada Geese near farm buildings
Little Owl ©Julian Lambley, Floodplain Forest NR 4 March 2018.jpg
Colt’s-foot, ©Peter Hassett Floodplain Forest NR 25 March 2016
Wren ©Peter Hassett Floodplain Forest NR, 4 March 2018
Cormorants ©Peter Hassett Floodplain Forest NR, 4 March 2018
Goosander ©Peter Hassett Floodplain Forest NR, 4 March 2018
Goosanders mating ©Peter Hassett
Goosanders mating ©Peter Hassett
Goosanders mating ©Peter Hassett
Red-Tailed Bumblebee by Harry Appleyard, Tattenhoe 11 April 2016
I don’t know about you, but I’m longing for spring. It’s the same every year: about February, I begin to feel tired of the winter. Now it’s March, but it’s still cold and grey. So I thought it would be nice to warm up with a series on insect pollination. To mentally prepare for better times. I intentionally say “insect” and not “bee pollination”. This month, we’re looking somewhat beyond bees, just to broaden the mind a bit.
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Insect pollination – much more than just about our food – Bee Safe
Dismal, empty and burnt to a crisp – these spaces are not for the benefit of the nation. We need to reclaim and rewild them
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Britain’s national parks are a farce: they’re being run for a tiny minority | George Monbiot | Opinion | The Guardian
Robin by Peter Hassett, College Lake 29 December 2016
The “Beast from the East” brings a cold snap for garden birds.
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Frozen February causes problems for wildlife | Discover Wildlife
Red-Tailed Bumblebee by Harry Appleyard, Tattenhoe 11 April 2016
Bees and other pollinators are essential to feeding the population and maintaining a healthy countryside. Declines in bees, butterflies, moths, hoverflies and other pollinating insects have been occurring across Europe and action is urgently required to address the issues and start to reverse the declines – we want bees, butterflies, moths and hoverflies back everywhere!
The European Commission have started to develop a new ‘Pollinator Initiative’ – this has the potential to change how the Common Agricultural Policy works and to massively improve pesticide regulation, but the Commission and EU politicians need to see how much the citizens care about bees and pollinators so that the ‘Pollinator Initiative’ is given adequate priority and resources.
Please fill in the consultation form and let the EU know we all want our bees back!
Click on the link for more information: Help Europe’s Bees and Wild Pollinators | Buglife
Chemical cues play a fundamental role in mate attraction and mate choice. Lepidopteran females, such as the winter moth (Operophtera brumata), emit pheromones to attract males in the reproductive period. However, these chemical cues could also be eavesdropped by predators. To our knowledge, no studies have examined whether birds can detect pheromones of their prey. O. brumata adults are part of the winter diet of some insectivorous tit species, such as the great tit (Parus major) and blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus). We performed a field experiment aimed to disentangle whether insectivorous birds can exploit the pheromones emitted by their prey for prey location. We placed artificial larvae and a dispenser on branches of Pyrenean oak trees (Quercus pyrenaica). In half of the trees we placed an O. brumata pheromone dispenser and in the other half we placed a control dispenser. We measured the predation rate of birds on artificial larvae. Our results show that more trees had larvae with signs of avian predation when they contained an O. brumata pheromone than when they contained a control dispenser. Furthermore, the proportion of artificial larvae with signs of avian predation was greater in trees that contained the pheromone than in control trees. Our results indicate that insectivorous birds can exploit the pheromones emitted by moth females to attract males, as a method of prey detection. These results highlight the potential use of insectivorous birds in the biological control of insect pests.
Source: Insectivorous birds eavesdrop on the pheromones of their prey
Meet at 2 p.m at the Manor Farm Car Park, MK12 5NN. Leaders – Martin Kincaid and Joe Clinch
3 March 2018 update – the walk is NOT CANCELLED but please take extra care if travelling by road.
Martin Kincaid had advised that “the road up to Manor Farm is pretty clear now. We should be able to park up a the car park just off Old Wolverton Road if not the one at the farm buildings. I will wear a Hi-Vis jacket so that people can see me as they turn in off Wolverton Road. Forecast for tomorrow is much warmer, with temperatures up to 8C.”
Some changes in the natural environment are predictable, like the perpetual cycle of night and day. But many events, such as variation in food availability, predator attack and human disturbance can’t be anticipated. Wild animals cope with these kinds of unpredictable events by making physiological adjustments, diverting resources towards immediate survival, and away from reproduction (Romero & Wingfield 2015). If an environment becomes too challenging, this process can lead to population decline (Zanette et al. 2011). Falling numbers are usually the first sign a population is in trouble, by which point it may be too late for conservationists to intervene. However, if we could measure physiological changes in wild animals more easily, they might act as an early warning system, enabling us to identify ‘at-risk’ populations before any decline takes place (Fefferman & Romero 2013). And this is where thermal imaging might offer a solution.
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Every picture tells a story – British Ornithologists’ Union – British Ornithologists’ Union
Small-headed Resin Bee, Heriades rubicola Peréz, is formally recorded as new to Britain following its mention by Falk & Lewington (2015) and based on two specimens, one from Dorset and one from London. Morphological characters are given and illustrated, to establish its identity and to distinguish it from other British bees. Notes are provided on bionomics, the circumstances of its arrival and its status in Britain.
Small-Headed Resin Bee, Heriades rubicola, new to Britain (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) (PDF Download Available). Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/315797787_Small-Headed_Resin_Bee_Heriades_rubicola_new_to_Britain_Hymenoptera_Megachilidae [accessed Feb 15 2018].
Click here to read the rest of the article: Small-Headed Resin Bee, Heriades rubicola, new to Britain (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) (PDF Download Available)
Linford Lakes NR BioBlitz by David Easton. 24 June 2016
Dear all,
Please find the programme for BMERC Recorders Seminar in attachment and below for those who are not ‘familiar’ with pdf.
We’ve already had a good response from most of you. For those who still want to book a place, there are some places left, please let us know if you want to join (and if you have any food requirement) by contacting mecbernardini@buckscc.gov.uk; or the Environmental Records Centre erc@buckscc.gov.uk . Posters and displays are still welcome too!
See you on the FRIDAY 16 MARCH at The Coach House, Green Park, Aston Clinton, HP22 5NE
All the best
Claudia
Following successful training course programmes in 2010 to 2017, this list has been put together to give recorders from England and Wales a chance to start up or to improve their knowledge of moths and moth recording. Courses are aimed at total beginners in studying moths and also at recorders of more advanced ability. Whatever your skills, the courses will stretch your knowledge. If you have been on my courses in previous years, then you will be pleased to see courses on some new themes, or maybe you fancy a refresher? If people want a better look at the rarer species recorded on the course or to take photos of them then there will usually be time for this at the end of the course or just after the course has finished – just allow yourself a bit more time for this if you want at the end of the day.
Click on the link for more information: Training Courses – DG Countryside
Linford Lakes Nature Reserve showing observation deck by Peter Hassett
Open Sunday at Linford Lakes NR on Sunday 18th March 2018, 10:00-16:00 hrs
Andy Harding, County Bird Recorder, will be making his monthly duck count today. Andy has agreed to take a group to the hides on his duck count. Andy is very helpful with identifying birds. He will lead his group from the centre at 10:30am.
Keith and Dave will lead a walk from the centre in the afternoon. The group will leave the centre at 13:30.
Tea and coffee, home-made cakes available.
Second-hand books on sale as well as crafts and bird seed.
A great place to meet up with friends and family for a chat and some great wildlife watching.
Birds have a number of different types of courtship behaviours to attract mates such as songs, display and dances. Courtship behaviour can help birds distinguish between species to help them choose compatible mates and it can also reduce the aggression normally displayed when defending territory. Courtship rituals are also used to show strength and health and their ability to produce offspring.
Click here to read the rest of the article: Courtship Behaviour In Birds – British Bird Lovers
It is early spring and my mini wildflower meadow looks much like the other lawns in this suburban neighbourhood: short grass!
Click on the link for more information: Jo’s Mini Meadow 1 – How I Transformed My Lawn Into a Beautiful NearbyWild – NearbyWild
Task Day at Linford Lakes NR
FoLLNR logo
Sunday 11th March 2018 10:00- 13:00hrs.
Rescheduled Task Day.
Now that the snow has melted it’s back to work.
We would like to invite those who are willing and able to join us
The site looks a bit different now that some of the trees have been cut down.
There will be some clearing up to do.
Pyramidal Orchids by Harry Appleyard, Howe Park Wood 19 June 2016
A Facebook group has been created by Plantlife Scotland “to share your love of the UK’s orchids”.
Click here for more information.
Please note that the minutes of the 2017 AGM were printed in the April 2017 Magpie. The meeting will also consider the options for income raising presented by the treasurer Joe Clinch in the December 2017 Magpie.
Bee-fly by Harry Appleyard, Tattenhoe 22 March 2016
Bee-flies will be flying soon. Why not use Steven Falk’s handy identification guide to identify and report your sightings.
Click here for more information
Water Vole ©Peter Hassett, WWT Arundel 19 July 2011
A new analysis of data collected over 10 years by a network of experts led by The Wildlife Trusts has revealed that water vole distribution has declined dramatically. There has been a 30% decline in the places where these river mammals once lived across England and Wales during the survey period 2006 – 2015. While the new analysis reveals a slight increase in distribution in recent years – thanks to some successful conservation efforts by The Wildlife Trusts and others – the full data covering the whole 10 years paints a bleak picture.
Woodland management changes did for this butterfly as the woods were drained, rides narrowed and glades shaded. But now it is to be reintroduced
Click here for more information: Country diary: with luck and help, the chequered skipper will rise again | Environment | The Guardian
Reed Warbler, Linford Lakes (15th May – Harry Appleyard)
@Warblr are giving away their birdsong recognition app (normally £4.99) entirely for free from until midnight on 24th February 2018. Click here to get your download
It’s early spring here in the Highlands. Despite the continuing flurries of snow, snowdrops have pushed their way out of the iron-hard soil and are waiting for those early rays of sunshine to allow them to open up into their classic nodding shape. I was thrilled to hear my first song thrush of the year this morning – he must know that spring is waiting around the corner and was warming up his fine voice. I love to walk around the garden at this time of year to see the first leaves breaking, the first flowers, and of course, the first bumblebees!
A unique stretch of land from Leighton Buzzard in Bedfordshire to Gamblingay in Cambridgeshire could become a tourist hotspot thanks to £1.6m of lottery funding.
Source: £1.6 million to create tourist hotspot in Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire | Anglia – ITV News
Great Crested Newt by Paul Lund. Wicken Wood 5 July 2016
Emerging technologies have led to an increase in species observations being recorded via digital images. Such visual records are easily shared, and are often uploaded to online communities when help is required to identify or validate species. Although this is common practice, little is known about the accuracy of species identification from such images. Using online images of newts that are native and non-native to the UK, this study asked holders of great crested newt (Triturus cristatus) licences (issued by UK authorities to permit surveying for this species) to sort these images into groups, and to assign species names to those groups.
The latest report on Scotland’s terrestrial bird species, covering the period 1994-2016, does not make easy reading for wader lovers. All but one species is contributing negatively to the upland bird indicator, with declines of over 40% for breeding Lapwing, Curlew, Dotterel, Oystercatcher and Golden Plover. In this short blog, there are links to information that helps to explain what might be going wrong for Scotland’s waders.
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Scottish Wader Woes | wadertales
The RSPB North Bucks Local Group are hosting a talk:
Wildlife “Down Under” – Part 1″ – Chris Ward
Location: The Cruck Barn, City Discovery Centre, Bradwell Abbey, Milton Keynes
Postcode: MK13 9AP (Google map)
A three month “down under” winter experience, based around the rich and varied habitats of south-eastern Queensland. Colourful, rare and iconic Australian birds, mammals, reptiles, insects and other wildlife will feature – some of Chris’ favourite images from an estimated fifteen thousand photos taken on the trip!
Time: Doors open 7.15pm for a prompt 7.45pm start, ends at 10pm
Price: Group members £3, Non-group members £4, Children £1See the RSPB North Bucks Local Group website for more information
Cormorant ©Peter Hassett, Willen 25 January 2018
Fishing is time-consuming business, so diving birds in Mexico’s Baja California are frequenting the local “sushi conveyor” instead. That conveyor comes in the hulking shape of the region’s reigning big fish: the whale shark. The crafty cormorants have figured out that the giant sharks provide an endless supply of remora sashimi.
Click here to read the rest of the article: Dive-bombing cormorant: Bird yanks suckerfish right off a whale shark’s skin | Sharks | Earth Touch News
A fungus previously unknown to world science has been discovered on land looked after by the National Trust. What was thought to be one species, Big Blue Pinkgill (Entoloma bloxamii), has been proven by mycologists at Kew Gardens to be at least four different species in a ground-breaking find.
Click on the link for more information: Delight for biologists as new scientific discovery made in the UK | National Trust
