Buckinghamshire Invertebrate Group
The Buckinghamshire Invertebrate Group have made a number of useful resources available on their website:
Checklists:
Ants, bees and wasps in Buckinghamshire
Caddisflies in Buckinghamshire
Craneflies in Buckinghamshire
Ground beetles in Buckinghamshire
Bulletins covering 1989-2016
Open Sunday at Linford Lakes NR 19th February 2017 10:00-16:00hrs.
Bring friends and family and explore the reserve.
We have two walks today, 10:00 Leader Chris Coppock
& 13:00hrs Leader Steph Kimsey.
Both leave from the centre.
Refreshments, home-made cakes and facilities available
Crafts, second-hand books and bird seed for sale.
Viewing gallery open, also display of wildlife.
Buckinghamshire Bird Club will be hosting a Field Trip on 19 February 2017 – 09:30 to 16:00 to Rainham Marshes RSPB, Marine Court, Rainham (Lat/Long 51.487 and 0.227736)
Waders, Bearded Tits and winter raptors and much more. There is the possibility of Water Vole.
Meet at the RSPB Car Park: TQ552792 Post Code RM19 1SZ
Access car park from Tank Hill Road.
Click on this link for more information.
What should you do when you see a baby bird on the ground? It is hard to resist the urge to rescue. Often people intervene when in fact most chicks should be left alone.
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Resist the call of the cute | BirdLife
The RSPB North Bucks Local Group are leading a field trip to Linford Lakes Nature Reserve on 18 February 2017:
Location: Map ref SP 843 429, at the end of the lane off Wolverton Road.
Postcode: MK14 5AH (Google map)Another of our regular visits to this reserve near Wolverton which is maintained by the MK Parks Trust. It offers woodland, a large lake and open views with 3 hides. Leader Chris Ward.
See the RSPB North Bucks Local Group website for more information
Welcome to New Nature- a magazine created to help promote, showcase and aid young people passionate about nature, conservation and ecology.
Cowslip by Peter Hassett, Newton Bromswold 17 April 2016
We are doing Saturday mornings from 10 – 1 ish….. Tools provided … and lots of levels of strenuous-ness catered for …
Heat exhaustion not predicted ! unlike our event of last summer….Bonfire is planned for 18 February with baked spuds …my mobile no is0777 243 7930Who will spot the first cowslip of 2017?Jenny Mercer
We tend to think of parasites as harmful, itchy, nasty, creepy crawlies. But these strange, beautiful creatures have many uses – and they need our help
Source: No wildlife charity campaigns to save parasites. But they should | Science | The Guardian
Watch this video and you will soon know the answer.
France bans the use of pesticides in public parks and the sale of chemical pest-control solutions to amateur gardeners.
Source: French parks and public gardens bid adieu to pesticides | MNN – Mother Nature Network
Scientists have reconstructed the “voicebox” of an extinct bird that lived at the time of the dinosaurs – and they say it honked or quacked like a duck.
Source: Fossil sheds light on evolution of birdsong – BBC News
A fortnight ago, I was checking the press release we were issuing in response to the latest plans to develop Lodge Hill. In it we referred to the 90% decline in our nightingale population in the last fifty years. I paused on the 90% figure. It didn’t seem right. I knew the decline was significant, but for some reason I hadn’t equated the nightingale decline to that suffered by turtle dove or willow tit. So, I went on the BTO website – the best place to check bird trend statistics – and this confirmed the 90% decline.
Corncrake Reintroduction Project poster
South Beds. Wildlife Trust Local Group are hosting a talk entitled ‘Corncrake Reintroduction Project’ on Wednesday, 15 February 2017 at Dunstable Community Fire Station Lecture Theatre at 7.30pm. Please note: doors open 7.15pm.
Click on this link for more information Corncrake Reintroduction Project
Red Admiral by Harry Appleyard, Howe Park Wood 20 December 2016
The Garden Butterfly Survey allows you to record and report the butterflies that visit your garden over the course of a year. Create a free account, submit your sightings and help us learn more about how butterflies are faring in UK gardens.
An application to reintroduce 10 beavers to the wild has been resubmitted to Natural Resources Wales.
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Beavers could return to Wales | Discover Wildlife
In perhaps as many as 60 per cent of all insect species a worm-like larva transforms into a more distinctive adult.
So a larval stage must have some evolutionary advantage. It might be that larvae, many of whom burrow, can live in environments where predators struggle to co-exist, or that a mobile larva that can find its own food gets more nutrition than if it had to rely on the finite energy supply of an egg.
Source: How did insects’ larval stage evolve? | Discover Wildlife
Can a mosaic of habitats boost hatching success in grassland-breeding Lapwings? Lapwings are becoming more and more restricted in their distribution within the United Kingdom, with an increasing pr…
Source: Can habitat management rescue Lapwing populations? | wadertales
Evidence that continental ice sheets are sensitive to slight increases in ocean temperature suggests ocean levels will continue to rise for centuries
Source: Sea levels could rise by six to nine metres over time, new study warns | Science | The Guardian
Sedentary herbivores may improve the food resources available to them by ‘gardening’, and most obviously by fertilising primary producers with excreted nutrients such as nitrogen. In five English lakes, spanning a gradient of nutrient availability, we predicted that fertilisation of the larval retreat by the littoral, gallery-building caddisfly Tinodes waeneri would result in: (a) a distinct algal assemblage from that in the background epilithon, and that (b) the difference would be greatest in the least productive lakes (where the importance of the nutrient subsidy from larvae should be greatest).
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Modification of littoral algal assemblages by gardening caddisfly larvae – Ings – 2017 – Freshwater Biology – Wiley Online Library
The RSPB North Bucks Local Group are hosting a talk:
Location: Cruck Barn, City Discovery Centre, Bradwell Abbey, Milton Keynes
Postcode: MK13 9AP (Google map)
Based on his experience of leading more than 20 birdwatching tours to Ethiopia, Steve will tell us about the rich and varied wildlife to be found in this fascinating country. This includes a range of bizarre endemic birds and mammals such as Prince Ruspoli’s Turaco, Stresemann’s Bush Crow and the Ethiopian Wolf.Time: Doors open 7.15 pm for a prompt 7.45 pm start
Price: Group members £2.50, Non-Group members £3.50, Children £1
See the RSPB North Bucks Local Group website for more information
The global economy treats the stability of Earth as a luxury good. This is a fundamental flaw that threatens humanity. It must change.
Source: 5 reasons why the economy is failing the environment, and humanity | World Economic Forum
Buckinghamshire Bird Club will be hosting a Field Trip to Gallows Bridge/Calvert/Quainton Hills on 5 February 2017 – 09:30 to 13:00
Wintering ducks plus thrushes and much more. The three sites are fairly close together so we hope to be able to visit all three.
Click on the link for more information: Gallows Bridge/Calvert/Quainton Hills • Buckinghamshire Bird Club
Buckinghamshire Bird Club will be hosting an Indoor Meeting – Bird Reserves in Kent on 2 February 2017 – 19:30 to 22:00 at Wendover Memorial Hall, Wendover (Lat/Long 51.7662 and -0.739901)
This is a presentation by Jonathan Forgham. The talk starts at Cliffe Pools and works its way, clockwise around Kent, stopping off at Northward Hill, Oare Marshes, Stodmarsh along with other sites before finishing at Dungeness. Details of access and bird species that may be seen are given.
Jonathan has been visiting these sites for many years, so this should be a very interesting talk.
Click on the link for more information: Talk – Bird Reserves in Kent • Buckinghamshire Bird Club
Linford Lakes NR BioBlitz by David Easton. 24 June 2016
Berrycroft Hub is comprised of a selection of practical educational workshops run by experts in their various fields from entomology & archaeology to bushcraft & woodwork. Below are some of the workshops and courses currently offered, price shown is per attendee. All are limited spaces so please book early to avoid disappointment. We look forward to welcoming you to the Hub!
Click on the link for more information: Featured Products
Small Copper butterfly by Peter Hassett
The Upper Thames Branch of Butterfly Conservation are running a free introduction to Butterfly and Moth Identification Surveying & Recording.
“It helps land managers to know not only which species are breeding on any patch, but how their management affects numbers. So, records you supply will make an enormous difference to efforts to conserve wildlife locally and nationally. Plus, such extra knowledge will boost your enjoyment of any walk, even in your own garden.”
All session run from 10.00 – 17.00 on the following dates:
Sunday 12 March 2017
Maiden Erlegh Nature Reserve, Lakeside, Earley, Reading, Berks. RG6 5QE.
Sunday 26 March 2017
Howe Park Wood Education & Visitor centre, H7, Chaffron Way, Milton Keynes, MK4 3GG
Sunday 09 April 2017
SCEEC, Sutton Courtenay, near Didcot, Oxon. OX14 4TE
Programme (for each day)
09.45 – 10.15 tea/coffee and biscuits
10.15 – 11.15 Identification of the butterflies of Berks., Bucks. & Oxon.
11.15 -11.30 tea/coffee and biscuits
11.30 – 11.45 a quick butterfly i.d. quiz
11.45 – 12.30 Separating moths into their families – a start to moth identification.
12.30 – 13.10 Conducting timed count and standardised surveys
13.10 – 13.45 lunch (please bring a packed lunch) tea/coffee and biscuits are provided
13.45 – 15.30 Transect recording – why and how
15.30 – 15.45 a quick moth family quiz
15.45 – 16.00 tea/coffee and biscuits
16.00 – 16.30 Record submission – and how it helps conservation
16.30 – 16.45 closing remarks
If you wish to attend either day please email nick.bowles@ntlworld.com
– all places are free and open to non-members of UTB/BC but are subject to availability. So, please do not plan to attend without pre-booking.
From penguins in Antarctica, to butterflies in Spain, and rodents and coral in the Great Barrier Reef, as the world warms these species are disappearing
Click on the link for more information: The 10 species most at risk from climate change | Environment | The Guardian
I’m delighted to be able to tell you about this new report which is published today. It’s the first People Need Nature policy report – A …
The beginning of the year seems an appropriate time to give an update on the progress of the initial phase of the NBN Atlas and provide broad timescales for some aspects of the work.
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: NBN Atlas development update – National Biodiversity Network
By Peter Cairns, Mark Hamblin & David Hetherington. Many generations have passed since the shy, beautiful, and charismatic lynx roamed the wild forests of Scotland. Today, the possibility of reintroducing this native predator is a tantalising prospect for some but for others, represents an unwelcome imposition.
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Living with Lynx · Maptia
Blog “TAKING MY BREATH AWAY”
Local naturalist Ashley Beolens has won the second BBC Wildlife Magazine blogger of the week award of 2017 for his blog “View from an Urban Lake”.
Ecologists find that the weight of reindeers is reducing, and believe that warming temperatures could be the cause
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Shrinking reindeer linked to climate change | Discover Wildlife
Many counties in southern England have lost more than 60% of their juniper population – in Bedfordshire the last remaining population is found at Cemex’s Kensworth Quarry, which is a working quarry and a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). Juniper is an evergreen shrub or small tree in the cypress family. They are slow-growing, typically they grow about 3-5cm per year and live on average for about 100-120 years, however they can live for longer, for example, the oldest recorded juniper in the UK was aged at 255 years.
Source: Juniper regeneration | Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire
Painted Lady by Harry Appleyard, Tattenhoe Park 5 June 2016
Scientists recorded movement above radar sites in southern England and found large seasonal differences, with mass migrations of insects generally going northwards in spring and southwards in autumn.
Source: Mass insect migrations in UK skies | Rothamsted Research
With its striking crown of yellow and piercing stare, this newly discovered moth could only have been named after one man.
Click on the link for more information: Meet ‘Neopalpa donaldtrumpi’ – the threatened moth named after Donald Trump
Blue Tit with an all-dark head, a condition known as ‘melanism’ (photo: Andrew Cook)
“Welcome to the BTO’s Abnormal Plumage Survey, a study looking at abnormal plumage of British and Irish garden birds.
This survey has been set up to allow you to report observations of birds in gardens showing unusual plumage characteristics, notably those associated with pigmentation problems. Plumage abnormalities associated with feather loss are NOT being recorded through this survey.”
If you see birds with unusual plumage, use this link to complete the survey: BTO Abnormal Plumage Survey
The winter months are normally a busy time for Blue Tits in our gardens. However, the latest figures from the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) show that numbers are down, probably due to a wet summer.
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Blue Tits missing from gardens after washout summer | BTO – British Trust for Ornithology
UK scientists have decoded the genome of the ash in the fight against a devastating plant disease.
Red Admiral by Harry Appleyard, Tattenhoe Park 22nd September 2016
Some of the UK’s best-loved birds and butterflies could be wiped out as there is not enough habitat for them to cope with the effects of a warming climate, a study involving Butterfly Conservation has revealed.
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Butterfly Conservation – Cold-loving butterflies threatened by climate change and habitat loss
Migrating birds are arriving at their breeding grounds earlier as global temperatures rise, an Edinburgh University study finds.
Source: Birds migrating earlier as temperatures rise – BBC News
The world’s oldest known breeding wild bird has laid yet another egg
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Expectant (bird) mother at 66 years old | Discover Wildlife
The rare, amber-encased fossil, which belonged to a young coelurosaur, tells a new story about feather evolution.
Click on the link for more information: Scientists Discover First Mummified Example of a Feathered Dinosaur Tail | Audubon
The Large Blue is the largest and rarest of blue butterflies and is a protected species
Phillip Cullen denies six charges relating to large blues allegedly taken from sites in Somerset and Gloucestershire
To find out more click on the following links:
Well what a year that was! For birdwatchers, 2016 will be remembered as a year of extraordinary proportions with rare birds aplenty! What will you remember about 2016 – will it be the Peregrine on the Erskine Bridge traffic camera or the Snowy Owl making an appearance on that traffic camera in Toronto? Perhaps those extraordinary photos of a Wren feeding a Cuckoo chick stick in your mind, or the astonishing tale of Beijing’s Cuckoos migrating to Africa. Whatever your Birding Moment of 2016, thanks for supporting our work and sharing your stories with us, here’s a brief summary of some of our highlights of the year.
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Review of the year – 2016 | BTO – British Trust for Ornithology
Non-expandable stomachs mean these ants need to use absorbent tools to transport tasty liquids to their nests – and they figure out the best objects for the job
Source: Ants craft tiny sponges to dip into honey and carry it home | New Scientist
Anthropogenic noise is one of the fastest growing and most ubiquitous types of environmental pollution and can impair acoustic communication in a variety of animals [1]. Recent research has shown that birds can adjust acoustic parameters of their sexual signals (songs) in noisy environments 2 and 3, yet we know little about other types of vocalizations. Anti-predator signals contain subtle information that is critical for avoiding predation 4 and 5, and failure to detect these calls 6 and 7 as a result of anthropogenic noise pollution could have large fitness consequences by negatively impacting survival. We investigated whether traffic noise impacts both the production and perception of avian alarm calls using a combination of lab and field experiments with great tits (Parus major), a songbird that frequently inhabits noise-polluted environments.
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Traffic noise drowns out great tit alarm calls
Linford Lakes Nature Reserve showing observation deck by Peter Hassett
General Quiz and Fish & Chip Supper.
Wednesday 24th January, 2018
A range of general knowledge questions followed by fish & chips supper.
Soft drinks and nibbles available. Feel free to bring your own alcohol.
Prompt 7pm start, doors open 6:45pm.
Tickets cost £8.00 and are going fast, only a few left.
Please buy tickets on FoLLNR events.
Around 360 earthquakes were detected in Iceland in the week beginning 4 December, which is pretty normal. Earthquakes can give hints about impending volcanic eruptions so they‘re important to Icela…
Source: Black-tailed Godwits and Volcanic Eruptions | wadertales
Orange Peel Fungus by Jason Hollinger
Mushrooms probably run the world but we do not know this yet. My old friend Jim Trappe from Oregon State told me this long ago, and partly as a result of this interaction we began counting mushroom…
Source: On Mushrooms, Monitoring, and Prediction | Ecological Rants
Wood Warbler by Peter Garner, Linford Lakes NR, 2 May 2016
Open Sunday at Linford Lakes NR 15 January 2017 10:00-16:00
On Open Sunday’s there is access to hides and centre.
Hot and cold drinks, home-made cakes. Second hand book sales, gifts and bird food on sale.
Come and see our winter visitors. There will be a walk with Andy Harding, County Bird Recorder. Andy has a relaxed, fun way of teaching. The walk will leave the centre at 10:00.
The primary aim of BTO surveys is to monitor changes in the health of Britain’s birds, tracking declines and increases via the BTO/JNCC/RSPB Breeding Bird Survey and exploring the factors driving them through bird ringing and nest recording. The long-term trends in abundance, survival and breeding success generated by these schemes are presented on the BirdTrends webpages.
This report provides a preliminary assessment of the 2016 breeding season in terms of population sizes and breeding success, comparing this year’s results to the averages recorded over the previous five seasons.
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Preliminary report on the 2016 breeding season | BTO – British Trust for Ornithology
The world famous dinosaur made up of 292 bones is being taken apart and will leave the Natural History Museum.
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: How Dippy the Diplodocus will be dismantled | Discover Wildlife
The RSPB North Bucks Local Group are leading a field trip to Summer Leys Nature Reserve on 14 January 2017:
Location: Map ref SP 885 634. Just west of Wollaston, Northants – on Hardwater Road, just before Ryeholms Bridge.
One of the group’s favourite walks just over the border into Northants – this time a winter visit. Leader Chris Ward.Time: 10.00 am
Price: Free
See the RSPB North Bucks Local Group website for more information
Work Sunday at Linford Lakes NR 8 January 2017 10:00-13:00hrs.
Willing hands will be made welcome today.
There are lots of jobs around the reserve in the winter.
Cutting back overgrowth, trimming hedges, clearing paths.
Refreshments available.
Tickets to FoLLNR Quiz available at this event.
The tremendous scientific achievements of the long-running UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme were celebrated at a special symposium at CEH in November 2016. Marc Botham recaps proceedings:
Source: 40 years of butterfly monitoring: a celebration | Centre for Ecology & Hydrology
The RSPB North Bucks Local Group are hosting a talk:
Location: Cruck Barn, City Discovery Centre, Bradwell Abbey, Milton Keynes
Postcode: MK13 9AP (Google map)
Chris Ward suggests Florida probably offers some of the best and easiest opportunities for bird photography anywhere in the world … and there is plenty of other wildlife too – as his superb photographs will show!Time: Doors open 7.15 pm for a prompt 7.45 pm start
Price: Group members £2.50, Non-Group members £3.50, Children £1
See the RSPB North Bucks Local Group website for more information
Find out how Natural England’s recent scientific work contributes to a better understanding of the natural world and ways to protect it.
Source: Natural England Chief Scientist’s report 2015 to 2016 – Publications – GOV.UK
Discover fascinating facts about this amazing plant.
Source: 7 eelgrass facts you need to know | Discover Wildlife
Velvet Scoter by Jim Rose, Willen Lake 7 November 2016
The British Trust for Ornithology have produced a series of bird identification workshops which you can watch on YouTube.
Join volunteers across the country who are taking part in the 6th annual BSBI New Year Plant.
Source: New Year Plant Hunt: which plants are flowering in midwinter?
The latest issue of our society newsletter ‘The Magpie’ can be viewed in the Publications section of the website or by clicking here.
Grey Heron by Harry Appleyard, Howe Park Wood 7 November 2016
The Buckinghamshire Bird Club will be hosting a talk “The Science & Beauty of Birds” on 5 January 2017 19:30 to 22:00 at Wendover Memorial Hall,Wendover.
Ever wondered why a raptor has an orbital ridge or what the purpose is of a tubenose on a petrel? Well, in this talk, Oliver guides you through some fascinating insights to the science of birds, their adaptations, evolution and physiology. Oliver’s talk is split into the four sections covering the science of birds, the photography, the aesthetics of bird photography and the rewards.
Click here for more information.
Ministers claim soaring number is a success in effort to cut bovine TB in England but charities question cull’s effectiveness
Source: Badger cull kills more than 10,000 animals in three months | Environment | The Guardian
One caterpillar is thought to be the first recorded self-medicating insect.
Source: A caterpillar’s medicine cabinet | Natural History Museum
Leiobunum.rotundum.female” by James Lindsey at Ecology of Commanster.
This post is the fourth in an ongoing series on arachnids.
Previously, this series addressed whipspiders, hooded tickspiders, and pseudoscorpions.
Additional posts on other weird, often overlooked or neglected groups of these creepy crawlies to follow…
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Arachnids: Harvestmen | Shit You Didn’t Know About Biology
The BTO has been providing advice about the potential ornithological impacts of renewable energy schemes since the 1980s, with BTO scientists working to improve our understanding of the impacts of wind farms on birds in order to help minimise any negative effects. This short BTO Research Note highlights key projects that BTO scientists have been involved in which have helped to improve our knowledge of the interactions between birds and wind farms.
Source: Understanding the Impacts of Wind Farms on Birds | BTO – British Trust for Ornithology
Redshank by Peter Garner, Floodplain Forest NR, 25 March 2016
The Buckinghamshire Bird Club will be visiting College Lake on Sunday 2nd January 2017 from 09:30 to 13:00.
Brimstone by Harry Appleyard, Tattenhoe Park 1 September 2016
Surveying large areas of habitat just got a whole lot easier, as a team of scientists ditch traditional on-foot fieldwork and take to the skies.
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: The drone and the butterfly – conservation takes to the skies
The RSPB North Bucks Local Group are leading a field trip:
Location: Map ref SP 883 404. Car park off V11 Tongwell Street, just north of Pineham roundabout.
Our traditional New Year’s Day walk to blow away the cobwebs and see the usual excellent collection of birds on and around the lake. Leader Pete How.Time: 10.00 am
Price: Free
See the RSPB North Bucks Local Group website for more information
Longhorn beetle (Stranglia maculata) by Peter Hassett Silverdale 18 July 2009
The Longhorn Beetle Recording Scheme collates records for beetles in family Cerambycidae. The scheme (under the name Cerambycidae Recording Scheme) has been running since 1982, and published an atlas in 1999.
The Longhorn Beetle Recording Scheme have produced a new draft Atlas which can be downloaded using this link: Draft Longhorn Beetle Atlas.pdf
Another citizen science project.
You are being asked to help monitor the health of British garden wildlife.
Click on the link for more information: Garden Wildlife Health | Monitoring the health of Garden Wildlife
The World Health Organisation have published a review of the evidence about the impact of Urban green spaces on health.
You can download the report by clicking this link. (92 page PDF)
First Place. Bee by Paul Lund. Taken in Paul’s garden using two flash guns to freeze motion.
Pelagic Publishing will be releasing a new guide to Solitary bees by Ted Benton (Naturalists’ Handbooks 33)
The book covers
- Identification key to solitary bee genera
- The biology and ecology of solitary bees
- Practical guidance to watching and studying solitary bees
In Britain and Ireland there are about ten times more species of solitary bee than bumblebee and honeybee combined, yet the solitary bees tend to be ignored and we know much less about them. They are a fascinating, attractive and diverse group that can be found easily in a wide range of habitats, both urban and rural, and they are important as pollinators.
Solitary bees provides an introduction to the natural history, ecology and conservation of solitary bees, together with an easy-to-use key to genera.
Contents:
1 Introduction
2 Diversity and recognition
3 Bee lives
4 Cuckoos in the nest
5 Bees and flowers
6 The conservation of solitary bees
7 Approaches to practical work
8 Keys to the genera of bees of the British Isles
9 References and further reading
Index
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Solitary bees (Naturalists’ Handbooks 33)
Common Frogs by Harry Appleyard, Howe Park Wood 01Mar16
Salting roads and pavements during winter damages frog populations by turning would-be females into males, a major new study warns.
Source: Salting roads harms frog numbers by changing their sex
Daubenton’s bat by Chris Damant
While artificial lighting is a major component of global change, its biological impacts have only recently been recognised.
Artificial lighting attracts and repels animals in taxon-specific ways and affects physiological processes.
Being nocturnal, bats are likely to be strongly affected by artificial lighting. Moreover, many species of bats are insectivorous, and insects are also strongly influenced by lighting. Lighting technologies are changing rapidly, with the use of light-emitting diode (LED) lamps increasing. Impacts on bats and their prey depend on the light spectra produced by street lights ; ultraviolet (UV) wavelengths attract more insects and consequently insectivorous bats. Bat responses to lighting are species-specific and reflect differences in flight morphology and performance ; fast-flying aerial hawking species frequently feed around street lights, whereas relatively slow-flying bats that forage in more confined spaces are often light-averse
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Dark Matters: The Effects of Artificial Lighting on Bats – Springer
Herald moth by Martin Kincaid, Manor Farm cellar
Buff tailed bumblebee queen feeding at Mahonia in garden, Oldbrook (17th)
Small tortoiseshell and peacock butterflies and Herald moths hibernating in cellar, Manor Farm, Old Wolverton (18th)
Otter at North Willen Lake (16-17 – Mark Strutton)
Great White Egret – one at Floodplain Forest (18th)
Bittern – one roosting high up in willow tree at Linford Lakes Nature Reserve (18th) Also Barn Owl and 3 Red Crested Pochard present.
Goosander – various numbers at Emberton Country Park, Tongwell Lake, South Willen, Stony Stratford Nature Reserve and Floodplain Forest.
Woodcock – one flushed in Linford Wood (16th)
(All sightings not otherwise attributed by Martin Kincaid)
Every day until Sunday, December 25, we’ll present one new image of our universe from NASA’s ‘scope.
Source: 2016 Hubble Space Telescope Advent Calendar – The Atlantic
The British Government says it has no plans to give the much-loved robin ‘offcial status’ despite public support.
Source: The British robin will not receive official status | Discover Wildlife
Wood Warbler by Peter Garner, Linford Lakes NR, 2 May 2016
Birds prefer to fly between the gardens of leafy suburban neighbourhoods to visit bird feeders than city terraces or new-build estates, a ground-breaking study tracking the behaviour of hundreds of garden birds has found.
A year-long study into the behaviour of over 450 blue tits and great tits found that a suburban neighbourhood with trees, shrubs and hedges between properties attract far more birds to their feeders than a Victorian urban terrace or manicured, modern housing estate.
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Electronic tracking of song birds shows roads and urban features influence their choice of gardens
CITES has received much media attention, particularly in the past few months in the wake of the 17th Conference of the Parties (CoP) in Johannesburg. But how much do you know about the CITES agreement? Mark Cawardine demystifies all.
Source: 7 things you didn’t know about CITES | Discover Wildlife
The RSPB North Bucks Local Group are leading a field trip to Bucknell Wood, Silverstone on 3 May 2017:
Location: Map ref SP 660 450, a small Forestry Commission car park on left hand side, 1km NW of Silverstone village on the minor road to Blakesley.
Yet another new location – a large ancient woodland, known for butterflies including Wood White. Leader Chris Coppock.
Time: 10.00 am
Price: Free
See the RSPB North Bucks Local Group website for more information
The RSPB North Bucks Local Group are leading a field trip to Wilstone Reservoir, Bucks on 1 February 2017:
Location: Map ref SP 904 135. The car park is on the B489 Marsworth – Aston Clinton road.
A late winter visit to the biggest and best of the Tring reservoirs, for farmland and water birds. Leader Chris Copock. Other reservoirs and a café are a just a few minutes’ drive away.Time: 10.00 am
Price: Free
See the RSPB North Bucks Local Group website for more information
Painted Lady, Tattenhoe Park (5th June)
Long-distance migration is a strategy some animals use to survive a seasonally changing environment. To reach favorable grounds, migratory animals have evolved sophisticated navigational mechanisms that rely on a map and compasses. In migratory insects, the existence of a map sense (sense of position) remains poorly understood, but recent work has provided new insights into the mechanisms some compasses use for maintaining a constant bearing during long-distance navigation. The best-studied directional stra
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Unraveling navigational strategies in migratory insects
Latest update to the red list of threatened species shows world’s tallest animal is on the brink, but some good news for Madagascan freshwater fish
Source: Giraffes facing extinction after devastating decline, experts warn | Environment | The Guardian
A controversial new paper reassessed species at risk of extinction using technology such as satellite and aerial imaging, and their conclusions lead them to question not only the IUCN’s method, but also the validity of where certain species fall on the Red List.
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: New study claims that the IUCN Red List is inaccurate | Discover Wildlife
Pyramidal Orchids, Howe Park Wood (19th June)
The Natural History museum has produced “A beginner’s vegetative guide to the orchids of the British Isles”
The British Trust for Ornithology have published the results of their garden bird survey for 2014/15
The Garden Bird Feeding Survey (GBFS) has charted the use of food supplements by birds in gardens for over 40 years. The network of householders that participate in the survey extends across the UK.
The latest results for GBFS are now out, charting the use of feeders by birds during the winter of 2014/15. After relatively few birds were seen in winter 2013/14, we were all hoping for a surge in numbers last winter but, with mild temperatures and an abundance of natural foods, our garden feeding stations were quiet once again. The insight provided by GBFS participants is particularly helpful as bird foods and feeders continue to develop apace. We are delighted to share with you the fruits of their endeavours.
Click on the link for more information : The Garden Bird Feeding Survey (GBFS) | BTO – British Trust for Ornithology
Despite the enormous interest in edible wild fungi, the decline in expert mycologists has hit an all time low in the UK with a 70% decline in the last 20 years.
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Mycologists become rarer than the species they study | News and press | About us
Canada’s health regulator is planning to ban a controversial neonicotinoid pesticide, which it says has contaminated waterways and killed important aquatic insects.
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Health Canada proposes ban on pesticide linked to bee deaths – BBC News
MAMMALS
Pygmy Shrew recorded by Linford Lakes Mammal Group on 11th – plus field sign of 10 other species including badger, mink, otter and Muntjac deer.
Noctule bat over Tattenhoe – 8th (Harry Appleyard)
BIRDS
Female Scaup and Woodcock at Linford Lakes N.R. (11th)
Red Kite over Shenley Church End – 11th (Peter Hassett)
Red Crested Pochard – pair still at South Willen Lake (9th)
3 Stonechats on fence posts – Floodplain Forest Nature Reserve (7th)
FUNGI
Oyster mushrooms Pleurotus spp. on willow stump at Floodplain Forest Nature Reserve (7th)
Tremella mesenterica (Yellow Brain Fungus) – plentiful at Linford Lakes NR (11th)
(All sightings not otherwise attributed by Martin Kincaid)
Today, the health of the world’s 10,000+ bird species was revealed with the publication of the 2016 Red List. There are reasons to cheer, but also reasons for concern.
Click on the links below to read more:
Bird Life International
Discover Wildlife
(All sightings by Martin Kincaid unless otherwise stated)
Bedfordshire Natural History SOciety have produced details of Silphidae (Carrion Beetles) in found in Bedfordshire.
Click this link for more information: Bedfordshire Silphidae / Carrion Beetles
Around 500 years after they were hunted to extinction, Eurasian beavers are to be given formal protection and allowed to remain in the Scottish countryside.
Source: Eurasian beavers to be given formal protection and allowed to remain in Scottish countryside
The Friends of Linford Lakes Nature Reserve are looking
for extra help with activities and events.
We need many hands to help with the extra work on Work Sundays
at this time of year. We also need helpers on our Open Sundays.
We are getting large numbers of visitors on these days who need information
and directions. With more help we could have
more activities, especially for families.
If you would like more information please
speak to one of the committee at any of our events or
write to gjgevents@gmail.com
In a recent talk to the Society “Nest-boxes – the case against!”, Martin Kincaid mentioned the longest running bird survey conducted by Oxford University at Wytham Woods. Read on if you would like to learn more about the project:
The Wytham Tit Project is a long-term population study of two woodland bird species – great tits (Parus major) and blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus) – based at Wytham Woods near Oxford, UK, and is run by the Edward Grey Institute in the Department of Zoology at the University of Oxford. Although the majority of the work focusses on great and blue tits, there are smaller populations of coal tits (Periparus ater) and marsh tits (Poecile palustris) which are of particular interest for their role in interspecific flocking and information spread. Sadly, as with much of the UK, the willow tit (Poecile montana) no longer breeds in Wytham.
Click on the link for more information
: Wytham Tits
White Admiral by Harry Appleyard, North Bucks Way, 8 July 2016
As part of a broader study into the life cycle of the White Admiral butterfly, the author has examined the habits of the overwintering larva. In this article he presents four different types of hibernacula that he has encountered so that it may help those looking to monitor them over the winter months.
It’s been a roller-coaster of a year and so, as 2016 draws to a close, I am delighted to be able to report good news about European wildlife – news which also has huge significance for the future of nature conservation in the UK.
Following a comprehensive 2-year evaluation process, the European Commission announced yesterday that the EU Birds and Habitats & Species Directives (the ‘Nature’ Directives) would not be ‘opened up’ for revision. Instead – and in line with the evidence as to what is urgently required – the Commission will draw up plans for better implementation and increased investment.
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: The EU Nature Directives are safe – so what next for protection of UK wildlife? – Martin Harper’s blog – Our work – The RSPB Community
Further decline in bee populations could cost British farmers hundreds of millions of pounds and completely wipe out the apple industry, according to scientists.
Source: Decline in bees could wipe out British apple industry, say scientists
A UK-wide citizen science charity generating usable data on pollinators, pollination and much more!
