The ash tree is likely to be wiped out in Europe, according to the largest-ever survey of the species.

Source: Ash tree set for extinction in Europe – BBC News

Patrick Barkham fears the exceptionally mild winter and cold, late spring have dashed his hopes for the coming months

Source: My first sighting of this unpromising year | Environment | The Guardian

Redshank by Peter Garner, Floodplain Forest NR, 25 March 2016

One of our members, Peter Garner will be leading a walk at the Floodplain Forest Nature Reserve (née Manor Farm) for the Bucks Bird Club (BuBC).

You are welcome to attend even if you’re not a member of the BuBc (there will be a small charge for non-members).

Details of the event can be found on the BuBc website.

Click on this link to find more information about the Floodplain Forest Nature Reserve

MKNHS is not responsible for the content of external Internet sites. You should check details of any events listed on external sites with the organisers.

Badgers not to blame for hedgehog’s decline, say wildlife groups

Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Badger cull no help for hedgehogs | Discover Wildlife

BIRDS

• Common Scoter – 10 birds at Caldecott South Lake (22nd). Single at Mount Farm (29th)
• Black Tern – Willen Lake South
• Arctic Tern – Willen Lake South
• Common Tern – Willen Lake South
• House Martin – Willen Lake South and Caldecott South Lake
• Sand Martin – Willen Lake South and Caldecott South Lake

Common Scoter by Peter Hassett, Mount Farm, 29 March 2016

Common Scoter by Peter Hassett, Mount Farm, 29 March 2016

The 5 pairs of Common Scoter were seen on Caldecott South Lake on 22 March 2016. The solitary immature female Common Scoter arrived at Manor Farm on 29 March. Some record shots are included.

Magpie logo

The April 2016 edition of the Society’s magazine, The Magpie has been published.

You can view it on the Publications area of the website or by clicking on this link.

Greenpeace accuses government of ignoring scientists over fate of Białowieża woodland, home to 20,000 animal species and Europe’s tallest trees

Source: Poland approves large-scale logging in Europe’s last primeval forest | Environment | The Guardian

3rd April, Work Sunday.
10:00- 13:00hrs
Refreshments available.

Helpers are invited to get involved with a range of activities.
This month we plan to plant some holly bushes, seed the butterfly bank,
treat the benches in the front garden and clear the leaves from bridges.

MKNHS is not responsible for the content of external Internet sites. You should check details of any events listed on external sites with the organisers.

The 2015 annual results of the BTO Garden BirdWatch show an interesting story. Thanks to a wet spring, some of our common bird species appeared to have poor breeding season, leading to low average numbers during the second half of the year. Many of the seed-eating and insectivorous species were seen in very high numbers toward the end of the year, possibly due to a poor tree-seed crop and stormy weather. It was also another year with low winter migrant numbers, which could have been driven by relatively mild winters at both ends of the year. Explore the year in more detail by viewing the results for individual species using the drop-down menu below or scroll down to see our seasonal guide.

Click on this link to view the results. Click on the Species menu to select the results for a particular species: GBW Annual Results 2015 | BTO – British Trust for Ornithology

Parent Bug (Elasmucha grisea) by Peter Hassett, Preston Montford , 5 August 2015

Mike LeRoy has kindly provided the following information:

Natural England published four more of their series of Species Status Reviews during March 2016. These are for:
• Caddisflies (Trichoptera)
• Mayflies (Ephemeroptera)
• Ground Beetles (Carabidae)
• Shieldbugs and allied families (Hemiptera.

Use this link to download the publications: http://publications.naturalengland.org.uk/category/4707656804597760

Buglife’s ‘Bug Bites’ newsletter says:

“The reviews cover Mayflies, Caddisflies, Shieldbugs and Ground beetles and show that over 70 of the 686 species reviewed are at threat of extinction, and a further 9 species have become extinct.”

The RSPB North Bucks Local Group will be visiting College Lake Nature Reserve, near Tring on 6Apr16. Click here for more details.

MKNHS is not responsible for the content of external Internet sites. You should check details of any events listed on external sites with the organisers.

For the first time, a butterfly, Euptychia attenboroughi, has been named after Sir David Attenborough. It’s a black-eyed satyr that it is known only from lowland tropical forests of the upper Amazon basin in Venezuela, Colombia, and Brazil.

Click on the link to read the article: New Butterfly Species Named after Sir David Attenborough – Entomology Today

Beak deformities in wild birds are unusual, with fewer than one in 200 adult birds thought to be affected. However, a number of reports from BTO Garden BirdWatchers have caught our eye and we are keen to find out more about the deformities being seen in British and Irish gardens.

Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Big Garden Beak Watch | BTO – British Trust for Ornithology

One of the UK’s most widespread butterflies, the Small Copper, has suffered its worst year on record and is now in a state of significant decline, a study has revealed.

Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Butterfly Conservation – Small Copper slumps as butterflies struggle in cold summer

Toxic chemicals threaten Europe’s orcas

Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Toxic chemicals threaten Europe’s orcas | Discover Wildlife

Perennial flower meadows can look very attractive and will flower for many years once established. Most of our native wildflower meadows have disappeared due to intensification of agriculture and by creating your own flower meadow you bring a tiny fragment of this precious habitat back and provide food and shelter for many different types of wildlife especially pollinators and other insects, spiders, birds and small mammals.

Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Urban Pollinators: How to create a perennial flower meadow

We don’t know whether other animals apart from humans exercise to stay fit, says scientist Dr Lewis Halsey.

Source: Do animals train to stay in shape? | Discover Wildlife

Federal Aviation Administration aims to stop millions of birds dying each year by changing static red lights, which attract birds, to flashing lights

Source: FAA aims to save millions of birds by changing static red airport lights | Environment | The Guardian

The Guardian newspaper has published a short article on the Emperor butterfly in Milton Keynes. You need to scroll down past the first article.
We forced SeaWorld into the orca U-turn. What shall we do next? | Patrick Barkham | Opinion | The Guardian

Small grebes in summer are gloriously-coloured birds, but two of the three species are unfamiliar to most. Poor light or frequently encountered partially moulted birds can also cause some identification headaches. Let us help you separate these beautiful birds.

Click on the play button to watch the video

Flock of racing pigeons equipped with pollution sensor and Twitter account take to the skies in bid to raise awareness of capital’s illegally dirty air

Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Pigeon patrol takes flight to tackle London’s air pollution crisis | Environment | The Guardian

BIRDS

• Marsh Tits – Howe Park Wood and Oakhill Wood
• Large groups of Siskins in Howe Park Wood and on the North Bucks Way
• Chiffchaffs singing in Oakhill Wood (Mon 21st)
• Red Kites over Tattenhoe Park (Thurs 17th)
• Woodcocks (x1 Tattenhoe Linear Park, x1 North Bucks Way)
• Tawny Owls hooting in the early afternoon, North Bucks Way (Sat 26th)

All sightings by Harry Appleyard

LISSAMPHIBIA

• Common Toads, Howe Park Wood (Harry Appleyard)
• Frog Spawn in Secretary’s pond for last 3 weeks

MAMMALS

• Fallow deer tracks and Roe buck, the North Bucks Way (Thurs 11th) (Harry Appleyard)

INSECTS

Lepidoptera

• Small Tortoiseshell butterflies, North Bucks Way and Tattenhoe Linear Park (Thurs 11th)
• Red-tailed bumblebee, North Bucks Way (Thurs 11th)
• Male Brimstone in Ellis’s garden in Blue Bridge, 21st

Just like us, the monarch butterfly sometimes gets sick thanks to a nasty parasite. But biologist Jaap de Roode noticed something interesting about the butterflies he was studying — infected female butterflies would choose to lay their eggs on a specific kind of plant that helped their offspring avoid getting sick. How do they know to choose this plant? Think of it as “the other butterfly effect” — which could teach us to find new medicines for the treatment of human disease.

Click on the arrow to watch the video (6 minutes)

The cunning birds hide their food more quickly if they think they are being watched, suggesting they can attribute mental states to others

Source: Ravens’ fear of unseen snoopers hints they have theory of mind | New Scientist

Here are four ways that farmers can support wildlife on their land – and be paid for it.

Source: 4 ways farmers can help wildlife | Discover Wildlife

Butterfly Conservation is committed to sharing data to benefit nature conservation, public understanding and ecological research. After consultation with the … Continued

Source: Butterfly Conservation opens the door to Lepidoptera records – National Biodiversity Network

Popular puffin and curlew are among 15 species added to ‘red list’ of birds at risk of extinction locally, says a new report

Source: More than a quarter of UK birds are fighting for survival | Environment | The Guardian

Despite what a certain cartoon about nunchucks-wielding reptiles would have you think, turtles are no heroes in a half shell. In Japan, they were in need of a rescue themselves due to their unfortunate habit of getting caught between the railroad switches while trying to cross the tracks.

You can see below how that would be a problem:

Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Turtles Saved From Sudden Death Thanks To New Train Lanes

Rather than make the winter migration to Africa the birds are finding a constant source of food at Europe’s landfill sites, research shows

Click on the link to read the rest of the article: White storks swap migration for a junk food diet at rubbish tips | Environment | The Guardian

The Royal Geographical Society is hosting an event on Thursday the 24th March 2016, at the Royal Geographical Society in London.

The evening is intended to showcase the incredible wildlife of all of the UK Overseas Territories and the journey taken by film-maker Stewart McPherson over the last four years to visit and document their wildlife. Tickets cost £10 (£8 for RGS Members, Friends of the UKOTs, Students, Seniors). They are available at: http://ow.ly/XUGsr

MKNHS is not responsible for the content of external Internet sites. You should check details of any events listed on external sites with the organisers.

In the What’s About news items for the 16th and 23rd February 2016 we advised you that a Ferruginous Duck and a Dipper had been seen in Milton Keynes.

The Bucks Bird Club (BuBC) produce an excellent monthly bulletin for their members. The March edition contains articles on both of these rare visitors to Milton Keynes. The BuBC have kindly agreed that the Society can publish these articles on our website:

This photograph of the disputed adult Ferruginous Duck at Caldecotte Lake shows off its rear undertail white feathers, one of its key identification features at distance as well as its high forehead. Photo – Andrew Moon

Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca is a scarce duck at the best of times with only ten or so records from Bucks.  However the possibility of escapes from wildfowl collections cannot always be discounted. This rather smart drake turned up at Caldecotte Lake on 5th February 2016 found by Keith O’Hagan.  It stayed there for several days and then moved to Mount Farm Lake on 12th February.  It then proceeded to move between the two lakes periodically. The bird showed all of the identification features of a Ferruginous Duck, however a few of our experienced birders in Bucks felt this was more inclined to be an escaped bird. However, not much could be pinpointed to this, perhaps too good to be true getting the vote. It was drifting around a Black-headed Gull for some time, which either suggests watch out for a very interesting hybrid or it was just looking for friends, choosing this bird rather than closer related birds such as Pochard or Mallard, which doesn’t necessarily make it tame. While the origins of many scarce ducks is often unknown, this individual was rather wary at times and was un-ringed, so perhaps suggesting a wild origin, and what’s wrong with a ‘too good to be true’, being true on occasion, at the right time of year and when a small influx of other birds have been seen around the UK in February.  The natural location of breeding birds is in East Europe and beyond, with a few regular localised wintering populations in Central France. Perhaps this one favoured BreExit! The Bucks records committee will decide in due course whether to accept as a wild bird or a potential escapee. Still a beautiful bird and one well worth publishing here and as seen by many.

This photograph of a scarce bird for Bucks proved to be a much sought after Dipper (also known as White-throated Dipper) which has not been seen in Bucks for many years. Thanks to this opportunistic photographer for recognising this wasn’t just any bird and for sharing this image with us to help aid its identification as a valued record. Photo – Sarah Mckeeman

Reports of a Dipper (White-throated) Cinclus cinclus in north Milton Keynes was more conclusive and brought out bird searching fever after being reported by a non-birder but keen photographer Sarah Mckeeman. This single photo of the bird was taken on its favourite rock on Loughton Brook, near Bradwell and blog-posted on Sat 13^th February, probably one of only a few locations in this part of Bucks, where the bird could have found some pleasure in habitat that it would normally seek in more northern streams and rivers of the UK, or gushing brooks in Devon or Wales. No doubt the same bird seen again shortly after, but this time located in the Emerson Valley Park stream in Furzton near a footbridge very close to V3 Fulmer Street.  Adam Bassett, who was seeking the bird at the time, came across Sarah and a friend whilst looking for the bird, who shared the image seen here with him. This being the case she was delighted to learn of the rarity of the image she had captured but more importantly had collected a record for Bucks, not seen since 1994. Other birds have been seen over preceding years but only ones and twos over each decade. It would appear from this valued photograph that the bird is of the nominate form, the continental Cinclus c. cinclus. Most birds in the distant past have been migrants, as the more resident two UK sub-species birds of West Scotland c. hibernicus and rest of Scot/North and West England and Wales c. gularis tend to stay local. Both of these forms have a slightly more rusty brown belly, whereas the birds from the continent are known as Dark-bellied. In Sarah’s own words: “Walter and I were stalking the kingfisher that lives along this piece of river.  We were at the brick bridge than runs under the west coast main line.  This bridge has a wooden bridge that lets pedestrians through.  We were walking back south and out of the corner of our eyes, saw a bird flying fast and smoothly just above the water to under these bridges.  We both looked at each other and for a second as it looked like a black kingfisher in flight.  Anyway, next thing we knew, it flew back past us again, to the stepping stones in the water. Curious to see what it was, we started clicking away, light was pretty poor and we daren’t get any closer as we didn’t want to spook it.  A couple of times it flew back to the bridge, then back to the stones.  We lost it after that” Alas, it was not seen again at these locations although some intrepid Bucks birders trod miles just in case.

I would like to thank the BuBC and especially Tony Hardware for their assistance in the production of this article. I recommend that you check out their website and consider joining the group.

RSPCA heralds the rare discovery of twin grey seal pups after it recovers orphan pair from beach in Norfolk.

Source: Grey seal twins born in the wild | Discover Wildlife

INSECTS
Small Tortoiseshell butterfly at Rammamere Heath (13th – HA)
Buff-tailed Bumblebees active throughout MK now.
Peacock butterfly and Greater Bee-fly – Linford Lakes Nature Reserve (14th – MK)

Common Lizard by Harry Appleyard, Rammamere Heath 13 March 2016

REPTILES
Common Lizards seen basking at Rammamere Heath (13th)

BIRDS
2 Redshank on Willen Island (14th – MK)
Oystercatcher pair on top of Sand Martin Bank, Linford Lakes NR (12th)
Woodcock – Rushmere Country Park (13th – MK)
Tawny Owls calling at Woughton on the Green (13th)
Pintail – a pair still at Linford Lakes NR (14th)
Chiffchaffs heard calling at Linford Lakes and Caldecotte Lake

(HA) = Harry Appleyard
(MK) = Martin Kincaid

A newly-discovered spider has been named after rock star David Bowie, in an effort to raise awareness about the number of arachnid species threatened with extinction.

Source: Rare yellow spider named after David Bowie – Telegraph

Wildlife Trust estimates tree disease has left around 1,000 mature English elms, which are the exclusive habitat of declining white-letter hairstreak

Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Rare UK butterfly under threat as elms disappear | Environment | The Guardian

MKNHS is not responsible for the content of external Internet sites.

Tropical forests in Colombia are home to a rich diversity of butterfly and moth species. Dr Blanca Huertas, Senior Curator of butterflies, joined an expedition for 72 hours of intense exploration in the wilderness.

Click on the link to read the rest of the article: In search of new species in wild Colombia | Natural History Museum

A 20-year review of the illegal killing of birds of prey in Scotland shows 779 raptors died between 1994 and 2014, says RSPB Scotland.

Source: Hundreds of raptors illegally killed since 1994, says RSPB – BBC News

10:00- 16:00hrs

Join Andy Harding, County Recorder, at 10:00
for a bird watching walk.
Andy is great at teaching bird identification
and is always willing to share his experiences of bird life.

There is open access to hides and centre.
Facilities available. Hot and cold drinks, home-made cakes.
Second hand book sales, crafts and bird food on sale.
Come and see what has dropped in.
View from the comfort of our hides and viewing gallery.
Please bring your friends and family, all welcome.

Click here for more details.

MKNHS is not responsible for the content of external Internet sites. You should check details of any events listed on external sites with the organisers.

Everyone associates poet extraordinaire William Wordsworth with daffodils – ‘I wandered lonely as a cloud …’ – but Wordsworth’s favourite flower was, in fact, the Lesser Celandine (Ranunculus ficar…

Click on the link to read the rest of the article: The lovely Lesser Celandine | earthstar

Use this guide to help you identify 12 mostly common British trees.

Source: How to identify a tree from its bark | Discover Wildlife

MKNHS is not responsible for the content of external Internet sites.

Hi all.

As many of you have already noticed the construction of the floodplain forest nature reserve at Manor Farm is nearing completion. Our contractor has been on site since October 2015 and has now almost completed the 2.5km of footpaths, and most of the fences, boardwalks and bridges have now been installed. The three bird hides have been installed in the past fortnight but have remained locked for health and safety reasons. I’m pleased to say that as of Monday 14th March – assuming conditions are favourable – there will be some access to the nature reserve. The large central hide and the western hide, towards the Iron Trunk, will be open as will the path that connects them. The doors will not be locked from that point on. Our contractor will still be on site operating heavy machinery for several weeks so we will not be able to open up the third hide at the Haversham Road end just yet. While the contractor is still working on site, please keep to the area described above – there will be some temporary hazard fencing and signage indicating areas which remain out of bounds. Of course, you can continue to view the pits from anywhere along the riverside (northern) boundary and we now expect to be able to open the nature reserve fully some time in April.

It was our intention to begin to open up the reserve in January 2016 but unfortunately the wettest winter that anyone can remember has caused some delays. The contractors have done an incredible job given the conditions.

We have had a few questions about the materials used for the footpaths and boardwalks. The boardwalks are made from a composite material that will resist rotting and have a natural non-slip surface, while the footpaths are made from recycled car tyres! This means they are permeable and as floodwater recedes they will drain quickly. Of course, some work will be ongoing for months ahead – with tree planting, reed planting and some additional stock fencing to go in later this year. Walking around the site with a colleague yesterday, there was little of note other than a good number of Common Snipe, with every ditch and pond seeming to hold two or three.

Here’s to many years of good birding and wildlife watching at Manor Farm. Enjoy!

Martin Kincaid
Biodiversity Officer, The Parks Trust

Dangerous volumes of neonicotinoid insecticides and other pesticides are expressed in common wild flowers like buttercups and hawthorn blossom in countryside under arable cultivation, a new study has discovered. The discovery invalidates the UK government’s ‘pollinator strategy’ based on creating ‘safe havens’ in arable areas – because the havens are in fact loaded with pesticides.

Click on the link to read the rest of the article: New research exposes hidden cocktail of bee-killing pesticides in hedgerows and wildflowers – The Ecologist

Understand bar-tailed godwit migration.

Source: Understand bar-tailed godwit migration | Discover Wildlife

FLOWERS/PLANTS
Common Dog Violets – Linford and Shenley Woods (MK)
Cowslips and a few Bluebells – Howe Park Wood (MK)
Rosettes of bee orchids emerging at Willen Lake and Newport Pagnell (MK)
Danish Scurvygrass beginning to flower along grid roads (MK)

AMPHIBIANS

Common Frogs by Harry Appleyard, Howe Park Wood 01Mar16

Common frogs in ponds at Howe Park Wood and Westcroft ponds (MK) (HA)
Great Crested and Smooth Newts at Hazeley Wood (4th March – MK)
Any toads spawning yet??

BIRDS
Oystercatcher pairs at Stony Stratford, Manor Farm, Linford Lakes and Gayhurst. (MK)
8 Common Snipe and 1 Green Sandpiper on island at Stony Stratford Reserve (6th – MK)
A few Goldeneye still at South Willen Lake (4th – MK)
Sparrowhawk male at bottom of garden, Oldbrook (5th – Helen Wilson)
Redwings and Fieldfares gradually heading north. (MK)
Siskins – Tattenhoe Park and Howe Park Wood (HA)
Skylarks singing above fields in Tattenhoe Park and near Oakhill Wood (HA)

INSECTS
Red-Tailed Bumblebee – Howe Park Wood (Thurs 3rd) (HA)

MAMMALS
Roe, muntjac and more possible wild boar tracks in Oakhill Wood (Sun 6th) (HA)

(HA) = Harry Appleyard
(MK) = Martin Kincaid

Project by RSPB and clean tech firm Anesco to boost wildlife at solar farms in England and Wales will help species including turtle doves and skylarks

Source: Solar farms to create natural habitats for threatened British species | Environment | The Guardian

Centres, which rely on thousands of volunteers and are described as ‘eyes and ears’ of natural world, told contract ending early

Source: Decision to end funding of local environmental record centres attacked | Environment | The Guardian

Around the UK, Jays haven’t needed to dip into their large cache of acorns much this winter, with the weather being so mild. They will top up their diet with invertebrates and any other meaty treats they can get. This search can lead them to gardens during cold periods and some of these gardens are occupied by BTO ringers.

Click on the link to read the rest of the article: BTO Bird Ringing – ‘Demog Blog’: What happened to all the Jays?

On Wednesday 6 January four scientists from the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology gave an hour-long background press briefing on the science behind flooding.Yesterday we posted a summary of the introductory hydrological points made by Professor Alan Jenkins, our Deputy Director and Director, Water and Pollution Science.

Source: What difference could natural flood management techniques make? | Centre for Ecology & Hydrology

The conservation charity, the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS), announced today that preparations have begun to allow male polar bear Arktos to meet female polar bear Victoria for the first time. This is the latest and most exciting step in our efforts to support the European breeding programme for this at risk species, which is currently listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of endangered species

Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Wildlife Extra News – Polar Bear Breeding Begins In The Highlands

The RSPB North Bucks Local Group will be visiting Linford Lakes Nature Reserve on 12Mar16. Click here for more details.

MKNHS is not responsible for the content of external Internet sites. You should check details of any events listed on external sites with the organisers.

For a wonderful display in spring, plant conservation charity Plant Life has drawn up this list of 12 woodland plants for the wildflower garden. These exuberant plants put on a magnificent display in early spring, making the most of the warm sunshine before the tree canopy closes over.

Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Top 12 wildflowers for spring | The Telegraph

One of the UK’s rarest butterflies is being encouraged to move to a new site next to a Buckinghamshire railway line to ensure its survival.

Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Butterfly Conservation – Duke Gets Back On Track!

Butterflies in Greenland have become smaller in response to increasing temperatures.

Click here to read the article High-Arctic butterflies shrink with rising temperatures | BIOSPHERE

MKNHS is not responsible for the content of external Internet sites.

Buckinghamshire Bird Club have published details of the Dipper photographed on 13th February by Sarah McKeeman along the Loughton Brook near Bradwell.

This is the first record of this species in the county since one was seen flying along the Thames in March 1994!

Click on the link to read more information and to see the pictures.

BIRDS

3 Pintail, 1 Black Swan, 2 Oystercatchers – Linford Lakes (27th Feb)

Goosanders, Lapwings, Snipe and 1 Oystercatcher – Stony Stratford N.R. (Michele Welborn – 29th)

Herons nesting at Willen Island, Furzton Lake and Linford Lakes.

Yellowhammers and Red Kites – Tattnehoe (Harry A – 28th)

Stonechat – Stanton Low (27th)

PLANTS

Colt’s Foot, Lesser Celandine, Danish Scurvygrass, Common Dog Violet, Primrose, Marsh Marigold in flower at Stony Stratford Nature Reserve (26th Feb)

Bluebells in flower at Howe Park Wood (Harry Appleyard)

INSECTS
Lepidoptera
Red Admiral in Tony Wood’s back garden, New Bradwell (24th)

Hemiptera-Heteroptera
Water Scorpions and Lesser Waterboatmen found during pond dipping session – Linford Lakes (29th)

An estimated 140 million monarch butterflies completed this year’s migration to Mexico, about three-and-a-half times as many as the winter before.

Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Monarch Butterfly Population More Than Triples Over Last Year – Good News Network

Having on average 10 more trees in a city block improved how someone rated their health by a level comparable to an increase in annual income of $10,000

Source: More trees on your street means fewer health problems, says study | Society | The Guardian

Dr Trevor Dines, a botanical specialist at Plantlife explores the colours of flowers during the winter months.

Source: BBC Blogs – Winterwatch – A splash of colour in the monochrome months

10:00- 13:00hrs

All willing hands welcome, jobs from making tea to
Clearing paths, cutting back bramble, cleaning bird feeders.
Something for everyone.
All youngsters to be supervised by a responsible adult.
Please wear suitable clothing to keep you warm and dry.
Refreshments available.
Click here for more details.

MKNHS is not responsible for the content of external Internet sites. You should check details of any events listed on external sites with the organisers.

Urbanization and habitat fragmentation can alter the timing of life history events, potentially leading to phenological mismatches, carryover effects, and fitness costs. Whereas urbanization and fragmentation are known to alter important aspects of breeding in many bird species, little is known about the effects of urbanization and habitat fragmentation on moult

Click on the link to read the rest of the article Urban living alters moult dynamics in a passerine – Hope – Journal of Avian Biology – Wiley Online Library

MKNHS is not responsible for the content of external Internet sites.

Insects, which include more than a million described species, represent roughly two-thirds of the biodiversity on Earth. But they have a big PR problem – many think of insects as little more than crop-eating, disease-carrying jumper-munchers. But in reality, species fitting this bill are but a tiny part of an enormous picture.

Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Why we should learn to love all insects – not just the ones that work for us

The RSPB North Bucks Local Group will be visiting Harrold Odell Country Park on 02Mar16. Click here for more details.

MKNHS is not responsible for the content of external Internet sites. You should check details of any events listed on external sites with the organisers.

FLOWERS

Common Dog Violets – several in flower at Linford Wood (22nd – MK)
Colt’s Foot in flower throughout Ouse Valley
Blackthorn in blossom – Linford Lakes Nature Reserve (18th)
Cowslips in flower – Howe Park Wood (17th – MK)
Hawthorn coming into leaf throughout MK

AMPHIBIANS

Common Toads spawning at Howe Park Wood ponds (21 – Harry Appleyard)
Frogs and spawn in ponds at Westcroft, North Willen, Linford Lakes and Linford Wood (20-22)
Great Crested Newts under refugia – Hazeley Wood (18th – Parks Trust staff)

BIRDS

Ferruginous Duck still at Caldecotte Lake (South)
DIPPER – confirmed sighting in Loughton Brook, Furzton (16th – Andy Harding)
Merlin – hunting over Stanton Low (20th)
10 Goosander, 1 Little Owl – Manor Farm, Old Wolverton (20th – MK)
Chiffchaff singing at Westcroft ponds (22nd – HA)
2 Grey Wagtails, 1 Raven – Pineham Park (22nd – MK)

MAMMALS

Pipistrelle bat flying over Teardrop Lakes at dusk (22nd – MK)

A 13 minute talk describing the evolution of plants to attract insects to spread their pollen.

Click on the arrow to view the video.

the extraordinary ways flowering plants

John Walters and Mark Telfer have produced guides aimed at field naturalists who would like to learn more about identifying British beetles.

Click on the link to find out more John Walters • Guide to British Beetles

The boisterous songs a male zebra finch sings to his mate might not sound all that melodious to humans—some have compared them to squeaky dog toys—but the courtship tunes are stunningly complex, with thousands of variations. Now, a new study helps explain how the birds master such an impressive repertoire. As they learn from a tutor, usually their father, their brains tune out phrases they’ve already studied, allowing them to focus on unfamiliar sections bit by bit. The mechanism could help explain how other animals, including humans, learn complex skills, scientists say.

Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Birds master complex songs by learning when to ignore dad | Science | AAAS

In winter, UK thrush populations are boosted by visitors from colder climes. So where exactly do they all come from?

Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Where do our wintering thrushes come from? | Discover Wildlife

Bees won a victory Wednesday as federal regulators said for the first time that one of the most widely used and controversial pesticides in agriculture is harmful to pollinators when used on some crops.

Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Bees win a round with EPA finding | Star Tribune

Hedgehogs are an increasingly rare sight in our gardens. For those of us keen to see them snuffling around after dark it can be helpful to try to think of our garden as a hedgehog bed and breakfast. Our enchanting nocturnal neighbours live a life on the go, often navigating long distances looking for places to get on with their hedgehoggy doings. A perfect ‘forever home’ is just not on the hedgehog’s agenda; but a series of reliable, friendly bed and breakfasts is exactly what they’re after.

Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Bed, Breakfast and the Hedgehog Highway – part 1 | Warwickshire Wildlife Trust

Slightly off topic and out of area, but, if you enjoy insect photography, this website has an great collection of pictures of these amazing insects.

Source: Jumping Spiders – Gallery

BIRDS
Ferruginous Duck – now at Mount Farm Lake, Bletchley (Martin Kincaid, 15th)
Dipper – one in Loughton Brook near Bradwell Abbey (Justin Long, 14th)
5 Goosander – Stony Stratford Nature Reserve (Michele Welborn, 13th)
3 Stonechat – Manor Farm (Martin Kincaid, 13th)
Bittern – Linford Lakes (Martin Kincaid, 12th

MAMMALS
Badger at Howe Park Wood (Harry Appleyard, 10th)
Chinese Water Deer – Pineham Park

INSECTS
Brimstone butterfly – Willen Lake (Martin Kincaid, 15th)
Buff tailed Bumblebee – Howe Park Wood (Harry Appleyard, 12th)

Global temperatures in 2015 were the warmest since records began, according to data published by meteorologists in the UK and the US.

Source: Climate change: 2015 ‘shattered’ global temperature record by wide margin – BBC News

A short video (1.5 minutes) showing the release of Harvest Mice at Simon King’s Wild Meadows reserve.

Click on the arrow in the middle of the picture to watch the video.

The RSPB North Bucks Local Group will be visiting Pitsford Reservoir on 21Feb16. Click here for more details.

MKNHS is not responsible for the content of external Internet sites. You should check details of any events listed on external sites with the organisers.

10:00- 16:00hrs

Come and join Andy Harding, County Recorder, at 10:00 prompt

for his monthly duck count. Andy is great at teaching bird i.d.

And how to count large numbers of birds at one time.

Open access to hides and centre.

Facilities available. Hot and cold drinks, home-made cakes.

Second hand book sales, crafts and bird food on sale.

Come and see our winter visitors.

View from the comfort of our hides and viewing gallery.

Please bring your friends and family, all welcome.

Click here for more details.

MKNHS is not responsible for the content of external Internet sites. You should check details of any events listed on external sites with the organisers.

A 15-year-old boy creates a “report a poacher” app, which he hopes can be used to combat wildlife crime.

Source: Cheshire schoolboy builds app to fight wildlife crime – BBC News

As the height of snowdrop season approaches, Trevor Dines reveals why he loves these blankets of wonderful white flowers

Source: BBC – Earth – What makes snowdrops flowering superstars?

Mole Fortress by Julie Lane

Whilst walking down near the river Ouse recently, in an area which can occasionally flood in very wet conditions, I found this huge molehill which was about 100 wide x 60cms high! According to our knowledgeable members this is a mole fortress, so I decided to search on the internet to find out more about this interesting phenomena which I had not heard about before and I thought I would share my findings with you. 

Moles sometimes build huge molehills weighing over 500 kg. Usually they contain a network of tunnels, a nest chamber lined with hay and caches of earthworms. The worms have their heads bitten off and remain immobile in a tangled ball. They act a store of food for when the mole cannot obtain food from its tunnel system, for example during periods of flooding or freezing temperatures.

The vast majority of molehills are relatively small and without internal structure but on occasion moles construct these large and structured mounds called fortresses which are commonly found in areas with a high water table which are liable to flooding. When the waters rise the mole can retreat from the waterlogged tunnels and take refuge within the fortress. There it can remain, dry in its nest and sustained by the stores of worms, until the waters recede.
Fortresses also feature in shallow soils lying on a hard substrate. Moles prefer to make their nests deep in the soil where temperatures are relatively stable and for most of the year rather higher than at the surface. Moles living in thin soils cannot dig deep nests and a fortress may offer a degree of insulation to the mole asleep in its nest.
Fortresses are built with the soil excavated from tunnels that would have been dug anyway but there is a considerable extra cost in moving this large quantity of soil to one central point.

Word and picture by Julie Lane

The Dutch police are training eagles to grab rogue drones from the sky and bring them to justice.

The video shows an eagle clutching a drone midair and taking it down a few feet. However, this leaves open the possibility of birds getting hurt by drones’ robot blades; a Dutch police spokesperson said they are looking into ways to protect the eagles from injuries, Engadget reported.

The Dutch police partnered with Denmark-based raptor training company Guard From Above to train eagles to go after drones, according to a statement on the National Police Corps’ website.

The police will decide whether eagles are an appropriate method to prevent unwanted drone use “in a few months.”

The Dutch police are also looking into other ways to keep unwanted or dangerous drones out of the sky, including hacking and taking over their control signals and using safety nets.

Click on this link to find out more.

NNBW takes place each year from 14-21 February, and after more than 15 years it is now an established part of the ornithological calendar.

NNBW aims to encourage everyone to put up nest boxes in their local area in order to promote and enhance biodiversity and conservation of our breeding birds and wildlife.

Whether you’re a family with space for a box in your garden, a teacher, a member of a local wildlife group, or you belong to a bird club and could organise a work party, National Nest Box Week gives you the chance to contribute to the conservation effort in the UK whilst giving you the pleasure of observing any breeding birds that you attract to your garden.

Click here to read the rest of the article.

How are birds in the UK coping after the warmest and wettest December on record?

Click on the link to read the rest of the article: BBC – Earth – How is the weird winter weather affecting our birds?

When it comes to the weather, I prefer to avoid sensationalist headlines exclaiming how exceptionally mild/cold/wet/dry/hot the current season is. I tend to take the long view; as my dad always says, “it’ll always come right in the end” – warm will be followed by cold, drought with rain.

But by any standard, this autumn really has proved to be exceptionally mild. In north Wales, where I live, November started off at around 20°C and temperatures since then have rarely dipped into single figures. It’s been very wet and very windy, but plants simply shrug off these extremes. At this time of year, temperature is the Governess of all things floral.

Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Blooming late | Blog | About us

Spring is just around the corner and now is the time to decide what to grow this year in your garden or on your allotment.

Many people will focus on growing vegetables on their plot but maybe you have thought about helping the bees and other pollinators this year and to sow and plant some flowers in between your vegetables.

Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Urban Pollinators: Tried and tested pollinator-friendly flowers for your allotment or vegetable patch

MKNHS is not responsible for the content of external Internet sites.

The RSPB North Bucks Local Group will be hosting a talk Brazil: From Rio to the Pantanal on 11Feb16. Click here for more details.

MKNHS is not responsible for the content of external Internet sites. You should check details of any events listed on external sites with the organisers.

The
BUCKINGHAMSHIRE RECORDERS’ SEMINAR 2016
will be held on
Saturday 23th April 2016
at
The Coach House, Green Park, Aston Clinton, HP22 5NE

We will hopefully send out the final programme within the next month.

If you want to book now, please send back the attached booking form and we will add you to the list: erc@buckscc.gov.uk

We hope you can join us and look forward to seeing you there!

Claudia

Dr Claudia Bernardini
Environmental Records Officer
Buckinghamshire & Milton Keynes Environmental Records Centre
Transport Economy Environment
Tel: 01296 382431
Email: cbernardini@buckscc.gov.uk;
Buckinghamshire County Council, County Hall, Walton Street, Aylesbury. Bucks. HP20 1UY
Visit our website:  http://www.buckinghamshirepartnership.co.uk/partnership/BucksMKERC/bmerc.page

FLOWERS

• Winter Aconite in flower at North Willen (30th Jan)
• Lesser Celandine and Danish Scurvygrass at Stony Stratford Nature Reserve (29th Jan)
• 2015 Scentless Mayweed STILL in flower at Woverton Mill! (1st Feb)

BIRDS

• Peregrine pair displaying at StadiumMK (2nd Feb)
• Barn Owl at Linford Lakes Nature Reserve (30th  Jan)
• 36 Goldeneye at Willen Lake (30th Jan)
• 2 Bitterns at BBOWT Calvert Lake Reserve (29th Jan)
• 5 Stonechats at Manor Farm (28th Jan)

MAMMALS

• Weasel crossing road into Linford Lakes NR (27th Jan)

All sightings by Martin Kincaid

10:00- 13:00hrs

All willing hands very welcome.

Building bridge to new viewing area (conditions permitting), tidying and improving paths,

clearing scrub from insect bank, cleaning bird feeders.

Something for everyone.

 All youngster members welcome if supervised by a responsible adult.

Please wear suitable clothing to keep you warm and dry.

Refreshments available.

Click here for more details.

MKNHS is not responsible for the content of external Internet sites. You should check details of any events listed on external sites with the organisers.

The next Big Garden Birdwatch takes place over the weekend of 30 and 31 January. Sign up for your FREE Big Garden Birdwatch 2016 pack from 14 December, 2015.

Source: Big Garden Birdwatch

It’s unheard-of: after the warmest and wettest December on record, more than 600 species of British wildflowers were in bloom on New Year’s Day 2016, a major survey has shown. In a normal cold winter, botanists would expect no more than 20 to 30 types of wild plants to be in flower in the British Isles at the year’s end – species such as daisy, dandelion and gorse.

Source: More than 600 species of British flowers in bloom on New Year’s Day | Nature | Environment | The Independent

The RSPB North Bucks Local Group will be visiting RSPB Otmoor on 03Feb16. Click here for more details.

MKNHS is not responsible for the content of external Internet sites. You should check details of any events listed on external sites with the organisers.

Ian Saunders has added a new page to the Wildlife Section of the website describing Rushmere Country Park and the surrounding areas of interest:

• Stockgrove Country Park
• King’s Wood and Rammamere Heath

BIRDS

Treecreeper in Howe Park Wood by Harry Appleyard

• 5 Stonechat, 5 Goosander (2 male), Little Owl – Manor Farm (MK – 24th)   NOTE: view from fields below farm buildings to south of quarry.
• Barn Owl hunting – Manor Farm (Ashley Beolens – 24th)
• Siskins at Tattenhoe (Harry Appleyard) and Linford Lakes (MK)
• Treecreepers – Howe Park Wood (Harry – 23rd)
• Fieldfares in fields at Tattenhoe (Harry – 23rd)
• 11 Goldeneye at South Willen Lake (21st)

MAMMALS

• Noctule Bat over Manor Farm Quarry at dusk (Ashley Beolens – 24th)
• American Mink reported from Linford Lakes (22nd)

FLOWERS

• Primroses everywhere.
• Snowdrops out in flower in many parks.
• Cherry plum in blossom along grid roads and at woodland sites across city.
• Bush Vetch from summer 2015 still in flower at Elfield Nature Park! (MK – 22nd)

The warm and wet weather in December followed by a cold snap this week is causing trouble for hedgehogs, which usually hibernate at this time of year

Source: Britain’s hedgehogs at risk from unpredictable winter weather – Telegraph

Discover 6 fascinating facts about the BTO January Bird of the Month: Waxwing

Click on the link to read the  article: 6 waxwing facts you need to know | Discover Wildlife

MKNHS is not responsible for the content of external Internet sites.

Discover what a 42 year study by ornithologist Tim Birkhead and his students has revealed about Skomer’s guillemots.

Source: 10 fascinating facts about Skomer’s guillemots | Discover Wildlife

Researchers have found that rats are more altruistic than previously thought and will save other members of their species even if doing so is not particularly to its advantage.

Click the link to read the rest of the article Wildlife Extra News – Rats will help to save fellow rats in trouble

Ecological intensification has been promoted as a means to achieve environmentally sustainable increases in crop yields by enhancing ecosystem functions that regulate and support production. There is, however, little direct evidence of yield benefits from ecological intensification on commercial farms growing globally important foodstuffs (grains, oilseeds and pulses).

Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Wildlife-friendly farming increases crop yield: evidence for ecological intensification | Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B: Biological Sciences

MKNHS is not responsible for the content of external Internet sites.