Plantlife produce a number of interesting guides to wildflowers.
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Save the Bees
WHY THE BEES NEED OUR HELP
Did you know bees are critical to the food we eat? They give life to produce like peas, tomatoes and strawberries.
In fact, our supermarket shelves would look very different indeed in a world without bees. That’s why we need to take urgent action to help them!
Click here for more information.: Save the Bees – Backyard Nature
2019 British Wildlife Photography Awards
View the winning images from the tenth British Wildlife Photography Awards.
Source: 2019 British Wildlife Photography Awards – Discover Wildlife
Shocking news: world’s most powerful electric eel found in Amazon
DNA research has revealed two entirely new species of electric eel in the Amazon basin, including one capable of delivering a record-breaking jolt.
Click here to read the rest of the article.: Shocking news: world’s most powerful electric eel found in Amazon | World news | The Guardian
5 bird species once presumed extinct
The dramatic rediscovery of the Antioquia Brush-finch – a species unseen for almost half a century – hit the headlines this past April. However, such incredible returns, although rare, are not unheard of. We explore some of the most miraculous examples of recent times, and what they teach us about the danger of presuming a species is extinct.
Click here for more information.: Meet the Lazarus Birds: 5 species once presumed extinct | BirdLife
Upcoming Wildlife Events in the North Chilterns Chalk
Click here to view the October 2019 newsletter.
You can also book for the North Chilterns Chalk next talk on 16 October 2019 – Managing Bedfordshire’s National Trust Estates
England’s tree of the year competition unearths myths and legends
A dragon tree on the Isle of Wight and a fallen ‘phoenix’ in London are among this year’s finalists
Click here for more information.: England’s tree of the year competition unearths myths and legends | Environment | The Guardian
New study on the best garden plants for pollinators
Five years of findings on which garden flowers are the most popular for British pollinators have been analysed in a recent paper.
Click here for more information.: New study on the best garden plants for pollinators – Discover Wildlife
10 ways to help butterflies and moths this autumn
Find out how you can help wildlife in your garden this autumn.
Click here for more information.: 10 ways to help butterflies and moths this autumn
Newly described salamander in museum is the world’s largest amphibian
DNA analysis has revealed a record-breaking new species lurking in a museum’s archives.
Click here to read the rest of the article.: Newly described salamander in museum is the world’s largest amphibian – Discover Wildlife
The first male bees spotted babysitting are mostly stepdads
Scientists have discovered the first case of male bees babysitting, and it turns out that these males often aren’t biological bee dads but hopeful stepdads of the youngsters.
Click here to read the rest of the article.: The first male bees spotted babysitting are mostly stepdads | Science News
Another Record Year for UK Bitterns
This year the annual butterbump survey has recorded another increase with 198 booming male bitterns found at 89 sites across England and Wales, of which 102 were found on RSPB reserves.
Click here to read the rest of the article.: Another Record Year for UK Bitterns – Saving Species – Our work – The RSPB Community
Jackdaws to the rescue as historic estate battles box tree caterpillar
Historic gardens fighting against an invasive caterpillar that destroys formal box planting may have a new ally in the form of jackdaws, the National Trust has said.
The box tree moth is a destructive pest of the plant.
Click here to read the rest of the article.: Jackdaws to the rescue as historic estate battles box tree caterpillar – ITV News
Biological control of Himalayan balsam
Himalayan balsam has rapidly become one of the UK’s most invasive weed species. A lack of natural enemies allows it to successfully compete with native plants for space, light, nutrients and pollinators, reducing biodiversity and contributing to erosion. Traditional control methods are inadequate. This project involves identifying an insect or plant pathogen that exclusively attacks Himalayan balsam, which can be released into the UK to control the plant while leaving indigenous species intact.
Click here to read the rest of the article.: Biological control of Himalayan balsam
General licences – Scotland
Everyone is looking at general licences following our successful legal challenge of the system, and in the knowledge that further legal challenges are possible from Wild Justice and from other interest groups. This unprecedented scrutiny is getting statutory agencies and governments to sharpen up their acts.
In Scotland, SNH has commissioned a report from the BTO which is now published
Click here to read the rest of the article.: General licences – Scotland – Wild Justice
How bee-friendly is your garden?
Discover how bee-friendly your garden is and learn how to improve it with planting recommendations tailored to your garden’s growing conditions.
Click here for more information.: Bee-Friendly Gardens | Bee Kind | Bumblebee Conservation
Chilterns National Park
The review calls for a new national park in the Chilterns and a new “national forest” covering areas such as Sherwood Forest, to help increase woodland to fight the climate crisis.
Click here to read the rest of the article.: England’s national parks ‘must do more to protect nature’ | Environment | The Guardian
Attracting invertebrates to your garden
One of the keys to maintaining a garden that is attractive to a wide range of insects and other invertebrates is the provision of pollen and nectar across as much of the year as possible. Fortunately, plants do not all flower at the same time; this means that the annual sequence of flowering times can be used as the basis for selecting particular plants for your garden. Do not equate flower size with value, since a big showy flower does not necessarily offer more rewards to a visiting insect than one that is much smaller and less showy. The small flowers of Holly on show in late spring are extremely well used by insects. Blossom is important for insects and other invertebrates, providing both nectar and pollen. Nectar is a sugar-based solution which provides a ready source of the carbohydrates needed to fuel insect flight. Pollen, which is rich in protein, is thought to be important for the production of insect eggs.
Click here to read the rest of the article.: Attracting invertebrates | BTO – British Trust for Ornithology
Grassland Waxcap identification tool
Who wants to help field test this ‘Grassland waxcap identification support tool’ that I’ve made?
Click here for more information.: SxBRC – Grassland Waxcap tool
(Ivy) Bee Aware
Here is a short visual essay on a wonderful addition to our parish. It is ivy time again and the lane down from the house has a hedge smothered in it. I always love to stop and examine the plethora of insects, which are intoxicated by its pollen and nectar. Last autumn I found a gorgeous addition to the village community called ivy bee Colletes hedera.
Click here for more information.: (Ivy) Bee Aware | Blackwater Blog
Danish project aims to plant 1m trees across nation in TV fundraiser
People in Denmark will be able to “plant trees” from the comfort of their sofa in what is believed to be the world’s first TV fundraiser for forests.
Source: Danish project aims to plant 1m trees across nation in TV fundraiser | Environment | The Guardian
White-tailed Eagle returns to Isle of Wight
Culver is a male White-tailed Eagle, originally from a nest on the Isle of Skye in Scotland. He was translocated to the Isle of Wight and released on 22nd August 2019. His ring number is G3 22.
After an extraordinary eight day, 680 km flight around southern England, Culver made it back to the Isle of Wight today. What’s more, he made landfall over Culver Cliff – the site of the last known breeding White-tailed Eagles in southern England in 1780; the place he’s named after.
Click here to read the rest of the article.
Dolphins in Channel carry ‘toxic cocktail’ of chemicals
High levels of mercury and banned industrial fluids, found in blubber and skin, can impact reproduction
Click here to read the rest of the article.: Dolphins in Channel carry ‘toxic cocktail’ of chemicals | Environment | The Guardian
Managing road verges for pollinators
Road verges are a common sight across the UK landscape, with 238,000 ha of road verges along our almost 400,000 kilometres of roads. These habitats can support a wide range of wildlife, in particular providing sources of food and shelter for insect species. This report reviews the scientific literature on the benefits road verges can provide to pollinators, as well as the costs caused by their proximity to roads and road traffic. Finally the report reviews the literature around road verge management in order to make recommendations that aim to provide the best habitats for pollinators. The management recommendations provide road verge managers with a hierarchy of management choices, with each step benefiting pollinators and from which action can be taken depending on their resource and commitment levels.
Click here for more information.: Managing road verges for pollinators | Buglife
Dramatic rescue mission for rare frogs
The Loa water frog, Telmatobius dankoi, a species listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, was saved from extinction thanks to the swift actions of conservationists, indigenous leaders and government officials in Chile.
Click here to read the rest of the article.: Dramatic rescue mission for rare frogs – Discover Wildlife
Minister’s claim that badger cull cuts cattle TB is attacked by experts
Government claims that the controversial badger cull is reducing tuberculosis rates in cattle have been undermined by a group of leading vets and animal welfare experts who have shared data that, they say, confirms it has made no difference.
Click here to read the rest of the article.: Minister’s claim that badger cull cuts cattle TB is attacked by experts | Environment | The Guardian
Call to stop ‘badger massacre’ as cattle TB rises in cull zones
Tuberculosis levels in cattle have risen in the original two areas of the country where the badger cull has been piloted over the past five years, raising questions about the merit of expanding the scheme.
Click here to read the rest of the article.: Call to stop ‘badger massacre’ as cattle TB rises in cull zones | Environment | The Guardian
Declining abundance of beetles, moths and caddisflies in the Netherlands
Abstract
- Recently, reports of insect declines prompted concerns with respect to the state of insects at a global level. Here, we present the results of longer‐term insect monitoring from two locations in the Netherlands: nature development area De Kaaistoep and nature reserves near Wijster.
- Based on data from insects attracted to light in De Kaaistoep, macro‐moths (macro‐Lepidoptera), beetles (Coleoptera), and caddisflies (Trichoptera) have declined in the mean number of individuals counted per evening over the period of 1997–2017, with annual rates of decline of 3.8, 5.0 and 9.2%, respectively. Other orders appeared stable [true bugs (Hemiptera: Heteroptera and Auchenorrhyncha) and mayflies (Ephemeroptera)] or had uncertainty in their trend estimate [lacewings (Neuroptera)].
- Based on 48 pitfall traps near Wijster, ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) showed a mean annual decline of 4.3% in total numbers over the period of 1985–2016. Nonetheless, declines appeared stronger after 1995.
- For macro‐moths, the mean of the trends of individual species was comparable to the annual trend in total numbers. Trends of individual ground beetle species, however, suggest that abundant species performed worse than rare ones.
- When translated into biomass estimates, our calculations suggest a reduction in total biomass of approximately 61% for macro‐moths as a group and at least 42% for ground beetles, by extrapolation over a period of 27 years. Heavier ground beetles and macro‐moths did not decline more strongly than lighter species, suggesting that heavy species did not contribute disproportionately to biomass decline.
- Our results broadly echo recent reported trends in insect biomass in Germany and elsewhere.
Click here to read the rest of the article.: Declining abundance of beetles, moths and caddisflies in the Netherlands – Hallmann – – Insect Conservation and Diversity – Wiley Online Library
Petition to extend native status & legal protection to reintroduced native species in the UK
No overarching legislation currently exists to formally confer native species status or appropriate protection upon reintroduced wildlife driven to extinction by man and now reintroduced (by whatever means).
Click here for more information.: Extend native status & legal protection to reintroduced native species in the UK – Petitions
Opportunity to change the shape of general licences
Defra is consulting the public, fairly properly, on general licences. But don’t worry, you have plenty of time to think about it.
Today, Defra issued this consultation which asks for views and evidence – the latter is quite important.
Click here for more information.: Opportunity to change the shape of general licences – Mark Avery
Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2019 – Highly Commended images
Prior to the announcement of the winning images in October, the Natural History Museum in London has released some of the Highly Commended images from this year’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year.
Click here to read the rest of the article.: Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2019 – Highly Commended images – Discover Wildlife
Know your Bank Vole!
Bank Voles are easily confused with Field Voles. They are larger than Field Voles, measuring about 13 to 17 cm long. They have small eyes, small ears and a blunt snout. Adult Bank Voles have a rich chestnut-brown back compared to the grey-brown fur of the Field Vole. They also have a much longer tail than the Field Vole.
Click here for more information.: Bank Vole | BTO – British Trust for Ornithology
British birds affected by climate change
Scientists have found a notable response to climate change in a third of studied birds.
Click here to read the rest of the article.: British birds affected by climate change – Discover Wildlife
Big Butterfly Count: Fine weather boosts species in UK
A once-in-a-decade mass emergence of painted lady butterflies saw nearly half a million recorded across the UK.
Results from the Big Butterfly Count, which took place over three weeks this summer, showed 30 times more painted ladies arrived in the UK than in 2018.
Click here for more information.:
BBC News
Butterfly Conservation
Turtle Dove population in a tailspin
Turtle Doves spend the winter in West Africa, arriving back to the UK in April to breed. Once in the UK, they prefer areas of bare ground with open water and mature scrub areas in which to nest, with a plentiful supply of seed to feed their young. Before the BBS began in 1994, changes in land management had already impacted the population greatly and the species has continued to decline to this day. The highest remaining breeding densities occur in eastern and southern England, and they have now disappeared from large areas of the country.
Click here for more information.: Turtle Dove population in a tailspin | BTO – British Trust for Ornithology
Rare meat-eating plant making a comeback
Conservationists have reintroduced the great sundew plant for the first time since they disappeared from Northern England, over 100 years ago.
Click here to read the rest of the article.: Rare meat-eating plant making a comeback – Discover Wildlife
Defra to review release of game birds after legal threat
The annual release of more than 50 million non-native game birds into the countryside with no environmental assessment is to be reviewed by the government after campaigners announced a legal challenge.
Click here for more information:
The Guardian
Defra
UK biodiversity indicators published (1) – who knew?
Last week, the latest UK Biodiversity Indicators were published. Did you see the government press release about them? Did you hear Defra ministers quizzed about them on every news bulletin through the day? Is this the first you have heard of them?
Click here for more information.: UK biodiversity indicators published (1) – who knew? – Mark Avery
The Great British Hedgerow Survey
The two main aims of the Great British Hedgerow Survey are:
- The survey provides a health-check to assess the condition of each hedgerow surveyed. The results offer instant feedback and tailored management advice for each hedge to ensure the hedge thrives for the benefit of our wildlife in the future.
- To collect this data to get a national view of the condition of our hedgerows. Understanding the condition of our hedges gives us the best chances of helping restore them.
Click here for more information.: The Great British Hedgerow Survey
Badger cull in England extended to ‘unimaginable scale’
Ministers approve culling in 11 new areas, with 64,000 animals likely to be killed this autumn
Click here to read the rest of the article.: Badger cull in England extended to ‘unimaginable scale’ | Environment | The Guardian
Protecting Britain’s Butterflies – How To Look After Them
This guide introduces the butterflies we have in Britain, as well as the threats they are currently facing. There are also twelve ways that you can get involved in helping butterflies to flourish.
Click here for more information.: Protecting Britain’s Butterflies – How To Look After Them & Help Them Flourish – Up Gardener
Millions of wild birds illegally killed in the Middle East
Conservationists from BirdLife and the Ornithological Society of the Middle Easthave estimated that at least 1.7–4.6 million birds from over 400 species are being illegally killed or taken each year in the Arabian Peninsula, Iraq and Iran.
Click here to read the rest of the article.: Millions of wild birds illegally killed or taken in the Middle East – Discover Wildlife
Climate change ‘has affected a third of UK bird species’
Cuckoo numbers are in steep decline across almost half of England because of climate change but buzzards are up, according to a new study.
The British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) has looked at which species are most hit and helped by climate change.
Click here to read the rest of the article.: Climate change ‘has affected a third of UK bird species’ – BBC News
Water firms accused of draining the Cam dry
Cambridge punting idyll disguises crisis in flow of chalk streams, campaigners warn
On the verge of something big
UK wildlife charities have teamed up with England’s government advisor on natural environment to persuade local councils and landowners to help save our pollinators.
Click here for more information.: On the verge of something big
Twenty-two Hen Harrier chicks fledge at Bowland
The RSPB has revealed that 22 Hen Harrier chicks have fledged from five nests on the United Utilities Estate at Bowland, Lancashire. This is the second year in a row that the species has nested successfully at the site, after 13 chicks fledged from three nests in 2018.
Click here to read the rest of the article.: Twenty-two Hen Harrier chicks fledge at Bowland – BirdGuides
Vet says badger culls caused ‘immense pain’
Up to 9,000 of badgers are likely to have suffered “immense pain” in culls to control cattle TB, according to a former government adviser.
Click here to read the rest of the article.: Vet says badger culls caused ‘immense pain’ – BBC News
General licences to be reviewed in Wales
Natural Resources Wales (NRW) ordered a review of licencing arrangements following a legal challenge in England by campaign group Wild Justice
Click here for more information.: General licences in Wales – Wild Justice
‘Eagles need to eat too’: grouse moors take new approach to shooting
It was over in seconds. High over the grouse moor two hen harriers wheeled slowly around each other before, suddenly, the female darted underneath her mate to catch a freshly caught meal dropped from his talons and took it back to their chicks.
“That was a food pass,” said David Frew, the property manager of Mar Lodge, a vast Highland estate near Braemar in the southern Cairngorms. “You’re really lucky to have seen that.”
On many grouse moors in Scotland, hen harriers struggle to survive. The ground-nesting bird of prey is often shot, trapped or even poisoned to protect valuable grouse stocks from predation. On these shooting estates, the sight of a harrier, eagle or buzzard wheeling overhead would be a sign of failure.
Click here to read the rest of the article.: ‘Eagles need to eat too’: grouse moors take new approach to shooting | UK news | The Guardian
Government rejects Derbyshire badger cull
A proposed badger cull in Derbyshire this winter has been rejected by the government.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said it would not grant farmers licences.
It said it would give further consideration to how to combine vaccination programs against bovine TB with other methods.
Click here to read the rest of the article.: Government rejects Derbyshire badger cull – BBC News
US government announces changes to the Endangered Species Act
The changes will reduce the amount of regulations, allowing economic factors to be considered when assessing which protections will be given to vulnerable species. New rules will allow the administration to reduce the amount of habitat set aside for wildlife and remove tools that officials use to predict future harm to species as a result of climate change.
Click here for more information.: US government announces changes to the Endangered Species Act – Discover Wildlife
Spotty Chequered Skippers!
Following the announcement of our news about the initial Chequered Skipper success (very exciting!), people have been curious as to why red spots can be seen on the wings of some of the butterflies. Hopefully this blog post will reveal all.
Click here to read the rest of the article.: Spotty Chequered Skippers! – Back From The Brink
Hedgerow wildlife
Hedgerows are so teeming with life that one study counted 2070 species in one 85 metre stretch. Even this was thought to be an underestimate, as many taxonomic groups were not thoroughly sampled.
Whole books have been written about the wildlife that live, feed and travel in the hedgerows of this country and still they barely scratch the surface. The importance of our hedgerow network cannot be overstated, especially at this time where we are seeing worrying declines in our native wildlife across the board.
Click here to read the rest of the article.: Hedgerow wildlife – People’s Trust for Endangered Species
Bird responses to housing development in intensively managed agricultural landscapes
New BTO research has used citizen science data to assess the effects of housing developments on Britain’s bird populations, predicting that almost half of the bird species currently found on sites earmarked to become the government’s flapship ‘garden villages’ could decline once development starts.
Click here for more information.: Bird responses to housing development in intensively managed agricultural landscapes | BTO – British Trust for Ornithology
BeeWalk
BeeWalk is a standardised bumblebee-monitoring scheme which involves volunteer ‘BeeWalkers’ walking the same fixed route (transect) once a month between March and October, counting the bumblebees seen and identifying them to species and caste (queen, worker, male) where possible.
Established in 2008, and opened to the public in 2010, the twin aims of the scheme are collecting abundance and distribution data on Britain’s bumblebees, and using this data as widely as possible to analyse population trends and carry out other research as appropriate.
Click here for more information.: BeeWalk – Bumblebee Conservation Trust
Seal pups counted in the Thames
Scientists from the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) undertook the first ever comprehensive count of pups in the Thames, taking hundreds of photos during the pupping season in 2018.
After analysing the images, they have now tallied up a total of 138 common seal pups, which they say is clear evidence that the species is breeding in the river.
Click here to read the rest of the article.: Seal pups counted in the Thames – Discover Wildlife
Global heating brings Mediterranean butterfly to the UK
Record-breaking numbers of long-tailed blue butterflies have been seen in the last few weeks.
Long-tailed blues and eggs seen in large numbers but are unlikely to survive the winter.
A fast-flying migratory butterfly from the Mediterranean is appearing in large numbers across southern England this summer as a result of global heating, experts say.
Click here to read the rest of the article.: Global heating brings Mediterranean butterfly to the UK | Environment | The Guardian
Water, water everywhere – but is it enough?
“All this rain is miserable, but it’s great for the garden and the rivers will be fine now!”. I’ve heard that quite a few times this week. The most important thing needed for a healthy river is water – a constant supply of it. Our most important river habitats are our chalk streams, which rely on a constant supply of water from a chalk aquifer. This is the same aquifer which supplies the taps in and around Cambridge, and it’s not in a good way right now. The River Cam this May had the lowest flows for that month since records began in 1949.
Click here to read the rest of the article.: Imagining the invisible | Wildlife Trust for Beds, Cambs & Northants
RSPB Scotland calls for immediate halt to mountain hare culls
New data published by the EU revealing the condition of Scottish protected species and habitats has revealed the country’s mountain hare populations have experienced a major decline.
As a result the status of the mountain hare has been downgraded to unfavourable, meaning that special conservation action needs to be undertaken to arrest further declines and aid their recovery.
The main cause of this reclassification has been identified as hunting and game management. Lesser pressures include the impacts of agriculture and habitat loss.
Click here for more information:
Dynamic Dunescapes – A UK Project Restoring Sand Dunes Across England and Wales
Sand dunes in the UK look very different today. Gone are the sandy features, which made homes for special creatures, so let’s bring them back, to stay!
Click here for more information.: Dynamic Dunescapes – A UK Project Restoring Sand Dunes Across England and Wales
Thursley National Nature Reserve named ‘Dragonfly Hotspot’
Thursley National Nature Reserve’s unique wetland habitat has been officially recognised as a ‘Dragonfly Hotspot’ by the British Dragonfly Society (BDS).
Click here to read the rest of the article.: National Nature Reserve named ‘Dragonfly Hotspot’ – GOV.UK
Fly of the month – hornet robberfly
Robberflies are truly some of the most amazing species on the planet with the hornet robberfly being one of the UK’s largest species of insects, and the most fabulous, argues Dr Erica McAlister.
Click here for more information.: Fly of the month – hornet robberfly – Discover Wildlife
Local community wants to transform Langholm grouse moor in to nature reserve
A group of locals are now planning to facilitate a community land buy-out proposal to transform the knackered old grouse moor in to a species-rich nature reserve to benefit local people, nature conservation and tourism.
Calling themselves the Langholm Moor Working Group, these local community members are currently crowd-funding to raise £5,000 to help cover the costs of putting together a feasibility study, needed to agree on a fair price and to establish a sustainable case for community ownership. The group has secured match funding for anything it manages to raise via the crowd fund.
Click here for more information.: Local community wants to transform Langholm grouse moor in to nature reserve | Raptor Persecution UK
BBOWT Nature Notes 31 August 2019
Click here to read this months Nature Notes from the Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trusts
Long-tailed blue butterfly invasion
Record-breaking numbers of long-tailed blue butterflies have been seen in the last few weeks.
Wildlife charity Butterfly Conservation reports that more than 50 long-tailed blue butterflies and hundreds of this species’ eggs have been seen across southern England, and experts believe that climate change could be the cause.
Click here to read the rest of the article.: Climate change causes invasion of Mediterranean butterfly in the UK – Discover Wildlife
Plantlife September Wildflower Spotter Sheet
Plantlife produce a number of interesting guides to wildflowers.
BCN Wildlife Trust newsletter August 2019
Click here to view the Bedfordshire Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire Wildlife Trust newsletter.
Quiz – can you identify these British dragonflies?
Test your knowledge. The common and scientific names are at the foot of the page. How many can you identify correctly?
Click here to start.
Birdcrime 2018 report reveals persecution of birds of prey
All birds of prey are legally protected in the UK under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, but following the publication of the Birdcrime 2018 report, the RSPB says that in some areas of the country, these laws are being widely ignored.
Click here to read the rest of the article.: Birdcrime 2018 report reveals persecution of birds of prey – Discover Wildlife
Young storks take flight over West Sussex
A group of 24 juvenile white storks have been released at the Knepp rewilding project in West Sussex as part of an initiative to restore populations of the species in Southern England.
Click here to read the rest of the article.: Young storks take flight over West Sussex – Durrell
It’s raining plastic
Plastic was the furthest thing from Gregory Wetherbee’s mind when he began analyzing rainwater samples collected from the Rocky Mountains. “I guess I expected to see mostly soil and mineral particles,” said the US Geological Survey researcher. Instead, he found multicolored microscopic plastic fibers.
The discovery, published in a recent study (pdf) titled “It is raining plastic”, raises new questions about the amount of plastic waste permeating the air, water, and soil virtually everywhere on Earth.
Click here to read the rest of the article.: It’s raining plastic: microscopic fibers fall from the sky in Rocky Mountains | US news | The Guardian
Take part in the Mammals on Roads survey
The annual Mammals on Roads survey has been run by People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES) since 2001. Over half a million kilometres of Britain’s roads have been surveyed so far, enabling us to target conservation action where it is most needed. One example of this is the fall in hedgehog counts that were the basis for projects such as Hedgehog Street and further research to uncover the reasons for the decline.
Click here for more information.: All about the Mammals on Roads survey – People’s Trust for Endangered Species
The return of the dazzling purple emperor
Every July in the 1980s, my dad and I visited Foxley Wood, an ancient woodland close to my home. We were searching for the purple emperor, an iridescent purple, treetop-dwelling insect that inspires more obsession than any other butterfly.
Click here to read the rest of the article.: Butterflywatch: the return of the dazzling purple emperor | Environment | The Guardian
White-tailed eagles reintroduced on the Isle of Wight
The first white-tailed eagles to be reintroduced to England have been released on the Isle of Wight. The six young birds, the first to be returned to southern England for 240 years, are part of a five-year programme to restore this lost species led by Forestry England and the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation.
Click here for more information:
BBC
The Guardian
Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation
Unusual turtles find a new home after smuggling ordeal
Four Endangered turtles that were rescued from smugglers are now being looked after by reptile experts at ZSL London Zoo.
Click here for more information.: Unusual turtles find a new home after smuggling ordeal – Discover Wildlife
Human-size ‘monster’ penguin species discovered in New Zealand
The remains of a human-size “monster” penguin have been discovered in New Zealand, scientists announced Wednesday.
The newly found species, Crossvallia waiparensis, is from the Paleocene Epoch — between 56 and 66 million years ago, making it one of the world’s oldest known penguin species, according to a statement from the Canterbury Museum in Christchurch.
Click here to read the rest of the article.: Human-size ‘monster’ penguin species discovered in New Zealand
Increased biodiversity linked to improved sewage treatment
A higher standard of wastewater treatment in the UK has been linked to substantial improvements in a river’s biodiversity over the past 30 years, ensuring a welcome success story for wildlife, say scientists.
Click here to read the rest of the article.: Increased biodiversity linked to improved sewage treatment | Centre for Ecology & Hydrology
Large heath butterflies to be reintroduced to Manchester and Cheshire
Two peat bogs in Manchester and Cheshire will become home to large heath butterflies for the first time in a century.
More than 150 large heath butterfly caterpillars hatched in mid-August at Chester Zoo under the care of the butterfly team.
Click here to read the rest of the article.: Rare butterfly to be reintroduced to Manchester and Cheshire – Discover Wildlife
Ash dieback is just the start of killer plagues threatening Britain’s trees
Deadly diseases are marching across Europe unchecked – all in the name of free trade
Click here to read the rest of the article.: Ash dieback is just the start of killer plagues threatening Britain’s trees | George Monbiot | Opinion | The Guardian
HS2 could be scrapped
The future of the HS2 high-speed rail project has been thrown into doubt after the government launched a “go or no go” review into the proposed £55.7bn network, with a leading critic of the scheme as its joint author.
Click here to read the rest of the article.: HS2 could be scrapped as critic given role in independent review | UK news | The Guardian
Sixty years of Wash waders
The Wash Wader Ringing Group (WWRG) started with a bang on 18 August 1959, when the team made a catch of 1,132 birds in a Wildfowl Trust rocket-net at Terrington, in Norfolk. Over the years, cannon have replaced rockets, catches have become generally smaller and the scientific priorities have been refined, but the Group continues to focus upon discovering more about the waders that use the Wash. This blog attempts to summarises what has been learnt about the waders that rely upon the Wash, the vast muddy estuary that lies between Lincolnshire and Norfolk, on the east coast of England.
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Sixty years of Wash waders | wadertales
Scottish gamekeeper who killed protected birds of prey avoids jail
A sheriff has criticised Scotland’s weak wildlife crime laws after a gamekeeper convicted of killing protected birds of prey and mammals avoided a prison term.
Alan Wilson, 60, pleaded guilty in July to shooting and trapping badgers, an otter, goshawks and buzzards and installing 23 illegal snares in a small wood on a grouse- and pheasant-shooting estate at Longformacus near Duns.
Click here to read the rest of the article.: Scottish gamekeeper who killed protected birds of prey avoids jail | UK news | The Guardian
New jellyfish citizen science project launches
Members of the public are being asked to look out for jellyfish when at the beach during the bank holiday weekend, and to report their findings via the website or via social media, using the hashtag #GBJellywatch.
Click here for more information.: New jellyfish citizen science project launches – Discover Wildlife
Video of Final speeches from Hen Harrier Day 2019
Giant river animals on verge of extinction
Populations of the great beasts that once dominated the world’s rivers and lakes have crashed in the last 50 years, according to the first comprehensive study.
Click here to read the rest of the article.: Giant river animals on verge of extinction, report warns | Environment | The Guardian
Ladybird spider among 80 animals at risk of extinction
Ladybird spiders and puffins are among 80 animals at risk of extinction identified by conservation charities after Government biodiversity spending was cut almost in half in three years.
Click here to read the rest of the article.: Ladybird spider among 80 animals at risk of extinction
Why we need a review of driven grouse moor management in England
You may have seen the blog summarising hen harrier breeding success in England explaining how the Hen Harrier LIFE project team have been involved in protecting and monitoring nine successful hen harrier nests in England this year, with the successful fledging of 33 chicks.
Click here to read the rest of the article.: Why we need a review of driven grouse moor management in England – Martin Harper’s blog – Our work – The RSPB Community
6,000 trout and salmon die in ‘largest ever fish kill’
The Environment Agency blames a “pollution incident” for the deaths of at least 6,000 fish in a Devon river.
Click here for more information.: Mystery as 6,000 trout and salmon die in ‘largest ever fish kill’ | UK News | Sky News
The rise of ‘ungardening’
Manicured privets and immaculate lawns are a thing of the past. Nowadays, it’s all about “ungardening”: eschewing toxic pesticides or sterile patio decking to create gardens that will encourage native wildlife to live and flourish. Rewilding, as it’s more commonly known, has been growing in popularity across Europe and the US, as green-fingered activists use their skills to reverse ecological decline and encourage the growth of native species. But how best to turn the average British garden into an idyll for birds, mammals and, yes, even bugs? Wildlife gardening expert Jenny Steel weighs in.
Click here to read the rest of the article.: The rise of ‘ungardening’: how to turn a backyard into a wildlife haven | News | The Guardian
Starvation deaths of 200 reindeer in Arctic
About 200 reindeer have been found dead from starvation in the Arctic archipelago Svalbard, an unusually high number, the Norwegian Polar Institute has said, pointing the finger at climate crisis.
Click here to read the rest of the article.: Starvation deaths of 200 reindeer in Arctic caused by climate crisis, say researchers | World news | The Guardian
Petition to Ban Driven Grouse Shooting to save Hen Harriers
Chris Packham, Ruth Tingay and Mark Avery (Wild Justice) believe that intensive grouse shooting is bad for people, the environment and wildlife. People; grouse shooting is economically insignificant when contrasted with other real and potential uses of the UK’s uplands.
Click here for more information.: Ban Driven Grouse Shooting Wilful blindness is no longer an option – Petitions
Blue Butterfly Boom in Summer Heatwave
The Common Blue is the most widespread of the UK’s blue butterflies and during the record-breaking hot weather in 2018, the butterfly’s numbers soared across the UK, increasing by 104% on the previous summer.
Click here for more information:
Discover Wildlife
Butterfly Conservation
Wild Justice – blog post #3
What wonderful speakers there were at Hen Harrier Day! We don’t have images of them all, but here are some. If you have images of any of the missing ones (!) we’d love to be able to use them and credit them to you.
Click here for more information.: #HHDay2019 (3) – Wild Justice
England’s new nature reserves
A new generation of national nature reserves are being created to help improve people’s health and mitigate the effects of climatic extremes, according to the chair of the government’s conservation watchdog.
Click here to read the rest of the article.: England’s new nature reserves ‘will help us tackle global heating’ | Environment | The Guardian
Grouse shooting estate owners handed ‘at least £10m’ of EU taxpayer money last year
‘It makes no sense to direct public subsidies to estates that are systematically damaging the country’s biggest carbon sink’
Click here to read the rest of the article.: Grouse shooting estate owners handed ‘at least £10m’ of EU taxpayer money last year | The Independent
Chris Packham interview on grouse shooting
‘Ruthless cull’: Hundreds of thousands of animals being killed on private estates to protect grouse shooting, Chris Packham
Foxes, stoats, weasels and mountain hares ‘ruthlessly’ targeted alongside illegal killings of protected species, says TV presenter
Click here to read the rest of the article.: ‘Ruthless cull’: Hundreds of thousands of animals being killed on private estates to protect grouse shooting, Chris Packham says | The Independent
Wetland crops could help cut carbon emissions
The £1m project in the Fens will test out crops which could help preserve peat and store carbon
Click here to read the rest of the article.: Wetland crops could help cut carbon emissions – experts – ITV News
The Glorious 11th! Hen Harrier Day 2019
Blog from the RSPB’s Guy Shorrock on Hen Harrier Day 2019
Yesterday I joined the crowds for the sixth Hen Harrier day event at Carsington Water in Derbyshire, organised by Wild Justice with help from Severn Trent Water. It’s thought that around 1500 people were there at any one time – the largest number for a Hen Harrier Day event ever. It was a brilliant day, the weather held and the crowd enjoyed a terrific selection of great speakers.
Click here for more information:
The RSPB blog
Wild Justice’s photos of the day
Invasive Japanese knotweed hybrid on the rise in the UK sparking concerns
Reports of a Japanese knotweed hybrid which has the potential to out-compete native vegetation are on the rise, it has been warned.The invasive “bohemian knotweed” is produced by cross fertilisation between Japanese knotweed and giant knotweed and can be more vigorous than its parent plants, according to experts.
Source: Invasive Japanese knotweed hybrid on the rise in the UK sparking concerns
Grouse shooting: Labour calls for review amid habitat concerns
Labour has called for a review of grouse shooting, saying it damages important natural habitats.
The four-month grouse shooting season begins on Monday – the Glorious Twelfth – and sees shooters head to moors in Scotland and northern England.
Labour said there are “viable alternatives”, like simulated shooting.
Click here for more information:
BBC News
The Guardian