Tyler Shaw is an Education Officer with ORCA, a charitable organization which researches the behaviour and natural history of whales and other cetaceans. She gave us a fascinating overview of the important work that ORCA is currently engaged in, in British waters and beyond.
To view a recording of Tyler’s talk, click on the link below and enter the passcode when prompted to do so. The recording will be available to view for 30 days.
Passcode: i2@jTLV6
An electronic copy of the 2023 Bedfordshire Bird Report, can be found at the following link, courtesy of the Bedfordshire Natural History Society (BHNS):
https://mknhs.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/2023-Bedfordshire-Bird-Report.pdf
Peter Nash of the BHNS adds that they hope to have the 2024 Report issued in the course of the next 6-8 months so will have then managed to finally catch up with the backlog.
“You may also be interested to hear that the Bird Club has a new publication The Birds of Bedfordshire, due out very shortly (currently being printed) which is an avifauna covering the history of birds in the County, summarising previous publications but focussing on the period from 1990 to 2022 in particular with brief highlights from the 2023 and 2024 seasons.”
There is a flyer with more information available through the following link:
https://mknhs.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Bedfordshire-Bird-Club-Avifauna-Info.pdf
This in turn contains a link and QR code which can be scanned to enable purchases to be made. A special offer purchase price of £45 is in place until 31st December 2025 after which the price will rise to £50/£57.95 for collection/posting.
The programme for the 2024 Wildlife Training Workshops by the Wildlife Trust for Beds, Cams & Northants (WT BCN) has been issued to their members and will be added to their website for everyone else in the next few weeks. The following kinds of day course are planned for 2024, among many others:
If any of these interest you, keep checking the WT BCN website: https://www.wildlifebcn.org/get-involved/training-workshops
But check the date of the programme, as currently they are still showing the 2023 Training Workshop programme. Book early because most of their courses book up quickly.
Mike LeRoy
October 2023
Stop Press: Last few places, last chance to book for the ‘Freshwater Invertebrates in Bedfordshire’ conference run by the Bedfordshire Natural History Society on 11th November at Marston Moretaine. Good value at £25: seven illustrated talks, and it includes hot drinks, finger buffet lunch and free parking. Book now using the attached booking form.
Bedfordshire Natural History Society (BNHS) will be hosting the upcoming conference titled “Freshwater Invertebrates in Beds” on Saturday 11 November at the Forest Centre in the Millenium Country Park, Marston Moretaine, MK43 0PR. This one is about Freshwater Invertebrates in Beds (not to be confused with the current news scare about ‘bugs in beds’!) . BNHS used to run these conferences every two years, so this will be a welcome return of day conferences that have been to a very high standard.
The conference is open to members and non-members, and it would be good if plenty of MKNHS members to go to this conference on 11th November. But you will need to book soon as these events usually get fully booked and tightly fill the conference room at Marston Moretaine Country Park centre. If you do book and can share transport, please do.
Full information can be found through the BNHS website: https://www.bnhs.co.uk/index.php
Further details and ticket booking form can also be found here.
BNHS say: “If you would like to attend the conference please complete and return the form according to the details featured. Payment is preferred by online bank transfer. Alternatively cheques can be sent – again details are provided.
Once the form and payment have been received an email will be returned to confirm your successful application. Tickets and programme can be collected upon arrival at the Centre.
We look forward to seeing you at this important event.
The BNHS Conference Working Group”
Members living in Bedfordshire may be interested in nominating a local project for a CPRE Bedfordshire Living Countryside 2021 award. For full information go to
Government advice now allows travel to other places in England so you may be thinking of visiting nature reserves further afield. If you are a member of either the BBOWT or BCN Wildlife Trusts you will have received an up-date on the current situation on reserves access. If not, do check out the advice on their websites: https://www.bbowt.org.uk/covid-19-update and https://www.wildlifebcn.org/news/how-we-are-responding-covid-19.
In both cases most reserves are open, but car parks, visitor centres and bird hides remain closed.
The world’s rarest wader has been thrown a lifeline after two Spoon-billed Sandpiper chicks hatched at WWT Slimbridge in Gloucestershire.
Click here for more information.: Fresh hope for Spoon-billed Sandpipers after chicks hatch, news via @RareBirdAlertUK
Making a beetle stack is a way of providing beetles and many other insects with shelter through the winter. This stack is simple to make and costs next to nothing, but will make a world of difference to garden wildlife.
Source: Build a Winter Home for Beetles – BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine
Female Parasitic bee, Nomada ferruginata, by Peter Garner, Thornborough and Coomb Community Woodlands, 2 May 2016
This page is a very useful guide to bee identification guides:
Source: Identification Guides | BWARS
Chaotic mobs of jackdaws suddenly get organised once enough birds join in, new research shows.
Click here for more information.: Jackdaw mobs flip from chaos to order as they grow, #ornithology research news via @RareBirdAlertUK
A new survey has revealed that the corncrake population has decreased by over 30% in the last 5 years.
Click here for more information.: Future of corncrakes uncertain – Discover Wildlife
Early return to breeding areas is widely acknowledged to be ‘a good thing’ but why? Some people suggest that early migrants can choose the best territories, others argue that early chicks have a disproportionately high chance of fledging but there are other explanations too. In their paper in Ecology & Evolution, Catriona Morrison and her colleagues ask how much of the advantage of being an early migrant could be associated with having an option to nest again, if the first attempt fails.
Click here to read the rest of the article.: Time to nest again? | wadertales
Federal Aviation Administration aims to stop millions of birds dying each year by changing static red lights, which attract birds, to flashing lights
BIRDS
Red Kite – Tattenhoe
Hobby – Tattenhoe Park
Peregrine – Granby (all Harry Appleyard)
Common Terns with 3 chicks at Stony Stratford N.R. (15h, MK)
2 Black Terns, 1 Mediterranean Gull at Summerleys Nature Reserve (14th)
Barn Owl reported from Bury Field, Newport Pagnell (9th June)
Kingfisher Broughton Brook 9th June (Julian Lambley)
MAMMALS
Fox Broughton Brook 9th June – Julian Lambley
INSECTS
ODONATA
Emperor Dragonflies – Tattenhoe – Harry Appleyard
LEPIDOPTERA
Large Skippers – Tattenhoe
Painted Lady – Tattenhoe
Dingy Skipper – Tattenhoe Park
Brown Argus – Tattenhoe Park
Small Coppers – Tattenhoe (all Harry Appleyard)
Hummingbird Hawk-moth in Wolverton Garden – 10th June, Eddie Edwards
Green Hairstreak, Common Blue, Small Heath and Dingy Skipper butterflies – Sandhouse Quarry – 10th June, MK/Helen Wilson
Painted Lady – Stony Stratford Nature Reserve – 15th June, MK.
Small Blues out at Stonepit, Great Linford – 11th June, Janice Robertson
COLEOPTERA
Wasp Beetle Clytus arietus – in conservatory in Oldbrook – 11th June, MK
PLANTS – ANGIOSPERMS
Bee Orchids out at Elfield Park, Stonepit and Linford Lakes Nature Reserve.
Wild Thyme coming into flower at Stonepit (15th June)
Hybrid goose
Above is a photo of a goose taken by Julie Lane on 4th May. I think it may be a cross between a Canada and a domestic goose as both are in the park but maybe its just a melanistic Canada goose. He/she was all alone so obviously not accepted as a partner by any other self respecting goose!
Ian Saunders has has emailed that in his opinion “Guess the Goose” in News – despite its slim build, I don’t think that Julie’s bird is a Canada hybrid, as all the ones I have ever seen have been dark, and look more like Canadas “gone off” than this mainly white bird (which would be albinistic, rather than melanistic).
Judging by its leg and bill colouration (which are both dark in Canadas), I would guess that it’s more likely simply an “ugly” domestic goose, or a hybrid between two (or more) domestic breeds.”
Ian invites other members to submit their opinions on the bird in Julie’s photo.
10May15 Julie’s response:
“In reply to Ian’s interesting and welcome contribution I would just add that the reason I thought it might be a hybrid between Canadas and domestic geese is that historically those two hang around together in mixed flocks in the park and have done for many years. I thought that this might be the result of so much hanging around together!! He/she seems to be a slimline version of the domestic white geese (the ribbed affect on the neck is also a domestic goose attribute) with some dark feathers thrown in. I should have checked my terminology re the use of the word ‘melanistic’ which I was a bit worried about at the time, but when you think about it this goose could also be a very slim melanistic domestic goose or a albinistic canada goose!! Haha!!”