John M. Marzluff extols a rich history of ornithology’s debt to egg collecting.

Source: Ornithology: Oology unshelled : Nature : Nature Publishing Group

Sandy, Bedfordshire A queen hit the bullseye – a 2.8cm hole in our nestbox – and there is a clearly active colony of tree bumblebees in residence

Click on the link to read the rest of the article: A bumblebee with a taste for high living | Environment | The Guardian

National Meadows Day takes place every year on the first Saturday of July. It is a chance to visit meadows at their peak, to celebrate them, have fun and raise awareness of this forgotten habitat.

Click on the link for more information: National Meadows Day | Magnificent Meadows

There are many different species of kingfisher around the world, and they are all beautiful. Take a look at these great photos!

Source: 10 Beautiful Kingfisher Photos From Around the World | Nature TTL

Dragonflies and damselflies are amazing insects. They have a long history and modern species are almost identical to ancestors that flew over prehistoric forests some 300 million years ago. Some of these ancient dragonflies were giants, with wingspans of up to 70cm.

Modern dragonflies are tiny by comparison, but are still large and spectacular enough to capture the attention of anyone walking along a river bank or enjoying a sunny afternoon by the garden pond.

This booklet will tell you about the biology and life-cycles of dragonflies and damselflies, help you to identify some common species, and tell you how you can encourage these insects to visit your garden.

Click on the graphic to view the booklet.

A sparrowhawk’s incredible acceleration and agility enable it to to sneak up on its prey.

Source: BBC One – Life in the Air, Masters of the Sky, An aerial assassin at work

The Portuguese man of war is a colony of thousands of different organisms, known as polyps, all working together to create what appears to be a single animal.

Click on the link to read the rest of the article: What is a Portuguese man of war? | Discover Wildlife

Human-induced climate change increased the risk of severe storms like those that hit the south of England in the winter of 2013/14, causing devastating flooding.That’s according to new analysis from an international team of climate scientists, led by researchers at Oxford University and including scientists working for the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology. The research is published in the journal Nature Climate Change.

Source: Man-made climate change helped cause 2013/14 UK floods | Centre for Ecology & Hydrology

In the bird world, the color red has special significance. Many species use red signals to attract mates or deter rivals, adding the color to their beaks, feathers, or bare skin. Generally speaking, as far as many birds are concerned, redder is better. Now, two teams of researchers have independently identified an enzyme-encoding gene that allows some bird species to convert yellow pigments from their diets into that remarkable red. Their findings are reported on May 19 in Current Biology.

Click here to read the rest of the article: How birds turn red

BIRDS

Pair of Little Grebes in Tattenhoe Park

Red Kite above Howe Park Wood (19th)

Skylarks singing over Tattenhoe Park

INSECTS

Lepidoptera

Large Skippers in Tattenhoe Park

Large Skipper, Tattenhoe Park (21st June)

Meadow Browns around Howe Park Wood and Tattenhoe Park

Small Heath in Tattenhoe Park (19th)

Small Heath, Tattenhoe Park (19th June)

Odonata

30+ Emerald Damselflies in Tattenhoe Park (19th)

Emerald Damselfly, Tattenhoe Park (21st June)

Large Red, Azure, Blue-Tailed, Common Blue and Red-Eyed Damselflies in Tattenhoe Park

Mature male Black-Tailed Skimmer in Tattenhoe Park (20th)

Emperors and Common Darters around Howe Park Wood and Tattenhoe Park

PLANTS

3 Pyramidal Orchids by Howe Park Wood

Pyramidal Orchids, Howe Park Wood (19th June)

All sightings and photos by Harry Appleyard

During the 20th century there has been an increasingly rapid decline in woodland butterflies and moths. Butterfly Conservation is working with Forestry Commission England to reverse these declines on their key sites.

Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Butterfly Conservation – Forestry Commission England Lepidoptera Strategy

Researchers have discovered how insects heal their injured bodies.

Source: How insects repair their ‘bones’ | Discover Wildlife

Led by Matt Andrews.

Knocking Hoe is a 7.7 Hectare reserve near Pegsdon managed by Natural England.

Green Hairstreak at Knocking Hoe by Julian Lambley, 11 June 2016

This was a superb day out and members should not miss an opportunity to visit in the future.  Matt led us 500m down a small farm lane there, listening to birds, to the farmyard below Knocking Hoe.

We saw here an ichneumon wasp and barn swallows then climbed the hill to the reserve itself. This consists of a prominent conical hill with several acres of chalk grassland behind leading to the down’s crest. There are old strip lynchet fields and a nearby long barrow.

Burnt Orchid at Knocking Hoe by Julian Lambley, 11 June 2016

As soon as we reached the reserve we saw a Green Hairstreak. As we climbed the hill we were stunned by the number of orchids and other rare flowers. The specials of the site are the Burnt tip Orchids, found in small mesh protected enclosures, but Common Spotted, Bee, Pyramidal and Fragrant were plentiful. We found the other reserve highlights – Pasque flower, Field Fleawort, Clustered Bellflower and Moon Carrot. Lunch near the hill’s apex proved difficult for fear of crushing the yellow rockrose which carpeted the hill.  Scabious, horseshoe vetch, mignonette, houndstongue were also there.

Butterflies were seen mostly behind the cone and included small heath, painted lady, and common blue also Silver Y and Burnett moths. We ascended to a small inexplicable area of marsh near the crest of the down where there were

Pasque Flower at Knocking Hoe Down Reserve by Julian Lambley, 11 June 2016

common spotted orchids. Opposite, on the fence at the reserve margin we watched a Kestrel eat its yellow (hammer?) prey.   Buzzards circled above.

A short distance from there we entered the wood on the hill crest, just outside the reserve where Matt’s promise of helleborines was fulfilled. We were thrilled to watch two spotted flycatchers darting off a branch in the depths of the wood.

Returning down the fence at the edge of the reserve we could see the field lynchets below. Leaving, we descended along the edge of a steep valley rimmed by woods where candytuft grew. The walk ended at the ‘Live and let Live’ which was remarkably located where we parked.

We greatly appreciated the Matt’s leadership at this impressive site.

Trip report by Julian Lambley

Despite black skies and torrential rain all evening (not to mention diabolical traffic), sixteen hardy souls turned up for the Society walk at Olney on 14 June, more in hope than expectation. However, our faith was justified as the weather improved, with just one brief, heavy shower to refresh us. We were rewarded with a splendid walk and some good finds. As Martin Kincaid gave a brief introduction to the walk at the car park, a Goldcrest was in good voice overhead.

Goosander chicks at Olney Mill by Julian Lambley 14 June 2016

Biting Stonecrop and Ivy-leaved Toadflax at Olney by Martin Kincaid. 13 June 2016

We began by walking along Church Road where we stopped to admire Biting Stonecrop (and we did bite) and several other species growing on the church walls. Then into the water meadows. On last year’s walk, we managed to produce quite a list of birds and happily we saw many of them again. Olney Mill has become known amongst bird-watchers in recent years as a site for nesting Goosander – a species which typically breeds in the Scottish borders! Despite Martin’s warning that we were probably too late to see the young, almost immediately, the adult female appeared with no less than nine well grown ducklings! All enjoyed splendid views of this delightful family. At first, they swam away from us quite briskly but we were able to catch up with them several times over the course of the walk and they seemed less nervous. To successfully brood such a large family, she must be a super-mum! Unfortunately, the local Kingfisher family kept a low profile.

The recent heavy rainfall meant that the meadows had a very different feel to them from our last visit, with several shallow channels submerged and also some temporary ponds adding wildlife interest. This did mean one or two detours to the planned route but no one seemed to mind. Other birds seen along the Ouse were Little Egret, Grey Heron, Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Swallow, House Martin, a pair of Common Terns and Canada and feral Barnacle Geese. Martin picked out the distant song of a Yellowhammer and as we continued to walk the song got ever closer and eventually Linda Murphy spotted the handsome bird singing on a fence post, just across the river from us. We all took a moment to enjoy the song – sadly a much rarer sound than it once was. Skylark was also heard by a few and a Kestrel raced past.

Biting Stonecrop and Ivy-leaved Toadflax at Olney by Martin Kincaid. 13 June 2016

Although the cool weather meant insects were less evident than last year, we managed to see four species of damselfly – Red eyed, Common Blue, Blue-tailed and the always welcome Banded Demoiselle, including one unfortunate specimen whose wings seemed not to have set properly. Julian Lambley busied himself with finding insects for Martin and Steve Brady to identify. Particularly nice was a small China-mark moth. This was tentatively identified as Nyphula stagnata and has since been confirmed. We also saw several specimens of the small beetle Gastrophysa viridula identified by Steve and on a large nettle patch found the larvae of Peacock and Small Tortoiseshell butterflies together with more damselflies. Julian also found a beautiful green Sawfly Rhogogaster spp.

With the river in spate, it was not easy to find some of the marginal plants found last time but we did note Greater Yellow-cress, Water forget-me-not and Skullcap among others. Roy decided against battling through the stinging nettles to look for Greater Dodder! Before heading back across the fields we paused to take in the dusk chorus with Blackcap, Willow Warbler, Wren and Song Thrush among the star performers.

A walk back along the ancient stone path brought us a final view of the goosander family as they settled down to roost on a gravel bank. We arrived back at the Museum car park just in time to see a large flock of swifts appear for their dusk flight. All in all, a very enjoyable Society walk and not the damp squib we were expecting.

A full list of birds recorded is given below:
Mute Swan, Canada Goose, Barnacle Goose (feral), Goosander, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Little Egret, Grey Heron, Kestrel, Black Headed Gull, Common Tern, Woodpigeon, Collared Dove, Swift, Green Woodpecker, Swallow, House Martin, Skylark, Pied Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, Robin, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Common Whitethroat, Goldcrest, Great Tit, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Wren, Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Yellowhammer.

Trip report by Martin Kincaid

Dutch Butterfly Conservation (De Vlinderstichting) hosted the 4th international symposium on Future of Butterflies in Europe, in Wageningen, the Netherlands, from the 31st of March to April 2nd 2016.

The Abstract Book is now available

A Scottish wildcat conservation organisation has increased a wildcat threat-free region to almost 800 miles² in Scotland’s West Highlands.

Source: Scottish wildcat threat-free region expands | Discover Wildlife

The RSPB North Bucks Local Group will be visiting Manor Farm on 26Jun16. 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.

Click here for a list of events in the area: Events | National Insect Week

Humans helped grey squirrels spread quickly across the UK.

Source: Grey squirrel spread is our fault | Discover Wildlife

Click on the play button to watch the video

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

New research involving the BTO shows how bird populations are consistently responding to the effects of climate change on two continents. The study, led by the University of Durham, analysed data on abundance collected between 1980 and 2010 from 145 common species in Europe, and 380 in North America. UK data includes records collected by volunteers taking part in the BTO/JNCC/RSPB Breeding Bird Survey and its predecessor the Common Birds Census, both coordinated by the BTO.

Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Climate change drives bird populations on both sides of the Atlantic | BTO – British Trust for Ornithology

Tiny things made bigger with this roundup of the most popular macro photos of the year.

Source: 500px ISO » Beautiful Photography, Incredible Stories » Top 20 Macro Photos on 500px So Far This Year

BIRDS

Yellowhammers singing in and around Whaddon

Yellow Wagtail, Whaddon

Skylarks singing over Tattenhoe Park

Little Owl at Floodplain Forest Nature Reserve/Manor Farm (8th) and near main hide there (9^th) MK

Barn Owls hunting at Linford Lakes (11^th) MK

MAMMALS

Water Shrew found at Pineham (10^th) MK/Harry Appleyard

Otter at Hyde Lane Gravel Pits (private site – 12^th) MK

Brown Long Eared bats roosting in hide at Linford Lakes

TELEOSTEAN FISH

Bullhead (Miller’s Thumb) found in pond dipping session at Linford Lakes (8^th – James Walsh (Parks Trust))

INSECTS

Lepidoptera
Large Skipper, North Bucks Way (8th)

Female Common Blue Butterflies, Howe Park Wood (9th)

Female Common Blue, Howe Park Wood (9th June)

Small Heath, Tattenhoe Park (11th) Kingsmead Wood (9^th – MK)

Small Copper near Water Spinney, Tattenhoe (11th)

Painted ladies appearing throughout Milton Keynes.

Odonata

Broad-Bodied Chasers and Four-Spotted Chasers throughout Tattenhoe

Four-Spotted Chaser, Howe Park Wood (9th June)

Emperor Dragonflies in St.Giles Church meadow and Tattenhoe Park

Common Darters now emerging in Tattenhoe Park

Common Darter, Tattenhoe Park (9th June)

Red-Eyed Damselflies, Tattenhoe Park

Immature female White-Legged Damselfly near Water Spinney

Large colony of white legged damselflies found at Pineham (10^th – Harry Appleyard)

FLOWERS

Sainfoin in flower at Howe Park Wood (10^th – MK)

Wood Vetch in flower at Campbell Park (9^th – MK)

MK = Martin Kincaid., All other sightings and photographs by Harry Appleyard unless otherwise stated

A fun video of a Mason (aka bionic) bee pulling a nail out of a wall. Click on the play button to watch the video

The Royal Entomological Society plays a major national and international role in disseminating information about insects and improving communication between entomologists.

Source: National Insect Week

Between November 2015 and February 2016 an amazing 5,183 households across Britain and Ireland took part in our Goldfinch Feeding Survey to help us determine what it is about our gardens Goldfinches are attracted to. With households seeing an average of eight Goldfinches at a time, the survey highlighted the fact that the population of this colourful bird has been increasing in gardens and is now reported by 70% more Garden BirdWatch participants than twenty years ago.

Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Goldfinch Feeding Survey preliminary results | BTO – British Trust for Ornithology

The cost of pesticides may far outweigh their benefits, according to the French National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA), which has conducted a study on the external costs of these products. EurActiv’s partner Journal de l’Environnement reports.

Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Pesticides: Economic nonsense? – EurActiv.com

Four robin chicks survive a 192-mile (309km) trip from Liverpool to Glastonbury in a trailer.

Source: Robin chicks survive 192-mile (309km) trip from Liverpool to Glastonbury – BBC News

Twayblade Orchid by Peter Hassett at Grangelands NR. 23May15

Graham Bellamy, the co-author of Wild Orchids of Bedfordshire, will be leading an orchid walk on Saturday 18 June 2016 10:00-13:00 at Totternhoe Nature Reserve.

Click on this link for more information.

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.

According to a new report, the future is bleak for ash trees.

Source: Ash trees likely to be wiped out in Europe | Discover Wildlife

Discover 6 fascinating facts about the BTO June Bird of the Month: Nightjar

Source: 6 nightjar facts you need to know | Discover Wildlife

Wildlife lovers are being asked to check their gardens for humming-birds in a bid to find out if one of the world’s most striking moths is attempting to colonise the UK.

Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Butterfly Conservation – Is the UK set for a Humming-bird summer?

Birds that migrate the greatest distances have more new neurons in the regions of the brain responsible for navigation and spatial orientation, suggests a new paper published in Scientific Reports.

Source: Study suggests that longer-distance migratory birds may be smarter

“The world of scents is at least as rich as the world of sight.”

Source: How a Dog Actually “Sees” the World Through Smell – Brain Pickings

Results from the 2014 Early Bird Survey show that birds arrive later to feed in gardens in areas with high levels of artificial lighting, whether in the town or country.

Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Artificial lighting makes birds late for breakfast | BTO – British Trust for Ornithology

BIRDS

Pair of Cuckoos still very active at Linford Lakes

Lapwing chicks at Manor Farm, Old Wolverton (31^st May)

Oystercatcher chicks at Stony Stratford Nature Reserve (2^nd)

Red Kites, Tattenhoe (HA)

Great Tits, Blue Tits and House Sparrows with young around Tattenhoe (HA)

Coots with chicks, Tattenhoe Park (HA)

MAMMALS

Noctule bat roost found at Linford Wood (2^nd)

6 Badgers – Old Wolverton (5^th)

Mink reported from North Willen (1^st)

Muntjac, Tattenhoe Park (7th June HA)

INSECTS

Lepidoptera

Painted Ladies reported from New Bradwell (Tony Wood) and Howe Park Wood/Tattenhoe (Harry A) on 5^th June.

Painted Lady, Tattenhoe Park (5th June)

5 Small Blues – Stonepit Field (Julia Critchley, 5^th)

Common Blue Butterflies throughout Tattenhoe (HA)

Orange Tip Butterflies, Tattenhoe Park (HA)

Hymenoptera

Ruby Tailed Wasp Chysis ignita – Stonepit Field (3^rd)

Orthoptera

Hundreds of nymphs of Roesel’s Bush-cricket – Linford Lakes (2^nd)

Odonata (all HA)

Emperors, Broad-Bodied Chasers, Four-Spotted Chasers and Hairy Dragonflies in Tattenhoe Park

Azure, Common Blue, Blue-Tailed and Red-Eyed Damselflies, Tattenhoe Park

Immature Female White-Legged Damselfly, Tattenhoe Linear Park (6th June)

White-Legged Damselfly, Tattenhoe Linear Park (6th June)

FLOWERS

Pyramidal Orchids – Lodge Lake (3rd)

Greater Butterfly Orchid, Howe Park Wood (John and Margaret Wickham)

Greater Butterfly Orchid, Howe Park Wood (7th June)

Herb Paris, Twayblade, Greater Butterfly Orchids and Common Spotted Orchids – Linford Wood (2^nd)

Meadow Saxifrage – a fine display at Waterhall Park (3^rd)

(HA = Harry Appleyard. Sightings otherwise unattributed reported by Martin Kincaid)

Environmental crime is now the world’s fourth biggest crime and is a growing threat to security and natural resources, say UN and Interpol

Source: Value of eco crimes soars by 26% with devastating impacts on natural world | Environment | The Guardian

Pine martens reintroduced to Wales last year have given birth to 5 kits this spring, says the Vincent Wildlife Trust.

Source: Welsh pine martens give birth to kits | Discover Wildlife

Amphibian and Reptile Groups of the UK (ARGUK)  and Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (ARC) have jointly produce two photo ID guides for amphibians and reptiles which are intended as a resource to support training courses or to help in responding to enquiries concerning identification.

You can download the guides by clicking on the relevant icon:

The Ladybird Challenge is a citizen science project aiming to get members of the public involved in recording sightings of the 7-spot ladybird and Dinocampus coccinellae wasp

Source: Take The Ladybird Challenge

Click on the play button to watch the video

New fossils found in Northeastern China have revealed a remarkable evolutionary coincidence: an extinct group of insects known as Kalligrammatid lacewings (Order Neuroptera) share an uncanny resemblance to modern day butterflies (Order Lepidoptera). Even though they vanished some 50 million years before butterflies appeared on earth, they possess the same wing shape and pigment hues, wing spots and eyespots, body scales, long proboscides, and similar feeding styles as butterflies.

Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Remarkable butterfly look-alike lived 50 million years before butterflies appeared

Scientists have discovered the specific mutation that famously turned moths black during the Industrial Revolution.

Click here to view the BBC video.

Click here to read the article in Nature journal.

Conservation Evidence is a free, authoritative information resource designed to support decisions about how to maintain and restore global biodiversity.

Source: Conservation Evidence – Site

Gerrymander Speedwell by Peter Hassett, Pilch Field, 8 May 2011

On the Society’s trip to Fenny Lock on 31 May 2016, members of the Society wondered where “Germander Speedwell” (Veronica chamaedrys) got it’s name. Corinna, with some help from Google, has found the answer:

Speedwell, Germander, is the commonest British species of Speedwell, found everywhere, on banks, pastures, in copses, etc., flowering in spring and early summer.
The name Germander is a corruption of the Latin chamaedrys. Gerard commenting on the name says: ‘The Germander from the form of the leaves like unto small oak leaves, has the name chamaedrys given it, which signifieth a dwarf oak’ – though the likeness is not very pronounced.

Click here for more information.

A brand new handbook on species-rich floodplain meadows. Comprehensive and beautifully illustrated, the handbook covers everything you need to know about the history, management, restoration and creation of this vitally important, yet threatened, habitat.

Source: Floodplain Meadows – A technical handbook | Welcome to the Floodplain Meadows Partnership Website

BIRDS

Male Cuckoo singing at Floodplain Forest Nature Reserve (26^th)

Yellowhammers and Skylarks singing near the North Bucks Way

Peregrine over Hazeley Wood (29^th)

Peregrine over Hazeley Wood, 29th May

House Sparrows with fledglings, Tattenhoe

Little Egret, Tattenhoe Linear Park (23rd May)

Little Egret, Tattenhoe Linear Park (23rd May)

INSECTS

Lepidoptera

Red Admiral, Tattenhoe Park (29^th)

Common Blue butterflies around Tattenhoe Park and Howe Park Wood

Cinnabar Moth, North Bucks Way (29th)

Female Orange Tip, Tattenhoe Park (23rd May)

Female Orange Tip, Tattenhoe Park (23rd May)

Odonata

Large Red, Azure and Blue-Tailed Damselflies throughout Tattenhoe

Broad-Bodied Chasers, Four-Spotted Chasers and Hairy Dragonflies throughout Tattenhoe

MAMMALS

Female Roe Deer near the North Bucks Way (28^th)

Muntjac Buck near the North Bucks Way (29^th)

All sightings and photographs by Harry Appleyard

As you may have heard, our swifts are struggling. It is believed that the UK population of swifts has declined by 35% since 1995. Whilst the reasons for many of our bird declines are still unclear, we can be fairly confident that the main cause in the decline in this species is the loss of nesting sites, as modern housing excludes swifts from roof spaces.

Happily, many organisations including Swift Conservation and the RSPB are working hard to address this issue and to make our urban landscape more swift friendly. There are a number of specially designed swift bricks and swift boxes that can be fitted into new buildings easily and cheaply.  Where these have been installed on a large scale they have been shown to be very successful in establishing new nesting colonies.

I recently met with Rebecca Pitman who is the RSPB’s new Swift Cities Project Officer.  Part of her remit is to develop a network of swift cities across the UK – places where all major development includes nesting opportunities for swifts (and other species). So far, Belfast and Exeter are registered as Swift Cities…wouldn’t it be great if we could add Milton Keynes to the list in time?

For now, the best way to help is to contribute to the RSPB’s database of nesting sites. Some of the older parts of Milton Keynes still support swift colonies. You can help by visiting the website at http://rspb.org.uk/swiftsurvey  and logging your sightings of nesting swifts. Just make a note of date and time of any swifts you see entering or leaving a nest and enter these details with a grid reference.  Remember that the hour before dusk is often the best time to look and listen for swifts, when they emerge from their nest sites and ‘swarm’. You can hardly miss them as they fly overhead in tight formation, screaming as they go!

If any members have a deeper interest in swifts and their conservation and might be interested in becoming involved in a local action group for the species, please let me know.

Martin Kincaid

A Common Clubtail emerging. Created from 2500 images shot over  70 minutes.  River Thames @ Goring on 23rd May 2016.

Click here to watch the video (1 minute).

Without action to protect this treasured bird, it will disappear from the UK altogether within the next decade

Source: There will be no 12 Days of Christmas if we lose the turtle dove | Catherine Bearder | Environment | The Guardian

Sunday 5th June.

Work Sunday.

10:00-13:00hrs

Help needed to tidy up front of house, plant saplings

And clear paths. Refreshments available.

If you’d like to give something back to the reserve

This is your chance.

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.

Researchers from the University of Guelph in Canada and Royal Holloway University of London, showed the effects of insecticides change bees’ foraging behaviour.

Source: Pesticides stop bees from learning how to extract nectar from wildflowers | Daily Mail Online

Birds’ ability to adjust their spring egg-laying times as temperatures rise could help them beat global warming, according to experts from Edinburgh University and the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO).

Source: Birds beating global warming by adjusting their egg-laying times – The Scotsman

12 best plants for a pollinator-friendly wildlife garden.

Source: 12 plants for a pollinator-friendly wildlife garden | Discover Wildlife

Avian species that can adapt their migration strategies cope better with environmental changes.

Source: Flexible migratory strategies are an advantage for birds | Discover Wildlife

For the first time researchers have uncovered a unique ability in bats which allows them to carry but remain unaffected by lethal diseases.

Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Wildlife Extra News – Bat ‘Super Immunity’ To Lethal Diseases Could Help Protect People

Willow Warbler by Harry Appleyard, Furzton Lake 4 May 2016

Sixteen of us met in Salcey forest this Tuesday and spent the evening concentrating on brushing up our birdsong ID skills. Martin Kincaid and Peter Garner were our experts and we had a great evening strolling along the rides listening to the evening chorus.

The thrush family were in full voice with mistle and song thrushes and blackbirds singing beautifully. As were the warblers with numerous chiffchaff, willow warblers, garden warblers and blackcaps  warbling away in the undergrowth! But the highlights of the evening were a grasshopper warbler in full song in an area of scrubby willow, a male cuckoo calling and flying around and a female heard very briefly, and a group of about four ravens that we disturbed in an area of conifers.

We went home happy, having all learnt a bit more thanks to Peter and Martin.

Use this link if like to learn about grasshopper warblers and hear their song.

Julie Lane

RSPBNBLG visit to Willen Lake on 1Jun16

The RSPB North Bucks Local Group will be visiting Willen Lake on 1Jun16. 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.

Click on the graphic above for more information

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.

BIRDS

Swifts, House Martins and Swallows over Tattenhoe Park

Peregrine hunting at dusk at Floodplain Forest Nature Reserve (22^nd)

Pair of Goosanders over Floodplain Forest Nature Reserve (22^nd)

Pair of Kestrels in Tattenhoe Park (Possibly nesting)

OTHER CHORDATES

Tadpoles and Sticklebacks, Howe Park Wood (23rd May)

INSECTS

Odonata

Broad-Bodied Chasers, Four-Spotted Chasers and Hairy Dragonflies in and around Tattenhoe

Broad-Bodied Chaser and Large Red Damselfly, Tattenhoe

Large Red and Azure Damselflies around Howe Park Wood and Tattenhoe Park

1 Blue-Tailed Damselfly by Howe Park Wood (23^rd)

Lepidoptera

2 Dingy Skippers, 1 Brown Argus and 1 Common Blue by Howe Park Wood (22^nd)

Brown Argus, Howe Park Wood (22nd May 2016)

Holly Blues in and around Tattenhoe

Burnet Companions and 1 Clouded Border in Tattenhoe Park (22^nd)

Hymenoptera

Tree bumblebee Bombus hypnorum – nest in bird box in last year’s blue tit nest in Secretary’s garden, Blakelands. This species, which has arrived in Britain over the last 15 years, is stated in the literature to have a strong preference for hawthorn, Crataegus monogyna, a large specimen of which grows outside the Secretary’s gate 10 metres from the nest.

Birdbox with Tree Bumblee nest inside (Steve Brady)

Tree bumblebee nest (Steve Brady)

(All sightings and photographs by Harry Appleyard unless otherwise stated)

Click on the play button to watch the video

Birds Birds use sophisticated changes to the structure of their feathers to create multi-colored plumage, using a process that could pave the way for the creation of paints and clothing colors that won’t fade over time.

Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Nature’s unique way of controlling color explains why birds never go gray — ScienceDaily

When do ladybird huddles emerge from hibernation? Find out the answer

Source: When do ladybird huddles emerge from hibernation? | Discover Wildlife

The United Nations has proclaimed May 22 The International Day for Biological Diversity (IDB) to increase understanding and awareness of biodiversity issues. When first created by the Second Committee of the UN General Assembly in late 1993, 29 December (the date of entry into force of the Convention of Biological Diversity), was designated The International Day for Biological Diversity. In December 2000, the UN General Assembly adopted 22 May as IDB, to commemorate the adoption of the text of the Convention on 22 May 1992 by the Nairobi Final Act of the Conference for the Adoption of the Agreed Text of the Convention on Biological Diversity. This was partly done because it was difficult for many countries to plan and carry out suitable celebrations for the date of 29 December, given the number of holidays that coincide around that time of year.

Source: International Day for Biological Diversity – 22 May

Sunday 29 May, 2016.
Morning Warbler Walk 07:30 hrs.
Leader Andy Harding, County Recorder and Bird Guide.
The reserve is alive with singing warblers
Get out and about early,
Come along and see what’s around.
Refreshments available after the walk.
Children welcome when accompanied by an adult,
Friends and neighbours welcome too.
£2:00 for adults.

Friends or Linford Lakes 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.

All sightings by Harry Appleyard unless otherwise stated

Birds
Cuckoo near Oakhill Wood (13th)

Skylarks singing over Tattenhoe Park

Yellowhammers singing in fields near Oakhill Wood

Coots with chicks in Tattenhoe Park

Juvenile Blackbirds, Robins and Starlings around Tattenhoe and North Bucks Way

Hobby perched on island opposite far hide, Linford Lakes (15th)

Reed Buntings (13th May Whaddon, 15th Linford Lakes)

Male Reed Bunting near Whaddon (13th May- Harry Appleyard)

Reed Warbler, Linford Lakes (15th May – Harry Appleyard)

Insects

Lepidoptera
Holly Blue butterflies in and around Tattenhoe

Holly Blue, Howe Park Wood (12th May – Harry Appleyard)

2 Dingy Skippers and 1 Small Copper by Howe Park Wood (16th)

Dingy Skipper by Howe Park Wood (16th May – Harry Appleyard)

1 Small Copper in Tattenhoe Linear Park (17th)

Drinker Moth Caterpillars around Tattenhoe Park

Odonata

Large Red, Azure and Blue-Tailed Damselflies in Tattenhoe Park

Hairy Dragonflies in Tattenhoe Park (16th)

Four-Spotted Chaser by Howe Park Wood (17th)

Broad-Bodied Chaser by the North Bucks Way (17th)

Diptera

Female Xanthogramma citrofasciatum  Linford Lakes NR today (17^th, Peter Garner).  This hoverfly is listed in Britain’s Hoverflies (Ball and Morris) as being ‘scarce’, with its main distribution being in the South and South West of England.

Xanthogramma citrofasciatum by Peter Garner at Linford lakes NR, 17 May 2016

Last month was 1.11 C above the 1951-1980 average, making it the warmest April on record, according to NASA. It was the seventh consecutive month to

Source: NASA: Last Month Was Warmest April Ever Recorded, Marking Seven Months of New Highs

Xanthogramma citrofasciatum by Peter Garner at Linford lakes NR, 17 May 2016

Peter Garner has found a female Xanthogramma citrofasciatum,  at Linford Lakes NR on 17 May 2016.

Peter commented that this rather attractive hoverfly is listed in Britain’s Hoverflies (Ball and Morris) as being ‘scarce’, with its main distribution being in the South and South West of England.  It’s the first one I’ve seen!

The Big Garden Birdwatch 2016 survey results have been published.

Long-tailed tits benefitted from a mild winter and have appeared in the top 10 most spotted garden birds for the first time in eight years.

Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Long-tailed tits benefitted from a mild winter | Discover Wildlife

Paul Brown on the oldest vertebrate, who possesses a permanently open mouth, with a great number of teeth, and some nasty habits

Source: Return of the lamprey – ancient, ugly and swimming up British rivers | Environment | The Guardian

Start of recording: 18.55          End of recording: 20.52          Weather: Cloudy, light rain

Number of species recorded: 23

Total number of individuals recorded: 117

Mammals on same walk

• Noctule Bat x20
• Pipistrelle Bat x4
• 1 Fox
• 1 Rabbit
• Muntjac tracks

MAMMALS

Otter spraint  on the footings of Tyringham bridge (17^th – Julie Lane)

BIRDS

1 Cuckoo at Oakhill Wood (14^th) and 3 (2m, 1f) at Linford Lakes (15^th)

2 Black Terns at South Willen (11-12^th), 1 at Linford Lakes (11^th)

4 pairs of Common Tern and 1 Hobby at Stony Stratford Nature Reserve (17^th – MK)

Buzzard on nest at Elfield Park (13^th – MK)

Little Owl calling at Woughton (15^th – MK/HA)

Skylark singing at Stanton Low (16^th – MK)

Pair of Red Kites circling over the river at Tyringham (17^th – Julie Lane)

Huge numbers of Swallows and House Martins twittering over Emberton Park sailing lake (13^th – Julie Lane)

Blue and Great Tits nesting in the dormouse boxes in Little Linford Wood are still sitting on eggs when in a normal year they would have hatched by now (Tony Wood)

INSECTS

 Orthoptera

Roesel’s bush-cricket nymph – North Bucks Way (14^th – MK)

Slender Groundhopper – Pineham (Simon Bunker)

Lepidoptera

Small Copper butterfly – Stonepit Field (16^th – MK)

Red Admirals arriving in number now.

Common Blue, Red Eyed and Large Red Damselflies at Linford Lakes (15^th)

Painted Lady in Olney (16^th – Julie Lane)

FLOWERS

 Meadow Saxifrage in flower at Stony Stratford Reserve (17^th)

Bee Orchids close to flowering at South Willen (17^th)

Common Crow-foot flowering in ponds at Woughton on the Green (15^th)

 N.B. MK = Martin Kincaid, HA = Harry Appleyard

Ornithologists hope for glimpse of species reported to have been seen in Wales and west country

Source: Spectacular bearded vulture spotted for first time in UK | Environment | The Guardian

Polecats, which were almost wiped out in Britain 100 years ago, are now spreading across Britain, a survey shows.

Source: Conservationists: Polecats ‘spreading across Britain’ – BBC News

We had a lovely evening in Hollington Wood – thank you Gordon for leading the walk. The bluebells were looking amazing and this little gem of a wood always has the touch of magic about it that you find in so many of our ancient woods. Philip Solt (the owner) took us round the wood introducing us to his wonderful Mangalitza pigs, pointing out a wild honey bees nest, an active badgers sett and also showing us just how tall the bluebells were this year, maybe as a result of the long growing season. We ended the evening sampling his home brewed beer and primrose wine which was exceptional, as was the sunset on the way back across the fields!!

HARRY Potter beware! Life for your beloved owls is hardly a hoot.

Source: Conservationists are warning of the decline in Tawny owls | Nature | News | Daily Express

You may hear the distinctive seven-note call of a Whimbrel overhead in late April or May but where is it going and where has it been? In a new paper in Wader Study, Tómas Gunnarsson and Guðmundur G…

Source: Whimbrels on the move | wadertales

The Solar System’s smallest planet has made one of its irregular passes between the Earth and Sun.

Source: Mercury completes journey across Sun – BBC News

The purple emperor and chequered skipper await, whether you just fancy a flutter or metamorphose into a full-blown spotter

Source: Britain’s best places to take off on a butterfly safari | Environment | The Guardian

Paul Hobson goes in search of the small but perfectly formed Harvest Mouse

Source: Wildlife – the Harvest Mouse – Wildlife – Derbyshire Life and Countryside

Red-Tailed Bumblebee by Harry Appleyard, Tattenhoe 11 April 2016

The Polli:Nation survey is a large-scale national survey that will provide answers to important research questions about the health and status of pollinating insects across the UK.

You can contribute to this research by becoming a citizen scientist and surveying your local patch (school grounds, park or garden) for pollinators.

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Click on the link to find out more: Polli:Nation Survey | OPAL

MAMMALS

Bank Voles in Howe Park Wood (HA)

Roe deer by the North Bucks Way (7^th May – HA)

Roe Deer – Shenley Wood (6^th)

Badger seen at Linford Lakes (5^th – MK)

BIRDS

Garden Warblers singing in Howe Park Wood and Tattenhoe Park (HA)

Garden Warbler, Tattenhoe Park (5th May) (HA)

Reed Warblers around Furzton Lake, Tattenhoe Park and North Bucks Way (HA)

Swifts over Tattenhoe and Furzton (HA)

Pair of Spotted Flycatchers by brook in Furzton (4^th May – HA)

Hobby over Tattenhoe Park (5^th May – HA)

Cuckoo, 2 Barn Owls, 2 Hobbies – Linford Lakes (5^th – MK)

8 Red Kites at Newton Longville (8^th – MK)

Goosander with 9 young at Olney Mill

Turnstone at Manor Farm (5^th)

Spotted Flycatchers at Shenley Wood and Linford Lakes

LEPIDOSAURIA (aka “REPTILES”) 

9 Grass Snakes found at Walton Lake (4^th – MK/Ella Cooke)

2 Grass Snakes basking outside Near Hide, Linford Lakes (7^th)

Adder skin found at Rammamere Heath (2^nd – Helen Wilson)

INSECTS

Lepidoptera

Holly Blue and Large White butterflies around Furzton and Tattenhoe (HA)

Holly Blue, Howe Park Wood (6th May) HA

Green-Veined Whites and Orange Tips in most parts of Tattenhoe (HA)

Red Admirals in and around Howe Park Wood (HA)

Dingy Skipper and Small heath butterflies at Blue Lagoon (8^th – MK)

4 Red Admirals on North Bucks Way (8^th – MK)

Pair of Orange-Tips in copula – Blakelands  (15^th May, Steve Brady)

Coleoptera

Great Diving Beetles in ponds at Linford Lakes (5^th – MK)

Hymenoptera

Red Mason bee, Ashy mining bee, Hairy Footed Flower Bee all nesting in walls at Manor Farm Court, Old Wolverton (6^th – MK)

Odonata

Large Red and Azure Damselflies emerging around Howe Park Wood ponds and Tattenhoe Park (HA)

Hairy Dragonflies around Tattenhoe Linear Park and Howe Park Wood ponds (HA)

Female Hairy Dragonfly, Tattenhoe Linear Park (6th May) HA

Four-Spotted Chaser in Tattenhoe Linear Park (6^th May) (HA)

Homoptera

Black and Red Froghoppers in Tattenhoe Park (HA)

FLOWERS

Water Crowfoot in ponds at Woughton on the Green.

Early Purple Orchids in most woodlands.

Herb Paris in flower in Linford Wood

Field Poppies out along grid roads

Sightings reported by HA = Harry Appleyard, MK = Martin Kincaid, or as named

*Sightings cover the past 10 days, unless indicated by individual dates*

The largest field-study so far in to the group of pesticides called “neonicotinoids” has concluded that each acts differently on the brains of the bees.

Source: Banned pesticides ‘not equally harmful’ to bees – BBC News

Iridescent flowers are never as dramatically rainbow-coloured as iridescent beetles, birds or fish, but their petals produce the perfect signal for bees, according to a new study published today in Current Biology.

Source: Flowers tone down the iridescence of their petals and avoid confusing bees | University of Cambridge

Discover 6 fascinating facts about the BTO May Bird of the Month: Whitethroat

Source: 6 whitethroat facts you need to know | Discover Wildlife

Human existence is utterly dependent on wild plant species we’ve shamefully neglected. Now Kew has become a global voice for plants

Source: Plants are our lifeline – but we’re letting them die | Michael McCarthy | Opinion | The Guardian

Keith Balmer, one of the Bedfordshire County Recorders for butterflies, has produced an excellent website providing information about the 36 butterfly species resident in Bedfordshire, plus two regular migrants. Species that are occasionally seen but are not believed to breed in the county have been omitted.

The distribution maps relate to Bedfordshire. The site also contains extensive information about eaxh species of butterfly and photographs to aid identification.

Click on this link to find out more.

Sharks are the first fish known to have networks of friends, just like mammals.

Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Even deadly sharks have ‘social networks’, scientists find

David Attenborough has the honour of a dragonfly being named after him.

Source: BBC One – Attenborough at 90, A dragonfly named Attenborough

Open Sunday
15th May,
10:00- 16:00 hrs.
Another opportunity to invite friends and family to explore the site.
Refreshments including home-made cakes available.
A chance to meet with like-minded people and compare notes.
Second-hand books, crafts and bird food on sale.

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 South Beds Group of the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire Wildlife Trust are leading an early summer butterfly walk around Whipsnade  Downs on Sunday 15 May 2016 from 11:00-14:00.

One of the target species is the Duke of Burgundy. Click here for more information.

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 RSPB North Bucks Local Group will be visiting Linford Wood on 15May16. 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.

Animals with distinct life stages are often exposed to different temperatures during each stage. Thus, how temperature affects these life stages should be considered for broadly understanding the ecological consequences of climate warming on such species. For example, temperature variation during particular life stages may affect respective change in body size, phenology and geographic range, which have been identified as the “universal” ecological responses to climate change. While each of these responses has been separately documented across a number of species, it is not known whether each response occurs together within a species. The influence of temperature during particular life stages may help explain each of these ecological responses to climate change.

Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Exploring the universal ecological responses to climate change in a univoltine butterfly – Fenberg – 2016 – Journal of Animal Ecology – Wiley Online Library

Bluebells by Harry Appleyard, Howe Park Wood 10 April 2016

What are the secret ingredients of the bluebell’s unique aroma? Click on the link to find the answer

Source: Heaven scent | Blog | About us

Bats find their way acoustically when they are flying by using echolocation calls, often also employing them when hunting for food. A team of scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology in Seewiesen and the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich has now discovered how these animals handle interference in the form of environmental noise. They analyzed thousands of echolocation calls under various natural ambient noise conditions and showed that bats adapt both the amplitude of their calls and their duration to the noise level. Although every individual reacted slightly differently in the process, all the mechanisms used improve the detectability of the signal.

Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Bats adapt their echolocation calls to noise

The RSPB North Bucks Local Group will be hosting a Special Meeting on 12May16. 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.

These flying insects can see fast-moving objects that humans would completely miss

Source: BBC – Earth – Dragonflies see the world in slow motion

Common Bird’s-foot-trefoil by Peter Hassett at Grangelands NR. 23May15

Plantlife produce a number of interesting guides to wildflowers. Here is their  May Wildflower Spotter Sheet.

1. Both sexes of robins have red breasts and both puff out their chests as a sign of aggression. In breeding season, males can be particularly ferocious – attacking each other bloodily and even,

Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Seven things you never knew about robins | Countryfile.com