Buckinghamshire Bird Club have published details of the Dipper photographed on 13th February by Sarah McKeeman along the Loughton Brook near Bradwell.
This is the first record of this species in the county since one was seen flying along the Thames in March 1994!
Click on the link to read more information and to see the pictures.
BIRDS
3 Pintail, 1 Black Swan, 2 Oystercatchers – Linford Lakes (27th Feb)
Goosanders, Lapwings, Snipe and 1 Oystercatcher – Stony Stratford N.R. (Michele Welborn – 29th)
Herons nesting at Willen Island, Furzton Lake and Linford Lakes.
Yellowhammers and Red Kites – Tattnehoe (Harry A – 28th)
Stonechat – Stanton Low (27th)
PLANTS
Colt’s Foot, Lesser Celandine, Danish Scurvygrass, Common Dog Violet, Primrose, Marsh Marigold in flower at Stony Stratford Nature Reserve (26th Feb)
Bluebells in flower at Howe Park Wood (Harry Appleyard)
INSECTS
Lepidoptera
Red Admiral in Tony Wood’s back garden, New Bradwell (24th)
Hemiptera-Heteroptera
Water Scorpions and Lesser Waterboatmen found during pond dipping session – Linford Lakes (29th)
An estimated 140 million monarch butterflies completed this year’s migration to Mexico, about three-and-a-half times as many as the winter before.
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Monarch Butterfly Population More Than Triples Over Last Year – Good News Network
Having on average 10 more trees in a city block improved how someone rated their health by a level comparable to an increase in annual income of $10,000
Source: More trees on your street means fewer health problems, says study | Society | The Guardian
Dr Trevor Dines, a botanical specialist at Plantlife explores the colours of flowers during the winter months.
Source: BBC Blogs – Winterwatch – A splash of colour in the monochrome months
10:00- 13:00hrs
All willing hands welcome, jobs from making tea to
Clearing paths, cutting back bramble, cleaning bird feeders.
Something for everyone.
All youngsters to be supervised by a responsible adult.
Please wear suitable clothing to keep you warm and dry.
Refreshments available.
Click here for more details.
Urbanization and habitat fragmentation can alter the timing of life history events, potentially leading to phenological mismatches, carryover effects, and fitness costs. Whereas urbanization and fragmentation are known to alter important aspects of breeding in many bird species, little is known about the effects of urbanization and habitat fragmentation on moult
Click on the link to read the rest of the article Urban living alters moult dynamics in a passerine – Hope – Journal of Avian Biology – Wiley Online Library
Insects, which include more than a million described species, represent roughly two-thirds of the biodiversity on Earth. But they have a big PR problem – many think of insects as little more than crop-eating, disease-carrying jumper-munchers. But in reality, species fitting this bill are but a tiny part of an enormous picture.
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Why we should learn to love all insects – not just the ones that work for us
The RSPB North Bucks Local Group will be visiting Harrold Odell Country Park on 02Mar16. Click here for more details.
FLOWERS
Common Dog Violets – several in flower at Linford Wood (22nd – MK)
Colt’s Foot in flower throughout Ouse Valley
Blackthorn in blossom – Linford Lakes Nature Reserve (18th)
Cowslips in flower – Howe Park Wood (17th – MK)
Hawthorn coming into leaf throughout MK
AMPHIBIANS
Common Toads spawning at Howe Park Wood ponds (21 – Harry Appleyard)
Frogs and spawn in ponds at Westcroft, North Willen, Linford Lakes and Linford Wood (20-22)
Great Crested Newts under refugia – Hazeley Wood (18th – Parks Trust staff)
BIRDS
Ferruginous Duck still at Caldecotte Lake (South)
DIPPER – confirmed sighting in Loughton Brook, Furzton (16th – Andy Harding)
Merlin – hunting over Stanton Low (20th)
10 Goosander, 1 Little Owl – Manor Farm, Old Wolverton (20th – MK)
Chiffchaff singing at Westcroft ponds (22nd – HA)
2 Grey Wagtails, 1 Raven – Pineham Park (22nd – MK)
MAMMALS
Pipistrelle bat flying over Teardrop Lakes at dusk (22nd – MK)
A 13 minute talk describing the evolution of plants to attract insects to spread their pollen.
Click on the arrow to view the video.
the extraordinary ways flowering plants
John Walters and Mark Telfer have produced guides aimed at field naturalists who would like to learn more about identifying British beetles.
Click on the link to find out more John Walters • Guide to British Beetles
The boisterous songs a male zebra finch sings to his mate might not sound all that melodious to humans—some have compared them to squeaky dog toys—but the courtship tunes are stunningly complex, with thousands of variations. Now, a new study helps explain how the birds master such an impressive repertoire. As they learn from a tutor, usually their father, their brains tune out phrases they’ve already studied, allowing them to focus on unfamiliar sections bit by bit. The mechanism could help explain how other animals, including humans, learn complex skills, scientists say.
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Birds master complex songs by learning when to ignore dad | Science | AAAS
In winter, UK thrush populations are boosted by visitors from colder climes. So where exactly do they all come from?
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Where do our wintering thrushes come from? | Discover Wildlife
Bees won a victory Wednesday as federal regulators said for the first time that one of the most widely used and controversial pesticides in agriculture is harmful to pollinators when used on some crops.
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Bees win a round with EPA finding | Star Tribune
Hedgehogs are an increasingly rare sight in our gardens. For those of us keen to see them snuffling around after dark it can be helpful to try to think of our garden as a hedgehog bed and breakfast. Our enchanting nocturnal neighbours live a life on the go, often navigating long distances looking for places to get on with their hedgehoggy doings. A perfect ‘forever home’ is just not on the hedgehog’s agenda; but a series of reliable, friendly bed and breakfasts is exactly what they’re after.
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Bed, Breakfast and the Hedgehog Highway – part 1 | Warwickshire Wildlife Trust
Slightly off topic and out of area, but, if you enjoy insect photography, this website has an great collection of pictures of these amazing insects.
Source: Jumping Spiders – Gallery
BIRDS
Ferruginous Duck – now at Mount Farm Lake, Bletchley (Martin Kincaid, 15th)
Dipper – one in Loughton Brook near Bradwell Abbey (Justin Long, 14th)
5 Goosander – Stony Stratford Nature Reserve (Michele Welborn, 13th)
3 Stonechat – Manor Farm (Martin Kincaid, 13th)
Bittern – Linford Lakes (Martin Kincaid, 12th
MAMMALS
Badger at Howe Park Wood (Harry Appleyard, 10th)
Chinese Water Deer – Pineham Park
INSECTS
Brimstone butterfly – Willen Lake (Martin Kincaid, 15th)
Buff tailed Bumblebee – Howe Park Wood (Harry Appleyard, 12th)
Global temperatures in 2015 were the warmest since records began, according to data published by meteorologists in the UK and the US.
Source: Climate change: 2015 ‘shattered’ global temperature record by wide margin – BBC News
A short video (1.5 minutes) showing the release of Harvest Mice at Simon King’s Wild Meadows reserve.
Click on the arrow in the middle of the picture to watch the video.
The RSPB North Bucks Local Group will be visiting Pitsford Reservoir on 21Feb16. Click here for more details.
10:00- 16:00hrs
Come and join Andy Harding, County Recorder, at 10:00 prompt
for his monthly duck count. Andy is great at teaching bird i.d.
And how to count large numbers of birds at one time.
Open access to hides and centre.
Facilities available. Hot and cold drinks, home-made cakes.
Second hand book sales, crafts and bird food on sale.
Come and see our winter visitors.
View from the comfort of our hides and viewing gallery.
Please bring your friends and family, all welcome.
A 15-year-old boy creates a “report a poacher” app, which he hopes can be used to combat wildlife crime.
Source: Cheshire schoolboy builds app to fight wildlife crime – BBC News
As the height of snowdrop season approaches, Trevor Dines reveals why he loves these blankets of wonderful white flowers
Source: BBC – Earth – What makes snowdrops flowering superstars?
Mole Fortress by Julie Lane
Whilst walking down near the river Ouse recently, in an area which can occasionally flood in very wet conditions, I found this huge molehill which was about 100 wide x 60cms high! According to our knowledgeable members this is a mole fortress, so I decided to search on the internet to find out more about this interesting phenomena which I had not heard about before and I thought I would share my findings with you.
Moles sometimes build huge molehills weighing over 500 kg. Usually they contain a network of tunnels, a nest chamber lined with hay and caches of earthworms. The worms have their heads bitten off and remain immobile in a tangled ball. They act a store of food for when the mole cannot obtain food from its tunnel system, for example during periods of flooding or freezing temperatures.
The vast majority of molehills are relatively small and without internal structure but on occasion moles construct these large and structured mounds called fortresses which are commonly found in areas with a high water table which are liable to flooding. When the waters rise the mole can retreat from the waterlogged tunnels and take refuge within the fortress. There it can remain, dry in its nest and sustained by the stores of worms, until the waters recede.
Fortresses also feature in shallow soils lying on a hard substrate. Moles prefer to make their nests deep in the soil where temperatures are relatively stable and for most of the year rather higher than at the surface. Moles living in thin soils cannot dig deep nests and a fortress may offer a degree of insulation to the mole asleep in its nest.
Fortresses are built with the soil excavated from tunnels that would have been dug anyway but there is a considerable extra cost in moving this large quantity of soil to one central point.
Word and picture by Julie Lane
The Dutch police are training eagles to grab rogue drones from the sky and bring them to justice.
The video shows an eagle clutching a drone midair and taking it down a few feet. However, this leaves open the possibility of birds getting hurt by drones’ robot blades; a Dutch police spokesperson said they are looking into ways to protect the eagles from injuries, Engadget reported.
The Dutch police partnered with Denmark-based raptor training company Guard From Above to train eagles to go after drones, according to a statement on the National Police Corps’ website.
The police will decide whether eagles are an appropriate method to prevent unwanted drone use “in a few months.”
The Dutch police are also looking into other ways to keep unwanted or dangerous drones out of the sky, including hacking and taking over their control signals and using safety nets.
BIRDS
MAMMALS
INSECTS
FUNGI
View Members Photos in the Gallery if you would like to see larger pictures.
Ferruginous duck at Caldecotte Lake by Peter Garner
Ferruginous and Tufted duck at Caldecotte Lake by Peter Garner
Tree Bumblebee at Howe Park Wood by Harry Appleyard
NNBW takes place each year from 14-21 February, and after more than 15 years it is now an established part of the ornithological calendar.
NNBW aims to encourage everyone to put up nest boxes in their local area in order to promote and enhance biodiversity and conservation of our breeding birds and wildlife.
Whether you’re a family with space for a box in your garden, a teacher, a member of a local wildlife group, or you belong to a bird club and could organise a work party, National Nest Box Week gives you the chance to contribute to the conservation effort in the UK whilst giving you the pleasure of observing any breeding birds that you attract to your garden.
How are birds in the UK coping after the warmest and wettest December on record?
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: BBC – Earth – How is the weird winter weather affecting our birds?
When it comes to the weather, I prefer to avoid sensationalist headlines exclaiming how exceptionally mild/cold/wet/dry/hot the current season is. I tend to take the long view; as my dad always says, “it’ll always come right in the end” – warm will be followed by cold, drought with rain.
But by any standard, this autumn really has proved to be exceptionally mild. In north Wales, where I live, November started off at around 20°C and temperatures since then have rarely dipped into single figures. It’s been very wet and very windy, but plants simply shrug off these extremes. At this time of year, temperature is the Governess of all things floral.
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Blooming late | Blog | About us
Spring is just around the corner and now is the time to decide what to grow this year in your garden or on your allotment.
Many people will focus on growing vegetables on their plot but maybe you have thought about helping the bees and other pollinators this year and to sow and plant some flowers in between your vegetables.
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Urban Pollinators: Tried and tested pollinator-friendly flowers for your allotment or vegetable patch
The RSPB North Bucks Local Group will be hosting a talk Brazil: From Rio to the Pantanal on 11Feb16. Click here for more details.
The
BUCKINGHAMSHIRE RECORDERS’ SEMINAR 2016
will be held on
Saturday 23th April 2016
at
The Coach House, Green Park, Aston Clinton, HP22 5NE
We will hopefully send out the final programme within the next month.
If you want to book now, please send back the attached booking form and we will add you to the list: erc@buckscc.gov.uk
We hope you can join us and look forward to seeing you there!
Claudia
Dr Claudia Bernardini
Environmental Records Officer
Buckinghamshire & Milton Keynes Environmental Records Centre
Transport Economy Environment
Tel: 01296 382431
Email: cbernardini@buckscc.gov.uk;
Buckinghamshire County Council, County Hall, Walton Street, Aylesbury. Bucks. HP20 1UY
Visit our website: http://www.buckinghamshirepartnership.co.uk/partnership/BucksMKERC/bmerc.page
FLOWERS
BIRDS
MAMMALS
All sightings by Martin Kincaid
10:00- 13:00hrs
All willing hands very welcome.
Building bridge to new viewing area (conditions permitting), tidying and improving paths,
clearing scrub from insect bank, cleaning bird feeders.
Something for everyone.
All youngster members welcome if supervised by a responsible adult.
Please wear suitable clothing to keep you warm and dry.
Refreshments available.
The next Big Garden Birdwatch takes place over the weekend of 30 and 31 January. Sign up for your FREE Big Garden Birdwatch 2016 pack from 14 December, 2015.
Source: Big Garden Birdwatch
It’s unheard-of: after the warmest and wettest December on record, more than 600 species of British wildflowers were in bloom on New Year’s Day 2016, a major survey has shown. In a normal cold winter, botanists would expect no more than 20 to 30 types of wild plants to be in flower in the British Isles at the year’s end – species such as daisy, dandelion and gorse.
Congratulations to Ann Strutton, the 2016 winner of the Ron Arnold Shield. To say that Ann was dumbstruck at winning would be an understatement, her word were “No way” repeated several times.
As usual Julie Lane took second place with her photograph of a Golden-rInged Dragonfly.
Just to prove that it wasn’t beginner’s luck, Ann Strutton also took third place with her picture of Sow in Bunsty Wood.
You can see the winners and shortlisted photos in the 2016 Photo Competition gallery.
Pictures from top to bottom:
The RSPB North Bucks Local Group will be visiting RSPB Otmoor on 03Feb16. Click here for more details.
Ian Saunders has added a new page to the Wildlife Section of the website describing Rushmere Country Park and the surrounding areas of interest:
BIRDS
Treecreeper in Howe Park Wood by Harry Appleyard
MAMMALS
FLOWERS
The warm and wet weather in December followed by a cold snap this week is causing trouble for hedgehogs, which usually hibernate at this time of year
Source: Britain’s hedgehogs at risk from unpredictable winter weather – Telegraph
Discover 6 fascinating facts about the BTO January Bird of the Month: Waxwing
Click on the link to read the article: 6 waxwing facts you need to know | Discover Wildlife
Discover what a 42 year study by ornithologist Tim Birkhead and his students has revealed about Skomer’s guillemots.
Source: 10 fascinating facts about Skomer’s guillemots | Discover Wildlife
Researchers have found that rats are more altruistic than previously thought and will save other members of their species even if doing so is not particularly to its advantage.
Click the link to read the rest of the article Wildlife Extra News – Rats will help to save fellow rats in trouble
Ecological intensification has been promoted as a means to achieve environmentally sustainable increases in crop yields by enhancing ecosystem functions that regulate and support production. There is, however, little direct evidence of yield benefits from ecological intensification on commercial farms growing globally important foodstuffs (grains, oilseeds and pulses).
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Wildlife-friendly farming increases crop yield: evidence for ecological intensification | Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B: Biological Sciences
BIRDS
Red Kites – Bletchley and Tattenhoe (Harry Appleyard)
Mammals
FLOWERS
Wild birds will sacrifice access to food in order to stay close to their partner over the winter, according to a study by Oxford University researchers.
Source: Wild birds choose love over food
A post mortem carried out by the Zoological Society of London’s (ZSL) Institute of Zoology has, for the first time, identified that a human sore throat pathogen was responsible for the death of a wild hedgehog.
On Wednesday 20th January there will be a Special Presentation. 📷
by Simon Bunker
At Linford Lakes Nature Reserve on Wednesday 20 January 2016
10:00- 16:00hrs.
Come and look for winter visitors, seek out tracks of who may have passed by,
Activities for children quizzes, colouring, word searches etc.
We hope there will be an opportunity to observe the BTO bird-ringers in action.
This is weather dependant, so come early.
As a bird in the hand…………………
The centre has a warm welcome on a cold day for you and friends and family.
Make use of the viewing gallery, buy second hand books, bird food, crafts.
Enjoy a hot drink and some home-made cake.
Please dress for the weather, warm clothing & waterproof footwear.
Take care on site there is lots of mud around!
Red Kite by Peter Hassett
Reintroductions are commonly used to mitigate biodiversity loss. One prominent example is that of the Red Kite Milvus milvus, a charismatic raptor of conservation concern. This species has been reintroduced across the UK over the last 25 years following its near extinction after centuries of persecution. The species was not expected to recolonize urban areas; its historical association with human settlements is attributed to scavenging on human waste and refuse, a resource now greatly reduced on the streets of modern European cities. However, the species has become a common daytime visitor to a large conurbation centred on the town of Reading, southern England, approximately 20 km from the first English reintroduction site. Given a near-absence of breeding and roost sites, we investigated foraging opportunities and habitat associations that might explain use by Red Kites of this urban area. Surveys of discarded human foods and road-kill suggested that these could support at most 13–29 Kites per day. Face-to-face surveys of a cross-section of residents revealed that 4.5% (equivalent to 4349 households) provided supplementary food for Red Kites in their gardens. Using estimates of per-household resource provision from another study, we calculated that this is potentially sufficient to feed 142–320 Kites, a substantial proportion of the total estimated to visit the conurbation each day (between 140 and 440). Road transects found positive associations between Red Kites and residential areas. We suggest that the decision made by thousands of householders to provide supplementary food for Red Kites in their gardens is the primary factor explaining their daytime abundance in this urban area.
Click here to read the link to read the rest of the article
This link will take you to an article we published in March 2015 on Red Kites in the urban environment.
If you thought bees only cared about flowers, think again. Some of them also farm fungus to survive – meaning that fungicides could harm them
Source: Bees found farming fungus for first time to feed larvae | New Scientist
Your garden can play a crucial role in bat conservation, says Shirley Thompson from the Bat Conservation Trust. Here are her tips for how to ensure it does.
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: How to create a bat-friendly garden
Julian Lambely has provided photos of an Otter spotted at Foxcote reservoir on 10 Jan 2016 at 11:30. The otter was diving some distance from the hide repeatedly before retreating to the bank to feed.
Bill Parker has reported on the North Bucks Birders site:
It showed very well this morning for about 10-15 minutes at about 11:45 hrs in the SW corner of the reserve (just to left of hide), diving frequently and then eating whatever it was catching on the surface (probably small fish or crayfish). At about midday, it caught a larger fish and swam with it towards the bank where it was lost to view behind reeds.
Clearly it is not put off by human disturbance, as there were close to 25 people in the hide at times this morning for BBOWT’s winter birdwatching event. At the time it was seen, there were about a dozen people … but they were still making a fair bit of noise!
As previously reported, scattering wildfowl (which are now in much better numbers) are a good indication of its presence … it was how it was first found this morning.
If we’ve wetted your appetite for otters (group groan) you can see more posts on our website:
Great Photos of otters
The one That Lived to tell the tale
Linford Lakes Nature Reserve
Some water users around Cornwall’s north coast, particularly in the St Ives Bay area, have been repeatedly harassing Bottlenose Dolphins and other marine life, such as seals, in recent weeks.
Source: Wildlife Extra News – Bottlenose Dolphins and seals are being harassed in Cornwall
Froghopper (Cercopis vulnerata) at Linford Lakes by Paul Lund
Quiz and Fish & Chip Supper at Linford Lakes NR 1 February 2017 19:00.
Tickets £7.00 each, available for sale on Work Sunday and Open Sunday.
Register your interest by emailing gjgevents@gmail.com
The Woodland Trust has recently publicised the work they are doing to fight the threat of disease in our woodlands. Click here to read the article and see the video.
We should all read what we can do to stop the spread of disease amongst trees and woodlands
On Wednesday 6th January I arrived at Campbell Park Pavilion to be greeted with the news that a RSPCA officer wished to speak to me about an otter that had been picked up in Ouzel Valley Park. ‘Great’, I said, ‘another dead otter – a great start to 2016’. However, for once this was not the case – the creature was very much alive.
A quick conversation with the RSPCA officer, Sam, revealed that the young otter cub had been found by a couple walking along the Ouzel between Walton Hall and Woughton on the Green on the afternoon of Tuesday 5th. The cub had been lying, apparently lifeless, right next to the gravel path. The good Samaritans bundled it up and took it home where they warmed it up in warm towels before Sam came to collect it at 6pm. She then took it directly to Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital near Aylesbury where it remains.
When first found the cub, which we now know is female and no more than 5-6 weeks old, was very lethargic and could only produce faint squeeks and slowly open its eyes. It was probably not far from death. Speaking to staff at Tiggywinkles yesterday I was delighted to hear that she is now a bundle of energy, guzzling down milk (still not fully weened) and a real handful! Apparently they very rarely get otters brought to the hospital, certainly not cubs. The youngster has a long road ahead of her before, if ever, she can be released into the wild. Teaching otters to hunt and feed themselves is a major challenge, but at least her chances of survival have sky rocketed.
My guess is that with the heavy rainfall over the first weekend of 2016 and the rapid rise in river levels, the mother otter was forced to move her young from her holt or den and somehow this little one was left behind in the panic. I wonder if she knows how lucky she is!!
Marine wildlife expert Dr Emily Baxter urges urgent action to set up conservation zones off the north west coast
Source: What is being done to save the wildlife of the Irish Sea? – Wildlife – Lancashire Life
The RSPB North Bucks Local Group will be hosting a talk on Food for Birds – Eat in or Take-away on 14Jan16. Click here for more details.
The People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES) has awarded an ecological grant towards an innovative project headed by PhD researcher Emily Howard-Williams at Moulton College in Northamptonshire.
Her team will train Tui, a flat-coated retriever, to learn to detect the scent of harvest mice, making tracking their presence in the countryside easier and more efficient.
Click on the link to read the rest of the article. Wildlife Extra News – A novel way is developed to sniff out how many harvest mice live in the UK
Whether a pair of birds will divorce or stay together after they first breed is influenced by the social environment in which the relationship is formed, according to a new study by researchers from Oxford University.
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Divorce in birds is affected by their social group
It has been known for decades that some birds are able to sense the Earth’s magnetic field and set their direction as if following a compass heading, which is an extremely useful ability for birds migrating long distances. The ability is believed to be linked to the availability of light and it is thought that specialized molecules in the birds’ retinas allow them to literally see the magnetic fields, which appear as patterns of light and shade superimposed over the regular image from light. Now a new study shows that the internal compass also depends on the birds having clear vision in their right eyes.
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Sharp-eyed robins can see magnetic fields
Overlooked WIldlife talk BCNWT poster
South Beds. Wildlife Trust Local Group are hosting a talk entitled “Overlooked Wildlife” by Brian Eversham, CEO of the Bedfordshire Cambridgeshire Northamptonshire WIldlife Trust. The talk is on Wednesday, 11 January 2017 at Dunstable Community Fire Station Lecture Theatre at 7.30pm. Please note: doors open 7.15pm.
Click on this link for more information
Imidacloprid, a nicotine-like pesticide used on crops, led to loss of bee colonies in England and Wales, according to government-backed research
Source: Oilseed rape pesticide linked to UK honeybee deaths, study finds | Environment | The Guardian
Birds that eat at feeders more likely to get sick
Source: Birds that eat at feeders more likely to get sick, spread disease<
Linford Lakes NR BioBlitz by David Easton. 24 June 2016
Work Sunday at Linford Lakes NR 8 January 2017 10:00-13:00hrs.
Willing hands will be made welcome today.
There are lots of jobs around the reserve in the winter.
Cutting back overgrowth, trimming hedges, clearing paths.
Refreshments available.
Consensus builds among scientists though review of evidence also finds there is not enough data on whether pesticide causes population decline
Source: Neonicotinoids: new warning on pesticide harm to bees | Environment | The Guardian
Global wave of extinction lapping at UK shores’ as latest list of endangered species classifies birds alongside African elephant and lion
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Puffins and turtle doves at risk of being wiped out, say experts | Environment | The Guardian
Research into Blue Whale distribution around one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes and analysing their fatal collisions with ships has led scientists to offer a simple solution to the deadly threat.
Source: Wildlife Extra News – Simple solution proposed to save Blue Whales from being struck by ships
Corinna has provided a link to this article on the impact of weather on British wildlife.
National Trust survey shows how sunny winter and wet and windy summer affected British flora and fauna
Source: Jellyfish flourish but wasps wobble in year of climate confusion
Wildlife conservationists studying rare Little Terns nesting on Chesil Beach in Dorset have discovered that two of them have notched up more than 60,000 miles each during their annual African migrations.
“To help them cope with climate change birds are grow bigger beaks, new research suggests. The scientists, led by Dr Matthew Symonds from Deakin’s Centre for Integrative Ecology in Australia, have discovered a pattern between increased climatic temperatures and an increase in the size of the beaks of parrot species in southern and eastern Australia.”
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Wildlife Extra News – Bigger beaks help birds combat global warming
A remarkable new aid to birdwatchers has been developed that enables computers to identify hundreds of US and Canadian bird species in photographs.
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: Wildlife Extra News – New American website can identify birds from photographs
Common Lizard by Peter Hassett
While there is no doubt that climate change is affecting many organisms, some species might be more sensitive than others. Reptiles, whose body temperature depends directly on environmental temperature, may be particularly vulnerable. Scientists have now shown experimentally that lizards cope very poorly with the climate predicted for the year 2100.
Source: Climate change threatens survival of common lizards — ScienceDaily
The RSPB North Bucks Local Group will be visiting Willen Lake on 01Jan16. Click here for more details.
With its eight tentacles, large eyes and intelligent demeanour, it has been likened to an alien form of life. Now scientists have decoded the genome of the octopus and have discovered just how different it is to other intelligent creatures both on land and sea.
Click on this link for an interesting article in research in how to protect habitat used by wading birds.
Firecrest at Linford Lakes Nature Reserve
Firecrest at Linford Lakes Nature Reserve
Firecrest spotted and snapped by Society Member Janice Robertson at Linford Lakes on Wednesday 9th December
Corinna has kindly supplied this link Naturalists are becoming an endangered species detailing the decline in Naturalists in Britain.
The winning photographs in the British Wildlife Photography Awards competition can be viewed by clicking this link. When you reach the website, you need to click the “eye” icon 
at the top right hand side of the screen.
Scottish hen harriers are being tracked via satellite tags so scientists can better understand the threats these rare birds face and identify the places they are most at risk.
Click on the links below to read more about the projects:
RSPB – Hen harriers tagged in landmark project
Wildlife Extra News – Hen harriers tagged in new conservation project
Professional wildlife photographer David Tipling shares his images of a pair of otters that set up camp in the Norfolk town of Thetford.
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: In focus: Otter gallery by David Tipling
Results from the 2013 Woodcock Survey show that breeding numbers and breeding range have both declined considerably since the previous survey in 2003. The rate of decline varied regionally but was least pronounced in areas that contained large tracts of continuous woodland.
Click on the link to read the rest of the article: British Woodcock show declines in breeding population size and range
Brian Eversham has produced a guide to identify British Slugs. Click ere to download the PDF file.
Numbers of puffins breeding in a large puffin colony on Fair Isle has halved, from 20,000 to 10,000 individual, a new study shows. The research, published by the scientific journal, PLOS ONE, covered a period of nearly 30 years, starting in 1986.
Click on the link to read the rest of the article Wildlife Extra News – Puffin colony numbers halves in 30 years
If you thought bees only cared about flowers, think again. Some of them also farm fungus to survive – meaning that fungicides could harm them
Source: Bees found farming fungus for first time to feed larvae | New Scientist
Top 10 new species for 2015 announced
Source: Wildlife Extra News – Top 10 new species for 2015 announced
The British Trust for Ornithology bird of the month is the Jay. Click this link to download their PDF document.
I recommend that you read this very interesting article. The presentation is stunning.
Essay on Rewilding the Scottish Highlands by Alan Watson Featherstone, Founder of Trees for Life
Evidence for ecological intensification | Proceedings of the Royal Society of London – Biological Sciences
BIRDS
Woodcock in Linford Wood (4th Dec)
Goldeneye (2 male, 2 female) at South Willen Lake (7th Dec)
Starlings still murmurating at Willen Lake North
Ring Necked Parakeet – seen at Walton Lake today (8th)
Sightings Martin Kincaid
Egyptian Goose over Tattenhoe Park (Friday 4th)
Siskins – Oakhill Wood
Lesser Redpolls – Oakhill Wood and Kingsmead Wood
Marsh Tits – Oakhill Wood and Oxley Park
Red Kites – Bletchley and Tattenhoe
Sightings Harry Appleyard
MAMMALS
Roe Deer tracks in Oakhill Wood (Harry Appleyard)
INSECTS – Lepidoptera
Red Admiral flying on Redway @ Tongwell (4th – Steve Brady)
Brimstone male in Bancroft Garden (8th – Brian & Val Ellis)
7 goshawk facts you need to know.
Source: 7 goshawk facts you need to know | Discover Wildlife
10:00- 16:00hrs
With Xmas Craft Making Event.
Suitable for people of all ages, each session includes full tuition and all materials to enable you to make and take home traditional Christmas Decorations, using natural materials.
The Christmas Craft sessions will run from
11am to 12.30pm and from 1.30pm to 3pm.
The Christmas Craft Sessions cost £5.00, which includes all materials and instruction.
Please note Children under 16 are welcome, but must be accompanied by a parent or responsible adult.
There is also the usual Open Sunday opportunities.
Walk the reserve and spend time in the hides watching our
winter wild fowl and other seasonal visitors.
If you fancy some warmer wildlife watching, then why not use the viewing gallery
in the Centre, where you will also find: Crafts, Gifts, Second-hand book stall,
bird seed for sale and warming refreshments including mince pies and home-made cakes.
Family and friends welcome.
“Weasels are an elusive and endearing member of our native wildlife community.”
Click on the link to read more: Wildlife: The secret world of a weasel – Wildlife – Derbyshire Life and Countryside
Despite its Despite its cute appearance, this familiar and much-loved garden bird is highly territorial.
Source: Everything you need to know about the robin | Discover Wildlife
The RSPB North Bucks Local Group will be hosting a talk on the North Norfolk Coastal Path on 10Dec15. Click here for more details.
Here are 5 facts you need to know about this most Christmassy of plants.
Source: 5 things you didn’t know about holly | Discover Wildlife
BIRDS
Starling murmuration still at Willen Lake North – attracting Sparrowhawks (Ann Strutton)
2 Ravens over Linford Lakes (26th)
Stonechat at Linford Lakes (26th)
Sightings Martin Kincaid
2 Mistle Thrushes by River Ouse (27th – Brian & Val Ellis)
Large groups of Fieldfares in and around Tattenhoe Park
Red Kites – Bletchley and Tattenhoe
Sightings Harry Appleyard
MAMMALS
Roe Deer reported from Linford Wood (27th)
Water Shrew found under wooden board at Linford Lakes N.R. (29th)
Sightings Martin Kincaid
