N B C Trip to Frampton Marsh.

Wow

I secretly wish I had taken this shot, well I did... from a poster in reception sadly.

Hoping to see Hen Harrier,  Frampton is always a good possibility. Walking to the bank overlooking the salt marsh, Bob quickly got the crew onto a Ringtail Harrier a great starter for the day.
Battling with optics against a strong cold wind another brown Harrier appeared but this bird had morphed into a Marsh Harrier, still nice to see especially when I remember how rare they once were back in the early 80's

Merlin

A Merlin was seen dashing around looking for unsuspecting Mippits or the like over the marsh.

Lapwing Bob Gill

got a juicy one         Bob Gill

Flocks of Lapwing and Golden Plover seemed to be in the air constantly, being harassed by at least two Hungry marauding Peregrines.

Peregrine Falcon

Back on Terra-firma, Wigeon and Brents were everywhere

Brent Geese            Bob Gill

Drake wigeon

Wendy, Trish, Mark and Bob

I'm not sure what Mark is adjusting ?

The Need for Feed,             

Back to the car for food and a warm drink,    uummmmm lovely.

Goldfinch          Bob Gill

Afterward a walk around the reserve. 

Gold and Green finches hungrily defend the feeders, two Water Rail break cover in front of us.

A Curlew and a lone Stock Dove search for food,

 

At best I would say the weather was bracing, but non the less, we all very much enjoyed the day.

We have a home to go to, how wildlife manages in these cold conditions is beyond me, they seem so frail but contend with it they do.

Thanks again to Bob our taxi driver and for Trish braving the weather and putting up with the banter.

Time marches on and so we must fly.

Brent Goose

Epetition on grouse shooting - an economic appraisal

An important message from Dr Mark Avery...

Some time in the last few years I have given a talk to the Northants Bird Club about why we should ban driven grouse shooting.

Today I am asking for your help to move that agenda on just a little.

A guy called Les Wallace has an epetition that simply calls on Defra to carry out a proper economic appraisal of grouse shooting and the land management on which it depends. If his epetiton reaches 10,000 signatures on 2 February then Defra will have to respond to this epetition.  Now, I suspect that they will respond by saying 'no, we're not going to do anything' but I'd like to make them say something publicly on this subject.

I have no doubt that a proper economic appraisal of grouse shooting would show that it is a drain on the public purse because of its impacts on flood risk, water quality, aquatic biodiversity, peat degradation and wildlife loss.  But let's see!

To support Les Wallace's epetition you simply have to click on this link, sign up and click on the confirmation email that you will receive. 

There are nine days left to amass another 3000 signatures.  I think it will be a close run thing so your help could make all the difference.

Here's the link again.

Many thanks

Mark

Dr Mark Avery

Red Grouse.

Meadow Pipit.

Back from the Brink 'Roots of Rockingham' project

Hello

A message from Susannah O' Riordan...

We’re looking for help to survey and monitor some of our threatened bird species across Rockingham Forest as part of the Back from the Brink ‘Roots of Rockingham’ Project.

Species that we are focusing on are Willow Tit, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Marsh Tit, Lesser Redpoll and Spotted Flycatcher.

We have some free training workshops coming up for WT & LSW in conjunction with RSPB (more details below), and will be running workshops for surveying remaining species later in March.  It’s also possible for people to get involved in looking out for these species if they aren’t able to come along to a workshop.

Upcoming workshops:
Thursday January 31st 10.30am-3.30pm  - Top Lodge, Fineshade, nr Corby,  
NN17 3BB

Wednesday February 6th 10.30am-3.30pm  - Benefield Village Hall, Main  
Street, Lower Benefield, PE8 5AF

Help monitor two of the UK’s rarest species!
We’re looking for willing surveyors with birding experience to help survey and monitor Willow Tits and/or Lesser Spotted Woodpecker across woodlands within the Rockingham Forest area. The training will involve learning survey methods, including the playback method for Willow Tits, and habitat evaluation before choosing a site to survey.

The workshop is running on two dates at different locations (you only need to come along to one of these). If anyone would like to book on a workshop, or find out more information about getting involved, please contact me Susannah O’Riordan,  
soriordan@butterfly-conservation.org  Tel: 01780 444067

Thank you

Regards,
Susannah O'Riordan | soriordan@butterfly-conservation.org

Big Garden Birdwatch

Male Bullfinch
courtesy of John Tilly.

Hello

Next week-end is the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch and most years Ian Wrisdale and members of the Mid Nene RSPB group host an event to help promote the initiative. Tomorrow (Sunday) there will be guided walks at Stanwick Lakes at 10am and again at 11am with an emphasis on garden and woodland birds. In the cabin near to the visitors centre there will be leaflets, childrens craft activities and a nature table display. There will also be a bird ringing demonstration starting at about 8am and concluding at lunch-time. It is likely that all the activities will be centred around the visitors centre and car park area or very close by.

Regards

Neil M

Long-tailed Tits courtesy
of John Tilly.

House Sparrow courtesy
of Cathy Ryden. Despite being
a much scarcer bird these days
the House Sparrow has nevertheless
still featured as the most common
bird seen on the RSPB Big Garden
Birdwatch in recent years...

Picture of the week

Hello

Club member Dave Jackson has yet again won this week's Birdguides Picture of the Week with a stunning adult male Sparrowhawk in his garden being the winning subject. Despite taking the images through glass he again takes the crown!

Dave's story and the images follow...

'I arrived home and walked straight into the kitchen and noticed a Sparrowhawk perched low down about four metres from the back door. I slowly back-tracked to get my camera not expecting it to be there when I returned but fortunately he hadn't seen me otherwise he'd have been off like a shot.

I took a few shots from a distance and then knelt down and shuffled closer using a dining chair to hide behind and as a rest for my camera. It was clear from the full crop that the bird had enjoyed a sizeable meal and was in no hurry to depart. I daren't move even to check my images and camera settings and it finally flew off 35 minutes later when I moved to ease my aching knees! There was no sign of any feathers from its prey but I haven't seen the neighbour's cat for a few days now!'

Regards

Neil M

Adult male Sparrowhawk
courtesy of Dave Jackson.

Post meeting summary

On the first Wednesday in January the members were treated to a highly informative and entertaining talk by Dick Newell championing the Common Swift and the organisation Action for Swifts which is doing a huge amount of work to research and reverse the Swift’s decline over the past 20 or so years.

Dick’s talk fell into 3 parts.  The first outlined their history and distribution – they are not related to the very similar Swallows and House Martins, but share a common ancestor with and are related more closely to the Hummingbirds of the world.  Over the years, first ringing, and now work with geo-locators and new high-tech gizmos has, and continues to, enlighten researchers into their movements while on migration around across and up and down the globe and also provide information as to their breeding habits and longevity 

The second part of the talk focused on their steep decline – 50% over 20 years – more than even House Sparrow and Starling.  Remarkably, the House Sparrow and Starling are still Red Listed even though their decline is thought to have stabilized.  Whereas, Swifts are only Amber Listed despite their decline still plummeting at the rate of 5% per annum.  Loss of nest sites, declines in the insect supply, losses on migration to Southern Africa could all be partly or wholly responsible for this decline.  What isn’t in question is the figure of less than 100,000 breeding pairs reported in the UK.

And so, the third part of this fact-filled talk, focused on the many and varied methods Dick’s team have researched and experimented with to provided just one (or more) extra viable nest site alongside each current successful breeding pair, which it is hoped will fairly quickly double the number of breeding pairs across the country.  Dick left us all with literature and the link to the Action for Swift blogsite and inspired to see what we could all do in our homes, schools and churches to facilitate these iconic birds of the summer skies.

Helen Franklin.

actionforswifts.blogspot.com.