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Headlines from week beginning 30 July 2018 |
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A round up of the top countryside, conservation, wildlife and forestry stories as chosen by the CJS Team.
The Prince's Countryside Fund releases Recharging Rural research Rural communities are coming together to improve their quality of
life but feel as though they are becoming more remote, according to
research from The Prince’s Countryside Fund and Scotland’s Rural
College.
A public survey looking in to how life is experienced in rural areas
of the UK for the Recharging Rural report published today (30th July
2018) received five times as many responses as expected. More than 3000 people expressed their praise and concerns for the
quality of life in rural communities, their thoughts on how life had
changed over the past decade, and how they could make the most of future
opportunities. Respondents repeatedly expressed their desire for improved
infrastructure in the countryside, which they feel will help them to
encourage young people and businesses to stay in, or move to, rural
areas. Investment in digital connectivity is also a key concern. Claire Saunders, Director of The Prince’s Countryside Fund said: “It
is encouraging to hear how communities are taking action to address the
challenges they face – respondents told us of more than 500 community
led projects happening across the UK.”
Survey results reveal the secrets to creating a hedgehog’s perfect
home….
School’s out for the summer, and for those now at home what better
way to spend an afternoon than by creating your own hedgehog house, to
help the nation’s favourite mammal from further decline. The Hedgehog Street team is urging people to help hedgehogs by
building them the perfect home, providing a safe haven that’s cool, cosy
and comfortable during the summer weather. Last year, Hedgehog Street launched the first ever Hedgehog Housing
Census, which looked at how, when and why hedgehogs use either homemade
or artificial hedgehog houses in gardens across Britain. Between August
and October 2017, over 5,000 people responded to the Hedgehog Housing
Census, and now, a year on, the secrets behind what makes a perfect
hedgehog home have been revealed. The results, analysed by the
University of Reading, show that:
Building your own hedgehog home is a fun and easy to do. To
download a PDF with simple instructions on how to build two different
types of hedgehog house, visit the
Hedgehog Street website.
Sheep join battle against invasive plant invader
– Scottish Natural Heritage
Image:
SNH A flock of a dozen sheep have arrived on location near Huntly
(Aberdeenshire) to start the important work of munching through the
invasive giant hogweed plants growing there. Reaching heights of 2-3m, giant hogweed not only causes harm to our
native wildlife by dominating sites and shading out native vegetation,
but its sap is harmful to people and can cause serious and painful burns
on contact with the skin. This makes mature and dense stands of the plants more difficult to
remove - normally chemical spraying by trained and protected staff is
the most effective treatment method. However, following an encouraging
trial by the Deveron, Bogie & Isla Fishery Trust in 2013 grazing by
sheep is being further investigated as a viable alternative. The sheep suffer no ill-effects from the toxic sap and develop a
taste for the plant, happily grazing it alongside other vegetation.
Richie Miller, Director of the Deveron, Bogie & Isla Rivers Trust said:
“The previous trial showed a significant reduction in seedlings, with no
evidence of plants reaching maturity during the 3-year grazing period.
This was a really inspiring and important outcome and this new trial
will allow us to build on the previous findings and undertake more
essential research to demonstrate the effectiveness of grazing in
hogweed control.”
Amazon delivers cure for contaminated water in Wales
– Natural Resources Wales A possible solution for treating toxic metal contamination in Welsh
rivers has come from an unlikely source in the Amazon basin. Jonathan Jones, Senior Environment Officer for Natural Resources
Wales, has been researching how to extract river pollutants using water
hyacinths.
Trials using the sub-tropical floating plant from the Amazon in
Brazil proved to be a successful, environmentally friendly technique. It removed 100 per cent of cadmium, cobalt and manganese and 80 per
cent of zinc from the river over a three-week period. After three weeks, the plants are removed from the water to prevent
the metals from leaching back in. The plant can then be used to produce biofuel, as fuel briquettes,
compost and if in sufficient concentration, the metals can be
recovered. The research was part of an investigation into the Nant-Y-Fendrod
river in Swansea that is failing to meet water quality standards. Jonathan Jones said: “The results of these trials are very
encouraging with potentially far-reaching consequences. As well as
cleaning up our rivers, this technique could help to provide safe
drinking water in developing countries and in dealing with certain
implications of climate change, including ways of dealing with
non-native invasive alien plant species. Should the plant become
established in the Northern Hemisphere due to the effects of climate
change, its use in this technique may offer an appropriate way of
managing its spread”.
Conservation project gives threatened curlew a vital head-start
– Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust The Curlew
Country project - part of the UK lowland recovery programme - is
taking drastic action to help save a threatened species. The recovery project, which works on the ground in the Shropshire
Hills and Welsh Marches, has just released hand-reared curlew chicks –
The decision to intervene was not taken lightly as project workers
spent two years using cameras and data loggers to monitor over 30 curlew
nests, from which no chicks survived to hatch. Most were predated at egg
stage by foxes, so the Curlew Country project took the much-needed step
of applying for a licence to incubate 50 eggs and rear them by hand. “We are delighted to have reared 21 chicks through to fledging that
otherwise would not have made it. It has been a long, emotional process,
with lots of learning along the way, but we hope that we can fill the
gap that natural nesting attempts were not able to,” said project
manager Amanda Perkins. “We have always intended to act quickly to win the race against time
to save these iconic birds. After two dismal years of monitoring the
failure of the local, but nationally significant hotspot, of breeding
curlews, we knew we had to act.” The first batch of chicks has now flown freely, outside of their
original enclosure. This is a landmark event for the project, and for
national curlew conservation, as it suggests what could be possible. Importantly, it taught those working on the project a great deal
about the rearing process, ranging from the foods chicks preferred, the
stages at which they needed to be moved into larger enclosures and the
level of support they required to learn certain skills.
UK air pollution removal: how much pollution does vegetation remove in
your area? – Office for National Statistics Explore how air pollution removal varies across the UK and use our
interactive map to see how much pollution was removed from your area in
2015. Overall, an estimated 1.4 billion kg of air pollutants were removed
by woodlands, plants, grasslands and other UK vegetation in 20151,
according to a study produced
for the UK
Natural Capital accounts by the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology. To put this in context, over five times as much PM2.5 was emitted in
the UK in 2015, than was removed by vegetation in 20152. This pollution removal saved the UK around £1 billion in avoided
health damage costs3. It is estimated there were 7,100 fewer lung and
heart-related hospital admissions, 27,000 fewer life years lost and
1,900 fewer premature deaths in 2015 as result of nature providing this
service. Trees in particular provide a wide range of services and account for
most of the volume of air pollutants absorbed by natural vegetation in
the UK but can have adverse effects also4. The study looks at the role of vegetation in removing air pollutants,
and the benefits they provide to human health through reductions in
exposure. Most harmful is PM2.5 (fine particulate matter with a diameter
of less than 2.5 micrometres, or 3% of the diameter of a human hair),
but the study also covers PM10, nitrogen dioxide, ground-level ozone,
ammonia and sulphur dioxide. Even though vegetation will not solve the whole issue of air quality
in the UK, and in some cases vegetation can have adverse effects on air
quality, the service of air pollution absorption by vegetation is
nevertheless an important one.
Changes to UK farming unlikely to have affected Bewick’s swans
– WWT Changes to UK farming practices probably didn’t cause a crash in the
number of Bewick’s swans, according to new research from WWT. The Bewick’s swan population fell by nearly 40 per cent between 1995
and 2010. The swans feed largely in farmers’ fields when they
But the study found no evidence to suggest swans had been prevented
from getting enough food during the winter months from year to year. WWT and partner organisations throughout the Bewick’s swans’
migratory range are continuing to research all the possible reasons for
the species’ decline, including illegal hunting, poisoning, collisions
and habitat loss. WWT Principal Research Officer, Dr Kevin Wood, said: “Bewick’s swans
have to leave the UK in peak condition to survive their gruelling
migration to Russia and arrive ready to breed and rear cygnets during
the brief Arctic summer. Although the British countryside has changed
considerably over the last half century, there’s no evidence that the
swans are anything other than well fed while they’re here. It’s good
news, and we’ve eliminated one line of enquiry, which will allow us to
now focus on other issues that might be affecting the swans. We’re
currently working with researchers across the swans’ range to
investigate possible causes of the population decline, which saw numbers
fall by almost 40% between 1995 and 2010. Hundreds of WWT staff and
volunteers have helped to catch and measure swans over the last five
decades, so it’s great to be able to use the data to help examine the
issues that the Bewick’s swans might face.” The research paper, titled Has
winter body condition varied with population size in a long-distance
migrant, the Bewick’s Swan (Cygnus columbianus bewickii) has
been published in the European Journal of Wildlife Research.
National Parks and Forest Holidays join forces to connect 6,000 young
people with nature - National Parks UK’s National Parks and Forest Holidays are partnering on projects
that will enable up to 6,000 young people across the country,
particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds, to experience and
explore the best of the UK countryside.
Starting in summer 2018, the partnership is driven by a shared
ambition to empower young people to engage with nature, both to improve
their well-being and to ensure that National Parks are valued,
understood and cared for into the future. Research by Natural England*
shows that 90% of children report feeling happier and healthier as a
result of outdoor learning, and 95% say that outdoor learning makes
lessons more enjoyable. The UK Government and the devolved Governments of Scotland and Wales
all recognise the importance of connecting people with nature to improve
health and well-being. National Parks have a particularly important role
to play in helping to inspire and encourage young people to make the
most of the natural environment. In 2018 Forest Holidays is supporting three projects for young people in the Loch Lomond & The Trossachs, Yorkshire Dales and Brecon Beacons National Parks, that will together engage around 3,000 young participants. In addition, a new Forest Holidays National Parks travel fund will enable an additional estimated 3,000 young people from across the UK to benefit from paid-for journeys to their nearest National Park.
Hen Harrier Breeding Success - Defra 34 chicks have fledged in the most successful Hen Harrier breeding
season in years.
This year has proven the most successful Hen Harrier breeding season
for a decade in England, with 34 chicks fledged across Lancashire,
Cumbria, Northumberland and Derbyshire. There were 14 nesting attempts of which nine were successful in
producing chicks. This year’s success can be put down to a variety of
factors including: high numbers of voles, a key prey species, good
weather and a great partnership effort. Land managers have also been carrying out diversionary feeding
offering supplementary food to the chicks since they have hatched. This
technique ensures the best fledging rate and diverts the adult birds’
attention from taking the chicks of other vulnerable ground nesting
birds. Unfortunately three nests failed due to predation and two due to a
polygamous male struggling to provide two nests at once. Half of the
attempts, four of which were successful, were on National Nature
Reserves. While all other attempts and successful nests were on land
managed for grouse shooting; one of these nests was just off the
moorland on a hill farm in-bye land. Andrew Sells, Chairman of Natural England, said: “The increase in hen
harrier chicks this year is truly remarkable. These figures are a
tribute to all those working hard for the survival of this breath-taking
bird and show that responsible management of grouse moors must be part
of the solution. Reviving the fortunes of the hen harrier has been a
cause close to my heart and I very much hope that we are now on the
right path. But it will take more than one good breeding season to bring
about a thriving population so it’s important that there is no let-up in
the efforts to conserve this magnificent bird.” Response:
BASC join rural groups in welcoming hen harrier success BASC has joined other rural groups in celebrating the most successful
hen harrier breeding season in England for more than a decade. Central to this success has been an unprecedented 21 chicks fledging
from land managed for grouse shooting, which is more than 60 per cent of
this year’s total young of 34.
Nominations open for National Parks Volunteer Awards
- South Downs National Park Authority It’s time to recognise the volunteers across the country who give
thousands of hours every year to the UK’s National Parks. In the South Downs alone our volunteer rangers gave more than 14
years (5,221 days) of their time just last year. The National Parks
Volunteer Awards recognise this incredible work with nominations
accepted in four categories – Individual, Young Person (25 years and
below), Group and Project. Nominees need not be volunteering for a UK National Park to be
eligible. All that is required is that the volunteer service or project
take place within the boundaries of one of the UK’s 15 National Parks. The group and project winners receive a £1,000 bursary towards their
future volunteering efforts. The 2018 National Parks Volunteer Awards
are supported by UK National Parks partner Columbia Sportswear and the
individual and young person winners will receive Columbia Sportswear
outdoor kit. Presentations will take place at a special awards ceremony
at the Kendal Mountain Festival in November.
Joint parenting may produce stronger offspring in the animal world
- University of Glasgow In the animal world, two parents working together to provide care may
produce heavier and fitter offspring than single parents working alone,
according to new research.
(image: University of Glasgow) Biparental care occurs when parents cooperate to provide care for
their offspring. This type of care is observed in many species across
the animal kingdom including in birds, fishes, insects and mammals. However when working together, parents usually withhold the amount of
care they provide to shift as much of the workload as possible to their
partner. This conflict between parents has previously been shown to be
detrimental for the young. In this study the researchers sought to answer an important
evolutionary question that has so far remained unanswered: are offspring
better off with two parents working together or a single parent working
alone? To do this, the researchers studied burying beetles, which in the
wild use either biparental care, female or male only care for their
offspring. The study compared the survival and growth of the young when
they were reared by one or both of their parents. Single parents were
given half as many young as the pairs. Reseachers found that larvae reared by parents who worked together
were larger at the end of the parental care period than those reared by
parents who worked alone. The larvae reared by two parents were also
more likely to survive to adulthood.
New study could revolutionise salmon farming - University of
Stirling Scientists believe a new feed solution for Atlantic farmed salmon –
created from a genetically modified plant – could help relieve pressure
on stressed marine resources. The University of Stirling, in collaboration with Rothamsted
Research, is conducting a study into the potential benefits of using the
customised feed to improve access to omega-3 fish oils, credited as
being a key component of a balanced diet. Wild fisheries – which currently provide the beneficial oils – are at
their sustainable limits and, therefore, existing stocks are not able to
provide enough of the beneficial omega-3 for a global population. In a bid to tackle the issue, current practice involves giving farmed
fish a feed blended with both marine fish oil, sourced from the sea, and
vegetable oil. However, the new study could revolutionise the industry –
and return levels of omega-3 fatty acids in farmed fish to the levels of
a decade ago.
Five of the UK’s most precious rivers will be revived in the latest
of a series of major National Trust projects providing much-needed
support to the British countryside during ongoing Brexit uncertainty. The conservation charity announces its most ambitious waterways
restoration project in its history, but warns the Government must now
put action to its promises to save dwindling UK wildlife as we depart
the EU. Struggling freshwater wildlife and surrounding habitat will receive a
major boost in Cumbria, Somerset, Norfolk, Cheshire and North Wales as
part of the project led by the conservation charity with the Environment
Agency and Natural Resources Wales. Sharing the stage at Countryfile Live with Environment Secretary
Michael Gove, Hilary McGrady, Director-General at the Trust, will cite a
groundswell of public support for more work on the ground as she calls
on the Government to fast-track its Environment Bill for the sake of
future generations. She welcomes recent pledges by the Government to deliver a farming
policy that improves the environment, but will tell Mr Gove that
"actions speak louder than words". Sixty percent of UK adults say it is “very important” that farmers
receive money in return for looking after nature - and 70% support an
Environment Act to hold the Government to account, according to a new
poll commissioned by the Trust. In addition, 72% say they would
definitely or would probably be willing to pay more tax so the
government could ensure farmers do not pollute river or lakes.
Tenth year of Kielder ospreys brings new nest!
- Northumberland Wildlife Trust
Broomlee, Byrness and Binky just after being
fitted with their new ring, photo Forestry Commission England The location of the nest makes it difficult for staff to get close,
although it is thought that one of the parents is a bird from Moffat. This years’ chicks from the four pre-existing osprey nests in Kielder
Water & Forest Park have now been successfully ringed. On the four
nests, 12 eggs were laid in total; two did not hatch and sadly, two
chicks perished, leaving a total of eight birds to be ringed.
Branching Out celebrates holding 300 projects
- Forestry Commission Scotland Branching Out – FCS’s award-winning mental health and wellbeing
project – celebrates holding 300 projects helping over 2,000 people
since it was launched 10 years ago. Branching Out has delivered up to 50 projects a year within 10 NHS
board areas. The programme has supported over 900 people in the Greater
Glasgow and Clyde area alone with more than 100 projects. Branching Out takes place in forests, woodlands and other green
spaces where participants take part in a range of activities covering
key areas such as bushcraft skills, practical conservation, physical
activity, creativity and environmental art, and personal development or
learning.
Discover how a special dog from New Zealand is helping safeguard
Orkney’s native wildlife - RSPB Macca and Ange have arrived in Orkney to work on the world's largest
eradication project A fox terrier called Macca and his handler Angela have arrived in
Orkney to begin their role in the world’s largest island eradication
project. The Orkney Native Wildlife Project, which is a partnership between
Scottish
Natural Heritage (SNH) and
RSPB Scotland, aims to protect Orkney’s native wildlife by removing
stoats, an invasive non-native predator that was first recorded in
Orkney in 2010. Stoats are native to the UK Mainland but not to Orkney, where they
pose a very serious threat to Orkney's native wildlife particularly the
Orkney vole, hen harrier, short-eared owl and other ground nesting birds
such as red-throated divers, Arctic terns and curlews for which Orkney
is internationally important and upon which Orkney’s thriving wildlife
tourism industry relies. Macca is a conservation detection dog and is specially trained to
detect signs of stoats. He is the newest member of the Orkney Native
Wildlife Project team and, along with handler Angela, has an important
role to play in helping preparations ahead of the start of the programme
to remove stoats from Orkney. Their job, for the next three months, is
to systematically search for signs of stoat presence on high-risk
islands around Orkney’s main island (Orkney Mainland).
Space imagery helps tackle Scotland’s wildfires
- Scottish Natural Heritage Breakthroughs with satellite technology are helping Scottish Natural
Heritage (SNH) to map and understand the devastating effects of
wildfires in Scotland.
SNH’s GIS Services Manager Lachlan Renwick said: “Using European
Space Agency's Copernicus programme - the most ambitious Earth
Observation programme to date - is a game changer for us. Getting good
quality imagery in Scotland, and particularly cloud-free photography has
been an issue. But now we have two satellites coming over on a regular
basis, giving us imagery every two to three days, and at a higher
resolution than previously available. It’s a huge breakthrough in
mapping the extent and severity of burnt areas especially where they
have impacted upon protected sites.” Wildfires can have a devastating effect on wildlife and natural
habitats. In spring 2018 there were several significant fires on Rum and
in northern Sutherland, and more recently a series of wildfires in the
west including Skye and Torridon. The data from orbit is processed to
show how much light is reflected at different frequencies, showing in
detail the extent of fire damage on plants and the soil beneath.
Land Trust launches new education strategy to inspire young people to
get outdoors - The Land Trust The Land Trust is delighted to launch a new education strategy, as
the green space management charity looks to inspire people of all ages
to spend more time outside and enjoy all the benefits that spending time
in well managed green space has to offer. Working in partnerships with local schools and nurseries and
providing volunteering opportunities, through projects such as our Green
Angels programme, the Land Trust is aiming to increase the amount of
time spent by young people outdoors, and give them the opportunity to
learn new skills, enhance their future prospects and make a difference
in their community.
The time currently spent outdoors by children is worrying low and it
was these statistics, combined with a crisis in childhood obesity and
mental health, that encouraged the Land Trust to act, with
director of portfolio management, Alan Carter, explaining: “The Land
Trust has been delivering educational activities on our sites since its
inception but this strategy is about developing that offer further and
making a real difference in the communities who live and work close to
our sites. The UK Government wishes to use and develop the natural
environment to improve the education and lives of all children, with a
particular focus on those from deprived communities. This desire is set
against a backdrop of rising childhood obesity levels, decreasing
childhood mental health and decreasing levels of interaction of children
and young people in the natural environment. In fact it is reported that
three quarters of UK children spend less time outside than prison
inmates, while a fifth of children do not play outside at all on an
average day. These findings are completely unacceptable and if they are
allowed to remain unchanged we risk generations of people missing out on
enjoying time outside and the physical and mental benefits that brings.
With over 60 sites across the country we recognise that we are in a
unique position to make a real difference and our refreshed education
strategy is the first step in that process.” Over the next three years the Land Trust will have a strategic focus
on developing relationships with schools and nurseries within walking
distance of our spaces. The charity is investing in six new
outdoor learning areas across their sites at Wellesley Woodlands,
Bewsey, Kiverton, Old Hall, Silverdale and Hassall Green, while also
training rangers and teachers as forest school practitioners, to enhance
the variety of activity on our sites. The Land Trust is also working
with an external body, Nature-Nurture, to produce an education pack for
use by local schools near our site at Davey Down. This will then be
developed to provide some more generic learning packs to be made
available to schools across the country.
Garden of Tranquillity: a sanctuary for people living with dementia
- Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh A safe, tranquil and sensory space designed specifically as a respite
for people living with dementia and their carers will shortly take shape
within the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE). With natural
boundaries for privacy, fragrant plants, comfortable seating, a water
rill and art, this social inclusion project is quickly mustering support
from visitors. Conceived by Judy Good, while studying for her RBGE Diploma in
Garden Design, the idea started as a piece of coursework with very
personal resonance, as she explained: “I was inspired by my good friend,
Gillian Lindsay, whose mum had early onset dementia and is now, sadly,
in the very late stages of the disease. Gillian was always looking for
places to take her mum, where they could get out of the house and spend
time together, but where her mum felt safe and relaxed. It can be
difficult. There are not many places in Edinburgh and the
surrounding area where this need can be met.” Her remarks were backed by Gillian: "In the eight years that we’ve
lived with my mum’s dementia, we’ve come to realise that, for her, we
can’t prevent the disease getting worse. Our sole purpose when we’re
with her is to try to help her have a sense of contentment in the
present. With her fading memory and understanding of the world, life can
feel very stressful and complicated for her. To help with this, we talk
to her about the immediate things around us. Our one-way conversations
are made easier by being in a place where there is a feeling of beauty
and calm, as well as a variety of sights and scents and sounds to prompt
our observations. A garden created with this in mind would
be an ideal place for us to spend time together, to reminisce on her
behalf and to be peaceful and happy in the moment. Such a huge part of
the Botantics’ own history is about being therapeutic and restorative
and I see immense value in having a garden there which brings an element
of this to people living with dementia now."
Southern migrant hawker dragonflies recorded for the first time in
Dorset The first Southern migrant hawker dragonflies ever recorded in Dorset
have been seen on Dorset Wildlife Trust’s (DWT’s) nature reserve,
Lytchett Heath, which is part of The Great Heath Living Landscape
project in east Dorset. Three males have been seen in the area, where they were first
discovered by local birdwatcher, Ian Ballam.
Ian said, “Lytchett Bay is my ‘patch’ for birding, but in summer I
also record dragonflies. I was making a quick visit to the DWT
reserve at Lytchett Bay on Saturday 21st July and as soon as I arrived
at the main "dried-up" pool I noticed a bright blue small Hawker type
dragonfly. Then I noticed another exactly the same on an adjacent pool.
They were extremely aggressive to eachother which pointed towards the
behaviour of the southern migrant hawker. In the end, I spotted
three. I was elated to have found them and even more happy that I
manged to identify this tricky species from just flight observations,
and after about 90 minutes one came to rest on some reeds so I could
confirm my ID was correct.” If you see a southern migrant hawker in Dorset, please let Dorset
Wildlife Trust know. You can tweet us @DorsetWildlife, post on our
facebook page (facebook/dorsetwildlife) or email on
enquiries@dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk. If you see something unusual check our
Surveys
section to see who might want to know about your sighting.
Record number of hen harrier chicks tagged this year
- RSPB Over 30 chicks tagged by RSPB project An unprecedented number of hen harrier chicks have been fitted with
satellite tags this year by the RSPB as part of its EU funded Hen
Harrier LIFE project to secure the future of these threatened birds.
So far more than 30 of the young birds have been tagged, the majority
of them in Scotland. This is the fourth year in a row that the project
has fitted satellite tags on hen harrier chicks. A number of those
tagged this year are the offspring of birds tagged in previous years by
the project including DeeCee who hatched in Perthshire in 2016. Hen harriers are one of the UK’s rarest birds and the satellite tags
allow the project to follow their movements as they leave the nest,
gaining invaluable information on where the birds spend their time. The
odds are stacked against hen harrier chicks from the start with survival
rates of around 22 per cent in their first two years of life. The tags
can reveal information about the cause of death for many of these young
birds. Of the birds tagged in 2017 almost 40 per cent are known to have died
from natural causes, in line with these low survival rates. As the tags
continue to transmit after a bird has died the remains of many of them
were able to be recovered allowing post mortems to be carried out. These
showed some to have been predated, while others died of starvation. One
bird, Eric who was tagged in Orkney in July 2017, apparently drowned in
January. However, the tags also reveal that over a quarter of last
year’s chicks have disappeared in suspicious circumstances. In these
cases, transmissions from tags that have been functioning perfectly
suddenly stop. The project is grateful for the fantastic support given from members
of the Scottish Raptor Study Group and to the many landowners and their
staff for their interest and help in assisting to tag so many birds. From September a selection of this year’s tagged birds will be added
to the project website where their travels can be followed along with
some of the surviving birds from previous years:
www.rspb.org.uk/henharrierlife
Scientific paper Wotton, S. R., Bladwell, S., Mattingley, W., Morris, N. G., Raw, D. &
Ruddock, M. (2018)
Status of the Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus in the UK and Isle of
Man in 2016. Bird Study. doi.org/10.1080/00063657.2018.1476462 Weerakkody, U., Dover, J. W., Mitchell, P. & Reiling, K. (2018)
The impact of rainfall in remobilising particulate matter accumulated on
leaves of four evergreen species grown on a green screen and a living
wall. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening
doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2018.07.018
Ross N. Cuthbert, James W. E. Dickey, Clare McMorrow, Ciaran
Laverty, Jaimie T. A. Dick
Resistance is futile: lack of predator switching and a preference for
native prey predict the success of an invasive prey species R. Soc.
open sci. 2018 5 180339; DOI: 10.1098/rsos.180339. Mareike Kortmann, Marco Heurich, Hooman Latifi, Sascha Rösner, Rupert
Seidl, Jörg Müller, Simon Thorn
Forest structure following natural disturbances and early succession
provides habitat for two avian flagship species, capercaillie (Tetrao
urogallus) and hazel grouse (Tetrastes bonasia),
Biological Conservation https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2018.07.014.
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Image:
Prince's Countryside Fund
Image:
Ann Stratford Hedgehog Street
A new woolly weapon is being deployed in the battle against giant
hogweed on the River Deveron by the Scottish Invasive Species
Initiative.
using
a conservation practice known as headstarting – in a bid to help them on
a local level.
overwinter
in the UK, so WWT compared the body condition of swans it has caught
over 50 years to investigate whether intensification and mechanisation
in farming might have led to food shortages.
Image:
Defra
The
study, which was conducted by researchers from the Universities of
Glasgow and Edinburgh and is published today in Proceedings B, found
that biparenting produced offspring which grew better and had a higher
survival rate than offspring reared by a single male or female parent.
The
tenth year of the Kielder Osprey Partnership has given the partners a
brilliant surprise late in the season - staff from the Forestry
Commission recently discovered a fifth nest in Kielder Forest! The pair
on the nest appear to have raised one healthy chick.
Space
imagery helps tackle Scotland’s wildfires: Wildfires 2018 - Skye -
Sentinel 2 - Before and after - CIR and NBR
Tree
planting at Countess of Chester country park in 2017 (image: The Land
Trust)
Southern
migrant hawker dragonfly (photo: Ian Ballam via Dorset Wildlife Trust)
Hen
Harrier 'Eric' tagged in 2017 (image: RSPB)
