Bird Sightings: POPULATION OF BLACK GROUSE RISES DRAMATICALLY IN TEESDALE

THE population of rare black grouse in upper Teesdale has risen dramatically.

But while the iconic upland bird is fighting back in its North Pennines stronghold, extinction is looming in north-west Northumberland, where just six birds are left.

Northern England suffered a devastating decline in the population last year. But the early morning spring counts just completed by researchers from the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust show that the 2010 population of 500 males has grown to 820 in the North Pennines.

Fran Atterton, the trust’s black grouse project officer, said: “Overall these are fantastic results and are a credit to the huge amount of conservation work that has been invested in our moorland fringes over the past 15 years by moorland managers, farmers and gamekeepers to improve the conditions for black grouse so that when weather conditions are good in June when the chicks hatch they breed well.” 

However, she said further work is still required to safeguard this bird in northern England.

The trust has recently launched a project, funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, to encourage landowners to establish small pockets of woodland to provide an emergency food source and cover in severe winters.

The fortunes of black grouse were affected by a series of weather related set-backs over the past few years. After celebrating a high of 1200 males back in spring 2007, the wet June weather in both 2007 and 2008 caused high mortality in newly hatched chicks.  This was compounded by the exceptional snow fall and freezing temperatures of winter 2009/10 causing the population in northern England to crash to an all-time low of 500 males.

Despite the good news in Teesdale, black grouse in north-west Northumberland have collapsed from 100 males in 2002 to only six this spring and are now facing imminent extinction.

In the Yorkshire Dales, black grouse have increased from 90 to 131 males after males were moved to this fringe area.

Dr Phil Warren, the GWCT scientist in charge of the project said, “The results of this trial have certainly been heartening because it is helping them to expand their range into former haunts.  We are now seeing males carrying out their unforgettable mating display in areas where they have been absent for 15 years or more.”

Source: http://www.teesdalemercury.co.uk/teesdale-news/story,3394.html

Bird Sightings: Osprey chicks hatch in Welsh valley for first time in 400 years

The new osprey chicks in the Dyfi valley

By Sally Williams

TWO osprey chicks have hatched in a picturesque Welsh valley for the first time in more than 400 years, wildlife watchers have confirmed

The Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust have announced that the Dyfi ospreys near Machynlleth, sired their first chick at 3.35pm yesterday and a second chick hatched at 6.35am on Monday.

Dyfi Osprey Project manager, Emyr Evans said: “This is a wondrous event for us and for the ospreys.

“It was in 1604 that ospreys were last recorded breeding on the Dyfi and now we are witnessing history in the making.

“It’s incredible to think that the last time an osprey chick hatched in the Dyfi estuary, James I had just succeeded Elizabeth I to the throne.

“The osprey is Wales’ rarest bird of prey and today we are delighted to be able to say that Wales has two breeding pairs.

“I’m absolutely delighted about ospreys breeding on the Dyfi once again.

“We run our project as a community initiative and the look on the volunteers’ and visitors’ faces when they witnessed that first tiny chick popping out of its shell was priceless.

“It’s amazing how wildlife can have such a positive effect on people.

“I’ve seen grown men cry today.

“I’m so pleased for local people and communities that have put so much into the Dyfi Osprey Project over the last three years, this is the perfect reward for their hard work.”

He said more than 60 volunteers donate their time to the Dyfi Osprey Project and over 15,000 people have visited this year so far.

The male osprey, called Monty, mated this year for the first time with a female born in Leicester’s wildlife reserve.

“After a gap of many centuries, ospreys were also in Montgomeryshire in 2004 and the Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust believe that the Dyfi male osprey called Monty, might well be the single offspring that this pair had in that year,” said Mr Evans.

“But the pair failed to return the following year.

“Monty the male osprey had gone two years without attracting a female in time to breed but this year he has been successful.

“He returned from his African wintering grounds on April 6 and three days later, he had attracted a female.

“This new osprey had been ringed as a chick so we know exactly where she is from just by focusing the nest cameras on her ring and reading the numbers off it; it is a white ring with the digits 03.

“She was born at another Wildlife Trust reserve, Leicester and Rutland Wildlife Trust in 2008 and her father is a 1997 born bird who is still breeding at Rutland Water and has fathered 23 chicks to date.”

After centuries of persecution, ospreys had become completely extinct in the UK by the early 20th century.

A pair re-colonised at Loch Garten near Aviemore in the 1950s and the population in Scotland is now recovering; in England however there are only three osprey breeding sites.

The first Glaslyn Osprey chick hatched near Porthmadog on May 9.

Source:  http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2011/06/06/osprey-chicks-hatched-in-welsh-valley-for-first-time-in-400-years-91466-28829589/#ixzz1Oc7duOse

Bird Sightings: Shivering call of wood warbler is heard again in Yorkshire

It is a woodland birdsong like no other.

The strange shivering call of the male wood warbler, compared by some to the sound made by a spinning coin on a marble slab, is being heard again in Yorkshire woodlands.

Up to six have been reported in Strid Wood, Bolton Abbey, North Yorkshire compared with only one last year – I saw three there this week – while at least one is back at Hardcastle Crags near Hebden Bridge.

The song is delivered in two phases, first a soft but penetrating whistle, then a series of notes that gradually quicken and intensify into a loud spluttering cascade of sound.

The song is repeated every few minutes as the male moves among the tree canopy and can be heard from dawn until dusk.

The wood warbler is the largest of our three “leaf warblers”, the others being the chiffchaff and willow warbler, and also the rarest.

It is also the most brightly coloured, green above with a yellow throat and pure white underparts which blend in with the bright green beech and oak leaves from where it delivers its song.

This preference for tall beech and oak trees with few lower branches or undergrowth beneath them means that the wood warbler has to nest on the ground, building a domed nest of grass in a hollow.

The increase in numbers at Strid Woods this year is encouraging, given that there is great concern over the decline of the wood warbler nationally.

Over the past 20 years they have disappeared from many areas such as East Anglia where they once returned regularly each spring.

About a third of the British population is found in Wales and here the RSPB is carrying out a survey which began in 2009 and will continue until at least next year to study the wood warbler’s feeding habits, breeding success etc and see if more can be done to help them.

Wood warblers are on their way back to Africa by mid September and are unusual in that they fly south west to northern Italy where they feed and put on weight for several weeks before they continue south, possibly across the central Sahara to as yet undiscovered wintering grounds further south.

Birdwatchers followed the progress of a massive white-tailed eagle along the Yorkshire coast on Sunday as the juvenile bird was seen flying south from Hornsea Mere, down to Aldbrough and then across the Humber to Lincolnshire from Sammy’s Point.

A first summer golden oriole was singing at Sammy’s Point and another was heard at Grimston while a bee eater was seen at Spurn and Kilnsea.

Three red-rumped swallows were seen at Spurn while a tawny pipit was near Easington Lagoon where it was caught and ringed, a water pipit was also present there.

Quail were seen at several coastal sites with two flushed from a field at Flamborough, two heard and seen at Clubley’s Field, Spurn and one heard at Buckton. Their distinctive song should be listened out for now from among crops.

A corncrake flew in off the sea and into a dense stand of buckthorns at the Warren, Spurn, the first spring record there since 1992.

Two Temminck’s stints were seen on Port Clarence Pools on Teeside while others were at Bewholme Hall pond East Yorkshire and at Boston Lake, Hatfield Moors, South Yorkshire

Source: Yorkshire Post

Have you Seen a Wood Wardbler? Leave a comment below!


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An exotic bird has been spotted in Leicestershire: The Hoopoe Bird

By Peter Reeve

An exotic bird has been spotted in Leicestershire – thousands of miles away from its usual breeding grounds.

Graham Potter took this picture after spotting the unusual hoopoe bird in a neighbour's garden in Whitwick, nearCoalville.

It is believed that the bird, which is known for its distinctive crown of feathers, may have taken a wrong turn during its spring migration from Africa to central Europe.

Mr Potter, of Tressall Road, Whitwick, took the photo at the weekend.

He said: "It was here for five days but we haven't seen it since Tuesday night.

"We had no end of people coming to take pictures of it."

His wife, Hazel, said: "It was such a marvellous sight. It was feeding on insects in the grass and on crane fly larvae.

"On Tuesday, it landed on the fence near our conservatory and nodded its head towards us as if it was saying goodbye."

Katie Field, conservation officer for Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust, said: "I suspect this is a young bird that has migrated from Africa and, instead of landing in France or Spain, has got lost and ended up here."

She said there had only been 15 recorded sightings of hoopoes in Leicestershire and Rutland since 1941.

"Hoopoes are found all over the world, including central and eastern Europe, Asia and Africa, and there have been sightings of them in southern England," said Katie.

"The birds migrate in the spring from Africa to Europe so they can breed.

"The hoopoe eats insects found in grassland and there's more food available in Europe this time of the year because Africa is too hot and dry."

The hoopoe, which is about the same size as a thrush, has a pinkish-brown body, striking black and white wings, a long, black, down-curved bill and a pinkish-brown crest which it raises when excited.

An RSPCA spokesman said: "As many as 100 of the birds can turn up in spring as birds migrating north to Europe from Africa overshoot and land on the south coast of England.

"The best chance of seeing one is during the spring migration along the south coast and not far inland, but birds have turned up as far north as Shetland."

The RSPB is asking residents to take part in a summer garden wildlife survey to find out how birds are coping with the dry weather this year.

The conservation charity is concerned about the effect the unusually dry spring has had on wildlife.

To take part, people need to spend an hour between tomorrow and Sunday, June 12, counting the birds and other creatures that visit their garden and recording the highest number of each species seen at any one time.

Seen any rare or unusual wildlife in the UK? Send us an email at wildlifesightings@hotmail.co.uk even if you are unsure of the species.

Source: http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/news/Cannes-ve-landed-near-Coalville/article-3624670-detail/article.html

Bird Sightings: Choughs in Cornwall produce 15 chicks

The chough features on the official Cornwall coat of arms

A rare bird in Cornwall that features in the county's coat of arms has had a successful breeding season in the west of the county, the RSPB says.

Fifteen chough chicks have hatched at four secret sites.

Nests are monitored and protected by the RSPB, Natural England and the National Trust, as well as by volunteers.

It is hoped the chicks will survive to maturity and mark the species' biggest success since its return in 2001.

The chough, a rare member of the crow family, has distinctive red legs and a long red bill.

There were more than 100 pairs in the county but the bird vanished after its food source disappeared because of a decline in cliff-top grazing areas and the use of pesticides.

It eventually disappeared from the county in 1973, before returning to Cornwall 28 years later.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cornwall-13594135

Bird Sightings: Rare Bird Sighting in Dorset

By Leah Mitchell

NATURE lovers roused themselves at 5.30am to join staff and volunteers at RSPB Weymouth Wetlands for a dawn chorus walk aroundRadipole Lake.

The walkers were witnesses to the sounds of warbles and other songbirds in full voice as well as being treated to some unexpected sights.

The Wetlands have been described in the past by the BBC’s Springwatch and Autumnwatch presenter Chris Packham as “a great asset to Weymouth and a brilliantly placed reserve for people”, so encounters with spectacular birds and wildlife are always possible.

The three special visitors that dropped in on the dawn chorus walk were a type of duck called a goldeneye, a bar-headed goose and, most unusual of all, a night heron.

Weymouth Wetlands information officer Luke Phillips, who led the walk, said: “Goldeneye are winter visitors to Britain before heading off to their breeding grounds in Scandinavia so this female is rather late leaving.

“The bar-headed goose is only found in central Asia so this one was certainly a feral bird escaped from a private collection but very striking.

“The night heron on the other hand, is a very rare bird to see here and this juvenile caused a lot of excitement not just in our dawn chorus group but among local birdwatchers too.

“It just goes to show what you can see and hear if you get out and about early enough and our walkers certainly seemed to enjoy themselves.”

The event pulled in people from all over the county, with volunteers travelling from as far as Southampton to make the early start.

Due to its popularity the chance of running more than one next year is highly likely, especially with the £685,000 project to revitalise the site over the next 10 years in its second stage now.

Source: http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/9050493.Walkers_at_Radipole_Lake_see_a_bird_suprise/

Bird Sightings: Rare peregrine falcons raise four chicks in Nottingham

A pair of peregrine falcons have successfully hatched four eggs on a Nottingham city centre roof.

The birds of prey have been using Nottingham Trent University's Newton Building to roost for the past ten years.

They have raised 12 chicks over the past four years.

This year, for the first time, a live webcam has been installed on the building so the public can witness the event.

There have been more than 100,000 views of the university's webcam since February.

Continue reading the main story

“Start Quote

We want to highlight just how rich urban areas can be for wildlife”

Gaynor Jones JenkinsNotts Wildlife Trust

The first two chicks hatched during the royal wedding and were named Will and Kate. The second two hatched a couple of days later.

"One is still significantly smaller and often has to fight for attention during mealtimes, but we are keeping our fingers crossed that he or she will continue to grow stronger," Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust's Erin McDaid said.

"The mother is very experienced and seems to be doing a great job in ensuring that all four get some food."

The chicks are expected to stay in the nestbox for another four weeks.

There are estimated to be only 1,402 breeding pairs of peregrine falcons in the UK, according to the RSPB.

The birds are a protected species by European and national law.

The university has worked closely with the Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust since it became apparent that the rare birds were using the building to roost.

Until now the site had been kept secret because it was not secure.

Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust's Conservation Officer Gaynor Jones Jenkins believes it was important.

Continue reading the main story

"With so few pairs in the county, and the very real threat of the eggs being stolen or the nest being disturbed, we have had to err on the side of caution," said Mrs Jenkins.

The Newton building has now been redeveloped and, with advice from Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust, made secure.

Ms Jenkins said: "We want to highlight just how rich urban areas can be for wildlife and to show that you don't have to head off to the countryside to see exciting creatures - they are here on our doorstep.

Source: BBC Nottingham 

Bird Sightings: Rare osprey seen in Ranworth

Osprey. Photo credit: WildStock

By Lucy Wright

The bird from Africa is using the fish-rich waters of the reserve as a good place to stock up before continuing its migration north, possibly towards a final destination of Scotland or Scandinavia.

Although the impressive fish-eating bird of prey, which has a 1.5metre wingspan, can sometimes be viewed distantly from Norfolk Wildlife Trusts’s floating Broads Wildlife Centre, the osprey favours the far end of the Broad meaning that the best chance of seeing it well is from one of NWT’s guided wildlife boat trips.

Norfolk Wildlife Trust spokesman, Ed Parnell, said: “It’s impossible to say how long the osprey will stay at Ranworth, but for now at least it doesn’t seem to be a hurry to carry on its long journey.”

Source: www.edp24.co.uk

Ospreys lay three eggs at Kielder Forest, Northumberland

by Tony Henderson

BIRDS of prey once extinct in the region have produced three eggs for the third year in a row at their Northumberland nest.
Nature experts have said the pair of ospreys living at Kielder Water and Forest Park have been seen turning the eggs.
The two birds – reunited 10 days later than last year because the female met stormy weather on her migration route from Africa – have made up for lost time and, it is hoped, will produce another brood of healthy chicks.
The mother has been seen keeping the eggs warm on live video footage beamed to Kielder Castle from a Forestry Commission nest camera.
The father has also been seen sticking to his duties by keeping her well fed and bringing back trout.
The new dad has also been seen taking a modern approach to parenting by taking his turn to sit on the eggs for a couple of hours each day.

Martin Davison, Forestry Commission ornithologist, said: “Getting another three eggs is fabulous news. This is the critical time as once eggs hatch there’s a very good chance the chicks will fledge.
“Kielder is key for the bird’s fortunes as it is one of only two locations in England where the once-extinct creature has naturally recolonised.
“Every chick born on Northumbrian soil increases the likelihood that it will spread to other parts of the country.”
Nothing is known about the fate of the six osprey chicks previously reared by the Kielder couple, the first of their kind in the county for more than 200 years.
However, that could be set to change. The ospreys born in 2009 are likely to return to the UK for the first time this summer. All of them were tagged and experts will be scouring sighting records to see if they have made it back.
Kevin Hudson, Northumbrian Water leisure manager, said: “Although young ospreys lack the homing instinct of their parents, who will continue to return to the Kielder nest all being well, chicks may well make a beeline for the general Borders area as there’s plenty of habitat and good fishing, especially in Kielder Water.
“These are really exciting times watching a star of the animal kingdom puts down roots in Kielder Water & Forest Park.”
Visitors can view the birds on the nest two miles away through high-powered telescopes at Leaplish Waterside Park with volunteer experts on weekends from May 28 until July 31 and selected other dates.

There will also be osprey talks on the 2.15pm Sunday ferry service from Leaplish Waterside Park and visitors may even see the birds fishing, on the service from May 29 to July 31.
To find out more go to www.visitkielder.com

Source: http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/environment-news/2011/05/21/ospreys-lay-three-eggs-at-kielder-forest-61634-28735196/#ixzz1NUShfX22

Bird Sightings: Treecreeper Sightings Have Increased by 140 Per Cent in One Year

The treecreeper is small, very active, bird that lives in trees. It has a long, slender, downcurved bill. It is speckly brown above and mainly white below. It breeds in the UK and is resident here. Birds leave their breeding territories in autumn but most range no further than 20 km. 

Photo by Andy Holt
Sightings of treecreepers increase by 140 per cent, compared to last year's Big Garden Birdwatch

Do you have treecreepers in your garden? Let us know!
Source: RSPB

Osprey Feared Shot in Rutland

A male osprey has been missing from his nesting site for a week. Photograph: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images

A male osprey that has been missing from his nesting site for a week may have been shot, conservationists say.

A male osprey has been missing from his English nesting site for a week and conservationists fear he has been shot.

Last year, two male ospreys disappeared in mysterious circumstances close to the reservoir in Rutland and now a third male, known only as 08(97), has also vanished, the Wildlife Trust said.

The missing bird was the first to return from the African wintering grounds to Rutland after being released there as part of a project by Anglian Water and the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust to re-establish a breeding population of ospreys in England.

He first returned in 1999, and raised chicks at a nest on the reservoir in 2007 before moving to a nest site on private land in 2009.

His disappearance is surprising, as his mate is incubating three eggs on their nest, and he would not be expected to be away from her for long.

The male osprey would be doing about a quarter of the incubating of the eggs, and providing fish for his mate, who is now receiving fish put out for her by the wildlife team, a situation they described as "far from ideal".

Project officer Tim Mackrill said he feared the bird had been shot, or could have become tangled in nets while fishing in more sheltered lakes and ponds when catching fish was difficult at Rutland Water.

It is illegal to intentionally harm or kill ospreys, which are protected.

Leicestershire and Rutland Police said they were taking the matter extremely seriously, and called on anyone with information to come forward.

If the bird has died after becoming tangled in netting - which Mr Mackrill said would be a "tragic accident" - the project team still want to know what has happened to him, and they urged people with ponds to check the margins for the osprey.

Mackrill said: "We have not seen 08 since Wednesday 11 May. His mate is currently incubating a clutch of three eggs and so it is extremely rare for him to be away from the nest for more than a few hours.

"For us not to have seen him since 11 May is very worrying. It is extremely unusual for an apparently healthy male osprey to vanish at this stage of the breeding season.

"The most likely explanation is that he has been shot, especially given that 08 hunts in the same area as the birds that disappeared last spring."

Reference: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/may/19/missing-osprey