The RSPB Community

Tuna - sad story, same old story

mark avery — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 06:06:00 GMT

What a sad story about blue fin tuna (see here, here, here, here and here) for a flavour of it (and here to see images of this magnificent fish).

It’s pretty much the usual story – overfishing drives down the size of the fish stocks, drives down the size of the average fish and pushes up the prices. High prices mean that those still in the industry are keen to keep fishing and it’s always the fishing interests which say that there are plenty of fish left in the sea – until they are gone!

At least the UK was on the right side in this debate (see here and here).

Blue fin tuna were once much commoner – there’s a fishing village in one of my favourite parts of Spain which was named after the fish that were once so much more important to the fishermen – Zahara de los Atunes.

But it’s not just in far away places that these amazing fish were present. In a report produced by Natural England the other week which documents the losses of English wildlife over the millennia, centuries and decades, there is an amazing photograph of a happy group of recreational fishermen off the Scarborough coast with a boatful of rod-caught blue fin tuna as recently as 1933. I read that observations of blue fin tuna in the North Sea date back to 1912 when they were noticed feeding on herring falling from fishing nets as they were hauled on board. An English sport fishery grew up in the 1930s, catching up to 80 fish a year. But the Norwegian commercial fishery grew to over 200 boats landing over 10,000 tonnes a year during the 1950s - in the 1960s catches collapsed and the abundance of the fish is still too low to support either recreational or commercial fishing.

Maybe climate change played some part in the fish's demise but our ability to hoover up fish stocks to the point of extinction is unfailingly stupid. If there were ever a system where a bit of restraint is in the long term interests of the industry, and the wildlife on which it so crucially depends, then it is fisheries. We aren't really treating the Earth as though we mean to stay.

Of spring, craic and horses

mark avery — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 11:45:00 GMT

I’ve had a week off and spent much of it looking at horses running round in circles – but some of it looking for signs of spring. The Cheltenham National Hunt Festival is a four-day feast of racing and I love it. But even at the races I can’t get away from birds (and even at the races – I don’t want to!).

On Saturday I was in my home county of Somerset and was able to nip into the RSPB nature reserve at Ham Wall on the Somerset Levels within sight of Glastonbury Tor. There were signs of spring – two bitterns were booming! There are more of them than I heard and the Somerset Levels is becoming a very important area for bitterns. Ham Wall is a wetland we have created on old peat workings – in fact as a kid we sometimes used to buy peat for the garden from just this area (more on peat on a later blog).

A firecrest showed well by the path – it flitted, zipped, fluttered, whizzed, hovered, dived and occasionally sat still for long enough for we birders to see the stripes on its head and its bronze shoulders – but then it was off again. Tiring to watch!

A brimstone flew along a country lane but I missed any primroses. At Chew Valley Lake, where I practically lived during the school holidays, there were two redhead smew (just like there used to be 40 years ago), and a singing Cetti’s warbler (which would have been an amazing rarity back then), no ruddy ducks (which would have been a prized local speciality then) and a pair of half-displaying great-crested grebes (which I remember watching doing their full weed-waving displays here on spring days). But no sand martins – I’d hoped that CVL might just have provided those first martins of spring.

Monday seemed full of things to do, but I got out for a walk at Stanwick Lakes and kept my eyes open for sand martins – none! I caught up with the 19 pink-footed geese that others had found a few days earlier (are they wild ones?) and a curlew flying down the Nene Valley wouldn’t have excited any visiting birders but was my first at Stanwick since April 2006! Such slightly unusual sightings of common species add the spice to local birding.

Tuesday was the first day at Cheltenham and the drive across the Cotswolds provided a few buzzards. A profitable day thanks to Sizing Europe winning the Arkle chase at odds of 7/1. But, no, I didn’t see Binocular coming – he won the day’s big race, the Champion Hurdle.

Wednesday was a lovely day but I spent much of it giving bookmakers money.

Thursday was much, much more successful in betting terms, as Alberta’s Run stormed home with my money being down at 17/1! A friend and I count buzzards on our journey from near Oxford to the racecourse and I wish we’d kept a record of our counts over the years. They would show the westward spread and increase in numbers of this bird as it has recovered in numbers. Our record count is of 17 a few years ago and we only reached 11 this day.

Friday morning required me to be in London so birdwatching was restricted to a ring-necked parakeet, drumming great-spotted woodpecker, and singing great tits and robins in St James’s Park. I was back in front of a TV in the afternoon to watch Imperial Commander win the Gold Cup with a small amount of my money clearly not slowing him down!

So I had a winning Cheltenham in betting terms in a year which appears to have been a much better one for the bookmakers than the punters. But amongst my friends and acquaintances on the racecourse birds always come up as part of the craic. Several people had done the Big Garden Birdwatch and were keen to share their results. Others told me that there were too many red kites in the Chilterns – too many? How so? Another had seen me on the TV since the last time he saw me at the racecourse and therefore now knew what was my day job! Another had read an unflattering newspaper article about us and wanted to hear the RSPB’s side of the case. Another wanted a bit of advice on feeding birds in her garden. Another asked me when the RSPB were going to stop being nasty to farmers! One told me about the little egrets that now live in their village. There was talk of the General Election and what it would mean for our pockets and the environment (we drove though David Cameron’s constituency on our way back from the racecourse).

The racecourse itself has birds – everywhere does! And I don’t mean Petit Robin, Tawnies, Aigle d’Or or Pigeon Island! But I’ve seen 30 species at the racecourse over the years – cormorant and great-crested grebe are perhaps the most unexpected.

And today I was back at Stanwick Lakes still looking for sand martins – and still failing! Though they were seen here on Thursday morning and locally yesterday too! The signs of spring did include three singing chiffchaffs and a coltsfoot in flower – coltsfoot seemed an appropriate plant to round off Cheltenham week.

Only about 360 days until the next Cheltenham Festival, but how long before I catch up with a sand martin?

Great boost for Stop dirty coal at Hunterston campaign

Andre Farrar — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 16:53:00 GMT

The Scottish Parliament has sent a very clear signal to the developers, Peel Energy, that plans to develop a coal-fired power station at Hunterston on the Clyde should not even be on the agenda for Scotland.

The Scottish Government will make the final decision on the application – but the view of Parliament was clear in the results of this vote. A majority of MSPs, including MSPs from the Greens, Labour, Liberals and SNP, voted against the Hunterston proposals, prompted by an amendment by Scottish Greens to a Labour motion, here's the amendment in full:

"... and also opposes new unabated coal power capacity, and therefore calls on the Scottish Government to reject plans to build a new coal-fired power station at Hunterston given that large-scale CCS at existing coal or gas plants has never been successfully demonstrated."

This is a great end to the first week of the campaign since the application was lodged – but this is most certainly not the end of the campaign.

Time to answer to nature

Emily Sanders — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 11:49:00 GMT

On Wednesday, in her first official role as RSPB president, Kate Humble accompanied twenty five teenagers to parliament. They aired their environmental concerns to MPs from the three main political parties ahead of the general election.

Representing their parties were Roger Williams, Liberal Democrat MP for Brecon & Radnorshire, Stephen Crabb, Conservative MP for Preseli Pembrokeshire and David Drew, Labour MP for Stroud.

The Question Time event was hosted by John Randall, MP for Uxbridge and questions focused on the six areas of our Letter to the Future campaign.

· Creating a countryside fit for wildlife

· Safeguarding our sea life

· Stopping extinctions

· Saving tropical forests

· Stopping climate chaos

· Inspiring the environmental champions of tomorrow

Kate said: 'Teenagers are the voters of the future and this event will give them the opportunity to get their message across to today's politicians. To have a group of teenagers passionate and engaged with the biggest issues facing our planet will help to raise the profile of the environment and the concerns young people have in the build up to the general election.'

Jack Common, Phoenix member and event participant, said: 'We're going to Westminster today to make a difference. The government represents everyone, not just voters. The decisions they take today will have a huge impact on my life, and every teenager's in the future.'

The event comes at a time when our Letter to the Future campaign stands at more than 164,000 signatures demonstrating the strength of popular support for investment in nature.

Learn more about the event and watch our video from the day

Sea Sick

Andre Farrar — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 09:43:00 GMT

Get ready for another three-letter acronym!

MC Zed

Sounds like the latest club sensation? Well no. MCZs are Marine Conservation Zones. They sound good don’t they?

They should be, they are one of the key outcomes from all the lobbying we (and that more than likely includes you) put into getting the Marine Act into law. Well we’ve been seriously short changed.

The criteria for the proposed MCZs don’t include seabirds. And here's a puffin making it's views clear.

The actual job of identifying MCZs rests with regional panels which will take decisions based on guidance. RSPB colleagues from around the country have stepped up to the job of sitting on these panels – they will all be starting from a distinct disadvantage. Here's a bit more on this story.

We now have a recipe for MCZs which is the equivalent of tomato-less pizza, hole without the toad, egg and chips without … you get the point!

One explanation might be that the Government is expecting the international designations of marine Special Protection Areas to do the job for birds. When we have one – it will be of great importance, but in the thirty-one years since the legislation was passed we’ve got but one (with two more in the pipeline). For nationally important places for birds at sea there is a real risk that they will be left out completely. However, this is still only draft guidance and we will pushing hard to get seabirds back on the list of criteria.

Mulching in March

Adrian Thomas — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 01:00:00 GMT

I'm sat at the keypad feeling that rather pleasant exhausted feeling that tells me I've put in my fair whack in the garden today. And here's a photo to prove it!

I decided it was time to spend 'quality time' in the Woodland Garden. I know having a 'Woodland Garden' sounds rather grand, as if I own a country estate, whereas the reality couldn't be further from the truth! But it makes sense to me - each 'Garden', no matter how bijou, has a different feel to the rest.

In the Woodland Garden, there is a rough grassy area where the Wild Daffodils grow. Here I try to keep it suitable for Speckled Wood butterflies to lay their eggs.

Then there are sections lush with plumes of Pendulous Sedges and Greater Woodrush.

Around the edge are coppiced Hazel trees, a Wild Pear, a Purging Buckthorn for Brimstone butterflies, and the native hedge. These are great for moth caterpillars.

And in the middle is a woodland border, where I grown plants such as Red Campion, Foxglove, Wood Sage and Primroses.

The job today was to mulch the border with compost ready for the growing season ahead. This has a quintuple benefit . a) it clears out a compost heap of its contents, so I can start filling it again this season; b) the mulch suppresses the weeds that will compete with the plants I want to grow; c) it makes the border look smart and tended; d) it enriches the soil and helps it hold moisture better; and e) Mr and Mrs Blackbird and Robin love it! They were into the mulch before I had hardly turned my back, presumably grabbing worms and seeds and springhoppers and woodlice and whatever they could find.

I love anything that offers 'double benefits', but a 'quintuplet' - now that'd something else!

Google twitching and guillemots

helen moncrieff — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 20:15:00 GMT

You can now take a virtual walk up to Sumburgh Head RSPB nature reserve. I'm not sure whether this link will work http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?ie=UTF-8&hl=en&tab=wl but if not, go to Google's home page, click on maps and search for Sumburgh Head. Then just zoom in on the road until you get to see the view. The detail is quite amazing. You can see fulmars flying by, guillemots perched on the stack and cliffs, and a white blob which I think a puffin's belly. I'm a bit of a saddo and have started Google twitching and have been cruising around the shores of Shetland, such as the Pool of Virkie, seeing what birds I can spot. My list so far includes the afore mentioned guillemots, fulmars and puffin/blob, herring gulls and mallard. I need to spend more time searching - or maybe I should just get out more!

Martin Heubeck highlighted an interesting observation today. The guillemots have been in regular attendance at Sumburgh Head, but all had left the cliffs and stacks today. The weather today was a bit better than yesterday, when a few showers were passing through. However, the weather tomorrow is supposed to be a whole lot worse, with strong winds coming, ferries being cancelled and such like. So, it seems that the birds know that a storm is coming and have headed out to sea in good time. I would be interested to find out how these seabirds know what the weather is going to do. I know of birds flying a different heights depending on whether rain is coming (which I think is to do with air pressure and insects). I wonder if it is an air pressure thing with guillemots too. Any thoughts welcome.

(FIRDAY AFTERNOON)

I went for a walk on the beach this morning, and wondered whether the guillemots had got it wrong as there was just a bit of a breeze. This afternoon is a different picture. It's a Force 7 or more, with gusts up to 70mph. Whenever someone opens the main door into our office, our ears pop with the change of pressure and when I stepped outside, my hair band was sucked off!

New evidence of climate impacts on American birds

Mairi Dupar — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 19:26:00 GMT

A new report by the RSPB's sister organisation in the USA, the Audubon Society, with collaborators including the US Fish and Wildlife Service, details the profound impacts of climate change on US bird populations - and possible trends in the future. The findings include:

• Oceanic birds are among the most vulnerable species because they don’t raise many young each year; they face challenges from a rapidly changing marine ecosystem; and they nest on islands that may be flooded as sea levels rise.

• Hawaiian birds such as endangered species Puaiohi and ’Akiapōlā’au already face multiple threats and are increasingly challenged by mosquito-borne diseases and invasive species as climate change alters their native habitats.

• Birds in coastal, arctic/alpine, and grassland habitats, as well as those on Caribbean and other Pacific islands show intermediate levels of vulnerability; most birds in arid lands, wetlands, and forests show relatively low vulnerability to climate change.

• For bird species that are already of conservation concern such as the golden-cheeked warbler, whooping crane, and spectacled eider (shown right), the added vulnerability to climate change may hasten declines or prevent recovery.

• The report identified common bird species such as the American oystercatcher, common nighthawk, and northern pintail that are likely to become species of conservation concern as a result of climate change.

The full report and press release are available at http://www.stateofthebirds.org

The Magnificent Severn

Andre Farrar — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 16:23:00 GMT

I recently wrote an article for Life Fellows News updating the story of our work to protect the Severn estuary from damaging barrage proposals while at the same time supporting the search for more sustainable options for harnessing the power of the tides.

The newsletter has just been mailed – so if you are visiting the Saving Special Places blog for the first time, welcome. Do have a rummage around earlier posts; you can find out about the threats we are facing at Dungeness (from airport expansion) and on the Clyde (from proposals for a new coal fired power station).

Returning to the Severn – did you see last week’s episode of Countryfile? The excitement generated by the surfers catching the Severn bore was infectious! If you didn’t, you can see it here for a few more days.

Since writing the piece for Life Fellows News we have been busy highlighting the risks a Severn barrage would bring to vital issues such as flood defence and not just to the natural environment and wildlife that depends on it. We believe that Government has been slow to recognise the risks and we organised presentations from Dutch experts familiar with the impact of a tidal surge barrier built across the Eastern Scheldt in Holland in the early 1980s. You can read more about this work here.

And finally – here’s where you can find out more about Life Fellowship and how you can boost support for our vital work.

Rev-up your biodiversity

Tim Webb — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 12:38:00 GMT

I've had an influx of ladybirds and an enormous wasp exploring our house this week. In the garden, the daffs have unfurled their petals and leaves are forming on the trees. Spring has arrived.

That means lazy days in the sunshine can't be far behind and to help inspire you, what better place to be than at the British Leisure Show at Windsor Racecourse this weekend? You'll find our trailer and marquee in the Outdoor & Country section.

We did ask, but sadly our president Kate Humble won't be dropping by. She stopped off in our office before chairing an event at Westminster, where some of our young RSPB Phoenix members got to quiz MP's on their policies on the environment. Phoenix members are the generation that will have to pick-up whatever natural inheritance we pass on.

The fact that they got to grill MP's is important as we head towards an election. Some of them may be too young to vote yet, but they have a right to know what's being done to address climate change or the quality of the water, air and soil they'll need to survive beyond our lifetimes.

The RSPB's campaign, Letter to the Future, is our generation's gift to them. It calls for all investment, by government, individuals and business, to give value for money by ensuring nature benefits.

For my part, I'm planning to invest in some garden improvements to grow fruit and veg, but I've included spaces for wildlife too, such as a new hedge that will protect my crops by acting as a windbreak, while also providing food and shelter for bugs and birds. It's not complicated. Improving insulation in homes should automatically include protecting nest sites for birds, such as house sparrows and swifts. Investing in new sources of energy or transport improvements must also include benefits for wildlife.

Kate Humble asked everyone in the office what biodiversity means. We agreed that biodiversity is the world's engine that keeps everything moving, just as long as we maintain the engine and feed it the right fuel. Then again, it just might be a big wasp buzzing round your kitchen.

Bird of the week 7

emily smith — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 16:50:00 GMT

Gadwall

DESCRIPTION

The most underrated duck on the reserve, the gadwall is present all year round though numbers decrease in the summer when most wintering birds leave to breed in Northern Europe. They are a dabbling duck and can be found in the shallower fringes of our water bodies where they feed on submerged leaves and shoots.

STATUS

While not present at Saltholme in the hundreds like wigeon and teal, gadwall are common but widespread throughout the site. They are found in varying numbers on all of our pools where they either up-end or swim with just their head underwater.

IDENTIFICATION

While looking grey from a distance, male gadwalls feathers are incredibly detailed and in fact very finely barred black and white with a characteristic all black bill and black under tail and rump. The females are mottled brown with an orange bill and small white patch on their side. At this time of year male and female gadwall are most likely to be seen paired up.

FOUND AT

Best seen at Saltholme Pools Hide and the Wildlife Watchpoint.

Ecobuild 2010

John Day — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 06:00:00 GMT

In my last blog I mentioned about my early starts and late finishes. This was due to commuting to the Ecobuild exhibition at Earls Court. For the second year, RSPB managed to share in a pitch at the ever-growing trade fair where everyone who is anyone in the building industry displays their wares.

Its possible here, to catch up with all the latest energy saving technology in building design and construction. From green roofs and walls, to solar panels, wool insulation, recycled materials and so on. It is only in recent years any representation for biodiversity has been made. A few conservation organisations, including RSPB are crammed into a small area called the biodiversity pavilion to make their case for wildlife. It’s a great chance to promote to the industry that wildlife need buildings alongside the latest heat and energy saving features.

At last, there's growing recognition for the need to consider biodiversity and all we can hope is the many people visiting the stand will take this on board when they next consider any building. We have been rather fortunate in being able to use a scale model of a house, kindly built by a volunteer. To this I have painted swift bricks and made model nest boxes to illustrate where they may be incorporated. Although you'd be surprised, the number of people thinking the bird boxes a bit small for sparrows and starlings.

In the picture above, taken by Kath Balaam, the features are being shown to one of the many visitors to our stand. You can see in the picture a replica starling nest box and the grey brick is a representation of a Schweglar swift brick which can be included into the fabric of the wall as it is built.

Parliamentary candidates sign the letter

Mairi Dupar — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 20:23:00 GMT

The RSPB's Letter to the Future, which calls on the Government to invest in nature and is aimed at the UK's next Government, is catching on among Prospective Parliamentary Candidates who are setting out their stall for this Spring's general election.

PPCs who have signed up to be champions for investing in nature in the new Parliament - should they be elected - include:

Richard Benyon, MP (Cons), Newbury

Huw Irranca-Davis, MP (Labour), Ogmore

Norman Baker, MP (Liberal Democrat), Lewes

Mohammed Sarul Islam (Plaid Cymru), Cardiff West

If you want to see whether the PPCs in your constituency have signed the letter, visit http://www.rspb.org.uk/election2010/whosigned.asp

Turns out they haven't signed yet? You can follow the link to send them a polite request!

Swift search a screaming success

nik shelton — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 16:39:00 GMT

The nation was called upon to help the RSPB safeguard the future of our exciting summer visitor, the swift, and as usual, you all delivered.

A nationwide plea for swift sightings resulted in data being gathered on a scale never seen before and revealed the critical role that Britain’s householders play in the future of this declining species. The story struck a real chord and was covered in the Independent, on the BBC and elsewhere – we are clearly a nation of swift lovers!

Thousands of people reported the unmistakable screams of swifts around their roofs last summer to the RSPB, or told us where they were actually nesting. We wanted to develop a detailed ‘inventory’ of specific locations that swifts are using to raise their families so it can focus efforts to help the species.

Almost all swifts recorded were found nesting on buildings and over three quarters of them (77%), found nesting in houses. The results from the first year of data collection show that the swift strongholds are in older parts of our cities, towns and villages, although they will use new buildings too.

Swift numbers have declined significantly in recent years. It’s not yet clear why, but we think that many suffer as a result of the loss of nest sites through building improvement or demolition.

Of course home renovations and maintenance often need to be carried out, but hopefully a heightened awareness of the possibility of nesting swifts means we can all improve our homes without destroying those of the swift.

Spring time?

Kevin Middleton — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 15:40:00 GMT

There seems to be lots of talk about at the moment over whether spring has finally sprung. The sun is shining through my window and temperatures are warm enough to think twice about the woolly hat. Now, I don’t want to run the risk of being too early, but I think spring might, just might be here.

Taking a break from the workshop I was participating in yesterday, I thought I’d let it all sink in and take a lunchtime stroll though the reserve. The robins were singing, the sun was actually warm on my face, and even a few bees had ventured out. It feels like spring, I thought.

Jack’s pond was the destination, in search of the mysterious water shrew that had been seen there the week before. Many a lunch hour I spent there a couple of years ago, failing miserably to see this elusive little critter. Maybe the sun had brought him out in search of prey?

Well, my luck hasn’t changed! Still no sign. One day I tell myself, one day! However, it certainly wasn’t a wasted trip in spring sunshine. As a walked round the pond, straining to see if I could catch any glimpse of my shrew nemesis, what looked like a leaf moved in front of me.

Except it wasn’t a leaf, it was a comma butterfly! My first butterfly of the year. It’s quite a distinctive butterfly, with its ragged wings, which had briefly made it look leaf-like. Much like me, it had been tempted out into the spring air by a slight raise in temperature and the promise of a warm sun. Spring must be here!

Tired of shrew-spotting (or not), I watched the butterfly flutter about before it landed, wings open to warm itself after it’s long winter sleep. It didn’t want me getting too close, although it did try to land on my head on one occasion! But then I’d be grumpy if I’d spent all winter asleep and then a giant came looking at me!

So, butterflies and bees are out, the birds are just beginning to try out their vocal chords and I went to cricket nets at the weekend, yep, spring is just about here!

If you’ve had any good spring sightings, I’ve love to hear about them. Post a comment below, take a look at the forum, or if you’ve got any spring pictures, post them to our gallery.

A nice Sunday afternoon...

Jenny Lennon — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 12:12:00 GMT

In between the RSPB Phoenix Aberdeen Group bird ringing demonstration and back to work on Monday morning. I had a stroll at VSA Easter Anguston Farm and was lucky enough to see a few kites too. We read number 70 coming into food put out by the farm. 70 is Don the young male kite from the CCTV nest. It was great to see him after all the cold weather just a shame it was just me, Belinda from the farm and the dog that were lucky enough to see him.

Island Mere - my favourite place to watch birds

ian barthorpe — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 12:03:00 GMT

I've often said that Island Mere Hide at Minsmere is my favourite place to watch wildlife, relax and chill out in England, and twice this week that view has been reinforced.

On Sunday afternoon I brought my wife and son, and both sets of grandparents, for a short visit after our Mothers' Day lunch. After looking over the Scrape from North Hide (avocets, Mediterranean gulls, lots of ducks, lapwings), strolled to Island Mere for about half an hour. Wow! Even for a seasoned visitor like me, and someone who has worked at Minsmere for seven years, the sight that greeted us was unrivalled.

Entering the hide we were told by the crowds already there that a bittern was in the open, and had been for 30 minutes. Sure enough, there he was, searching for frogs and invertebrates barely 20 metres from tthe hide. We hurriedly took our cameras out and were delighted to get some excellent shots - even just with a ten times zoom on my compact bridge camera! I needn't have rushed. Over the next 30 minutes the bittern came gradually closer, only disappearing into the reeds for a few minutes, and was eventually closer than two metres from the hide! I'm sure it was too close for some of the long lenses. We were able to see almost every feather detail, and marvel at the huge feet.

Many of the visitors in the hide had never seen a bittern before. I heard comments such as "it must be remote controlled" and "it rather demystifies the secrecy of a bittern - they shouldn't be in the open." That's the joys of birdwatching - you really never know what to expect.

It wasn't just the bittern though. Marsh harriers were skydancing, and we even saw a food pass. Bearded tits were calling. On the mere itself were a drake smew, drake goldeneye, great crested grebe and many ducks. The snipe were brilliantly camouflaged feeding close to the hide too. And the light was just incredible. The sun through the dancing reed heads shimmered like a sheen of oil, adding to the magic of the occasion.

This morning, Island Mere weaved it's magic again. Following a call from one of the wardens that there was a penduline tit on view, I nipped down for a quick look, and had a superb ten minutes. There wasn't just one penduline ti, but three, looking gorgeous in the bright sunshine. In the cut reed in front of the hide, one of our regular visitors kindly pointed out the brilliantly hidden jack snipe (probably and even better bird than a bittern for hiding), then a warden spotted three common buzzards soaring on thermals overhead. No bittern today, but I didn't really care. Island Mere had once again proved why I love the place so much. I just wish I had more time to spend there.

We're on Google Street View!

Katie Fuller — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 09:56:00 GMT

You've probably heard about Google Street View, where you can take a 'virtual journey' and explore 360-degree images. But once you've looked up your house, checked who was down your street.and looked to see where your cat was, where else should you go?

The good news is that you can have a look at some beautiful RSPB nature reserves!

Admittedly, they aren't all quite as scenic as Balranald, pictured above. You can't see very much of The Lodge - you have to peer over the wall or peek down the drive. At Geltsdale, you can't see much further than the car park, and if you want to get any closer to see the fantastic numbers of gannets on Ailsa Craig, you're going to need to take a boat trip!

But just take a look at South Stack Cliffs on Anglesey... Wow! (there's even an ice-cream van in the car park, waiting for your custom). Haweswater looks pretty spectacular, as does Inversnaid. And do you fancy going for a walk at Lake Vyrnwy now?

All this admiring-from-afar is lovely, and great fun, but when it comes down to it, there's nothing like the real thing. So why not do what these people at the Hayle Estuary, and these folk who've stopped for a rest at Loch Garten are doing - get out there and see for yourself!

There's nothing like the real thing, so why not plan your next day out now?

If you're browsing Street View and spot a lovely view, or even some wildlife, please leave us a comment!

At a meeting, on a course

mark avery — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 06:52:00 GMT

Mark Avery will not be blogging for the rest of this week.

He is on a course, at a meeting.

Say 'no' to dirty coal at Hunterston

Mairi Dupar — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 22:04:00 GMT

Today efforts to get the UK on track to a sustainable energy future took a blow, with news that Ayrshire Power was submitting plans to the Scottish Government for a new coal-fired power station at Hunterston.

Lodge your objection to the proposal now by taking the RSPB's campaign e-action at http://www.rspb.org.uk/stophunterston

Read more about the proposals in Sunday's Herald and in the RSPB's Saving Special Places blog.

Crossbills...

Alice Macmillan — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 16:02:00 GMT

Rothes has had another uneventful week on Ilha de Unhocomozinho. She's staying in a pretty localised area, hanging round the west coast of the island. She seems to have a few favourite perches - at least as regards the numbers I get through from the satellite. That's about all I can say about her...

...Here at Abernethy it's gone manic. With the snow really shifting, we've been trying to get out and do all the things we haven't been able to do for months, with a deadline for getting them done fast approaching. Tracks are only just becoming driveable - but now we can we need them cleared...

The Osprey Centre is on its countdown to the new season. The new team arrived at the weekend, I'm sure before long they'll be blogging about all things Osprey. We've been installing the cameras (apparently the really good view of crossbills - one sat in the Osprey nest while Ross was still up the ladder a metre away from it) is quite normal for the day the nest cameras go up, but it was the best view I've ever had and I was standing on the ground. Richard's been doing all the millions of things that need doing before the start of the season as well as dealing with the powerline installation.

And to top it all the water's stopped working again. Hopefully that'll be back tomorrow...

Finally today is Douglas's last blog contribution - but he's had to go to get some emergency drinking water, so I'll put that up tomorrow when he's had time to write it...

That's it for now.

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As promised here's Douglas' last blog... Enjoy.

GOODBYE, SO LONG, FAREWELL

So, this is it, my farewell post. I am worried about mentioning the weather as one day after my last ‘blog’ the snow came down again! Surely, we are past the worst now.

I have been busy updating my c.v. as well as applying for jobs when they have appeared on the various web sites I have been searching; with all my newly acquired skills I have now been for several interviews and……I’ve landed a six month contract with the RSPB doing habitat enhancement work for the Slavonian grebes, I am very happy as it keeps me in this wonderful part of the world for a wee while longer.

Over the last few weeks, I have been watching a Pine marten from my kitchen window; these animals have been on my ‘want to see’ list for a long time and I have enjoyed their company on three separate occasions now. I think the severe weather had maybe forced it closer to the buildings to forage for food.

The forest is looking green again and the birds are in full song on a daily basis, I think it has been a long enough winter for everyone. The college where I gained my conservation qualification had a visit to the reserve today; it was good to see a new group of budding conservationists enjoying this place too.

So, to my thank you’s, first and foremost to all the team at Abernethy/Loch Garten for making my time here so enjoyable, to the RSPB for giving me this opportunity, to my college lecturer for his encouragement and of course, to all you people out there who care about our environment too, keep up the good work.

I don’t think my next post will involve a ‘blog’ but I have enjoyed doing these ones. I am now looking forward to building a successful career with the RSPB.

Best wishes to everyone

Douglas

Hunterston application opens the gate for damaging development.

Andre Farrar — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 10:38:00 GMT

DONG’s pull out of the project wasn’t the end of the matter at Hunterston. A new planning application (expected today) from Ayrshire Power has prompted the following reaction from my colleague, Aedán Smith our head of planning and development in Scotland.

"This is the wrong application for the wrong site in Scotland. Ayrshire power wants to build a hugely polluting, dirty coal-fired power plant on around 30 hectares of the best remaining inter-tidal mudflats left on the Clyde - Home to important populations of ducks and waders.

"With the Scottish Government adopting laudable world-leading climate change legislation to reduce global warming emissions by 42% by 2020, this development application, which would mean a net gain in such polluting emissions, shouldn't even be on the table. Peel Energy should instead be focussing their attention on delivering badly needed renewables to make sure we meet these ambitious targets."
He went on: "Recent research has shown that Scotland's energy needs can be fully met using well sited renewables. Until carbon capture technology is completely proven, new coal simply doesn't make sense financially, or environmentally.

"The Scottish Government should be encouraging sustainable applications for renewable developments in the right place. RSPB Scotland will continue to work with other non-government organisations, including WWF and Friends of the Earth Scotland, to ensure that Scotland can achieve its ambitious climate change targets without the risk of causing further damage to the environment.

The expected planning application has led to a flurry of media interest (here and here) indicating the degree of interest in the application – it will test the Scottish Government’s commitment to it’s own emissions reduction targets.

You can help us to say no to dirty coal at Hunterston - the campaign has it's own facebook page, you can help by joining up.

The Next Five Years

chris bailey — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 09:24:00 GMT

During the first ten years, the RSPB has achieved its core objective for Hope Farm, showing that increasing farmland bird populations could be achieved whilst running a profitable conventional arable farm. In fact, the results have far exceeded expectations. However, it remains clear that sadly this success is not being reflected nationally with the national Farmland Bird Indicator (FBI) best considered stable. There remains a need to export our farmland biodiversity success story so it can be translated into national increases. The Campaign for the Farmed Environment should help address this increasing the area of in field options such as wild bird cover, skylark plots and nectar mixtures.

To maximise the messages from Hope Farm we have spent the winter working on the next five year strategy, which has now successfully been taken through Board and Council. The aim is for the RSPB to expand the sites capacity to examine the developing areas of climate change and diffuse pollution, whilst continuing to build on the biodiversity successes of the last ten years, and maintaining agricultural productivity and economic returns.

In order to retain our relevance within the debate and continue to work towards our core objectives, it the Hope Farm strategy will incorporate the following four principles:

A) Maximising biodiversity

Farmland bird recovery remains a key objective for the RSPB. We are currently analysing land management decisions and bird population responses over the last 10 years to fully understand which factors have had the biggest impact on our FBI increases. This will evaluate the benefits of individual measures and assess which combination would give the most cost effective benefits in the widest range of arable scenarios. Future work will include develop agri-environment options that provide winter seed food for the "hungry gap" period - mid February to mid April as well as refining our farm management to encourage species that have failed to respond so far e.g. turtle dove and corn bunting.

B) Maintaining a profitable business

Day-to-day management decisions will continue to be given equal weight to the impacts on the economic return of the farm as to the enhancement of its environmental value. This philosophy will become even more essential with greater flexibility in commodity prices.

C) Responding to climate change

We will aim to reduce the farm's total greenhouse gas footprint by 15% within the next 5 years. We propose to develop and demonstrate measures to reduce the farm's greenhouse gas footprint in line with the proposed target for the agriculture sector. Emphasis will be placed on "lowering the carbon profile of commercial arable farming" by maximising food production per tonne of carbon.

D) Reducing diffuse pollution

Establish a robust baseline monitoring programme in consultation with conservation science, water and agricultural policy, to estimate current levels of nitrate, phosphate and soil particulate entering watercourses on Hope Farm. This programme will need to be extensive, incorporating regular and peak rainfall sampling.

Tall dark stranger comes to the wildlife garden

Adrian Thomas — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 01:00:00 GMT

In a rainstorm this week, I noticed a rather dark, upright and solid bird sat on the garden fence. Reaching for the binoculars, I realised it was this female Sparrowhawk. She was taking shelter from the wet beneath the thick, overhanging branches of a Leylandii cypress.

She has the bold, pale supercilium (the white line above the eye) typical of female Sparrowhawks. In fact, you can see on this individual it goes right around the back of her head. Male Sparrowhawks are smaller than the females, and look less thick-set. Also, from the back, males would look slaty blue rather than chocolatey-brown. Not all Sparrowhawks however, have the raggedy white blotching on the back that this one shows.

I don't see Sparrowhawks in the garden very often, despire me having so many bird feeders up. In fact, in nine years I have only seen them four times. Maybe the layout of trees and houses, which are densely packed here, just don't give them the flightlines they prefer. They like to follow favourite routes that allow them to zip along, low to the ground, flipping at the last moment over the top of a fence or hedge to spring their surprise.

But despite how infrequently they make it into the garden, I see them high over the top perhaps once a week every week. And now is the very best time for spotting them, because on fine days in March, they get up high in the air to display. It is called a 'sky dance', and is most often done by the female, climbing up high in tight spirals, and then often doing wild plunge dives like on a big dipper or flaring out her fluffy white feathers under her tail like a blousy petticoat.

You may have seen the news that a huge and independent scientific study into the effect of predators on songbirds has reported back this week. The conclusion is that Sparrowhawks are extremely unlikely to be to blame for the declines in most of our songbirds. If you'd like more detail, then a good place to start is here on our Conservation Director's blog.

From a wildlife gardening perspective, I think it is news we can take comfort from. Yes, if we create healthy gardens full of songbirds, then Sparrowhawks will come calling, it's only logical and natural. And if they make a kill in your garden, it can be upsetting. But we now have probably the best evidence ever that it makes little difference to overall bird populations.

What's really important is just continuing to make your garden fit for songbirds. Far better to have gardens with songbirds and Sparrowhawks, than with neither,

Peaceful easy feeling

david sexton — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 21:49:00 GMT

Wow. Where does the time go? All of a sudden, the harsh frost-filled icy winter is fading and spring is racing towards us like an eagle after a rabbit. The title of this blog (The Eagles 1972) doesn't exactly sum up this phase of stress and worry all of us feel as the white-tailed eagles settle down to nest again but it does portray the sense of satisfaction we feel when an old friend comes home.

Gazing out from our back garden across Salen Bay, the herring gulls were alarm calling and there, flapping hard across the bay was an immature sea eagle. A closer look with binoculars revealed the small tell-tale outline of a satellite pack. I felt the bird looked extra large - a female - and the pulse quickened. Could it be Venus emerging from the silence of the satellites? She landed in a huge oak and was immediately surrounded by a menacing gang of hooded crows which teased and goaded her. A passing gull swooped on her and she nearly lost her balance as the crows became ever bolder, even tugging at her tail. In a minute or two, we were round at the famous old boats in the bay and gazing into the trees trying to find her. As we inched forward, the crows gave her location away and there she was. A big female immature sea eagle but she was too pale and mottled to be Venus who is not yet a year old and would still look quite dark. This was a second year sea eagle which could only mean one bird: Breagha had come home! A momentary sadness at it not being Venus was soon filled with a pride and pleasure at seeing our beautiful Breagha. She flew strongly out over the bay and we lost sight of her.

Later in the afternoon on our way back from Tobermory, we stopped to scan the bay and there she was again. She was sitting on a skerry quite near the old boats and seemed to be carefully watching something in the water. I thought it might be all the common seals which regularly haul out on the rocks in the bay. But according to Bryan Rains of Wild About Mull tours who watched and photographed her earlier in the day, it was a fishing otter that she had her eagle-eyes on. Fabulous that she's learned this time honoured sea eagle tradition of letting the otters do all the work and then waiting for her chance to steal the prize. We took a few minutes just to watch her and admire her fine posture and noble, alert head, looking all around the bay. This was once a young, scruffy chick which RSPB climber Justin Grant had wrestled briefly with as he climbed into her nest and who cameraman Gordon Buchanan had helped lower carefully to the ground as he filmed the satellite tagging episode for the BBC's Autumnwatch in 2008. I had once touched and tried to calm this now healthy, relaxed young eagle sitting before us, wild and free, on a seaweed covered rock - back on the island she knows as home.

According to the satellite data just received from Roy Dennis, we know that when Breagha was on the nearby Morvern mainland recently, she will have crossed flight paths with her brother Mara. Perhaps they soared together for a few minutes in the clear, frosty air and then as Mara headed north to Rum and Canna, Breagha veered westwards and headed home to Mull - perhaps for a brief visit to Loch Frisa to see what mum Frisa and dad Skye were up to this year.

She was seen by regular Mull visitors Jenny and Chris heading seaward once more and then again heading west to Loch na Keal and finally gone from our gaze for who knows how long. Thankfully the satellite data helps us follow her every move even if we don't have the peaceful, easy feeling of watching her with our own eyes - going about her business.

Breagha, aged nearly two, doing some otter watching on a skerry in Salen Bay - notice how pale and mottled she looks - her beak is beginning to lighten too. Photo by Bryan Rains/Wild About Mull

Meanwhile, back in stress city, Frisa and Skye have finally settled on their choice of nests. It's actually where we thought they might be all along but to hear the very latest news about their next epic nesting adventure, you'll have to tune in next time. They have a long journey ahead of them but they would surely be very proud to know how well young Breagha is doing. Seeing her looking so good makes us feel good to have helped her a little bit along the way.

Dont forget you can follow the white tailed eagles in Estonia via their webcam Estonian Webcam

Dave Sexton

RSPB Scotland Mull Officer

Coming to Mull over Easter? Come and see us and the eagles at the Mull Eagle Watch hide at Forestry Commission Scotland's Loch Frisa by booking on a trip. Call 01680 812 556.