News blog

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.

Birdsong most popular alarm

Gemma Rogers — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 10:58:00 GMT

Tweeting, chirping and warbling mark the start of the day outside - and it seems that many of us are opting for it to kickstart our day inside too.

As reported in Daily Telegraph today, a poll of PURE digital radio users has shown that birdsong is the most popular alarm tone after the traditional beep and I for one can think of no better sound to ease me into the day!

Numbers of people choosing birdsong to wake up to were more than double those of any of the other 365 sounds you could choose on a PURE Siest Flow digial and internet-connected bedside radio.

Second to birdsong were church bells, followed by balloon squeaking, alarm tunes, chimes, World War II sirens and dogs bakring.

Violin screeching and kettle whistling were among the least selected sounds. I can't imagine why...

The RSPB is delighted that more people choose to rise each morning to the gentle dawn chorus of birdsong and not at all surprised.

The charity uses birdsong as its own hold music for callers to its Headquarters in Sandy, Bedfordshire, and is complimented on the calming tones as opposed to the rock music and annoying talking that many organisations go for!

Birdsong is a cheerful, positive and relaxing start to the day, although be sure not to let it relax you too much in case you nod off to sleep again...

Is your pond a threat to wildlife?

Grahame Madge — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 10:02:00 GMT

The accidental or deliberate movement of plants or animals around the world by man has been responsible for the global extinction of many species.

The British countryside hasn't escaped as many species from overseas are now on the rampage creating havoc for wildlife and their habitats. And the news today suggests that our ponds are in the front line of this battle.

Today's launch of the Be Plant Wise campaign, with the support of celebrity gardener Charlie Dimmock, is a welcome start in the control of the non-native pond plants that are choking many wetlands, including several notable RSPB reserves across the UK.

One of the worst offenders is the innocuous-sounding New Zealand pigmyweed, which has escaped from the confines of garden ponds and is now affecting many sites across the UK, altering the environment of wetlands and excluding native plants. Individually, the plants may be pigmies, but en masse these, and other non-native plants, are creating yet another conservation headache we have to deal with while managing over 200 nature reserves for birds and other wildlife.

The main aim of the campaign, which has received widespread press attention, is to urge gardeners to be careful when disposing of these plants or when clearing out ponds.

A pinch of salt

Gemma Rogers — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 21:00:00 GMT

There are some dishes I couldn't even contemplate eating without seasoning - who would want egg and soldiers without a sprinkle of salt on the runny yolk for example? Ooooh I'm salivating at the thought...

But salt could kill some garden birds and the RSPB is urging people not to use it as a de-icer in bird baths as the weather gets chilly again.

Salt is toxic to garden birds, even in tiny amounts, as their bodies can't process it and it affects their nervous systems. If they ingest salt they get very dehydrated and thirsty which simply makes them take in more, potentially making the problem worse. Salt also causes kidney disfunction so its imperative that we leave it out of our feeding efforts.

Keeping bird baths unfrozen in this sort of weather could be a full-time job and try as you might you can almost guarantee that when you nip outside in the morning in your dressing gown to check it will be solid! There is no scientific answer to this and when temperatures really plummet is a case of patience! But you can take measures to keep the water moving for as long as possible, such as placing a small floating item like a cork or twig in it. Alternatively, when you do fill your bath, try using tepid water to keep it unfrozen that bit longer.

Please also avoid food that contains lots of salt. Salted crisps and peanuts, processed cheese and leftover frozen meals are all likely to contain dangerous levels , even if soaked. More suitable leftovers include garted mild cheese, porridge oats, cooked rice, unslated bacon, cooked potatoes and pastry.

Cirl buntings lead the way

nik shelton — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 14:49:00 GMT

Farmland birds have not had the smoothest ride in recent decades. Populations of skylarks, yellowhammers, lapwings and grey partridges have all been declining for several years.

But the fight back may be starting in a tiny far flung corner of the country where a small brown and yellow bird is clawing its way back from the brink.

The diminutive cirl bunting has hit the headlines in the Guardian, the Telegraph and on the BBC this week after a survey showed its number have increased by 25 per cent since 2003.

Now that may sound like a lot but in fact there are still just 862 breeding pairs, and they are restricted to small strips of Devon and Cornwall. If you live anywhere else then your chances of seeing them darting from a hedgerow on country walk are pretty miniscule I’m afraid. In fact despite their recent success they still enjoy the dubious honour of being Britain’s rarest farmland bird.

I travelled down to the Devon coast to our reserve at Labrador Bay which is a haven for cirl buntings not too long ago. It’s a spectacular place if you’re ever in that part of the country. And while they may be a little tricky to identify they are friendly creatures and will reward a patient birdwatcher.

Whilst there I met a nearby farmer who is doing lots of work on his land to provide a habitat for the birds. He was delighted to be doing his bit to save a species that once clung precariously onto survival in the UK by a thread. It is part of the job of a farmer, he told me, to look after the countryside and everything in it.

I went away with a renewed sense of optimism. If we can achieve this kind of success with a bird as close to the edge as the cirl bunting, then surely with dedication and hard work conservationists and farmers working together can halt the declines in our beleaguered farmland bird species across the UK.

Dear Malta: please stop shooting our protected birds

Grahame Madge — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 11:22:00 GMT

Positioned in the middle of the Mediterranean, the Maltese islands have always been a beacon of hope for weary travelers, well, except if you're a protected bird. Our partner, BirdLife Malta estimates that 79 species of protected bird have been persecuted over the last three years as these travelers pass over the islands en route to Africa or Europe. The pale-phase honey buzzard (right) was one of the ones I saw that didn't get away.

During a brief visit in autumn, the enthralling sight of hundreds of birds of prey pouring through on migration was tempered by the sadness of watching several of these birds dying at close quarters. Never before have I been greeted by the breathtaking sight of head-height raptors only to pray that they weren't so close. What I learned in Malta is that if the image of a flying bird of prey fills your binoculars, it's likely that a hunter will be sharing the same view reflecting down the barrel of his shotgun.

The picture of a young bird of prey dying on a vet's table is not a scene representative of a modern Europe. As a member of the European Union Malta has a responsibility to abide by the Community’s laws, including those protecting wildlife. Encouragingly, the majority of people in Malta believe this too. This week we are urging you - our members and supporters - to join us and our partners to bring these illegal and outdated practices to an end by sending a petition to the Maltese authorities.

These are Europe's birds and we believe that no single country has the right to flout international legislation or responsibilities. Geographically, Malta is on the fringes of the European Union; but, politically, the islands' government should aspire to take Europe’s wildlife laws to its heart.

Fish not foul!

Grahame Madge — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 11:08:00 GMT

Jellied eels, once the staple of many original Eastenders, should now perhaps be regarded as exclusive a dish as caviar, because in British waters, at least, the fish providing the ingredients for both culinary delights are Critically Endangered. That's one fin away from global extinction.

Of the nine UK creatures listed as Critically Endangered, two are fish needing to swim between sea and freshwater, so it's no surprise that the construction of dams and barrages creates a major obstacle to them and is a principal factor in these species' declines.

The good news this week is that our European eels are to be given more help bypassing these barriers. But the bad news is that the Severn, arguably the UK's most important river for migratory fish, is still besieged by various barrage proposals. The Severn has an extremely rich diversity of fish, with over 100 species identified in its ebb and flow. The Severn was arguably the UK's greatest river for that mighty royal fish: the sturgeon. It is also important for other threatened migratory fish, including two species of shad and two species of lamprey. If this diversity isn't enough it is also a major eel river, with once-important fisheries occupying the main river and its tributaries. A barrage would have extreme consequences for these species and of course the birds that occur there in internationally-important numbers too.

Therefore we think it's vital that full consideration should be given to the river's internationally-important wildlife, as well as other considerations like increasing flood risk and the impacts on fishing, tourism and shipping.

We know the Government has produced a report looking at the impacts of a barrage across the Severn, we can't wait to see it!

Wildlife fans rush to add records to world’s biggest wildlife census

Gemma Rogers — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 13:43:00 GMT

We secretly hoped it would and now Big Garden Birdwatch has obliged by exceeding all our previous expectations, with initial participation numbers going through the roof! Hooray!

Less than a week after the nation spent an hour counting the birds in their gardens, over a quarter of a million people have already sent in their results to the RSPB.

This equates to almost five millions birds being recorded, and the wildlife charity hopes the final figures will be way higher.

And in addition to the birdwatching efforts, a staggering 18,000 of those already taking part have gone on to sign up to the wildlife charity’s new Letter to the future campaign, proving that wildlife is an important part of their lives and something they are desperate to protect. At its peak, 8,000 people per hour were adding their name to the RSPB’s most successful campaign launch to date.

Now all we have to do it sit back and wait for the experts to enter the results, crunch the numbers and look for trends, and importantly, see what affect the recent prolonged cold snap had on our garden birds.

The important thing while this is being done is to make sure that those that haven't yet sent in their results know its still vital that they do.

Results can be submitted until February 19th and the more records collected, the greater the accuracy of patterns and trends.

Whether your findings are scribbled on a scrappy bit of paper or you had a slightly more organised tick list, make sure you get your results in when you have a sec as you really will be making a difference.

Visit www.rspb.org.uk/letter to share your love for nature and sign the letter.

Stop killing birds of prey, say 200,000 people

Grahame Madge — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 13:35:00 GMT

Today should mark a turning point in the history of our birds of prey: it is the day that we are all reminded that the illegal killing of birds of prey must stop.

At a ceremony in London, over 200,000 pledges of support, gathered by the RSPB, were handed to Huw Irranca-Davies, the UK Government’s biodiversity minister (left), by the RSPB's Dr Mark Avery (right) to say that in their name no more kites or eagles will die at the hands of merciless and cowardly poisoners and no more sparrowhawks, buzzards or harriers will be blasted, trampled or trapped.

For centuries, entrenched attitudes towards raptors have led to the disappearance of these iconic species from much of Britain and Ireland. Indeed, one third of our 15 nesting species were at one time or another extinct in our isles.

The recovery has begun. White-tailed eagles are returning to Scotland, the osprey is continuing its spread through northern Britain and the marsh harrier is once more a familiar sight over East Anglian wetlands. However, today’s challenge establishes that the recovery must continue to soar without stalling.

The recovery of our red kite population has been a world-leading conservation success. But it’s not complete, and illegal persecution is still hampering this bird’s efforts to recolonise areas where it once cast its shadow.

200,000 is a powerful number: it represents 1,000 pledges of support for every hen harrier nest we should have in England - last year there were fewer than 10 - and it’s 1000 condemnations for every bird of prey persecuted every year in the UK.

We want everyone lacing a poisoned bait, setting a trap, or lying in wait with a shotgun to be aware that many people now believe it’s time for the killing of birds of prey to stop – it begins today.

We thank everyone, including the many organisations, pledging their support for bringing an end to the killing of raptors and we hope and trust that this nesting season birds of prey will have an easier time, whoever is in power.

House proud blue tits

nik shelton — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 11:08:00 GMT

Here's a letter we have sent to the Daily Telegraph today in response to a query from a correspondent about some strange blue tit behaviour in his garden. You can read the original letter here.

Dear sir,

A correspondent to your pages asks why blue tits visiting his garden nest box have undone all his hard work by removing the paper shreddings he has used to line the box.

He shouldn’t take any offence, this is entirely normal behaviour. Blue tits are very tidy and fastidious birds, when they arrive in a box which contains evidence of previous occupation they will give it a spring clean and remove the contents before filling it with their own nesting material.

As well as being tidy, they are also pretty smart. The reason the blue tits carried the unwanted material some distance away and deposited it in a nearby hedge is so they it doesn’t draw predators’ attention to the nest.

If you are putting a nest box out now then there is no need to put anything in it, a house proud garden bird would much rather procure its own furnishings.

Val Osborne

RSPB wildlife advisor

Big Garden Birdwatch hits the headlines

nik shelton — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 17:04:00 GMT

The media has been bitten by the Big Garden Birdwatch bug with wide coverage for the launch of the annual event today – let’s hope all the mentions translate into lots more people taking part.

Many news outlets have gone with the angle that the survey could reveal this winter was deadly for garden birds, and the robin is singled out as being among the main casualties. But the main message is take part! It could genuinely be more important than ever before and with your help, the RSPB will get an idea of just how much impact the cold weather has had.

In the past few weeks TV and radio shows and newspapers and news websites across the UK have really taken the plight of our garden birds to heart. They've been falling over each other to tell their audiences what they can do to help, the food we can put out and the importance of water and shelter. All those people that have heeded the advice will hopefully be rewarded this weekend as they enjoy watching all sorts of wild visitors to their feeders and tables.

The main media push was today to give people advance notice that the birdwatch is happening this weekend so they can get their feeders filled and their tables stocked up, but we are hoping for lots more great coverage today and this weekend. BBC Breakfast will broadcast a package tomorrow (Friday), with a young family taking part and an RSPB expert talking through how everyone else can get involved. Radio 5 Live will do interviews with both the RSPB and birdwatching celebrities on Saturday morning and we’re keeping our fingers crossed for mentions in the weekend gardening supplements.

It promises to be another great year and the fantastic media attention will certainly add to this. Now, where did I put those binoculars…

Burying our differences for wildlife

nik shelton — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 15:04:00 GMT

It’s fair to say that we, as conservationists, have sometimes had a tricky relationship with rural landowners.

In the past if there has been an argument about wildlife in the British countryside, the RSPB and the CLA (Country Land and Business Association) were often to be found on opposite sides of the fence.

So it may have surprised many to hear us both standing in a field, on the same side of the fence, listening to the dawn chorus on the Today programme this morning and agreeing whole heartedly with each other.

The RSPB’s Gareth Morgan and the CLA’s Allan Buckwell were talking about the two organisations’ joint vision for the Common Agricultural Policy ahead of the launch of a report in Brussels.

Now, I’ll forgive you if you drifted off in the middle of that last sentence - European agricultural policy is not usually the most electrifying of subjects. But if we, and our new friends, can get our message across then it could mean more money from Europe targeted at farmers carrying out environmental work.

With the financial boost provided by environmentally targeted subsidies we could see seed rich field margins, protected hedgerows and much needed foraging habitats like over winter stubble on farms the length and breadth of the country. If this happens then we can halt the decline in farmland birds like skylarks, yellowhammers and lapwings.

Watch this space…

Corn buntings show farmers the way

nik shelton — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 16:08:00 GMT

I’ve spent quite a bit of time in a cold muddy field in Bedfordshire this week.

Why? Well I did ask myself that a couple of times as I rubbed my frozen hands. But then a large flock of corn buntings would take off from amongst the stubble and dart nervously towards the cover of trees and I’d remember.

Corn buntings are one of the UK’s most threatened farmland birds, their populations have declined by 90 per cent since the 1970s. So discover 700 of them – around 4 per cent of the total UK population - in one field in the village of Stotfold was remarkable.

It caught the attention of birdwatchers and also the media, and gave us a chance to talk about our work with farmers on Radio 4’s Farming Today – you can hear the programme again on the BBC Iplayer.

And although it was the corn buntings we were there to see, we were also surrounded by skylarks, yellowhammers, redwings, starlings and rooks. There surely cannot be many farmers’ fields in England with more birds in than this one, and it was all down to simple environmental measures the local farmer had taken the time and effort to put in place.

Which makes our message on farming all the more relevant. Farming’s raison d’etre is to put food on our table, but farmers are also at the forefront of countryside conservation - and that’s something they should rightly be proud of.

We've got something to bug you about

nik shelton — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 16:13:00 GMT

I’m sure you don’t need me to inform you that we’re all pretty keen on birds round here.

But we also love otters and bats. We’re potty about trees and lizards. We are more than partial to wild flowers and natterjack toads. And insects – glorious, buzzing, fluttering, creeping, swarming, burrowing insects.

So we’re more than a little proud to be making a song and dance about our plans to reintroduce four species of insects onto our reserves.

We will be helping to bring the dark bordered beauty moth back to Scotland, and back from the brink of extinction. The short haired bumblebee will be released at our Dungeness reserve in Kent, after some specimens have been brought back from New Zealand where the species has clung on since British settlers introduced them there 100 years ago.

Pine hoverflies are currently being bred in captivity for a future release and the field cricket is set to make a comeback to our Farnham Heath and Pulborough Brooks reserves.

So net time you’re out at one of our reserves make sure you keep your eyes peeled for bugs as well as birds.

Time to play by Aussie rules?

john clare — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 12:41:00 GMT

Tinnies, barbies, Kylie and Neighbours are all popular Aussie exports that have been warmly adopted by the British. Now conservationists are hoping that another Antipodean staple - caring passionately about wildlife facing extinction - will become an addition to the list too.

In a bold move, highlighting the British government's relative dormancy on global wildlife protection, the Australian government is pursuing a plan to remove invasive species from the country’s Lord Howe Island. The island's unique wildlife - including birds and a stick insect found nowhere else on earth - is being pushed to the brink of extinction by non-native rats, which have munched their way through the wildlife and habitats in equal measure: five bird species have already gone to the wall.

Well, the wildlife of Lord Howe Island may be unique, but the issue definitely isn't. On some of the UK's Overseas Territories non-native species, especially rodents, are also driving many species to the point of oblivion; an RSPB report shows 32 species of birds in the UK's 14 Overseas Territories are facing extinction. Arguably, top of the list is the Tristan albatross, which only occurs on the UK's Gough Island, in the South Atlantic. This species is literally being nibbled alive by introduced mice and unless they are removed the albatross's countdown to extinction will not stop.

We’ve all heard Robert Peston telling us that money is tight at present but, for only £16million a year or, to put it another way 16 top bankers' bonuses, we challenge the UK government to make a major contribution to world conservation by preventing the extinction of dozens of species, many of which are unique to the UK's territories.

We find it frustrating that as a G8 nation, the UK is lagging behind rather than spearheading the conservation of species for which we have ultimate responsibility. Our overseas territories already have the ill-deserved reputation of being extinction blackspots – it’s time the reputation of these territories become beacons of conservation.

Safeguarding the future of the wildlife of the UK Overseas Territories is one of the six asks within our recently launched Letter to the Future campaign - urging the government to invest in the environment instead of investing in projects that threaten the planet and its wildlife.