News snippets

CHANGE OF VENUE FOR SHREWSBURY INDOOR MEETINGS

The venue for Indoor meetings has changed to Bayston Hill Village Hall and the meeting day has been changed to Wednesday's - these changes will take effect in October when the winter programme gets under way.

The starting time remains the same at 7.15pm. Directions: from Shrewsbury , take the Hereford Road A49 towards Bayston Hill and turn right in the village onto Lyth Hill Road . The Hall is 80 metres (87 yards) on the left. If you go past Lodge Crescent (on the right) you’ve gone too far. There is car parking at the hall. The OS grid ref is SJ486087.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON DATES OF MEETINGS click here

MEMBERSHIP SURVEY GOES OUT WITH THE SPRING BULLETIN

With the forthcoming issue of the ‘Buzzard’, members will find a survey of members including their views on the Society. If there is more than one member in a household, and other members would like to fill out their own individual survey, do not hesitate to contact Sue Brealey (details on Contacts page), and a copy will be forwarded. Please give full address to facilitate post.  Thank you  

There has already been a good response and If anyone who has not filled in a survey form, but still would like to, but who may have mislaid their form, Sue Brealey has plenty spare, and is happy to send these out. Just contact her with postal address details. If not available please leave a message on the ansaphone. Thank you

PROTECTION FOR SOME OF OUR RARER BIRDS TO BE REDUCED!

Proposed changes to the Wildlife and Countryside Act:

Schedule 4 of the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981 provides protection for some of our rarest birds by requiring that if the listed species are held in captivity they must be ringed and registered with the government. At the moment this schedule lists 34 species which are found in the wild in the UK . However a consultation that is taking place proposes to remove all but seven species from this list. Birds such as Peregrine, Red Kite, Merlin, Scottish Crossbill and Snow Bunting will no longer receive the protection that this part of the Act provides. Sea Eagle, Golden Eagle, Osprey, Marsh and Montagu's Harrier, Honey Buzzard and Goshawk will remain on the list as they have a UK breeding population of less than 500 pairs. If this change in the law takes place some of Shropshire ’s rarest breeding birds such as Peregrine, Red Kite and Merlin will be under even greater threat from criminal activity. Having consulted JNCC It appears that DEFRA have ignored the recommendations of the statutory adviser to Government on UK and international nature conservation. It has been suggested that individual members may wish to write to their MP or direct to the Minister (Joan Ruddock) to complain about the intended omission of the other raptors from the list .

RINGING RECOVERIES

A male Goldfinch ringed near Bridgnorth on 21 January 2005 was controlled (caught and released) at Newburgh in Grampian, Scotland on 22 April 2007 - presumably this a Scottish breeding bird that moves south in the winter. The other recovery involves a Siskin ringed near Bridgnorth on 3 February 2006 and taken by a cat at Ohra-aho, Sonkajarvi, Kuopio, Finland just 100 miles from the Russian border on 21 June 2007 - recoveries from these remote areas are uncommon, although not unexpected as Scandinavian birds regularly visit the UK in winter. 

WHOOPER SWANS FROM ICELAND ARRIVE IN SHROPSHIRE

Whooper Swans have been recorded wintering around Melverley for many years but this year three birds were found to have colour rings which suggest that were ringed at Vatnshlidarvatn Skagafjordur in Iceland on 9 August 2007 (two adult males and an adult female). They had been ringed as part of a Wildfowl and Wetland Trust study of the Iceland Whooper Swan population and BBC Autumnwatch presenter Kate Humble joined WWT’s expedition in Iceland to catch Whooper Swans. Each swan was caught, measured and fitted with a unique leg ring which is used to identify them as part of WWT's ongoing Whooper Swan research. Further details of the study can be found at http://www.wwt.org.uk/superwhooper/573/super_whooper.html

Dawley Library Garden Project

Great Dawley Parish Council in partnership with the Library Service, have been success in obtaining an award of £10,000 from the Big Lottery Fund. This is going to be used to transform the back of Dawley Library into a Community Wildlife Garden .

The garden is going to be professionally designed to support various activities for local residents, including those of a nature spotting and recording. The project is hoped to be completed by May 2008.

Those members who live in the surrounding area may be interested in this project, and if they would like to participate please contact Helen Nahal, Senior Librarian on 01952 382924 or using her email at helen.nahal@telford.gov.uk

WHY NO DOGS AT VENUS POOL

We are occasionally asked why we do not allow dogs at Venus Pool - evidence is now available that shows that the presence of dogs can reduce the number of birds present by 41% compared to the effect of walkers which reduced numbers by less tha 20% (that is without the use of hides). Birds see dogs as potential predators and leave the area - not a habit we want to encourage at Venus Pool. The news item can be found at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/6978272.stm 

New book on the Long Mynd published

Pictured here are Caroline Uff, Leo Smith, Peter Carty and Peter Postlethwaite at the launch of Wild Mynd at the National Trust Tearooms in Carding Mill Valley on Friday 31st August 2007

photo © Richard Camp (2007)

This book provides a summary of much that is known about the wildlife of the Long Mynd. The introduction includes an excellent map of the property which will be helpful to those  unfamiliar with the area and the second chapter entitled “Setting the scene” does just that with information on history, geology, habitats and management in addition to recreational information.

The third and largest chapter deals with the birds, especially that icon of the Mynd, the Ring Ouzel, probably extinct as a breeding bird these days but still seen on passage in the Spring and Autumn.  Each of the species accounts sets out the management requirements to reverse the declines but it is clear from later chapters on other species that actions which benefit one species may not benefit another requiring careful consideration before taking action. The following chapters deal with mammals, fish, butterflies and moths, dragonflies and damselflies, other invertebrates, reptiles and amphibians and wildflowers and other plants reflecting the amount of work that has been done on these subjects on the Long Mynd.

Chapter 11 deals with visits to the area and describes recommended walks with some maps taken from the walks leaflet previously published by the NT as well as summarising what to see at the different seasons of the year – this will help the reader to decide when to visit.

The final chapter looks into the future and considers research, management options and other issues. The appendices contain information from The Long Mynd Breeding Bird Project 1994 – 1998 including just one species map, for Whichat, showing its relationship to bracken covered hillsides. There are species lists for birds, insects and plants, a bibliography of national and local references plus a list of useful websites.

Priced £14.99 this is just the Christmas gift for your friend and is available at local bookshops or from Subbuteo Books at www.wildlifebooks.com Don't delay as it is not a large print run and it is sure to sell out before long.

Latest addition to British List was found in Shropshire

Being an inland county, the last bird one might have expected to find in Shropshire was the bird that has just been added to the BOU British List. The British Ornithologists’ Union Records Committee (BOURC) has accepted the record of an adult male Magnificent Frigatebird Fregata magnificens near Whitchurch, Shropshire on 7 November 2005, as the first British record.

The bird was initially found in a field near Whitchurch by Mr Handley, a local farmer. It was identified after being taken to Chester Zoo the following day, where it unfortunately died on 9 November (Birding World 18: 479-481). The specimen was deposited at the Natural History Museum (Tring).

This record was unanimously accepted onto Category A of the British List following a single circulation of the BOU Records Committee. For more information click here.

Urgently Required - Avian Surveyors for the Wetland Bird Survey in Shropshire

The Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS) is undertaken seasonally, mainly during the winter, to monitor wetland bird populations.  Sir Peter Scott initiated the survey in 1947 through what is now the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust and is presently organised by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO).  More than 3,000 voluntary surveyors count over 2,000 UK sites, thus WeBS is firmly placed in the British birding calendar.  The data is used to assess water bird national and regional populations, to determine population trends, identify importance of sites and to conserve populations and wetland habitats.

Synchronised counts are undertaken on a prescribed day each month, usually a Sunday, during September-March inclusive using the simple “look and see” technique.  Surveyors visit attractive parts of Shropshire .  Currently 34 waters are surveyed.   

Volunteers are URGENTLY required to count wetland birds in various parts of Shropshire ,  including the Severn-Vyrnwy Confluence at Melverley and  Shavington near Market Drayton.  Observers should have some knowledge of wetland birds. 

Interested persons interested are invited to contact Michael Wallace at 75 Larkhill Road , Copthorne, Shrewsbury , SY3 8XJ .  Telephone: 01743-369035. 

Changes  to be found in in "The Buzzard" (the SOS quarterly Bulletin)

John Arnfield has taken over from Bryan Roberts as editor of the "Interesting Websites page" and his first issue contains a fascinating account of bird sounds on the internet. A most useful link in this article takes you to John's own "Interesting Birding Websites" page which contains an archive of internet links that have been mentioned in previous issues of "The Buzzard". For information on the current issue (which includes a link to  selected pages for the issue) click here.

Collar marked Grey-lag Goose at Venus Pool seen again

This Grey-lag Goose at Venus Pool on 13th August 2006 and again on 14th March 2007 was seen to have a neck collar – enquiries revealed that the bird had been caught at Lingam Lake, Nosterfield, North Yorkshire on 29^th February 2004 as a 1^st winter female and her full history is listed below.

You can find further details of this study on the East Dales Ringing Group website at http://www.eastdalesringinggroup.org.uk/greylag.htm. (First sighting at Venus Pool and photo by Jim Almond, background information from Bill Haines, Co-ordinator of the Nosterfield Greylag Goose Project).  

Watch out for colour-ringed Wheatears on Titterstone Clee

Just a reminder if anyone is going up Titterstone Clee.  Keep an eye out for colour ringed Wheatear. Each bird has a colour above BTO on left leg, and 2 colours on right leg.  I need sex of bird and position of colours please. Email sightings to Dave Fulton on davebirder@aol. com. Thanks for your help,

Records of South Shropshire rookeries requested

SOS member John Tucker is researching rookeries in South Shropshire and would welcome records - for more information click here. There is also a link to the page from the front-page index to the website.

Shropshire MP to seek greater protection for nesting birds

Shropshire Conservative MP, Mark Pritchard, is to introduce a Private Bill in Parliament in March 2007 that seeks to give greater protection to the nation’s common and wild bird population.  The Wild Birds Protection Bill has gained the backing of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) and a cross party group of MPs.

The MP is seeking to "make more robust" The Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981), since amended by the Countryside and Rights of Way Act (2000) and the 2006 Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act (NERC) which together provide broad protection for birds in the UK where local authorities, or individuals, deliberately damage or destroy birds' nests while they are in use, which is a criminal offence. However, the NERC failed to close a loophole which includes the “reckless” damage of birds nests. This is because some developers, once they have been granted planning permission, do not always proceed with due caution.

The RSPB claims that, every Spring, there are many cases where developers proceed with developments that may involve the removal of trees or hedges and there is consequent damage to nesting birds, sometimes unwittingly. Introducing a “reckless clause” would lower the burden of proof and encourage developers to “take more care”.  Mr. Pritchard’s Bill will seek to amend the WCA 81 to include “reckless damage to nests, not just intentional and deliberate damage”. 

He said he would also be calling on the Environment Agency, Natural England and local authorities to issue clearer guidance to developers on their legal responsibilities and the need to carry out comprehensive bird surveys before beginning work. Mr. Pritchard said: “Introducing a reckless clause would focus the minds of developers and reckless local authorities to reduce the number of nests destroyed and bird deaths”.

Pied Flycatcher control details received

Most Pied Flycatchers that are found carrying rings in the Clun Valley in the breeding season will have been ringed in previous years in the study area or at other sites in Shropshire or Mid-Wales so the discovery on 31st May 2004 of a female bearing a ring with the Paris address of the French ringing scheme on it was quite interesting. We had to wait a long time to get ringing details from the French scheme but these have at last arrived and we find that the bird was a juvenile when ringed on 4th September 2003 on the South Atlantic coast of West Africa at Nouakchott, Mauritania (17.42N 16.23W) by a French Expedition to that area. The site is not far north of the wintering grounds of this species in Senegal and Mali. Although quite a number of adults re-appear in the Clun Valley in successive breeding seasons this bird failed to appear in 2005 or 2006 however we will be looking out for her in 2007. One female nested for six years in succession in the Clun Valley area and on five of these occasions the nest was in the same part of the valley each year although in different nest boxes.

New link to Wildlife Research Europe

This is an organisation set up to test bird feeding devices, nest boxes etc in various parts of Europe and has a link back to our Venus Pool site. See Links page click here 

Chelmarsh Ringers launch their website

Go to www.chelmarshrg. org.uk to view this new site which has details of the activities of the ringing team that have worked the Chelmarsh area for many years. It also contains details of activities elsewhere in the area which include gardens, the Clee Hills and the Wyre Forest. A report of their visit to Portugal facilitates the addition of some more unusual species. 

Bird Disease 

Two new information sheets on disease outbreaks involving birds have just been published - for more details click on Avian Flue Advice Sheet or Trichomonas advice sheet (you will need Adobe Reader to access these files).

Bird Flu - the notes below are from the BTO advice page for birdwatchers -  for more info go to www.bto.org/notices/flu_statement.htm

As part of the monitoring process, we would ask birdwatchers in the field to keep an eye out for any suspicious cases of large-scale mortality or sickness amongst wild birds. Wildfowl are potentially among the most vulnerable wild birds. Obviously, all birdwatchers encounter dead birds occasionally, almost all due to perfectly natural causes, so use your common sense. However, if you should come across an incident that seems out of the ordinary, this should be reported via the Government Helpline on 08459 335577 in England, Scotland or Wales or 02890 524999 in Northern Ireland. Calls would then be referred to the relevant veterinary authority. Specialists at the labs would then make an assessment on what further action, if any, should be taken.

Although there have been no proven cases of humans catching the disease from wild birds, the virus is spread through nasal secretions and faeces, so please do not touch sick birds or carcases in the event of a suspicious die-off. Note that separate guidelines have been provided to ringers and these will be made available to anyone else who regularly handles wild birds. In general, however, to guard against a wide variety of illness, including avian influenza, it is always prudent to exercise basic hygiene when coming into close contact with wild animals (e.g. washing hands with soap directly afterwards, especially before eating).

Venus Pool in British Wildlife

An article in the October 2003 issue of British Wildlife ("Creating wild-flower meadows by strewing green hay" by Ian Trueman and Peter Millett) includes several mentions of the experiments in meadow creation being carried out at Venus Pool. Meadow creation at Wall Farm is also mentioned.

Venus Pool Reserve formally opened.

On Saturday, 7th June 2003, the Lord Lieutenant of Shropshire, Algernon Heber-Percy Esq, formally opened the enlarged reserve at Venus Pool. Also present were the Mayor Of Shrewsbury, Councillor Eileen Sandford, SOS President Mr Frank Gribble and SOS Chairman Mr Peter Deans plus a gathering of invited guests.

After the opening our guests were taken on a tour of the reserve led by Professor Ian Trueman who has advised on the restoration of the grassland habitats around the pool.

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