Volunteer needed to write the 'Bird Notes'
We are looking for someone to write the quarterly 'Bird Notes' that accompany each edition of the SOS's magazine The Buzzard. The notes summarize notable bird sightings for the previous three months.
For further information on what is involved please contact Geoff Holmes.
Wildlife Group Meeting - all welcome
Group Walk to Experience the Sights and Sounds of Ravens Gathering at Dusk
Wildlife Event at Dawley Library
On Friday 27 January, 10.30-11.30, Dawley Library is holding an event to coincide with the RSPB's Big Garden Birdwatch 2012. Enjoy the Library garden, take part in the Big Garden Birdwatch, make a bird feeder, discover books and online information about nature and chat over a cup of tea or coffee.
Dawley Library has its own garden created as part of the BBC Breathing Places, it attracts many species of birds all year round. This free event will be attanded by Shropshire Wildlife Trust.
Ferruginous Hawk Lost
Escaped and last seen in the Muckley Cross/Monkhopton area near Bridgnorth. If anybody sees it (basically a large pale fronted Buzzard) could they please contact Tizi on 07884 384045, thank you.
Mr Ron Bennett
It is with much sadness that I report the death in September
of Ron Bennett, aged 86 years. Ron was a founder member of the Church Stretton
Branch in 1983, and served as secretary / treasurer for four years continuing as
a committee member until 1990. He regularly attended the meetings of the Branch
until his death. Ron was a kind Christian gentleman and a great ornithologist.
He will be much missed; our condolences go to his wife Jennifer also a member of
the Branch.
Injured Peregrines Found
In the past fortnight no less than 3 adult peregrines have been found with serious injuries in and around the Telford area.
The injuries sustained, mainly to the birds' wings, have resulted in their having to be humanely destroyed by the vet. The cause of the injuries is unclear at the moment, but there is every reason to suspect that they were caused deliberately.
The incidents occurred at weekends and it is possible that Peregrines at other sites may also be targeted. Police and RSPB/Inv. have been informed.
Any sign of suspicious activity, the police should be informed immediately Tel. 0300 333 3000 - Wildlife Crime or 999 if very urgent.
Thank you
John Turner 01743 821678 peregrineleader@yahoo.com
Hide Clamp Lost
A hide clamp was lost on Sunday 30 October, possibly at Venus Pool or Colemere. Please email if you have found one, thank you.
Harris Hawk
One with jesses reported perched in a tree in Avenue Road Newport at 10.30am on 23 October, last seen flying over Avenue Road Junior School field. If you have lost this bird, the observer's phone number can be obtained by email.
Update on Work at Venus Pool
11/10/11 - The reprofiling work at Venus Pool is now complete.
These are photos of the work in progress, please scroll down for more and click to enlarge.
8/10/11 - The re-profiling work at Venus Pool went really well last week, but is not yet finished. The machinery will be working again tomorrow (Mon 10th) and probably for most of this week, whilst some large and smaller jobs are completed. Disturbance will continue, but the reserve is not closed to visitors.
5/10/11 - The work at VP has been under-way for two days, having began on 3 October and is going really well; we are still expecting it to take a couple of weeks, but this may change if the good progress made so far continues. The reserve is not closed, but if you visit before the work is finished, please remember that what you see will not be the final "view" of the pool. There will be no machinery working on site on Saturday 8 or Sunday 9.
Can I ask visitors not to park in the gateways at Venus Pool, please? Access through any one of them could be needed at any time; the machinery will need access whilst the works are in progress, and we have stock on the site which may need attention. Apologies for stating the obvious, but you may be as surprised to find that this happens almost every day, even when the car park is quiet!
Work at Venus Pool
SOS has decided to take advantage of the very dry conditions to do some re-profiling work at Venus Pool; channels will be deepened and the height of some of the islands will be raised. In order to do this, an excavator will be used and will be working in front of the hides. This is obviously going to cause quite a lot of disturbance for a few days, but will bring long-term benefits to the reserve. It is likely to take up to two weeks.
Also, whilst this work is in progress and causing disturbance, we will look to undertake a number of other tasks in and around the reserve.
The reserve will not be closed during this work because the machinery will be working mainly outside the areas accessible to visitors, but it will cause considerable disturbance. Please take extra care when you are moving around the reserve, especially in the area between the car park and the arable field. Please stay away from the machinery and avoid any roped-off areas.
Helen J Griffiths, Hon Secretary
Graham Walker, Chairman, Conservation Sub-committee
Wild Birds Seized after Raids in Telford
Sixty-eight wild birds have been seized in Telford following a joint operation by police and the RSPCA. Warrants were executed at three addresses in Overdale, Ercall View and Shrubbery Road on the morning of Thursday 8 September.
The raids are a result of information received from members of the public and bird breeders about the illegal trapping of birds by local people. The birds were mainly Goldfinches, but Redpolls, Linnets and Bullfinches were also seized.Two of the birds had to be taken away for treatment due to the poor condition they were found in.
PC Craig Davies from Newport police station took part in the operation and said: "Under the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981, it is an offence to possess, trap or sell these wild birds. "People who commit these types of offences have often been involved in the trapping and sale of wild birds, often with other family members, for a considerable time. "As the legislation was not introduced until 1981, they often feel this is not an offence because it is something that has been done for generations - but it is cruel and they may find themselves in court as a result of their actions. "While trapped birds are regularly sold on and can be quite valuable, offenders will also use the birds for breeding as they value the wild birds brighter plumage and appealing birdsong.
West Mercia Police will continue to work alongside the RSPCA in investigating offences of this nature. No arrests have been made at this stage and the RSPCA will be in charge of any future prosecutions.
Wetland Bird Survey -
Volunteer Counters Requested
The Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS) is
administered by the BTO in partnership with the WWT-RSPB-JNCC.
WeBS monitors all waterbird species throughout the
year, primarily during September-March, at inland and coastal habitats.
The monitoring objectives are to: (1) detect UK
population changes; (2) identify sites of conservation importance for particular
species; (3) detect changes in locations of populations: (4) compute species
thresholds for sites of UK and international importance and (5) the reasons for
population changes at site, regional and national scales.
Survey methodology is “look-see” within site
boundaries.
To minimise statistical bias by double counting, surveys
are undertaken on synchronised monthly core count priority dates, Sundays, which
if inconvenient may be carried out on the preceding Friday or Saturday or the
following Monday.
The Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP)
recognises WeBS as an example of good practice due to fulfilment of statutory
national and international obligations and directives.
The WeBS series of counts has become one of the
longest-term and largest-scale biological data sets in the world.
From inception volunteer surveyors have been
pivotal to success.
82 sites have been surveyed in
Shropshire and currently 57 are counted by SOS members.
There is an urgent need to increase the county’s
coverage to improve the precision of waterbird populations.
Counters are required to survey 25 sites including
the Severn-Vyrnwy Confluence at Melverley,
Coton
Hill-the Weir in Shrewsbury, Bomere, Shomere and Betton Pools near Betton Abbots
and Acton Burnell Pool.
Many flood plains merit exploration, for example
parts of the River Severn and the River Teme between Ludlow and Knighton.
The southern part of the county is under recorded.
Perhaps there is a site near you that you wish to
count.
Generally, surveys are not time consuming.
Counters witness species seasonal population
dynamics and inter-yearly variations.
Training can be given, if required.
Please help to monitor our waterbirds.
Interested persons kindly contact: Michael Wallace, 75 Larkhill Road, Copthorne, Shrewsbury, SY1 8XJ.
Tel: 01743-369035, Email:
michaelwallace47@gmail.com
Michael F Wallace, BTO WeBS Shropshire Local Organiser
Change of Venue and Dates for RSPB South Shrops Indoor Meetings
Due to increased costs at their usual meeting venue (The Secret Hills Discovery Centre), the RSPB South Shrops Local Group will now be holding its indoor meetings at a new location - Culmington Village Hall.
Meetings will now be held on the second Tuesday of each month. For further information and the meetings programme, see RSPB South Shropshire Local Group
Improvements to Wood Lane Nature Reserve
Shropshire Wildlife Trust and Tudor Griffiths Group are planning to upgrade facilities at Wood Lane Nature Reserve. See here for a detailed drawing showing the potential development.
Tests by Defra have revealed that the two Peregrines found dead on Clee Hill on 6 May, were poisoned using Diazinon. The chemical is principally used in sheep dips. A number of people have been spoken to as part of an extensive investigation. One man was interviewed voluntarily, but no further action is to be taken against him. The investigation has now come to an end, although if further evidence comes to light it will be acted upon.
A reward of £1000 is offered for information which leads to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible. The money comes from The Shropshire Peregrine Group and donations from people outraged by the attack, many of whom live in Clee Hill village and nearby Ludlow.
John Turner from The Shropshire Peregrine Group can be contacted on 01743 821678.
It is important to report all wildlife offences and suspicious incidents to the police. The Crimestoppers number can be used, anonymously if you wish, 0800 555 111. In West Mercia you can also call 0300 333 3000 to discuss any wildlife crime. If an offence or incident is actually taking place 999 should be used. Note any car registrations nearby to help identify offenders.
On Sunday 12 September a juvenile Corncrake was brought into
a house in St Georges by a cat. The bird was probably caught in hay meadows
near Priorslee. On Monday it was taken to the vets in Telford and from there it
went to Cuan House Wildlife Rescue in Much Wenlock.
The bird seemed to be responding well to treatment and, after consultation with experts involved with the Corncrake reintroduction scheme in Cambridgeshire, it was decided to release the bird at a private site on Wednesday the 15th. Unfortunately it died during Tuesday night.
The corpse is being handed over to the county museum service and will probably be used in a future display on humanity’s influence on the natural environment in Shropshire. The last accepted record of a Corncrake in Shropshire was of a calling male in May/June 2001.
The expert at Cambridge University said that the juveniles are migrating at the moment, to be followed by the adults in a week or so as they complete their moult, so there may well be other birds moving through the county later. The challenge is to find them without the aid of a cat…
Cuan House Wildlife Rescue treat around 1500 birds and animals each year and always aim to return them to the wild. Please visit their website at cuanhouse.org.uk and consider a donation if you are able.
The National Trust and the Long Mynd commoners have an Environmental Stewardship Higher Level Scheme agreement with Natural England to manage the hill sympathetically for wildlife. Several bird species have to be monitored as part of the agreement and the Ground-nesting Bird Recovery Project is monitoring Curlew, Snipe and Teal. If you see or hear any of these species on the Long Mynd, please telephone Leo Smith on 01588 638 577.
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
