The Secrets Out!!

NEW REPORT CONFIRMS NORTH WEST IMPORTANCE FOR UK’S WATERBIRDS

The concentrations of millions of ducks, geese, swans and wading birds, which spend the winter in the UK, are among our greatest wildlife spectacles, and the latest report into the numbers of these birds proves the importance of the North West region.

But the report also reveals that some dramatic changes are taking place with our birdlife across the UK. Some species are increasing, while others are decreasing alarmingly.

Many of the most important sites for waterbirds in winter are in the North West.
The Ribble Estuary is internationally important for 16 species of birds; along with the Wash this site has the highest number of species of international importance. The Ribble is also the most important site in the UK for the wigeon, a type of duck whose population has fallen by one-fifth nationally.

The Dee Estuary holds the largest UK concentrations of pintail - a type of duck - and the redshank, a wading bird which across the UK reached its lowest population level for 20 years.

The Mersey Estuary holds the largest concentrations for shelduck, and the dunlin – a type of wading bird whose population has reached the lowest level across the UK since 1970.

Morecambe Bay is the most important UK site for curlew, the UK’s largest wading bird. The curlew is also one of the UK’s most threatened birds as it is edging towards global extinction.

Dr Peter Robertson, Head of Conservation, RSPB Northern England, said: “This report shows that our estuaries and wetlands are wonderful places for wildlife and they deserve to remain so.

The estuaries in the North West are vital staging posts for international travellers. Climate Change and industrial development threaten these wonderful places and the RSPB will continue to do everything in its power to protect them.”

“We are blessed with years of information, chronicling the ups and downs of these international travellers. This information must present a wake-up call to protect these sites, rather than provide a record of how important they once were.”

The key findings from this year’s report, from across the UK, include:

· The numbers of Bewick’s swan fell by around one third.
· The numbers of European and Greenland white-fronted geese suffered further declines.
· The number of dunlin, one of the UK’s most abundant waders, was the lowest since 1970.
· The numbers of wigeon, teal and shoveler - types of duck - all fell, with wigeon suffering a decline of one fifth.
· The number of redshank – a type of wader – declined for the third year running, reaching its lowest level for 20 years.
· The UK’s two species of godwit – types of wading bird – showed differing trends. The graph for black-tailed godwit – a bird of global conservation concern – reached its highest level; although the closely-related bar-tailed godwit, reached its lowest level to date, after a five-year decline.
· Avocets increased, reaching record numbers.

Research is needed to determine whether declines are due to birds short-stopping (that is, birds wintering closer to their breeding grounds, and hence occurring in the UK in smaller numbers) or whether they are ‘real’ global population declines.

This year’s report reveals that five sites in the UK are internationally-important for 12 species of bird, or more, these are: the Ribble (16 species); The Wash (16 species); the Humber (12 species); Morecambe Bay (12 species) and the Thames (12 species).

Picture included!!

I have to say as the Liverpool group leader I get lots of emails or phone calls about birds. Most are just a description of a British bird or some are of caged birds that have escaped. So it was great to come home and receive an email from Mike Cain, of a bird photographed in a friends garden in Bowering park. A woodcock is a great garden bird to have on your list. its rare to get a photo of a sitting birds as they usually fly when flushed.

Thanks Mike.

Chris

Always keep watching...cos you end up smiling!

Yesterday it was dry and sunny, and having spent over an hour in the dentists chair and he still hasnt sorted out the problem he created, I was not a happy birder. Infact I was very miserable driving back to work but the M57 is a wildlife haven if you can drive and watch at the same time. Slow and thermalling buzzards with magpies hassling them is a good sight but then the cast of jays, great spotted woodpeckers, canada geese wasnt bad, but I was still not happy. As I drove toward switch island I noticed an owl being mobbed by magpies. As the end of the motorway loomed the bird drifted closer and a smile came over my face looking at this wonderful short eared owl. No more pain!

Chris

Picture courtesy of RSPB images.

Volunteer & Farmer Alliance

As some of you will know I carry out bird surveys on two local farms for the VF&A section of RSPB. This means that I walk the farms each week, especially in the breeding season, and report my sightings so that it forms a small part of the overall data collated by the society.

Quite often, and in winter in particular, it means I get cold and wet ! However the rewards can be superb. Watching a buzzard get harried by a sparrowhawk is one such instance, another is seeing an adult wren feeding it's newly fledged young with insects. This year a highlight was seeing three newly fledged swallows sitting on the branch of a tree over a pond and the parent birds flying in to feed them without even stopping to perch.

The best so far though was to find barn owls breeding in a box up in the apex of - yes, a barn!

Not only that but seeing the four owlets ringed, thanks to Chris and his myriad contacts.

Last Thursday evening saw us assemble with the ringer and the farming family and watch the owlets brought daown in bags, weighed, ringed, sexed and their age determined. Did you know that barn owl chicks can be aged to the day by measuring the length of a primary feather from its unfurling point to the tip? These four were from 37 to 43 days old and they hatch at two day intervals.

Although late in the year for breeding ( it is thought that this is a second brood but not in the same site) the chicks were well developed and weighed between 350 and 450 grammes each.

They will fledge in another 30 or so days and probably be still dependant on the parent birds for another month after that.

It's sights and experiences like this that make it all worthwhile.

Enjoy the pictures

Phil Antrobus

Field Trip to Frodsham marsh.

The night before the group outing to Frodsham it rained and rained but you should always know that the weather is a fickle thing. Sunday was dry and warm under all the waterproofs. We heard kingfisher on the Weaver but didnt see it, but as we walked down the river I quickly noticed a flock of redshanks and a smaller bird with a white rump. As we got to view the waders were they stopped I managed to find 2 curlew sandpipers in full winter plumage. We walked around the marsh finding farmland birds and other waders. Later on we came across an Ariel with a kestrel on the top a buzzard on the bottom and a sparrowhawk flying past. A good day out to a wonderful place. Chris

Frodsham Marsh - 5/10/08

A visit to a relatively local venue. Meet at the garden centre on the way into Frodsham. Hopefully a good mix of birds will be seen, with both Curlew Sandpiper and Little Stint on number 6 tank recently.



Farmland birds should also be noted and the Weaver Bend will give us a chance to catch up with some freshwater species.



Walking should be easy, if a little muddy in places after the recent rain! There will be no facilities on site, so wrap up warm and bring some lunch!

ANOTHER SEASON OF CRUISING!!

Here's a fine picture of some of the volunteers who helped to crew the Liverbird Wildlife Discovery Cruises this year. They be a motley crew, who cuss and spit, all in the aid of supporting the Liverpool RSPB on the Mersey Ferry Snowdrop. The group has for the last 6 years provided support to RSPB staff on these cruises. A big thank you to Tim Melling, RSPB staff for adding the excitement and Stephen Menzie for being the spotter and co commentator.

The Wildlife cruises are a partnership between RSPB, National Museums Liverpool, and Mersey Ferries and this year for the first time we were joined by The Environment Agency who have donated 25 pairs of binoculars for the public to use.

The river Mersey and the bay is great for birds of many different types and cruises give you a great chance to see some of this.
Chumming is not for the faint hearted but it does attract a following cast of gulls.

Thank you to all the volunteers, Laura, Brenda, Ann, Ste, Phil, Howard and our friends from Chester group. I look forward to next years cruises and a fresh pair of marigolds!!

Chris