Well done @wildlifebcn.org. At some point something is going to have to give with dog disturbance at nature reserves, although it is a wider societal issue (which I say as a dog owner)
Well it’s “a” rewilding view. But if saving declining species were as simple as chucking more of them out, we would all be able go home in a few years. As ever, conservation isn’t as simple as that. What becomes of the remaining English birds if found to be genetically distinct is a conundrum though
GSW numbers plateaued after increasing by 400% since 1970s though. It needs national study looking at demographic data, which is what is finally being dome now
Forgot to add that feeder interaction with Willow tits is less about disease (although this could still be a factor) and more about widespread feeder provision boosting potential competitor species like blue tits, GSW
NE has funded work looking at this working with Rich, RSPB and BTO in 25/26 based on BTO data with future paper in pipeline. Investigating the effects of competition are one of the key actions in the newly published TSRA by NE for both species publications.naturalengland.org.uk/publication/...
Watch this space!
This is the worst I’ve felt after a game all season, think because City finally look like going on a run (hope I’m proved wrong), as well as the fact I hate how we just prove people right time and again
Don’t think it’s got that far yet, if it’s still going
We’ve published our response to the "Lost Frogs report".
Read our statement here: https://www.arc-trust.org/lost-frogs-report-comment-from-amphibian-and-reptile-conservation-trust
Nice one Jon!
BTO Ringing Report also shows historic lows for Willow Tits & Wood Warblers. 2024 saw just 132 Willow Tits and 109 Wood Warblers ringed in UK, lowest for ~65 years since introduction of mist-nets. Not a single Willow Tit chick ringed since 2022. Number of Marsh Tits ringed also declining.
A stroll round a beautiful, but brutally cold Wicken Fen this morning
I do agree though, that if after review there is consensus that some of these were indeed native species were driven out of the countryside by humans, then we should absolutely right the wrongs of the past
The report hasn’t been peer reviewed and published as far as I am aware though, & the author is also the one proposing the reintroduction, so until that is reviewed & published, any findings need to be treated with caution. Press releases are getting ahead of where the agreed evidence currently is
I am not sure why feasibility was funded when the Holocene native status is unconfirmed, and unlike the Pool Frog historic programme there is no urgency to intervene before the full facts can be established. All seems cart before horse, before we even know if we need a horse at all.
There is no unambiguous evidence supporting native UK Holocene status for these species involved in this "reintroduction".
Replies entertaining though
A stroll around Wimpole to check if any of the resident Greylags had attracted any White-fronts or Bean geese. Sadly not, with only some of the flock present, but did have a Hawfinch in the woodland shelter belts @cambsbirdclub.bsky.social
I agree and am all too aware, as its one of the species recovery projects my team have had a lot to do with in the past and continue to
@birdguides.bsky.social did a good job of balance on the TD releases compared to other outlets. However agree here it would have been useful to seek other views on whether releases are ecologically appropriate at this stage. But I guess it does a good job of promoting debate @jrmjones.bsky.social
There is no plan to release young, and the breeding stock are many (many) generations old.
There is research investment into the genetics of the remaining English birds, and the reason that they declined in some places and held on longer in others, any talk about reintroduction is overzealous.
My colleagues at Natural England are involved in the project, and my understanding is the remnant English population may be genetically distinct from the Scottish, as well as from those in captive stocks. Look forward to reading when published though
Cause of Twite decline still unknown, and recent genetic testing of captive breeding populations concluding they are not genetically suitable for release...
Luckily I basically have to either walk or drive past it every day so will be keeping an eye out...
Hundreds-strong mixed finch flock building up around this plot of winter bird food just outside Westom Colville. Several Brambling present from a quick scan @cambsbirdclub.bsky.social
Bioacoustics as a tool for the detection and monitoring of a scarce woodland bird – the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker paper now live in the latest British Birds journal.
Read more:
A cut out image of a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker on a tree features on a green background. Wording alongside reads: New insights unlocked with acoustic monitoring. Image credit bottom right reads: Lesser Spotted Woodpecker ©MikeLane45 from Getty Images, via Canva.com.
⚠️ The UK’s smallest and rarest woodpecker, the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker is a shy and elusive bird. It’s rapidly becoming one of our scarcest breeding birds, with substantial declines since the 1980s. 🧵⬇️ #bioacoustics #ornithology
Highly likely there are still pairs in Northumberland, especially given the low recorder effort
I think there’s a good chance of finding quite a few of those across England and Wales
