Cowslips, Speckled Wood and Redstarts - All in a Trip to the Hospital

On Monday my wife had a hospital appointment so I had a little wander around the area known as Worcester Woods Country Park. It is an area of woodland and meadows surrounded by roads and the ever growing suburbia of Worcester.

Welcome to Worcester Woods Country Park

It was a warm sunny spring afternoon and I had a short walk around the meadows. It was not long before I spotted some Cowslips, I think they are such beautiful little flowers. These were also the first Cowslip flowers I had seen this year. They only grow in open grassland and I am pleased that these meadows have 100's of them. They provide a good food source for many bees and flies, which were out in large numbers today. But they are also the larval host for the rare Duke of Burgundy butterfly. Unfortunately, this was not seen, we can but hope!

Cowslip

When I came across a large nettle patch I was amazed to see 15 Small Tortoiseshells. They are a common butterfly but have experienced a decline of 65% since 1995. Seeing this many in one spot is reassuring and it also highlights the importance of nettle patches as they are vital for the health of our butterflies. Small Tortoiseshells are one of many butterfly species that use nettles as a larval host. They are often one of the first species of Butterfly to be seen each year. This is as a result of them overwintering in adult form, often in sheds and garages, emerging on the first warm days of spring. I saw my first in early March.

Small Tortiseshell

Whilst I have seen plenty of Small Tortoiseshell's this year I did have a butterfly first on my trip. It was a Speckled wood. Unlike the small tortoiseshell, they do not overwinter as an adult, but rather uniquely as both a larva and pupa. The one I saw would have over wintered as a pupa and hatched in the warm weather that we were having. They tend to favour woodlands but due to the close proximity to the woodland I was not surprised to see them in the meadow's.

Speckled Wood

Speckled Wood

The real highlight of the trip, apart from my wife returning successfully from her operation, was a redstart. This bird will have been on migration from its wintering grounds in sub-Saharan Africa to northern Britain where it breeds in Oak woodlands. Sightings in Worcester are quite rare and confined to spring and autumn when is is migrating. They, like many species are in long term decline, but the Redstart's statistics are not as bad as some species and in recent years there has been a slight increase, there are currently 100,000 pairs breeding. 

Redstart 

The Playing Field 

Hen Harriers, National Bird and Some Worcester Wildlife.

There is currently a significant national vote approaching us on May 7^th. It's not the general election, but Britain's vote for our national bird. A few months ago we were asked to select 6 birds out of 60. This has brought the list down to a short list of 10 birds. We, the nation, now have to vote for our favourite. I have cast my vote and I voted for the Hen Harrier.

Photo: Andy Hay (www.rspb-images.com). 

The reason behind my vote is simple: they are being persecuted. Part of that persecution is historical, part is a misunderstanding and part is ignorance. But none-the-less the Hen Harriers are being shot and poisoned by grouse gamekeepers. It is the desire for the grouse moors to be as full of grouse as possible. So when beating takes place there are more grouse for the shooters to shoot at. This management of the moors requires the removal of natural predators of grouse. The Hen Harrier is a predator of grouse so gamekeepers will want to remove them from the moors, this practice is illegal but still takes place. A lot of people in the UK are unaware of the persecution and my vote for the Hen Harrier is to aid the raising of awareness.

picture copyright Barry O’Donoghue NPSW

I am also Voting for the Hen Harrier because it is supposed to be a fantastically breathtaking and stunning bird to see. However, I would never know as I have never seen one. I would love to see one but the odds of seeing one in England are stacked against me. The number of Hen Harriers in England is down to 6. This is needs serious action to turn things around.

To some this may not be important. But we need our biodiversity, it helps shape our natural world and boosts the productivity of ecosystems. In addition, all life has evolved with other species around it; no species lives in isolation. We have to try to conserve as many species as possible. Taking note of what we see is important and it will enrich our lives and our understanding.

Colt's-foot

On my walk around Worcester on Sunday two species stood out. First the Colt's-foot. A pretty little flower. It is an opportunist that will colonise waste ground and footpath edges where other species find more difficult. Clearly not as charismatic as a Hen Harrier but still valuable in its own way. In fact it can be used as a medicine to treat problems with the respiratory tract, cough's, colds and flu, but is also toxic in higher doses so can cause damage to the liver.

Comma - Taken March 2015

I also spotted my first Comma Butterfly of the year. I love these butterflies as they give me hope. They once suffered severe decline and were confined to the Welsh borders. Since the 1960's they have made a come back. Their come back is due to them changing their preference of larval food from hops to common nettles. My hope is that the Hen harrier can do the same thing and make a comeback, but they will need our help and support.

Comma - taken July 2014

Vote for the National Bird

Ban Driven Grouse Shooting Petition

The Start of Spring Migration

On Saturday I managed to get an opportunity to go to Grimley in the afternoon. Now it is March I knew that there was a chance of seeing some early migratory species. There is something quite exciting about the migration period. You never know what might turn up and there is always the hope of some rarities.

Robin

On this occasion I was only out of the car a few minutes when I heard a sound that I had not heard for a long time. A sound that, for me, is connected to the warm sunny days of spring and summer. I had to double check but it was defiantly the chaff chiff chaff chiff sound of one of the most recognisable warblers, the Chiffchaff. It did not take very long to get a sighting. Then there was another and another and another. I counted a total of 6 individuals, but there were possibly more.

Chiffchaff

My walk around Camp Lane Pits proceeded after the excitement of the Chiffchaff's and when I reached the main north pool a glance through the binoculars had small birds flying fast across my view. Sand martins.

I love the hirundines and their connection to summer, but today with a strong cold wind and temperatures barely into double figures you had to feel sorry for these little birds. Having just arrived in the UK after fighting for their lives crossing the Sahara Desert and Mediterranean Sea on their 3000 mile journey. Not bad for a small bird that weighs about 14 grams.

Tree Full of Sand Martins - Taken March 2014

At the far north end of Camp Lane Pits I spotted a collection of Meadow Pipits. As I was watching them move across the grass bank I noticed something a little different. One was not a Meadow Pipit but a rather more handsome bird, a Wheatear. In fact there were two males. These are birds that are passing through on their way to their upland breeding grounds to the north and west. Wheatears winter in sub-Sahara Africa however, their breeding range is right across the northern hemisphere. They are indeed the only species to breed in North America and winter in Africa. They can breed as far west as Alaska. This makes their migration one of the longest of all bird species.

Wheatear - Taken by Gabe Ison April 2014 

Now we are into the migration season I am excited about what might show up. It is important to get out and take notice of all that is around. Who knows what you might see and where you might see it. 

Spring and a bit of Mutualism

Saturday the 7^th March was the first warm sunny day of the year. Our plan was to have a morning walk around the city looking of some signs of spring. I gave the camera to my Daughter and we set off along the canal towards the River Severn and Cherry Orchard Nature Reserve.

Chapter Meadow - Worcester

Cherry Orchard Nature Reserve is an area to the south of Diglis in the centre of Worcester. It was once a landfill site and has now been handed back to nature. It can be amazing what turns up. On this trip we spotted 29 species of bird and 2 species of butterfly, the Brimstone and Peacock (this photo was taken approximately a year ago in Cherry Orchard Nature Reserve). 

Peacock Butterfly

However, the wildlife that got us excited was the Lesser Celandine (Ranunculus ficaria) often one of the first wild flower to be seen each year and a real harbinger of spring. It has evolved to flower early to take advantage of the lack of competition from other flowers and the presence of some early pollinators. As it is a low-growing plant it will also take advantage of the lack of vegetation in general. It has bright yellow flowers and it is quite beautiful to see on these early spring days. It give hope of an exciting spring ahead.

Lesser Celandine

In order for a plant to be successful it obviously needs a pollinator. The flowers are there to first attract the pollinator and then carry out the job of reproduction. Hence our second species of the day, the Tree Bumblebee.

Tree Bumblebee

The Tree Bumblebee (Bombus hypnorum) is a relatively new species that has colonised Britain in the last 15 years. It has done this under its own steam. Due to its colonisation being natural, the fact that is does not seem to be affecting native species and that it is a useful pollinator, conservationists do not see it as a problem. Clearly early flowering plants are benefiting from its arrival. Without the early flowers present there would be no food for the bees, and, the flowers need the bees to pollinate them. I love this simple example of mutualism and the way it underpins our natural world. No single species can survive in isolation. They all fit together in a complex web of life. When we start removing them we start to see problems and if we remove the wrong ones the whole structure will crumble.

Daisy 

Lichen

Grimley - My Patch

Most birdwatchers have a patch where they go to frequently to do their birdwatching. It is an area they know well and enjoy watching the birds, wildlife and generally the changing of the seasons. It is an area they love to be in. My patch is Grimley.

Grimley is an area a few miles north of Worcester on the banks of the river Severn. There is a mixture of habitats there, but the major areas are gravel pits and intensive farmland. The wildlife found there is extensive and some of the best birding in Worcestershire is found there. What appeals to me is that it is not managed for wildlife, yet wildlife exists in abundance.

So far this year I have only managed a few short visits, just an hour or two. However, the last two Saturdays I have managed to be able to spend a little longer and had two extensive walks around the gravel pits and along the river Severn. Both days over 50 species of bird were spotted.

There were two highlights over the two days. The first day the highlight was a Treecreeper. Not the most exciting bird species, but, for me one that I enjoy watching climb up the sides of trees and then flying down to the bottom of the next, foraging for small invertebrates as it goes. In order to assist this unique behaviour they have evolved long stiff tails to support them as the forage in the trunk of the trees. They also have large feet with sharp, arched claw. Additionally, they have a long curved bill that assists the removal of invertebrates from the tree trunk.

The Treecreeper I saw was very important as it was the first that I have ever seen at Grimley and my first of the year!

On my most recent trip I was on my own and as I was walking along the east side of Camp lane pits I heard one of the most evocative sounds of spring. Skylarks. And there in the farmers field were two Skylarks. One was undergoing its display flight. Hoping to catch the eye of a female by rising to as high as 300meters whilst singing its beautiful and loud song.

The skylark is a red listed bird due to the sharp decline that it is undergoing. The numbers have dropped by 70% since 1970. This is as a result of our changes in farming methods. The Skylark, like many birds, does not respond well to intensive farming methods and indeed the increase in Autumn sown crops. These crops are denser and prevent the birds from nesting. A lot of the area around Grimley is intensively farmed and the numbers of Skylarks has dropped. I was very pleased to see this skylark, my first of the year. I hope its not the last.

Note: not all of the photos above were taken on my two recent visits.    

Trio of Waterside Birds in Central Tiverton

Tiverton is where I grew up and indeed where my parents still live. As a result it is somewhere we visit often. It is also where I first developed my love of wildlife and natural history. It is a real pleasure to come back and visit regularly. My parents have a large garden with lots of interesting wildlife, unfortunately, due to their neighbour selling his land to a property developer the wildlife has been reduced somewhat!!! 

Tiverton

River Exe

My main target this holiday was for a more urban encounter. Whilst Tiverton is not a teaming metropolis it is indeed a built up environment where we don't expect to see much wildlife.  However, I have set myself a trio of birds to spot right in the centre of the town. The birds were three small water birds.

Buzzard

On Monday morning I set off full of anticipation and expectation. First we had to walk along the A396 and then on to the Exe river walk. It is here that my search started. Looking out on the the river bank, every time I saw something move I lifted my binoculars to my eyes. First a Wren, then a Song Thrush, then a Blue Tit. Then my wife saw target bird number one, and I, out of the corner of my eye saw a flash of iridescent blue with the sound of “zii-ti, zii-ti, zii-ti”. It had flown towards the town centre. But not too far away and we could see it perched on a branch hanging over the river. We watched if for a few minutes hoping to see it fish, but the numbers of people around meant it didn't stay put for too long. 

Number two was soon spotted as another flash of yellow flew passed and landed a few metres away on the concrete bank. Gray wagtail is one of my favourite birds and one that I love to see. I think I am hypnotised by its tail wagging. I spent the next half hour chasing it up and down the river trying to photograph it. I had a brief attempt to find bird number 3, but unfortunately I could not see it, giving in quite quickly and deciding to go for a coffee and piece of cake. 

Grey Wagtail

The next day myself and my wife went to dartmoor for a two day walk with wild camp. On our return we were informed by my son that he had seen my illusive bird number 3 on his walk. That was it, Thursday first thing we were off. Only we woke to some classic Devon rain. It rarely rains all day in Devon so I spent the morning looking out of the window hoping for it to stop, whilst watching the bird life of my parents garden (20 species in total). It eventually stopped raining and we were off. I first had to convince my children to come along by bribing them with sweets.

Black-Headed Gull

Herring Gull

On our walk into town we very easily spotted the Kingfisher and Grey wagtail again, but that was all. A quick stop for sweets and we were back along the river Exe. Eyes were focused on the rocks on the opposite bank. Then I spotted two kingfishers flying up river just as my son spotted our target bird flying down stream. The excitement was eminence as we followed its path down river. There it was bobbing up and down on a rock before diving into the fast flowing rapids of the river Exe under a road bridge in the centre of Tiverton. A Dipper. 

The amazing thing is on this afternoon we spotted these birds in a town centre on a busy river walk. With young families feeding ducks (and pigeons/gulls) and people walking dogs, none of them aware of these wonderful and beautiful birds flying past. Dippers are amazingly adapted little birds. 

• They have evolved several adaptions to help them live a semi-aquatic life. They have an extra thick layer of down to keep them warm in the cold river. 
• They also have a special gland that secrets an oil which they spread on their feathers to keep them waterproof.  
• A movable flap on their nostril which they close when under water. 
• They also have a third eyelid that they use like a windscreen wiper underwater
• They also have higher concentrations of haemoglobin in their blood so they can spend longer underwater. 

All in all they are great little birds that are perfectly evolved for their place in the ecosystem. 

Journey to Devon - Ham Wall and Shapwick Heath

February half-term meant a trip to Devon to see my parents. We also had a busy schedule planned.  First up was a call in to Ham Wall (RSPB) and Shapwick Heath (English Nature) reserves on the Somerset levels. Both are stunningly beautiful and have an amazing array of wildlife. The main attraction for us was the Starling murmurations. We had called the starling hot line and been informed that the roost could be viewed from Ham Wall viewing platform nuumber 2.

Shapwick Heath

We arrived at around 1 o'clock so decided to have a look around Shapwick first and then walk over to the viewing platform for around 5. Highlights were the Great White Egret and Marsh Harrier, both of which I never tire of watching. I was disappointed that my only view of the Marsh Harrier was short and distant. There were also good numbers of Pochard and Wigeon.

Bracket Fungi

As it got closer to 5 so the excitement started to build, and so did the people. There were quite a few by the time we got to the viewing platform. It was not long before we started to see the first few groups of starling coming in met with great excitement from the relatively large crowd.

Ham Wall

Very quickly there were uncountable numbers of starling swirling in the sky in front of us with the crowd  behind  gasping with delight. It was quite breath taking. I was really pleased to see large numbers of families with small children watching one of natures greatest displays. Unfortunately, they were a long way off and only performed for a couple of minutes but we were very pleased that we had the privilege to watch them.

How and why they do this is not fully understood. However, being in large group will offer safety in numbers from predators. They will also gain warmth from each other in the roost, and vital information about feeding sights. Despite these huge numbers in the murmurations starling, like so much of our wildlife is in decline and starlings have reduced by over 70% in the last 30 years!!!!! If this continues those children at Ham Wall could be amongst the last people to see such a wonderful display.