All Day Birdwatching and Biodiversity

On the 7^th May it was the annual spring birdwatching all-dayer. It is a friendly competition between different birding sites across the west midlands. The aim is to spot as many different species as possible in the course of the day. This therefore meant getting up at first light and driving the few short miles to the outskirts of Worcester to the village of Grimley.

Sun Rise Over Grimely at 5am

The day was successful, we as a team spotted 89 species and I personally saw 78 species. This was in fact a record breaking day. Of the 89 species seen there were some very exciting birds. The two standout highlights were 2 male breeding coloured ruff and a singing grasshopper warbler. I get excited about seeing different and varied wildlife as I walk around my birding patch partly as it add to the year list (Ruff) or even life list (Grasshopper Warbler) that I collect.

Ruff Along the Shore. Stunning Summer Plumage

Often you do feel driven by the numbers and lists. Number of species seen in a day, in a year, your life. Bird lists, garden lists, patch lists, butterfly/moth lists; the lists go on. But, there is something quite important behind these personal quests. That is biodiversity!

Great Spotted Woodpecker Feeding off Grubs in the Decaying Wood

Ecosystems are complex environments where plants, animals, fungi and bacteria coexist and rely on each other for survival in complex networks of fascinating interactions. Biodiversity is key to these ecosystems working properly. When a species is removed from the ecosystem that role is not carried out. This has a knock on effect through the food chain. Some species might do really well initially but they do cause an imbalance which only leads to the loss of species. The end product is a dysfunctional ecosystem with low biodiversity.

Ringed Plover 

Comfrey

Seeing 89 species of bird alone might sound like a lot and therefore suggest a healthy ecosystem. But it is surprising how many more species there could/should be in the area: yellowhammer, corn bunting, lesser spotted woodpecker, willow tit to name a few. The primary reason why they are not present is simply habitat destruction and intensive farming methods. Take the yellowhammer and corn bunting. They rely on large bushy hedges to breed and feed. Farmers are inclined to cut their hedges too thin and too frequently. This does not suit those birds and they are lost from the area.  

Orange-tip Butterfly

On the plus side the sighting of the grasshopper warbler did fill me with a little excitement. They do not breed in the area, but they do close by at coney meadow, and they are doing very successfully there. My hope is that they will spread out to Grimley. However, the habitat in the area is perhaps not ideal as they like short dense vegetation where they can nest near the ground and stay concealed from view. It is the range of different habitats that helps increase biodiversity. If the habitat was right I do feel that there would be Grasshopper warblers present. This can only benefit the ecosystem as a whole.

Wasp Showing Why Dandelions are Important

Whilst I was focused on birds on Saturday I did notice a Black-headed Cardinal Beetle. This is slightly rarer and indeed a more striking beetle than the common red-headed Cardinal Beetle. They are very startling to see, this is as a result of their comparatively large size and their colour. They, like many other species have evolved a bright stunning colouration to prevent predation, they are in fact harmless. They spend most of their lives in and around decaying trees, mainly oaks. They feed off smaller insects that live in woodlands such as small flies, other beetles and their larva. They lay their eggs under the bark of dead oak trees. The larva, which have adapted flattened bodies to live under the bark feed off insects that live in the dead and decaying wood.

Black-headed Cardinal Beetle

Clearly a Black Head and a Bright Red Wing Case

It is clear that there are several important ecological connections that are required for these beautiful beetles to exist. First they need the Oak woodlands that have mature trees in them. These trees need to have died (and not been removed!) so the cardinal beetle can lay its eggs under the bark. In addition, they need a multitude of larva of other species to feed off. The adults will require flies and beetles as well to feed. They in turn will provide food for some of the bird life in the area. Birds such as Treecreaper, Nuthatch and Woodpeckers will feed off the larva. You can often see them pecking away at the bark searching for various grubs.

Wild Radish Found In the Farmland 

We need to be increasing biodiversity not reduce it. Simple things to do this are allowing hedges to grow bigger, leaving dead wood on the woodland floor and creating areas of scrub. If we do that we will see an increase in the wildlife present. 

Common Vetch Growing Close to Ground

Broadway Tower and The Cotswolds Ecology

I love living in Worcestershire. One of the many reasons is the proximity to the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. On a spring day when the sun shines there is nothing better than to go for a walk in the Cotswold Hills and admire the beauty of the natural world. The soft rolling hills, the orange stone and the idyllic English villages. What more could you ask for?

High Street, Broadway

Walking up the Broadway Tower 

The Cotswolds are an area of hills that rise up from the Severn valley and are made of an outcrop of oolitic limestone. It is this Jurassic limestone that gives the villages their characteristic appearance and it also gives the hills a unique ecology. This means there is often something interesting to see from a wildlife point of view. Our recent walk up Broadway tower was no exception. The tower itself sits at the top a the limestone escarpment (313m above sea level) above the picturesque Worcestershire village with houses built from the Cotswold stone. The walk is pleasant and it gave us plenty of opportunity to enjoy views across the Severn valley and of the village of Broadway. 

Broadway and the Seven valley

Enjoying the View

It is the rock that gives the area their appearance and their ecology. It was formed in the Jurassic period 150-200 million years ago in warm shallow seas. Like all limestone they are made predominately of calcium carbonate. This will have formed from the shells of dead sea creatures that were deposited on the sea floor. It can be fun to put this to the test. Pour a few drops of vinegar onto the rock and if calcium carbonate is present it will fizz. The acid is reacting with the carbonate to produce carbon dioxide.

Red-tailed bumble bee Queen

Common Field-speedwell. Small blue flowers with triangular leaves

From an ecological perspective the area is primarily made of rare limestone grass land broken up by arable fields and beech woodland. In fact the Cotswolds hold 50% of the UK's unimproved limestone grassland. It is therefore a haven for a range of plants and insects that are not found anywhere else. Unfortunately we were a little early in the year to spot the Chalkhill Blue and the Duke of Burgundy butterflies!

Dandelion and hoverfly

Forget-me-knot. Seen everywhere in the Cotswolds 

However, there was still plenty to see. The flowers that predominated on our Broadway tower were Forget-me-not's, Ground Ivy, Cowslips and in the woodland there were Dog-violets and lots of Bluebells. All of these are species that can be found on any bare patch of ground or road verge. It was nice to see them and the range of pollinators that they rely on to produce seeds for the next generation.

Ground Ivy: Creeping plant with Small Blue 

Dog Violet: Small blue flower with heart shaped leaves

There were plenty of bees and hover flies. In fact I spotted one of my favourite flies the Bee Fly. They are identified by being a fly (short antenna and one pair of wings) that looks like a bee and having an impressively long probosces. They feed on nectar and pollen, it is that long probosces that they have evolved that gives them the advantage. It enables them to reach the nectar in flowers that have long and narrow floral tubes, such as cowslips and bluebells. The larvae stage is a little more sinister. The adults will lay their eggs in the nests of solitary bees, such as the mining bee, the it will consume the bee larvae before hatching out into the stunning bee fly adult. Therefor the bee flies need to live in an area rich in flowers like cowslips and where mining bees live.

Bee Fly. Notice the long ridged probosces

Cowslips. Perfectly evolved for Bee Flies

It is great to see this range of plants and animals. I sometimes feel that in Britain the countryside is very sterile. This is as a result of the intensive farming that takes place across most of it. Indeed the cotswolds are not exempt from that. There is a lot of sheep grazing and that has a detrimental affect on the range of wild flowers present. This then has a knock on effect up the food chain. Sheep do have a negative effect on biodiversity as they eat a much wider range of plants than other grazing animals.

Broadway tower and the heavily grazed grassland

The Cotswolds. Sheep eat everything!

The key word is biodiversity: the more species of flower the more variety of insects there will be to pollinate them. An increase in the numbers of invertebrates will give rise increases in birds and small mammals. We all benefit from the existence of pollinators as without them the majority of our crops can not produce fruits and seeds. It is also fascinating to learn and understand the complex and interwoven lives that all these animals and plants live. No species lives in isolation and the interactions between cowslips, mining bees and bee fly highlight that. 

Bluebell 

Cuckoo Flower

Hawthorn

The Excitement of a Red Kite and Wildflowers

I love Winter, the cold frosty mornings, the dark nights, the crisp fresh air. But, however much I enjoy winter I am always glad to get that first glimpse of spring. That first warm day when you feel and sense that life is ready to spring into action for another year. This last weekend I really had that feeling and it felt good.

Lesser Celandine

Still a Lot of Water About

On Saturday we went for a walk around the landscape park at Croome. Such a beautiful part of Worcestershire and there can be a surprisingly large amount of wildlife about. Our walk produced 38 species of bird, the highlight was great views of a female Sparrowhawk. We also enjoyed watching the resident little owl and a fly over from the ever increasing Red Kites.

Red Kite and Buzzard

The Excitement of watching a Female Sparrowhawk

The story of the Red Kite is a real positive one for conservation. They were once seen as vermin and exterminated across England, only a small population survived in Wales. In 1989 they started introducing Kites to the Chilterns. Now there are possibly 1000 breeding pairs. Over recent years the numbers of sightings in Worcestershire have also increased. It was exciting to see my first of the year. Hoping for many more sightings.

Ground Ivy

An early Bluebell 

The Woodland Undergrowth Coming Through

What was particularity exciting to see at Croome at the weekend was the emerging undergrowth. There was the smattering of green leaves from the wild garlic and nettles breaking through the detritus on the woodland floor. Around the greenery there was the sightings of some wildflowers. It is great seeing the bright and colourful petals this time of year, really give a sense of hope. It was amazing what we found. Inevitably we came across lots of Lesser Celandine, primrose, snow drops but also we came across some ground ivy and a very early bluebell.

Nettles 

An area left for rewilding

On Sunday we had a walk around the canal, river and local nature reserve. Again it was exciting to see the numbers of wild flowers about. However, the area that really stood out was a small patch of ground next to the canal. It is an area that has been left bare after building works. No grass planted and hardly any topsoil, just left to take care of its self. It does get regular mowing, so after approximately two year since the area was “created” grass has begun to dominate. However, it was fun to stop and look at the wildflowers that had taken seed there.

Colt's-foot 

Common Field-speedwell

Red Dead-nettle

The way that nature will reclaim land and transform baron areas into beautiful green havens for wildlife is amazing. This process of succession is great to witness. We paused on our walk to take in the area. We saw plants like Colt's-foot, Forget-me-not, Red Dead-nettle and dandelion these are plants that are often found on waste ground and beside footpaths. It is always worth stopping and taking a look as you never know what you might find. Often people think of them as weeds but I think that they offer a little extra interest than the manicured, uniform, monoculture of grass.

Field Forget-me-not

Trips to the Museum: Art and Science

This time of year the weather does not always encourage outdoor activities. A wet day in February can be quite unpleasant and therefore difficult to cultivate your love of nature. This is where museums come in. We love going to museums as a family as it is a great way to see a wide variety of different artefacts and learn about them. They can create a fascination and interest in the world around us and support our understanding of science and nature. 

Studying the Geological Collection 

Oxford University Museum of Natural History 

 Being half-term we wanted to do something a bit more interesting so we decided to go to Oxford. When deciding what to do it did not take us long to all agree on the Natural History Museum. We were not disappointed. Their collection was incredible and well informed. We spent a total of four and a half hours pouring over fossils, rocks and animal exhibits. The way the museum was set up to tell the story of evolution of our world was exceptionally informative. I always find being reminded of how we came to be incredible and humbling.

Beautiful Natural Patterns 

Fossilised Fern

We each had a favourite bit. My daughter was fascinated with the natural patterns that nature has produced in the fossil record. She was trying to determine if there were mathematical patterns present. This came from my wife exploring fractals in her art work. My highlight was the section on human evolution. I always love looking at the way that we have changed from Australopithecus africanus (lucy) through Homo habilis and Homo erectus to the modern day humans. It was nice to sit back and look at how the changes had taken place over time.

Coral

Ammonite

Back in Worcester we went to the Worcester Museum and Art Gallery. Whilst much smaller in terms of exhibits it still had an engaging collection of fossils and animals that we were all very interested in. It was nice to see some of the pre-historic animals that lived in the Worcester area millions of years ago and to learn about the geology of the local area.

Jurassic Ammonite found in the Cotswolds

The strength of the museum in Worcester is that is has a widespread range of things that can connect a variety of backgrounds and ages. There is something for everyone. From science to art, history to geology to anthropology. This is what is needed as it connects a much broader range of people and then encourages them to learn about other areas of interest. Whilst only a small museum we had a lot of fun exploring and learning. I think that the sign above their back door sums it up: Art and Science. Science is vitally important but we also need art to help encourage new ideas and brighten up our world.

Carboniferous Seed Fern from Wyre Forest

Art and Science

In addition to our museum visits we have been involved in the hands-on pop-up science centre in Cheltenham that has been taking place all of half-term (Cheltenham Science Group). This was set up to engage a wide range of people in science, technology, engineering and maths with the hope to show that there is a need for a permanent hands-on centre in Cheltenham. It has been a huge success and this is because it has a range of different activities that have engaged a wide range of ages and backgrounds. There were exhibits on light, sound, heat and energy. There has also been information about perfumes and mathematical art.

Koch Snowflake by Ann-marie Ison

Setting up the Art stand at the Science Centre

As part of the science centre my wife has been displaying her mathematical art. Her art work has been developing mathematical principles, such as fractals and the fibonacci sequence, in an artistic way to try and engage as many different people in maths as possible. It would be a much duller world if we were to keep the two worlds apart. And it was clear from the response of the people of Cheltenham that they liked the concept.

Pop-up Art at the Pop-up science Centre, Cheltenham

Volunteering is always a lot of fun and rewarding, however, what made this experience so special was the way the people in Cheltenham engage with science and maths, so much enthusiasm. The hands on experience really helps people connect and to see how the scientific or mathematic knowledge can be used in a wider context. It is clear that the people of Cheltenham really want to engage more with science and maths and they would clearly benefit from a permanent centre; this is why I am so keen to support, help and get involved! But I also think that all towns and cities would benefit and and embrace such a centre.

The Team of Volunteers for the First Day

People Engaging in Science

A lot of the pop-up science exhibits have come from @bristol. We are crowdfunding to raise money to make some of our own to use in schools, at future events and become part of the centre when we have one.

Investigating Pressure

Christ Church Meadow, Oxford