Oystercatchers – a first Berkshire breeding record

This year there have been many more sightings of Oystercatchers in Berkshire than is normally the case. Signs of potential breeding activity were seen in at least two areas and breeding was finally proved on 21 May when Roger Stansfield and Ken Moore of TABCG spotted a pair with a brood of four chicks on an island on Theale Main Pit.

Oystercatchers are not common breeding birds on the coasts of south east England and inland breeders are very uncommon throughout southern England, although they have been gradually spreading south through the Midlands. The first June record in Berkshire was as recent as 1986 and since that time they have become commoner throughout the year but the vast majority of birds appear in ones and twos and only stay for a few days at a time. Breeding season records are still not common and this is the first year that there has been any real suspicion that breeding might take place.

Thanks to the kind assistance of Pat Forbes of Burghfield Sailing Club a small party were able to visit the island on Wednesday 26 May. One of the original chicks had already disappeared but all three survivors looked fit and healthy.

Two of the chicks were caught and ringed to see if we can get any information on future movements of the birds and how long they live. Catching them is completely humane as the chicks hide, crouch and “play dead” as soon as they hear the adults alarm calls. The only problem is finding them as their camouflage is excellent and they don’t move until they hear the all clear from the parents. Despite careful searching the largest chick couldn’t be found and all three were seen back with the parents within a few minutes of us leaving the island.

Hopefully the remaining chicks will survive and return to breed themselves in the future.

Tim Ball & Ken Moore –

For more information on TABCG (Theale Area Bird Conservation Group) visit their web site at www.freewebs.com/tabcg/index.htm.

For more information on bird ringing visit Reading and Basingstoke Ringing’s web site at www.rbringing.co.uk.

Garden Bird Feeding Research: Volunteers Needed!

At a time when green spaces in towns and cities are comingunder increasing pressure, our gardens represent havens formany species of wildlife. Birds in particular come regularly tomany gardens to feed, often on seeds, nuts or scraps put outby people. This food supply helps many birds through toughwinters and may help them to raise more young.

Ecologists at the University of Reading are now launching aseries of projects to look at some of the impacts of feedingbirds in our gardens, including the effects on species otherthan birds. They are currently looking for volunteers inReading to join two of their projects.

The first, the ?Reading bird feeding survey?, is a long-termscheme that simply involves recording how much and whattype of bird food you put out. The second, ?Do garden birdsearn their keep??, is a shorter experiment to look at whethergarden birds reduce the numbers of insects on plants. Youcan help with this second experiment even if you do not feedbirds in your garden or only feed in winter.

To find out more, please see (http://www.reading.ac.uk/gardenwatch).

Mike Taylor –

BOC Photographic Competition 2010 ? yet another new winner!

For the first time, Marek Walford won the Gordon Langsbury Cup at the BOC Photographic Competition for his superb portrait of a Black-necked Grebe. This is a continuation of the remarkable run of new winners every year since at least 2003.

Black-necked Grebe by Marek Walford

A collection of superb photographs was entered by Colin and Patricia Humphrey between them winning three of the four top prizes in the two contested categories. However, a total of five portraits were marked at maximum by the judges Gordon Langsbury and David Cromack ensuring stiff competition in the final selection for the Portrait section. In Action, a remarkable nine entries attracted maximum marks making the final selection of the winner even harder.

A total of seventy five entries were contested in the Portrait section and forty two in the Action category. Due to lack of entries the digiscoping category was not contested. This was again a very high quality and competitive evening and David Cromack is investigating further publication opportunities for the winners.

The competition was sponsored by London Camera Exchange to whom the Club offer their gratitude.

Colin Wilson –

Can you help monitor Reading Council’s bird conservation measures?

By Giles Sutton, Reading Borough Council

National government guidance for planning authorities given in Planning Policy Statement 9: Biodiversity and Geological Conservation states that ‘planning decisions should aim to maintain, and enhance, restore or add to biodiversity’. Councils also have a legal duty under the 2006 Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act to have regard to the conservation of biodiversity when exercising their functions.

This legislation and planning policy empowers local authorities to request that ecological enhancements be provided within development schemes. In Reading the council asks for ecological enhancements in new development where appropriate including wildlife friendly landscaping, the provision of bird and bat boxes and ecological management plans for entire sites. Recent examples include an ecological management plan for the Reading University redevelopment (in conjunction with Wokingham Borough Council), including swift and sparrow boxes on new buildings, an ecological management plan for the Foudry Brook and adjacent land as part of the Kennet Island development, swift and house martin boxes on The Reading Central One development and bird and bat boxes in a number of residential developments.

Providing nesting sites in new developments is a good start. However in order to ensure that future schemes work it will be necessary to monitor the success of these schemes and there may be scope for some voluntary monitoring of nest boxes in selected developments. If you would like to volunteer please contact Renton Righelato: email renton.righelato berksoc.org.uk; tel 0787 981 2564.

Note added by Renton Righelato for urban members: the Swift Conservation website has plenty of advice on nest boxes that can be fitted on walls and under eaves (http://www.swift-conservation.org). I have just bought a couple for my house in Reading.

Renton Righelato –

BBS – Vacant Squares

Can you take on a breeding bird survey for the BTO? There are several squares in Berkshire that the BTO is seeking volunteer surveyors for (see map). Please contact Ken White or Sarah Priest at btoberks.ken.sarah googlemail.com.

Ken White & Sarah Priest –

Protecting the Ground Nesting Birds on Greenham and Crookham Common

Greenham and Crookham Common, close to Newbury in West Berkshire, is a registered common permitting open access to all, and has become an extremely popular place for dog walking and other outdoor pursuits. The area is also an important nesting site for some of Britain’s most endangered birds. West Berkshire Council (WBC) and Berks Bucks and Oxon Wildlife Trust (BBOWT) have joined forces to champion all wildlife at the site and as the 2010 nesting season gets underway, they are working hard to meet the needs of both visitors and the vulnerable ground nesting birds. Katty Baird, writer for BBOWT, tells us more.

Vulnerable ground nesters

The table below shows some of the birds of conservation concern that nest on the common.

These birds (with the exception of Dartford warbler which nests low down in gorse bushes) make their nests on the ground. The brooding adult blends in very well with its surroundings but this camouflage means it is easy for people or dogs to unknowingly stray to close and frighten the birds from their nests. The eggs or chicks are then left unprotected and vulnerable to chilling or predation from birds such as magpies and rooks.

Nest disturbance

Dog walking is very popular on Greenham and Crookham Common and it is dogs off leads that are the primary concern for the ground nesting birds at this site. Dogs pose a particular threat as they rarely keep to paths, race over large areas and snuffle around in undergrowth that is not easily accessible to people.

Studies at other heathland sites in southern England have shown that birds nesting close to paths are more likely to suffer from disturbance than those on more remote nests and that dogs are often the cause of this disturbance. However, it is important to remember that anybody straying from the paths and into nesting areas can frighten the birds. Also, although such disturbance will make it harder for the parent birds, it will not necessarily result in failure of the eggs to hatch or young to fledge. Other factors, such as weather, contribute to the breeding success of these birds.

Helping to protect the nests

Last year various access restrictions were introduced on the common, supported by two on-site wardens. Similar measures are in place again this year (see list below), and BBOWT has received a grant from GrantScape to fund three temporary wardens, as well as a project officer and a team of volunteers and conservation trainees. The funding from GrantScape comes from the Landfill Communities Fund, which distributes some of the tax paid on waste sent to landfill sites to environmental projects.

Access restrictions

Between 1st March and 31st July, all visitors should stay on the main paths and keep away from the nesting areas which are clearly marked. Dogs should be kept on a short lead. Kites and radio-controlled vehicles are not permitted.

Wardens

Three wardens (two full time, and one part time) will work on the common and neighbouring Bowdown Woods every day until the end of August, engaging with visitors, keeping an eye on the birds and helping with survey work. From mid-April they will also lead weekly guided walks, where visitors can learn more about the common and its wildlife.

Survey work

A breeding bird survey will be carried out, specifically looking at Ringed Plover, Little Ringed Plover, Lapwing, Skylark, Woodlark, Stonechat, Dartford Warbler and Meadow Pipit. Over a number of visits to the common, the breeding territories for each species will be mapped. In addition, for Lapwing, the peak number of adults and the number of birds with broods will be recorded. Later the age or size of chicks will also be noted. Lapwing is a high profile ground nesting bird on the common, and this data will allow breeding productivity for this species to be estimated.

Work to help birds continues all year

During autumn and winter, practical management work is undertaken to create suitable habitats to encourage the ground nesting birds. A combination of grazing, mechanical cutting and topsoil scraping is carried out to keep open areas of heather;encroaching birch scrub is controlled;areas of gorse are managed for Dartford Warblers (and can help divert visitors and livestock from some areas). Assistance is always appreciated, so if you fancy doing something practical, why not come along to a friendly conservation work party on the third Sunday of each month? New faces are always welcome, visit www.gccv.org.uk or call 01635 580792 for more details.

Come and visit!

The common can be great for birding. Some of the more unusual species that can be seen here include ring ouzel, little grebe, red backed shrike, lesser spotted woodpecker and grasshopper warbler (and if you nip over the road to BBOWT reserve at Bowdown Woods you can add more species to your list!). If you want to find out more, there are regular bird walks led by a local ornithologist, which leave from the control tower car park on the second Wednesday of each month. There is also a varied programme of other events throughout the year, including family wildlife explorer days in the school holidays and an evening nightjar walk in June. Call the nature discovery centre on 01635 874381 (email naturecentre westberks.gov.uk) or visit www.bbowt.org.uk for more details.

A partnership between WBC and BBOWT

Greenham and Crookham Common forms the core of the West Berkshire Living Landscape, an initiative led by BBOWT and delivered in partnership with WBC. The Living Landscape area stretches northwards to the Nature Discovery centre in Thatcham and encompasses important wildlife sites such as Thatcham Reedbeds and Bowdown Woods. Although some of the land is already owned by BBOWT or WBC, the initiative is working with the other landowners, advising on wildlife-friendly ways to manage their land and ensuring that any future developments are sympathetic to the needs of local wildlife. Linking important wildlife sites together in this way should create a bigger and better place for nature to flourish and people to enjoy. To find out more, visit www.bbowt.org.uk.

Katty Baird –

Update and Offer from London Camera Exchange

We have received the following from London Camera Exchange.

Zeiss

We have 1x green angled Zeiss 65mm scope with both the 30x and the 15-45x

• Normal price for the scope with the 30x is £1290
• Normal price for the scope with the 15-45x is £1390
• Normal price for the scope and both lenses would be £1519
• We are currently selling the kit for £1249
• I can offer the whole kit to the members for £1179
• This is a new scope but it has been in our Zeiss cabinet

Kowa

Pyser, the company that has been importing Kowa for as long as I’ve have been here have lost the distribution, so at the moment we can’t get anything by Kowa. There are rumours that another company will be making an announcement soon as to being the new distributer, I’ll keep you posted as soon as I hear anything.

Colin Wilson –

QMR Update

Last week thieves cut the lock chain on our gate into Queen Mother Reservoir, cut a hole into the sailing club building and stole the club’s safe. Thames Water have sealed our gate until a new entry system can be installed. In the meantime, we can only use the reservoir when the sailing club gate is open (exit passes to lower the barrier when it is in operation must be obtained from the sailing club office). The club office is normally closed on Mondays and open between 10 am (though the gate may be open earlier) and 6 pm on other days.

Thames Water are planning to install a card operated system (and perhaps number plate recognition), though this could take several months. An update will be issued when the new system is fitted.

Renton Righelato –

Flying with the Birds ? 3rd February 2010

The next BOC indoor meeting will take place this coming Wednesday (3rd February) in Room 109 of the Palmer Building, Reading University starting at 8pm.

The talk by Paul Cropper is entitled “Flying with the Birds” and will cover the work of the government’s bird-strike avoidance team.

Paul is a member of the Central Science Laboratory’s team working on bird-strike. He has worked extensively around Heathrow, on gulls and other potential bird hazards for aircraft. The talk, illustrated with slides and videos, will look at how these hazards are monitored and avoidance measures. Although now based in Yorkshire, he still often works in Berkshire and is a long-standing member of the BOC.

Please come along for what promises to be an interesting talk about an issue affecting both feathered birds and those big silver ones that most of us use to travel around the world.

Renton Righelato –

BOC Photographic Competition ? 17th March 2010

We are now inviting entries for the 2010 Competition and the Gordon Langsbury Cup. The maximum entries you can submit will be four in each category and they must be sent, preferably by email, to the Organiser, Colin Wilson by 10th March at the latest. The categories will be Digiscoped, Portrait and Action. This year there will be no Digiscoped competition unless we receive a total of more than 20 entries from a minimum of six people so do please send them in if you use this method of photography. To enter Digiscoped the photograph must have been taken using a camera through a telescope. Portrait is a picture taken by any camera or method demonstrating a bird clearly, preferably in its natural habitat. Action is a photograph of the bird in movement which may be flying, feeding, preening or any other activity. No photographs of captive birds will be acceptable.

Prizes will be given for the winners and runners-up in each category. The overall winner wins the Gordon Langsbury Cup for 2010. For more information see 2009 Photographic Competition Rules or call Colin Wilson on 01252 837411 or email at colin.wilson berksoc.org.uk

This year we hope will match or surpass last year?s competition so get out the cameras and get shooting! And don?t think the competition is sown up before you join in ? in the last seven years there has been a different winner of the Gordon Langsbury Cup every time!

Colin Wilson –