Wildlife News for November

[RachelMC]

Ash dieback disease - Take Action

A ban on Ash imports is due to go into place today (29 October) in a bid to stop the spread of Chalara fraxinea, a disease of Ash trees that has already seen the destruction of 50,000 specimens in the UK.

The announcement was made by DEFRA Secretary of State, Owen Paterson, on Saturday prior to meeting with the Forestry Commission to consider what further action may be needed to take to control of "Ash dieback disease".

People are asked to report potential sightings of infected trees, in the hope that the ecological impacts of this devastating disease can be minimised.

In a letter sent to the Secretary of State on Friday, René Olivieri, Chair of The Wildlife Trusts, said that it is clearly very disappointing that failure to ban the import and movement of Ash trees has resulted in the disease spreading into the natural environment – and one of Norfolk Wildlife Trust’s nature reserves - and has encouraged the Secretary of State to:

• Assess how far the disease has spread and halt it from spreading further around Britain;

• Set up an Emergency Summit, to co-ordinate action to halt the spread of the disease, to bring together appropriate scientists, commercial interests and representatives of landowning bodies including conservation organisations.

He added that if the disease spreads it is feared that it could have a similar devastating impact to that of Dutch Elm Disease in the 1970-80s, which ultimately wiped-out much of mature Elm specimens across the UK. The disease has already killed around 90% of Ash trees in Denmark, a short distance across the North Sea to the infected areas of Norfolk and Suffolk in the UK.

What are the symptoms of Ash dieback disease?
Visible symptoms include leaf loss and crown dieback in affected trees and it can lead to tree death.
Foliage - Leaves can suffer from wilting and black-brownish discoloration at the leaf base and midrib. Dieback of shoots and twigs is also very characteristic.
Branches and stems - Small lens-shaped lesions or necrotic spots appear on the bark of stems and branches and enlarge to form perennial cankers. These cause wilting and dieback of shoots and branches, particularly in the upper crown. Underneath the bark lesions, the wood has a brownish to grey discoloration which often extends longitudinally beyond the bark necrosis.
Whole tree - Trees with withered tops and shoots are very characteristic. Heavily affected trees have extensive shoot, twig and branch dieback and often have prolific epicormic shoots. Chalara fraxinea has also been isolated from the roots of symptomatic trees, as well as from leaves, shoots and branch/stem lesions.

More information can be found on the Forestry Commission website

Specific guidance is available in a pdf document on Ash Dieback Disease and a pictorial guide

[RachelMC]

The RSPB is on the lookout for volunteers to ensure a brand new hide, due to open at RSPB Point of Ayr, remains in tip top condition after the previous hide was destroyed by vandals.

The hide, on the Dee Estuary, replaces the original, sadly had to be demolished in 2008 due to excessive and mindless vandalism. But nature lovers will once again be able to enjoy the sights and sounds the reserve has to offer, and the RSPB is inviting people to help celebrate its launch with a free open day on Saturday 3 November.

Austin Morley, a volunteer at RSPB Dee Estuary said: “It was a huge shame when the old hide was damaged beyond repair. We really hope people will come forward to help us keep the new hide in prime condition and preserve it for future generations.”

The newly constructed hide means nature lovers will be able to get up close to one of the best spectacles in the area, when the high tide pushes birds and wildlife closer to the shore.

Austin added: “The Point of Ayr is a one of the best places on the estuary to see wildlife. It’s home to a whole range of wildlife like Natterjack Toads and masses of Oystercatchers, Curlew and Wigeon. Visitors coming to the site on Sunday may also be lucky enough to see Merlin or a Peregrine. Only recently, a Short-eared Owl was spotted.”

During the celebration day there will be a free guided walk (starting at 10am), followed by an official opening ceremony.

Geoffrey Robinson, RSPB Assistant Warden, said: “It’s always really satisfying to see people of all ages getting close to nature and seeing wildlife they may never have come across before. This new facility will allow exactly that to happen.”

Point of Ayr is accessed off Station Road, in Talacre, and is just 10 minutes from the A548.

For more details or to volunteer to help, email: deeestuary@rspb.org.uk or visit: http://www.rspb.org.uk/pointofayr.

[RachelMC]

From Thursday 1st November 2012, you can register to take part in Big Garden Birdwatch 2013 at http://www.rspb.org.uk/birdwatch or call the hotline on: 0300 456 8330 to receive a FREE Big Garden Birdwatch pack.

The RSPB’s annual Big Garden Birdwatch is back on Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th January 2013, giving people across the UK the chance to be part of the World’s biggest wildlife survey.

To take part, people are asked to spend just one hour at any time over Big Garden Birdwatch weekend noting the highest number of each bird species seen in their gardens or local park at any one time. They then have three weeks to submit their results to the RSPB, either online at: http://www.rspb.org.uk/birdwatch or in the post.

For bird food, bird feeders and accessories visit: http://www.rspbshop.co.uk

More at: http://www.rspb.org.uk/birdwatch/

[RachelMC]

Waxwing Invasion:

KEEN-EYED wildlife watchers have been told to look out for exotic-looking visitors from northern Europe, but not where you might expect.

Cheshire Wildlife Trust says a struggling autumn crop of berries and beech seeds – sometimes known as ‘mast’ – in places like Sweden and Norway, could force rare feathered travellers to Cheshire's parks and gardens. Among them is the striking-looking waxwing, which has a habit of turning up in urban locations like petrol stations, town centres and even school playgrounds.

The starling-sized cream-coloured birds with splashes of yellow and red on their wings and a distinctive crest, fly in to gorge themselves on berries from trees like cotoneaster and rowan, which are often found in towns and cities.
They can arrive in large flocks, often stripping trees in a matter of hours before moving on to dine elsewhere. There have been dozens of reports of waxwings hitting the region in recent days, including the Deeside Industrial Park. The waxwings often make landfall in Scottish islands like Shetland and Orkney before working their way south.

Tom Marshall, from Cheshire Wildlife Trust, said: “The arrival of waxwings is always exciting. As each autumn and winter is different we never really know how many might visit us in the UK, but there are already plenty of reports this year. In an exceptional year it's called an ‘irruption’ and waxwing flocks can run into dozens or sometimes hundreds where food is available. Anywhere you see trees with bright orange or red berries is a great place to keep an eye out, it could be in the heart of town or even at school. As they're so occupied with feeding, you can often get pretty close and pick out the gorgeous colours on waxwings, who really look like they belong in a rainforest, not chilly snow-covered countries like Sweden.”

The birds are so-called due to the deep red tips on the end of their flight feathers which resembles old-fashioned sealing wax.

Other expected visitors include bramblings, a cousin of the much commoner chaffinch but with a darker head and orange belly. In harsh winters they may even visit garden bird feeders. Arriving in autumn, waxwings can sometimes stay around in the UK until April in spring, before heading north again to breed.


Waxwing (Bombycilla garrulus) (photo copyright: Martyn Wilson)