Wildlife News for February

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RachelMC
Posts: 460
Joined: Mon May 17, 2010 1:04 pm
Location: Chester

Wildlife News for February

Post by RachelMC »

Toad Patrol Volunteers needed!

TOAD patrol volunteers are needed at Moore Nature Reserve to help amphibians cross the road.

Last year the reserve had the third busiest recorded toad crossing in the country, moving a total of 4,549 toads and 326 frogs. Volunteers are asked to help one evening each week from around mid February until mid March and equipment will be provided.

To help call: 01925 444689 or e-mail: brian.webber@fccenvironment.co.uk


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RachelMC
Posts: 460
Joined: Mon May 17, 2010 1:04 pm
Location: Chester

Leucistic Redshank spotted in North Wales

Post by RachelMC »

Leucistic Redshank spotted in North Wales:

February always seems to be a quiet month for any wildlife in Cheshire, at least as far as any newsworthy articles are concerned. So I'm going a bit further afield with this article spotted on Wildlife Extra News the other day.

"Unusual Redshank seen in North Wales"

One of the site's regular readers, Dennis Bannister, recently sent in a photo of an unusual looking Redshank (Tringa totanus) that he spotted in North Wales. It is of a leucistic Redshank.

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Photo by Dennis Bannister

Leucism is a very unusual condition whereby the pigmentation cells in an animal or bird fail to develop properly. This can result in unusual white patches appearing on the animal, or, more rarely, completely white creatures.

Albinism is a different condition. The easiest way to tell the difference between the two is that in albinism the eyes are usually pink or red, and albinism affects the entire animal, not just patches.

This occasionally causes very excited biologists to think they have discovered a new species, when in fact leucism is the cause of the unusual markings they have seen.

Article edited and re-posted from Wildlife Extra News

Unfortunately, the WEN article doesn't say exactly where it was spotted, although Redshanks usually frequent estuaries and coastal lagoons in the winter, where they hunt for insects, earthworms, molluscs and crustaceans by probing their bills into soil and mud.

RachelMC
Posts: 460
Joined: Mon May 17, 2010 1:04 pm
Location: Chester

Siskins invading gardens as seeds are scarce

Post by RachelMC »

Siskins invading gardens as seeds are scarce:

The appearance of Siskins (Carduelis spinus) at garden feeders acts as a barometer of seed availability in the wider countryside

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Photo: Wildlife Extra News

It has been reported by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) that twice as many Siskins as normal are currently visiting the nation's gardens. This wonderful, ‘green' finch is sensitive to fluctuations in the availability of woodland tree seeds, and appears to be turning to garden feeders for help in a year when seed crops have been poor.

The appearance of Siskins at garden feeders acts as a barometer of seed availability in the wider countryside. During winters when natural tree seeds, such as those of Sitka Spruce (Picea sitchensis), are scarce, Siskins make much greater use of garden feeders.

Large flocks of seed-eating birds move into gardens during late winter and this year is shaping up to be a bumper one for Siskins. The latest weekly results from the year-round BTO Garden BirdWatch survey show that twice as many Siskins have visited gardens since the end of January compared with the same period in 2010-12. In fact, the number of Siskins in gardens is the highest it has been since the 2007-08 winter and there is a good chance we'll see that figure topped over the next two weeks. With natural tree seeds in short supply, garden offerings such as nyger seed and sunflower hearts, are supporting lots of these hungry birds.

In addition to Siskins, other seed-eating finches have been unusually abundant in gardens of late. Numbers of Bramblings (Fringilla montifringilla), which are winter visitors to our shores from Scandinavia, spotted by householders since the end of January have been almost two thirds higher than the 2010-12 average. Another species to watch is Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis), with their numbers having risen markedly in gardens over recent years.

Dr Tim Harrison, BTO Garden BirdWatch, commented: "Now is an important time to keep garden feeders topped up as natural seed stocks, which peak in autumn, dwindle. Indeed, the next few weeks will see some of the best garden birdwatching opportunities of the year, so keep your eyes peeled and please let the BTO know what you see."

He added: "Siskins are delighting householders in unusually large numbers, while their finch relatives, including Bullfinch, Chaffinch, Goldfinch and Greenfinch, are also on the look-out for seeds. Also in the mix are Nuthatch, Woodpigeon and Coal Tit, whose numbers in gardens over recent weeks have been higher than normal."

At a glance, Siskins can look similar to their cousins, Greenfinches (Carduelis chloris), which also use garden feeders more widely at this time of year. Distinguishing these species can cause confusion amongst garden birdwatchers and so the BTO has issued a free identification guide.


Download the guide here or visit http://www.bto.org/volunteer-surveys/gbw

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RachelMC
Posts: 460
Joined: Mon May 17, 2010 1:04 pm
Location: Chester

Red Squirrel still present in Cheshire

Post by RachelMC »

Red Squirrel still present in Cheshire:

A look through the recent posts by Paul Hill on the Cheshire Mammals Blog reveals that the Red Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) seen in Warrington in early December is alive and well.

Paul writes:
"I've just heard from Mervyn at Daresbury Firs and the Red Squirrel is still visiting his garden, he's sent me the picture below:

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Not so pleasant were two fresh Badgers dead on the road on my journey into work this morning - at least they'll be records for RODIS. Both of the Badgers were in areas where I've noted dead ones before, one near to a sett, so don't think these have been thrown out of the back of passing van."
(Paul Hill, Cheshire Mammals Blog, 13th February 2013)

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