Beddington Farmlands Album update

A few pics added to the album 

PLEASE JOIN THE CAMPAIGN FOR A PREMIER URBAN NATURE RESERVE AT BEDDINGTON FARMLANDS BY LIKING THE FACEBOOK PAGE HERE

Work on new school begins

PLEASE JOIN THE CAMPAIGN FOR A PREMIER URBAN NATURE RESERVE AT BEDDINGTON FARMLANDS BY LIKING FACEBOOK PAGE HERE

Thee Bryans

Here's a song performed with the kids about the eternal struggle of everyone of us agaisnt the negative forces in the world for a fair deal for ourselves and nature. In the eternal cycle of order-corruption-chaos its a song about a new order out of this current chaos- which will come from individuals who fight for it by climbing the ladder of Chaos- not much more of an exciting and fun climb!

THEE BRYANS

THEE BRYANS ON REVERBNATION

SABINE'S GULL!

Frankie, Tank and I found Beddington's 4th record of Sabine's Gull this morning, a stunning adult in full summer plumage. The bird was first on the North Lake and then flew over to the South Lake and settled down to be admired by a steady stream of twitchers in the torrential rain. 

Calling (similar call to first phrase in this xeno canto sample HERE) 

BLOGGER MATES WRITE UPS AND PICS :

KOJAK
STEVE GALE'S
DAVE CAMPBELL

BEDDINGTON FARMLANDS ON FACEBOOK

Mystery Wader

Did a couple of hours at the farmlands this morning. Had a mystery wader come off the islands being chased by the juvenile Peregrine. 

 Looks like an adult Sanderling in this shot with what appears to be a brick red head and breast but also looks like the colour extends along the flanks. Is that dark on the belly? 

 That same pattern is evident- brick reddish colour on the breast and flanks. Looks rather long-winged for a Sanderling in this shot. Bill looks more Dunlin like- almost looks like Curlew Sand in this shot. 

 No white rump so not a Curlew Sand- the bill looks more Dunlin like in this shot. What looks like moult in the right wing indicates an adult bird. Could just be a moulting adult Dunlin? 

 Common Tern flew through today too

and the juvenile Peregrine 

Viridor Open Days- an opportunity to question Viridor

 Viridor are to host two open days in September to showcase the restoration and incinerator.  Dates and times are:

• 15^th September 2017 – 10.00-12.00
• 22^nd September 2017 – 14.00-16.00

Members of the public are encouraged to attend. The site ecologist who is employed by Viridor will be there to answer questions about the restoration. Possible questions to ask while quoting the conservation management results in table 1 include:

 1) Why are Tree Sparrows nearly extinct from site despite being the iconic conservation flagship species for the site?

 2) In fact why have so many of the conservation target species become extinct or are nearly extinct from the site?

 3) When is the restoration going to be complete are why has it been so delayed with such catastrophic consequences on the local wildlife?

 4) When is the reserve going to be open to the public?

 5) Considering target species are the measurement of the success of a conservation management plan- why has the conservation management plan so clearly been a near complete failure?

Table 1. Breeding pairs of the target species for selected years (extracted from Breeding Bird Survey data) 

	1995	2000	2005	2010	2014	2015	2016	Notes on breeding population
Little Ringed Plover	1	1	1	0	0	0	0	Extinct
Ringed Plover	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	Failed
Lapwing	11	18	22	14	10	10	11	Initial improvement now declining
Redshank	4	1	2	0	0	0	0	Extinct
Common Tern	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	Failed
Yellow Wagtail	5	0	0	0	0	0	0	Extinct
Sedge Warbler	11	25	1	2	0	0	1	Drastic decline
Reed Warbler	31	19	13	32	13	32	36	Fluctuating, currently increasing
Whitethroat	73	76	66	55	41	53	60	Overall declining
Tree Sparrow	83	52	75	80	1	1	5	Near-extinct
Reed Bunting	23	17	5	3	2	2	1	Near-extinct

For more information and booking please see:
VIRIDOR OPEN DAYS

Otmoor- breeding Turtle Doves, Bittern, Common Cranes and Marsh Harriers

Had a great morning at Otmoor yesterday.  Ebird list HERE. Finally saw a Bittern as one moved over the reed bed, two Common Cranes were feeding out on Greenaways, adult Marsh Harriers were still around but it looks like the four or five juveniles have moved on, had one Turtle Dove and then checked Long Meadow where there were at least four Redstarts. 

 Turtle Dove 

 Whitethroat- plenty of young warblers in the hedges including Willow Warbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Blackcap, Reed Warblers and Chiffchaffs. 

 Adult Marsh Harrier in heavy moult

 Juvenile Buzzard showing fresh plumage and diffuse trailing edge to wing and tail band

 Male Marsh Harrier 

 Male Redstart 

 Female Darter, also had Brown Hawker 

Meadow Brown- also had Small Copper, Gatekeeper and Large White