Champions of the Flyway 2016

We set off for Israel tomorrow.

Please support our team: THE INGLORIOUS BUSTARDS

We've raised 76% of our target so far! Thanks all for your help!! 

Incinerator Update

Many local people would have received this flyer recently which contains misleading information about the bird life and work of the bird and wildlife group. The 2014 Bird and Wildlife Report referred to in this flyer does not support the statement that 'This work (the work of the Conservation Science Group) is really paying dividends for birds at the site'. The report actually proves severe and long term ecological decline with the loss of nearly all of the species targeted for conservation. The Beddington Farmlands Conservation Science Group and the Conservation Management Plan that the group manages has actually failed and continues to fail in all its primary targets.

In addition recent indicators to be published in the 2015 report suggests an increase in the local breeding bird population. This is actually due to a change in the way the data is being recorded and does not accurately represent a change in fortune for local wildlife. The wildlife on site and most importantly the species targeted for conservation continue to be in severe decline.

As for the content of the rest of this information flyer, no comment can be made apart from to exercise the necessary caution, in light of the very misleading content with regards to the subject matter we do have expertise on.

Jack Snipe skin

 Tank and Glenn witnessed this Jack Snipe having a fatal mid-air collision with a Herring Gull. First time I've fully appreciated that Jacks have a white trailing edge to the secondaries.

 With such a rare opportunity I thought I would have a go at preparing a skin. I followed Proctor and Lynch Manual of Ornithology and also used the BTO guide 17 to try and age it

 T2-3 are pointed indicating a first-winter bird

 However the undertail coverts look better for an adult. Not sure if there's been an update on ageing Jacks but according to my BTO guide, it's a very difficult species to age based on incomplete research.

 Got all the gear out

 And here is my rather dodgy skin- currently drying. I've missed out the pics of removing the viscera as its quite gruesome. I also didn't have any sowing stuff or surgical cotton so I had to improvise with kitchen tissue and a staple gun! 

I rustled up the viscera in an artichoke and mushroom dish topped with red currant sauce 

A couple of large chips

In the war of attrition, erosion and denudation which is the war for the future for nature and people, we've had a couple of chips flying off in recent weeks:

1) Irrigation bridge has had a stay of execution thanks to MKA Ecology and Derek Coleman who have highlighted that there has not been adequate surveys to check for roosting bats.  It buys us some time (to September at least) which is a bit annoying because I was looking forward to some spring demonstrations and direct action. Nevermind- I'm sure the threat has not gone anywhere and I very much doubt the council or network rail give a flying monkies about access to the future nature reserve and regional park (or not enough to put any money into it anyway) and simply intend to draw out a phoney and lengthy period of 'concern', say all possibilities have been explored and exhausted and as usual money and the dream of a Capitalist fascist state has to come first and people and nature second.

To sign the petition please sign here: SAVE THE BRIDGE

2) A meeting with the Viridor directors recently concluded with Dan Cooke, strategic director saying that following our recent negative campaigns highlighting the extinction of the Tree sparrows and collapse of the local ecosystem (that made it into Private Eye and regional news networks) we  (the bird group and local community groups) now have a direct line into the heart of the company, a company which have decided to focus more on the restoration and get things right in future for people and nature, have been promised that we will be working closer with their PR guy for shared aims and objectives, have been promised that the restoration plan will get back on target and also can rest assured that we are now heading to a brighter future. What a load of bollocks! I appreciate the sentiment and the Viridor guys are bloody nice chaps but we're sharpening our pitch forks here. The Capitalist fascist state will only be held back by pockets of the most persistent resistance. We hope to work amicably with Viridor as much as possible though and develop community corporate partnerships.

3) My fascist capitalist management company at the obs HmlAndertons have yielded to pressure and dropped our management fee by 20.1%- nearly a £300 saving on last years extortion racket.

So some sort of success in the general apocalyptic decline.

This aint easy! I think I'm loosing it. Getting tired of grinding away, really could do with some heavy plant in here to knock some massive bits off and cause a landslide.

Evolution progresses through both gradual transformation and cataclysm. Time for some cataclysm. Something's going to give, probably my sanity!

Day trip to Poole

 View over to Corfe Castle 

 Sika Deer

 Slow worm 

Popped down to Poole with Holly yesterday to meet Paul Morton and Mark Constantine from the Sound Approach/Lush to do a bit of birding in the area and discuss a few things. Beautiful weather and some great scenery. Not too much in the way of birds but saw the local Sika Deers and had a look for Adders- but only found a Slow worm. 

Holly enjoyed it, even considering she maybe wasn't dressed quite for the occasion- despite the sun was still a bit nippy and muddy too. Holly works with me on our music and art stuff so was great to show what's going on out in the field and also to hear about the campaigning stuff too.

Here's some more info on Lush and what Mark Constantine does:
LUSH DONATES £6 MILLION A YEAR TO ACTIVIST GROUPS

Weekend in the west

 Male Cirl Bunting

 Male Cirl Bunting

 Female Cirl Bunting (showing olive rump that amongst other features separates it from female Yellowhammer) 

 Raven

 Peregrine

 Treecreeper

 Early Mining Bee ?

 Eristalis sp- my first hoverfly of the year. Feeding on Alexanders- one of the first umbellifers to emerge providing a source of early nectar.

 The River Otter- we dipped Beaver and Otter (at least one Beaver and three Otters were seen in the last couple of days).

 View towards Sidmouth

 Jaff, Sue and Helen

 Birders Against Wildlife Crime (BAWC) Conference 

Spent the weekend in the West Country. Popped into the BAWC conference on Saturday morning and then after early afternoon headed to Jaffa's to twitch the Beavers on the River Otter. We spent that afternoon and early this morning looking but dipped. We also missed three Otters by the standard 10 minutes. The weather was good, insects were out and after giving up on the Beavers were had a quick look at some Cirl Buntings before heading for a Devon Cream Tea- cream on first, then jam.

The BAWC conference was interesting. Some good talks by really hard working people getting excellent results.

Hackbridge Neighbourhood Plan

Please take part in the Hackbridge Neighbourhood Plan...
Posted by Beddington Farmlands on Wednesday, March 9, 2016

Please comment on our plan to create a refugia against the Capitalists