El Annie
Thursday 20th March 2003, 21:04
.............The first European Free-tailed Bat found in England continues its recovery from a near-death experience in a graveyard. The giant bat, with a wingspan of 19in (47cm), was found exhausted, starving and injured in Helston, Cornwall. It is believed it had been blown off course from its migration route in the Iberian peninsula. It was found five days ago by Brian Roberts, 62, while walking his dog and taken to the Cornwall Bat Hospital. “It looked like a great big leaf being blown around in the wind”, he said.
More information - Times
Warm welcome for 'leggy' spider..............
'Tropical' Doncaster is increasingly becoming the destination of choice for a rare eight-legged visitor who until a few years ago would never have ventured into the chilly North. The Pholcus phalangioides, or Giraffe-Legged spider and sometimes the Daddy Long-Legs spider, so called because of its long, spindly legs, is more at home in the warmer climate of Southern Europe and south west Britain. But with central heating and double glazing becoming the norm, Colin Howes, keeper of environmental records at Doncaster Museum, said he is receiving more and reports of the creatures being found in the cellars of South Yorkshire.
More information - Yorkshire Today
Bird man guilty of glueing trees....................
A city man has been found guilty of smearing glue on tree branches to capture birds. Police visited the home of Peter Smith (20), in Edgerley Drain Road, Fengate, last May following a tip-off, and discovered equipment and traps to lure wild birds. They also found an aviary, a small cage containing chaffinches, and a branch that had been bent over and smothered in a sticky substance. They returned the following week with inspectors and experts from the RSPCA, who carried out another search of the premises. The aviary area had been demolished, but four caged wild goldfinches were found, along with a trapping device designed to spring shut when a bird landed on it and a branch covered in a sticky substance, thought to be rat-catching glue.
More information - Peterborough Now
Bittern ready to make a comeback....................
One of Britain’s rarest and most reclusive birds may soon breed in Scotland for the first time due to the influence of global warming, according to experts. About 31 breeding bitterns, an enigmatic and secretive relative of the heron, are known to currently remain in the British Isles throughout the year. But rising temperatures and less harsh winters have for the past four years seen the birds migrate from frozen habitats in Scandinavia to the far north of Scotland. This year, two took up residence at RSPB Scotland’s Strathbeg reserve, between Peterhead and Fraserburgh, about 40 miles north of Aberdeen.
More information - Scotsman
Colony of rare newts saved in nick of time...................
Hundreds of rare and endangered great crested newts have been discovered in a pond - just as it was being filled in by workers. Riffhams Pond, an ugly dumping ground for refuse, in Northlands Park, Basildon, was due for destruction when the tiny creatures were found living in the murky water. Work by the park's management group was halted immediately as wildlife experts were contacted for advice. A decision was made to retain and expand the pond yesterday. Numbers of the dinosaur-like creatures are falling in most areas of Britain. Conservationists believe the removal of ponds to be the most pressing threat to the species.
More information - This is Essex
Good stuff in today's conserv@tion!!! You can find more at - http://www.habitat.org.uk/news1.htm
Annie
:t:
More information - Times
Warm welcome for 'leggy' spider..............
'Tropical' Doncaster is increasingly becoming the destination of choice for a rare eight-legged visitor who until a few years ago would never have ventured into the chilly North. The Pholcus phalangioides, or Giraffe-Legged spider and sometimes the Daddy Long-Legs spider, so called because of its long, spindly legs, is more at home in the warmer climate of Southern Europe and south west Britain. But with central heating and double glazing becoming the norm, Colin Howes, keeper of environmental records at Doncaster Museum, said he is receiving more and reports of the creatures being found in the cellars of South Yorkshire.
More information - Yorkshire Today
Bird man guilty of glueing trees....................
A city man has been found guilty of smearing glue on tree branches to capture birds. Police visited the home of Peter Smith (20), in Edgerley Drain Road, Fengate, last May following a tip-off, and discovered equipment and traps to lure wild birds. They also found an aviary, a small cage containing chaffinches, and a branch that had been bent over and smothered in a sticky substance. They returned the following week with inspectors and experts from the RSPCA, who carried out another search of the premises. The aviary area had been demolished, but four caged wild goldfinches were found, along with a trapping device designed to spring shut when a bird landed on it and a branch covered in a sticky substance, thought to be rat-catching glue.
More information - Peterborough Now
Bittern ready to make a comeback....................
One of Britain’s rarest and most reclusive birds may soon breed in Scotland for the first time due to the influence of global warming, according to experts. About 31 breeding bitterns, an enigmatic and secretive relative of the heron, are known to currently remain in the British Isles throughout the year. But rising temperatures and less harsh winters have for the past four years seen the birds migrate from frozen habitats in Scandinavia to the far north of Scotland. This year, two took up residence at RSPB Scotland’s Strathbeg reserve, between Peterhead and Fraserburgh, about 40 miles north of Aberdeen.
More information - Scotsman
Colony of rare newts saved in nick of time...................
Hundreds of rare and endangered great crested newts have been discovered in a pond - just as it was being filled in by workers. Riffhams Pond, an ugly dumping ground for refuse, in Northlands Park, Basildon, was due for destruction when the tiny creatures were found living in the murky water. Work by the park's management group was halted immediately as wildlife experts were contacted for advice. A decision was made to retain and expand the pond yesterday. Numbers of the dinosaur-like creatures are falling in most areas of Britain. Conservationists believe the removal of ponds to be the most pressing threat to the species.
More information - This is Essex
Good stuff in today's conserv@tion!!! You can find more at - http://www.habitat.org.uk/news1.htm
Annie
:t: