El Annie
Saturday 22nd March 2003, 21:23
.............A young female osprey has arrived at a traditional Scottish nesting site and set a record by arriving a day early. The bird's arrival continues a trend of earlier and earlier arrivals for the osprey. But the female is likely to face a battle to retain the nest at the Loch of the Lowes reserve in Perthshire, when the pair of mature ospreys that have occupied it for several years come back, hopefully in the next fortnight. The fish-feeding birds of prey, which recolonised Scotland 45 years ago after being killed off in the early part of the twentieth century, originally arrived back from African wintering grounds between the end of March and early May.
More information - Herald
Tern up for the books
Clay terns made by local schoolchildren were today (21/3/03) placed at Barry Links Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) by the young artists, Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), Dundee Ranger Service and the Ministry of Defence (MOD) in a bid to encourage real terns to nest and breed there. The scheme is part of the Tayside Biodiversity Partnership’s drive to enhance the range of habitats across Tayside and to increase the numbers of threatened birds. Barry Links SSSI, part of Barry Buddon camp east of Monifieth, is a MOD training area which is also popular as a walking area for local people.
More information - Scottish Natural Heritage
Martins over meres
Now is the time to look out for Sand Martins, hawking for insects over meres, reservoirs and lakes. The first wave of Sand Martins has arrived in southern Britain and early pioneering birds have now reached Scotland and Ireland. Sand Martins are one of the earliest migrant birds to arrive back in their summer quarters, having spent the winter months in Africa. Most Sand Martins from Britain and Ireland winter in West Africa and no further south than the Sahel zone. Environmental conditions in Africa can have a huge influence on the numbers of Sand Martins that survive the winter; a severe drought in 1968-69 dramatically reduced the population by almost half in some places.
More information - BTO
Farmers help boost stone curlews
Stones removed from farmers' fields are being used to make nest plots and boost endangered bird numbers. Hugh van Cutsem, who farms the Hilborough Estate, Norfolk, donated about 20 tonnes of flints, removed from fields during soil separation. The flints were then spread on Ministry of Defence land at the nearby Stanford Battle Area to help make seven new nest plots for stone-curlews. Flints are spread in patches of approximately 50 square metres to create a stony area suitable for nesting within a plot of about a hectare. Conservations hope the flint-covered areas of sparsely vegetated ground will encourage stone-curlews to nest on the land.
More information - FWi
and there's more at http://www.habitat.org.uk/news1.htm
Annie
:t:
More information - Herald
Tern up for the books
Clay terns made by local schoolchildren were today (21/3/03) placed at Barry Links Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) by the young artists, Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), Dundee Ranger Service and the Ministry of Defence (MOD) in a bid to encourage real terns to nest and breed there. The scheme is part of the Tayside Biodiversity Partnership’s drive to enhance the range of habitats across Tayside and to increase the numbers of threatened birds. Barry Links SSSI, part of Barry Buddon camp east of Monifieth, is a MOD training area which is also popular as a walking area for local people.
More information - Scottish Natural Heritage
Martins over meres
Now is the time to look out for Sand Martins, hawking for insects over meres, reservoirs and lakes. The first wave of Sand Martins has arrived in southern Britain and early pioneering birds have now reached Scotland and Ireland. Sand Martins are one of the earliest migrant birds to arrive back in their summer quarters, having spent the winter months in Africa. Most Sand Martins from Britain and Ireland winter in West Africa and no further south than the Sahel zone. Environmental conditions in Africa can have a huge influence on the numbers of Sand Martins that survive the winter; a severe drought in 1968-69 dramatically reduced the population by almost half in some places.
More information - BTO
Farmers help boost stone curlews
Stones removed from farmers' fields are being used to make nest plots and boost endangered bird numbers. Hugh van Cutsem, who farms the Hilborough Estate, Norfolk, donated about 20 tonnes of flints, removed from fields during soil separation. The flints were then spread on Ministry of Defence land at the nearby Stanford Battle Area to help make seven new nest plots for stone-curlews. Flints are spread in patches of approximately 50 square metres to create a stony area suitable for nesting within a plot of about a hectare. Conservations hope the flint-covered areas of sparsely vegetated ground will encourage stone-curlews to nest on the land.
More information - FWi
and there's more at http://www.habitat.org.uk/news1.htm
Annie
:t: