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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Wyver Lane Nature Reserve (DWT) (3 Viewers)

A nice surprise down Wyver this afternoon post Manxie twitch. A juvenile male Ruff which is the first record since 2010. Also Heron, 69 Teal, 3 Shoveler, 28 BHG, Kestrel Buzzard, Common Sand, Sand Martin, Chiffy, Goldcrest and c15 House Martins. Stoat seen again on the far bank with prey, looked like a mouse or vole.
 
A quick visit last night revealed the Ruff still present, c50 Teal, 3 Shoveler, Goosander, Grey Heron and a Mute Swan.
 
No sign of the Ruff yesterday but not surprising considering the higher water levels. However, a Common Sand was still clinging on to what little mud there is. The roost wasn't great with just 85 Mallard and a few Geese.

Teal was down to 52 plus 3 Shoveler still. A single redhead Goosander dropped in for a while. Male Sparrowhawk and a Hobby terrorising good numbers of House Martins and Swallows moving through. Also 4 Sand Martins. Barn Owl out at 19.54 over the old tip. 32 Lessers on the main pool is a good count for Wyver, mostly adult birds but a few juv/1st winters also.

5 Chiffchaffs with 1 singing, the first Blackcap for a while. Grey Heron, 2 Pieds, Snipe, 3 Stock Doves, 23 BHG, GS Woodpecker, Jay and a couple of Goldcrest.
 
Hi Dave,
What an absurd situation regarding the unlocking of the Wyver Lane hide. Who is making these decisions; field naturalists with a knowledge of the site or desk-bound diversity & policy-delivery merchants? And what, for pity's sake, is a Living Landscape Officer?
This sort of bone-headed ignorance should not go unchallenged and there is no better weapon against it than publicity. I do not have the slightest doubt that a warning about the likely (make that certain) future use of the hide in the local media would initiate public debate.
People in Belper are sick of the low-life that infests the town centre and the idea of giving them a nice private holiday home would surely make the Wildlife Trust at least reconsider. I would also suggest that an approach outlining the problem be made to other wildlife organisations - the RSPB for instance - and both Belper Town Council and Amber Valley District Council. I am certainly going to ring my councillors and have a rant about it because I can think of little more repellent than the thought of going back to a time when I used to get tired of having to get a stick to hook condoms out of the unlocked hide and of finding plastered kids in there awash with cheap cider. I am also going to write to the Trust as a matter of urgency.
What is especially disgraceful about this situation is that the Trust appears to have made their idiotic plans without reference to those who use the Lane and the hide and without seeking your expert and informed opinion.
Prior to writing this, I had a walk along Wyver and asked everybody I met if they knew about the plan and if they thought it was a good idea. Score: For it - nil. Against it - 16.
I would be happy to place a story in the local media - Derby Tel, Belper News, Radio Derby, Derbyshire Life, Derbyshire Times etc - if you feel that would be useful. "Wildlife Trust plan will create Junky Reserve;" that sort of thing. I'd be happy to help and to meet on Wyver sometime to discuss the idea of publicity.
Cheers, Neil H
 
Blitherinamateur said:
Hi Dave,
What an absurd situation regarding the unlocking of the Wyver Lane hide. Who is making these decisions; field naturalists with a knowledge of the site or desk-bound diversity & policy-delivery merchants? And what, for pity's sake, is a Living Landscape Officer?
This sort of bone-headed ignorance should not go unchallenged and there is no better weapon against it than publicity. I do not have the slightest doubt that a warning about the likely (make that certain) future use of the hide in the local media would initiate public debate.
People in Belper are sick of the low-life that infests the town centre and the idea of giving them a nice private holiday home would surely make the Wildlife Trust at least reconsider. I would also suggest that an approach outlining the problem be made to other wildlife organisations - the RSPB for instance - and both Belper Town Council and Amber Valley District Council. I am certainly going to ring my councillors and have a rant about it because I can think of little more repellent than the thought of going back to a time when I used to get tired of having to get a stick to hook condoms out of the unlocked hide and of finding plastered kids in there awash with cheap cider. I am also going to write to the Trust as a matter of urgency.
What is especially disgraceful about this situation is that the Trust appears to have made their idiotic plans without reference to those who use the Lane and the hide and without seeking your expert and informed opinion.
Prior to writing this, I had a walk along Wyver and asked everybody I met if they knew about the plan and if they thought it was a good idea. Score: For it - nil. Against it - 16.
I would be happy to place a story in the local media - Derby Tel, Belper News, Radio Derby, Derbyshire Life, Derbyshire Times etc - if you feel that would be useful. "Wildlife Trust plan will create Junky Reserve;" that sort of thing. I'd be happy to help and to meet on Wyver sometime to discuss the idea of publicity.
Cheers, Neil H
Click to expand...

Neil, thanks for this. We have by the looks of it reached a bit of a compromise. I was, as was everybody else not happy with the idea of the hide being open 24/7. If it can be worked then the hide will be open from 09.00 until 18.00 but earlier in winter so will be locked at night. This was my biggest fear, it being open at night when all sorts of things could happen. Hopefully in the day time apart from birders there will be enough activity on the lane to prevent anything untoward happening. We can live in hope but at least it's a start.
 
I've been exchanging emails with Alex Morley (Living Landscape Officer) regarding the problems that Wyver will have with the hide being left open.This was my response to how we would manage to lock it at night and open it in the morning. As you can see I have no problem locking/unlocking the hide.

Alex

The trouble with Wyver is that it is a very under watched site and it's really only me that gets down there 4, 5, 6 or maybe 7 times a week. As I live in Belper it's not too far for me to go. There's really only 3 more birders who go there every now and again but due to one living in Derby and the other 2 having various commitments any rota would be problematic. I'm happy locking/unlocking in the meantime.

Dave

This was his response this morning.

Dave

I have removed the lock and hasp this morning. It can sit on my desk until such times as a more formal and workable rota can be arranged. That ball now sits with the regular hide users - not just on your shoulders, and i"m receptive to any constructive communications.

Alex

So my email about a rota being problematic and that I'm more than happy locking and unlocking the hide obviously fell on deaf ears. So the hide is now fully open 24/7 :-C
 
DaveN said:
I've been exchanging emails with Alex Morley (Living Landscape Officer) regarding the problems that Wyver will have with the hide being left open.This was my response to how we would manage to lock it at night and open it in the morning. As you can see I have no problem locking/unlocking the hide.

Alex

The trouble with Wyver is that it is a very under watched site and it's really only me that gets down there 4, 5, 6 or maybe 7 times a week. As I live in Belper it's not too far for me to go. There's really only 3 more birders who go there every now and again but due to one living in Derby and the other 2 having various commitments any rota would be problematic. I'm happy locking/unlocking in the meantime.

Dave

This was his response this morning.

Dave

I have removed the lock and hasp this morning. It can sit on my desk until such times as a more formal and workable rota can be arranged. That ball now sits with the regular hide users - not just on your shoulders, and i"m receptive to any constructive communications.

Alex

So my email about a rota being problematic and that I'm more than happy locking and unlocking the hide obviously fell on deaf ears. So the hide is now fully open 24/7 :-C
Click to expand...

Unbelievable! I shall not be renewing my membership purely for them to replace/repair the hide when it is vandalised!

Phil
 
Anyway, away from the politics for a moment. Latest update: 15/09: 50 Teal, 3 Shoveler, 141 Mallard, 2 Kestrel, Com Sand, Barn Owl over the old tip at 19.48, 7 Stock Doves and 19 Magpies.

17/09: 167 Mallard, 55 Teal, 2 Shoveler, Mandarin, Goosander, Snipe, 2 Barn Owls...one over the old tip at 19.49 then both together near hide at 19.51, Little Owl heard, 45 BH Gull and 30 Swallows.

18/09: 64 Teal, 2 Shoveler, Snipe.

19/09: 2 Little Grebe, 124 Mallard, 61 Teal, 2 Shoveler, 3 Wigeon were the first of the autumn, 4 Buzzard, Little Owl heard again, Barn Owl again over the old tip field at 19.38, 55 House Martins south, 4 Chiffchaff, male Blackcap, a juv Whitethroat which is one of the latest if not the latest, 2 jays, the first Reed Bunting for some time, and a Goldcrest.
 
hampers said:
Dave, just plain blinkered stupidity in my eyes. I lived and worked on a Scottish island and even there vandalism took place so what chance here?
Click to expand...

Yes very stupid, I sort of dread going down now just in case there is damage to the hide, or even if the hide is still standing.
 
Still 2 Common Whitethroats yesterday feasting on elderberries in the northern boundary hedge. This equals the latest ever Wyver record when 1 was also feeding on edlerberries near the Wyver Lane sign in 2013. Also a Grey Heron, 2 Shoveler, 142 Mallard, 49 Teal, 2 redhead Goosander, both Barn Owl and Tawny, the Barn Owl out at 19.27, 2 Buzzards, 2 Kestrel, 3 Snipe, 20 LBB Gulls NW, 3 Chiffchaff including 1 singing, 17 Magpies, 3 Goldcrests, 2 Jays, 11 Robin and a Nuthatch.
 
Hi Dave. Thanks for the update. The action of the Living Landscapes Officer does tend to confirm what I have been thinking for some time about the bureaucratic tendencies of the DWT as well as suggesting that he is an inflexible twerp who is impervious to reason.
I am in the process of writing to the Trust to request information about the decision and I am also going to ring the LLO to seek an explanation and justification for his/their action. Is it now, for instance, DWT policy that all hides on their sites be open at all times and that all their reserves have unlimited public access? And if so, why?
When I have whatever answers I can get from them I am going to write a piece about the issue and distribute it to the Belper News, Derby Telegraph, Derbyshire Times, Radio Derby, BBC East Midlands, Central TV (East) and sundry local magazines. I will also be contacting the police to see if they have any thoughts on the provision of an open-all-hours drug den in a town with a growing problem with substance abuse.
I will keep you posted. NH
ps I had an afternoon at Attenborough this week and, out of interest, asked one of the Notts WT site volunteers why they had somebody go round all the hides to lock them up for the night. She replied: "It's bad enough having kids roaming about the place at all hours without giving them dens to use for their mischief. It would be no end of trouble." N
 
Hi again Dave,
I have written to the chief exec of the DWT to express my own concern and have added a list of questions about the decision. I have also informed her that, depending on the answers, I may place a story in the local news media about fears that the Trust will create a den for drug-takers and underage drinkers while rendering the hide a no-go area for its intended use.
 
We seem to be going backwards and forwards here. I have received yet another email from the Living Landscape Officer with yet another change of heart. He/they are now happy with my original proposition regarding the hide. The lock and hasp are being put back on this week as long as the hide is open in the day time and locked at night. Like I said before I'm happy with that. While I am happy to lock/unlock most of the time I won't be able to do it every day so I'm looking at getting one or two more involved to do this. I can't see this being a problem.
 
DaveN said:
We seem to be going backwards and forwards here. I have received yet another email from the Living Landscape Officer with yet another change of heart. He/they are now happy with my original proposition regarding the hide. The lock and hasp are being put back on this week as long as the hide is open in the day time and locked at night. Like I said before I'm happy with that. While I am happy to lock/unlock most of the time I won't be able to do it every day so I'm looking at getting one or two more involved to do this. I can't see this being a problem.
Click to expand...

Dave, that is really good of you. Whilst not ideal at least it goes some of the way to maintaining the hide. Thanks for you efforts, I may be along tomorrow.

Cheers, Phil
 
Latest update: I mentioned in a previous post that the Whitethtroats on the 21st equalled the latest date for Wyver. Well on Friday the 22nd I had a single bird in the elderberry bush in the boundary hedge, so this is now a new record for the latest ever at Wyver. Also on 22nd was 106 Mallard, 52 Teal, 2 Goosander, Little Owl, 2 Barn Owls, Snipe up to 8, 31 Magpies, 3 Chiffchaff, 26 Swallows and 27 House Martins through.

24th: 102 Mallard, 49 Teal, 4 Shoveler, drake Wigeon, Hobby, 13 Snipe, 2 Little Owls calling on the other side of the river, 2 Chiffchaff, 9 Stock Dove, 21 Magpies and a Noctule Bat.

A brief visit half hour ago revealed 33 Teal, 3 Shoveler, 10 Lapwing and 9 Snipe.
 
Blitherinamateur said:
Hi again Dave,
I have written to the chief exec of the DWT to express my own concern and have added a list of questions about the decision. I have also informed her that, depending on the answers, I may place a story in the local news media about fears that the Trust will create a den for drug-takers and underage drinkers while rendering the hide a no-go area for its intended use.
Click to expand...

Hi Neil, thanks for doing this. Please let me know what their response is. Cheers.
 
hampers said:
Dave, that is really good of you. Whilst not ideal at least it goes some of the way to maintaining the hide. Thanks for you efforts, I may be along tomorrow.

Cheers, Phil
Click to expand...

Cheers Phil, I will be down myself tomorrow (as usual) but wil be getting down there probably around 14.00 maybe a little later.
 
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