Ben Locke

New WeBS site in Gloucestershire

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Alney Island (photo: Andrew Jayne)

The Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS) is a nationwide survey, administered by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), which aims to make monthly counts of water birds at as many wetlands as possible, in order to assess numbers of birds, and to pinpoint the principal sites important for them. (Similar surveys are carried out all over Europe and Africa, so this is part of an international effort).

Many Gloucestershire sites are already covered – on the Severn estuary, in the Severn and Avon Vales, at pools and reservoirs, along Cotswold rivers and at the Cotswold Water Park. The counts are carried out by a large group of volunteer observers, many of then GNS members, whose results contribute to the national picture, with an annual report produced by BTO; (new volunteers always welcome!).

The latest addition to the county list of WeBS sites is Alney Island, an area of low floodable meadow alongside the Severn, very close to the centre of Gloucester, part of which is a reserve managed by Gloucester City Council. In times like the present, with extensive flooding, the site holds a variety of surface-feeding ducks such as Teal, Wigeon and Shoveler, as well as birds that frequent thicker vegetation like Water Rail and Coot; in addition the site is a winter home to Reed Buntings which roost in the Typha bed at Port Ham, and rarer birds like Yellow-browed Warbler or Siberian Chiffchaff.

Sightings from GNS meeting at Ripple Lakes

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Ripple Lakes are two former sand and gravel pits in the floodplain of the Severn in south Worcestershire, very close to the Gloucestershire boundary, one on each side of the M50, on the left (east) bank. These new lakes, where extraction has only just been completed, hold fairly deep water throughout the year, in particular in late summer and early autumn when other natural wetlands in north Gloucestershire and south Worcestershire (such as Coombe Hill, Ashleworth/Hasfield Ham or Longdon Marsh) often dry out (though not in autumn 2019!). As such they represent a new wetland for the area, and are attracting water birds, both diving ducks which seek deeper water, and surface-feeding ducks and geese which can graze around the grassy edges. Clearly a topic worthy of further investigation by a recording society like Gloucestershire Naturalists’ Society: a field meeting had been scheduled in early December, but had to be postponed because the whole of the floodplain was deeply flooded. Nothing daunted, a doughty band of GNS members (with some guests from the Cheltenham Bird Club) gathered on 19 January, in bright frosty conditions with brilliant light, to investigate the birds present.

As expected, numbers and variety of diving water birds were greater than in shallower Gloucestershire sites: 35 Pochard, 65 Tufted Ducks and a Goldeneye, plus ten Great Crested Grebes. Numbers of geese and surface feeding ducks proved disappointing – just 100 Greylags and 60 Canadas (some of which may already have returned to nesting sites further north) and only 4 Wigeon and 2 Shoveler (perhaps the bigger numbers of these surface-feeding ducks were still back in shallow floodwater at Coombe Hill and Ashleworth). Another bird of interest was a Great White Egret, a still rare Mediterranean heron which has only recently begun to occur, like its smaller cousin the Little Egret, in southern England. Finally an interesting series of waders was noted: a Green Sandpiper and three Snipe would have been winter visitors. as was a most unexpected Common Sandpiper (which normally winters south of the Sahara). On the other hand two Oystercatchers on the island in the south lake were no doubt early returning birds, just arrived to assert their territorial rights on this island which holds a variety of nesting waders; spring must be just around the corner!

Gloucestershire Bird Report 2013

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The 2013 Gloucestershire Bird Report is now available. This is the 51st edition of this annual publication. Copies have already been posted to GNS members who opted to receive it. Further copies are now available to purchase for £9.50 including postage, via our Publications page.

Curlew talk with Mary Colwell

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Curlews, with Mary Colwell, 7.30 Wednesday 23rd November, Gala Club, Fairmile Gdns, Gloucester, GL2 9EB. Free – no booking necessary, donations welcome on the evening.

Mary works with BBC Wildlife in Bristol, and has been deeply concerned at the decline of the Curlew, not only in UK, but in Ireland, where the decline has been even more dramatic. To draw attention to this issue she undertook a 500 mile walk in May, beginning in Ireland and ending in Lincolnshire. Details of her walk and of many other Curlew projects are presented on her website www.curlewmedia.com. She is currently active in promoting  actions to conserve Curlews, and in raising funds for this purpose. She is organising (in cooperation with the Irish official conservation authorities) a conference on Curlews at Tullamore, County Offaly, in early November, is holding a series of public Curlew evenings to publicise Curlew issues, and is a key figure in planning the major workshop planned for Slimbridge on February 2nd.

Asian hornet identified in Gloucestershire

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The National Bee Unit has confirmed a sighting of the Asian hornet in the Tetbury area of Gloucestershire – the first time the hornet has been discovered in the UK. The Asian hornet is smaller than our native hornet and poses no greater risk to human health than a bee. However, they do pose a risk to honey bees. The hornet found in Tetbury is currently undergoing DNA testing at the National Bee Unit in North Yorkshire to help establish how it arrived in the UK. The hornet arrived in France in 2004 and is now common across large areas of Europe. It was discovered for the first time in Jersey and Alderney this summer. It is believed the species will not be able survive in the north of the UK due to colder winters.

Defra press release:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/asian-hornet-identified-in-gloucestershire
Links to the ID guide:
http://www.nonnativespecies.org/alerts/index.cfm?id=4
Online recording page:
http://www.brc.ac.uk/risc/alert.php?species=asian_hornet

Dragonflies & Damselflies of Gloucestershire now on sale

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Dragons Cover002Copies of ‘Dragonflies & Damselflies of Gloucestershire’ by Ingrid Twisell are now available to buy on the publications page. The result of a long and careful campaign of fieldwork and recording, this publication is an important addition to Gloucestershire fauna reference works and contains much useful information about dragonflies & damselflies in the county complete with distribution maps, flight times, sites guide etc. It is lavishly illustrated with photographs of both species and habitats. Copies of the book cost £15 plus £2.50 p&p. Please note that stocks are limited.

Join GNS online!

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It is now possible to become a member of GNS online. Various options such as one-year membership, recurring annual membership and life membership are available to both new and existing members alike.

In addition to field meetings and indoor meetings, members of the Society receive:

  • the quarterly newsletter, containing articles on wildlife matters as well as news about the Society and its events;
  • a free copy of The Gloucestershire Bird Report each year;
  • free copies of The Gloucestershire Naturalist which contains more scientific articles on Gloucestershire wildlife.

GNS members also have free access to the Society’s extensive library of several thousand volumes, which is held at Hartpury College.

For further information, to become a member or to renew your existing membership, visit our membership page.

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