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Andrew Bluett and Mike Smart visited the Cinderford Northern Quarter site today, Saturday 15^th February together with Mark & Clare Kitchen, Rob Husbands and Simon Glover. (Apologies were received from other invited specialists).

The intention is to carry out a series of visits to the site through the coming months, to add to the wildlife records for the site, to monitor changes both changes through the seasons and as development progresses (assuming that it does so) and to raise awareness of the site and the wildlife that inhabits and uses the area. This was the first of these planned visits.

We met in front of Steam Mills School at SO 646 159, walked across to the CNQ site and took a route through the heart of the proposed development area (Nofold Green), around the lake and back to the school.

Much of the development area is Forestry Commission land but due to be transferred to the ownership of Forest of Dean District Council/Homes and Communities Agency by way of a proposed land swap to facilitate the development. In return for the approx. 20 acres, the Forestry Commission will receive some 80 acres of other land comprising the majority of the Linear Park and additional land to the west of the road between Forest Vale Industrial Estate and Cinderford Bridge.

The landscape to the north-west of the lake is semi-natural grassland that has regenerated on the old waste and spoil heaps resulting from past clay and coal extraction, punctuated with large numbers of Alder trees of varying sizes and is known to be inhabited and used by a variety of species including Adders.

As a result of the recent rainfall there was a significant area of standing water amongst the trees on the north west side of the site, the lake was significantly higher than its usual level and there was a swift and full flow of water in the Engine Brook.

Mark & Clare Kitchen collected botanical records during the walk, Simon Glover was able to point out various pieces of habitat known to support Grizzled and other Skippers and Wood Whites and Rob Husbands was able to point out a Tree Pipit territory from the spring of 2013. The whole party recorded bird life as the walk progressed.

Birds recorded – on the lake – Cormorant, Heron, Coot, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Black Headed Gull, Mallard; in the general area – a mixed flock of approx. 50 each Siskin and Lesser Redpoll feeding on the Alder cones, Raven, Carrion Crow (pair), Jay, Green Woodpecker (2), Sparrowhawk (fem), Buzzard, Robin, Song Thrush, Blackbird, Chaffinch, Great, Blue and Coal Tits, Wren and Nuthatch; a Goshawk was seen and watched displaying across the valley.

Mark Kitchen noted a Vole, probably Short Tailed, on the return walk to the school.

The following relating to the proposed development are appended for information –

FoDDC Land Swap Minutes

CNQ Land Use Proposal

The next field meeting is due to take place on Sunday 16th February – a visit to Whelford Pools for birds, especially winter wildfowl in the Cotswold Water Park (East) at this GWT Reserve.

Meet at the reserve car park – OS map ref SU 173 995 – leader is Ken Cservenka contactable on 01285 656480. Start 11.00am, planned to finish 1.00pm.

Be aware of the weather and the recent rainfall & flooding – wrap up warm and wear your wellington boots. If the weather forecast for Sunday is bad, check by phoning Ken to see if the meeting is going ahead, preferably on Saturday evening.

Cirencester Branch will be holding their February indoor meeting at Watermoor Church Hall on Friday 14th February. The speaker will be Mornee Button presenting “Wild Flowers of Mallorca”; 7.00pm for 7.30pm start.

If you are not treating your loved one to dinner on St Valentine’s Day, take him/her along and see some of the most beautiful floral sights to be seen on one of the Mediterranean’s gorgeous islands – get away from the beaches and see the flowers the island has to offer (also very good for some of the best birds of the region – Eleonora’s Falcon, Bee Eaters and Rollers, etc etc etc).

Stroud Valleys Project are clearing  ivy from the headstones at Bisley Road Cemetery in order to protect the lichen this Thursday 13^th February.

More volunteers are welcome – Please get in touch with Katherine Hallewell beforehand (01453 752577 is the best place to leave a message).

Come dressed for all weathers, bring gloves, secateurs etc.  9.30 am finishing at 1 pm.

Posted on behalf of:
Julie Wickham
Marketing and Fundraising Manager
Stroud Valleys Project
8 Threadneedle Street
Stroud
Gloucestershire
GL5 1AF
tel. 01453 753358
www.stroudvalleysproject.org

I would like to draw the attention of GNS members and those visiting the GNS website to two related issues, both close to my heart. The first is World Wetlands Day which is recognised worldwide, and marks the anniversary of the approval of the text of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands on 2 February 1971, in the Iranian city of Ramsar, on the southern shores of the Caspian Sea.  The Convention is the first of the modern conservation conventions; it is an intergovernmental treaty by which states designate wetlands in their territory for the Ramsar “List of Wetlands of International importance”, and promise to make “wise use” of all wetlands in their territory, whether or not they are included in the List.  Currently 168 countries have joined the Convention, listing 2,171 wetlands (covering over 207 million hectares) for the Ramsar List. Worlds Wetlands Day is an opportunity to give greater publicity to the work of the Convention, and to the value of wetlands for biodiversity, flood control, water supply and quality, carbon storage, agriculture and fisheries, and support for human livelihoods. Much of the early work on the Convention was carried out in Gloucestershire by the International Waterbird and Wetlands Research Bureau, then based at Slimbridge (nowadays with headquarters in the Netherlands and known as “Wetlands International”). The Convention Secretariat is housed with IUCN in Gland, Switzerland. Ramsar is close to my heart, as I worked for some 25 years with the Convention, first in Slimbridge, later in Gland.

To coincide with World Wetlands Day, the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) is publishing its report for winter 2011/12 on the Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS). WeBS is a series of monthly counts of water birds, which aims to monitor the numbers of waterbirds (among them swans, geese, ducks, waders and herons) which visit the UK in winter; the counts continue through spring, summer and autumn, mainly on coasts and shorelines, where numbers of passing migrant waterbirds (particularly waders) are monitored. These counts began in UK in the 1940s and now extend worldwide; they form one of the bases for judging whether a wetland qualifies as a possible Ramsar site. Within Gloucestershire (where I am the WeBS Local Organiser), counts are carried out on the Severn Estuary (both in the Frampton/Slimbridge area, and between Lydney and Chepstow), at inland sites in the Severn Vale (such as Walmore Common, Ashleworth Ham and Coombe Hill Meadows) and at sites on the Cotswolds, in particular the Cotswold Water Park. These counts are made by volunteer bird-watchers who submit their data to the BTO, and the annual report presents a picture of the numbers of water birds occurring in a previous winter, with comments on increases, decreases or particularly interesting observations.  Anyone who would like to join in the counting operations is cordially invited to contact me. The BTO website www.bto.org provides a good deal of extra information about WeBS counts, including new features giving details of the status of waterbirds, and access to historical data. Do take a look!

Link to Ramsar Convention on Wetlands website

Posted on behalf of Mike Smart
Hon Chairman, GNS
Revised 30/01/2014

A Live Animal Event for Gloucestershire February Half-Term Week

This email, which was sent to a large number of birdwatchers, has been posted here by request from Mike Smart.

Dear Colleague,

May I first of all explain that I have extracted your contact details from the Birdwatchers Yearbook 2014. I sincerely hope you don’t feel the following request is an intrusion. If so, then I apologise unreservedley.

In early 2013 I registered an E-petition relating to the licencing of upland grouse moors and gamekeepers as I believe some form of regulation is the only way forward to address the continuing practice of raptor persecution. The explanatory details accompanying the petition adequately set out the provisions I feel need consideration and discussion. After being personally involved with Hen Harrier protection for over thirty years, mainly with RSPB during the twenty years I ran what was formerly NW England Region, the current situation whereby we have lost the species as a breeding bird in England is sad news indeed and an ever present reminder that further action is required.

Whilst I’ve no illusions that a petition will automatically result in suggested measures being brought into being, a well supported proposal will allow that depth of feeling within the wider electorate  to be communicated to politicians in the hope that further debate will arise and the subject kept alive. The petition closes on the 27th February, 2014, has attracted in excess of 7500 signatures, but clearly many more would have a greater impact!  Following its closure the issue will be raised with politicians and others and the support for it quoted as an indication of the seriousness with which the matter is held.

I’m writing to you now in a personal capacity, as clearly you are involved in the “birding world”, to ask if you would promote the petition to family, friends, work colleagues, committee members of your Society or group and, indeed, to as wide a membership or constituency as possible as opportunity allows.  Full details are set out below.  By all means contact me by E-mail if you have any queries.  From time to time updates on progress will appear on my Blog  ( again, full details are given below ) to which you are welcome to refer people.  If you feel it more expedient to simply circulate this E-mail to your personal address book, or to that of your Society or group or any other appropriate list, then I have no objection to my personal details being circulated in such a way or to receiving enquiries from your contacts.

E-mail address:       John Armitage.     jsa@ornquest.plus.com

Blog address                                     http://www.birdingodyssey.blogspot.com/

E-petition details                             http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/46473

Click on any of the above to gain direct access to your required source.

Some of you, I am sure, will already be aware of the petition, indeed may have already signed it. If so, please excuse this duplication and many thanks for your previous support.  However, any further support you can offer in its promotion will be valued greatly and I am very much appreciative of your potential contribution. Thank you.

Best wishes for 2014, good birding and, again, many thanks,

John Armitage.

John S. Armitage
Isle of Islay,
Argyll,
Scotland.
PA47 7SZ

http://www.birdingodyssey.blogspot.com/

In view of recent statements about possible destruction of ancient woodlands in development sites, if new trees are planted, readers may like to see the policy of The Wildlife Trusts on biodiversity off-setting. This is a concept which has also been mentioned in relation to development of the Cinderford Northern Quarter.
This briefing was issued in July 2013:
biodiversity_offsetting_july_2013_final (PDF file)

This is a statement issued in November 2013 giving an overview of the Trusts’ position:
biodiversity_offsetting_twt_posn_pdf_59809 (PDF file)
Posted on behalf of Mike Smart.