Lost & Found
VAGRANT SPECIES DIARY Alpine accentors, Suffolk/Norfolk UNUSUALLY SUSTAINED SOUTHERLY WINDS originating in Iberia, northwest Africa and the Canaries brought many rare migrant moths and birds to the UK from these regions during late October into early November 2022. Pallid swifts arrived in unprecedented numbers and with them were two alpine accentors. This montane species is […]
Out and about
British winters are no great challenge for pine martens, which are adapted for much colder continental conditions in the boreal forests of the far north. Their ‘flexitarian’ diet means they can find plenty of food year round. But they do spend much longer in their dens. One study in Poland found they were active just […]
Persecution of raptors at a high level
The illegal shooting, trapping and poisoning of birds of prey continues THE LATEST ANNUAL BIRDCRIME REPORT published by the RSPB reveals that the illegal persecution of birds of prey remains an ongoing problem, with common buzzards and red kites being the worst-affected species. The report identifies 108 confirmed cases of illegal killing of birds of […]
Collective nouns
WHAT’S IN A NAME?
Naturetrek
www.naturetrek.co.uk
Beach treasure
Wrap up warm and visit a shore to search for the skeletal remains of sea urchins BEACHCOMBING CAN BE A FRUITFUL AND mindful pastime at any time of year, but it’s in winter that the sea gives up many of its treasures. Among them are the skeletal remains of ancient invertebrates that have been on […]
News: Up – Down
Blue gem Two new populations of one of Britain’s rarest beetles have been discovered in Devon. The blue ground beetle, Carabus intricatus, has been found at two new sites on Dartmoor. Buglife’s Laura Larkin says, “Previously, the blue ground beetle was only known from 13 sites in Devon, Cornwall and South Wales, so these new […]
Female of the species
Lucy Cooke on the primates that rely on a community to raise their young
Room to grow
Long-tailed tits are master builders that create flexible nests ONE OF THE FIRST BIRDS YOU’RE LIKELY to see gathering nesting material each year is the long-tailed tit. The female will usually be on a clutch of between eight to 12 eggs by March, or early April further north, but before that the extraordinary nest has […]
Poo corner
ID GUIDE Long-eared bats When surveying for bats, droppings are a key indication of presence. Although there can be subtle differences between species, sometimes DNA analysis is required, which is the case when trying to tell apart brown longeared bat and grey long-eared bat droppings. Claire Boothby, Bats in Churches Project training and survey officer, […]