EXETER AND DISTRICT LOCAL GROUP - The RSPB · Exeter and District Local Group Newsletter No. 165...

EXETER AND DISTRICT

LOCAL GROUP

The RSPB is the country’s largest nature conservation charity, inspiring everyone to give nature a home.

The RSPB is a registered charity: in England and Wales no. 207076; in Scotland no.SC037654

giving nature a home

Editorial

What to do to lift/calm the referendum blues/euphoria? Why not head north, right through England (Out), on through Scotland (In), all the way up to pretty much the northernmost habitation on the northernmost island of the Northern Isles? Why not indeed? Red throated divers every day; more Great Skuas than you can even think of shaking a stick at; 27,000 pairs of Gannets assaulting just about every sense you possess; all against a backdrop of completely unspoilt scenery, with nothing between you and the Arctic except miles of sea; so much peace and quiet that you can hear your brain tick. Watching wildlife is definitely good for one’s health and temper. Surely we can learn something from the animals? OK, life is one continuous round of survival, but they don’t seem to have to worry too much about freedom of movement (although they do run the risk of getting shot in some areas), and passports and visas are of no concern whatsoever. They don’t have to worry about pension pots, interest rates, stock market uncertainties, balance of trade figures, inflation, etc. The mysteries of Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, Instagram & Snapchat are even more mysterious than they are to most of us. Where’s Dr Dolittle when you need him?

John Parker

*** Please submit any material for the next issue by 11th October to –

e-mail: [email protected] or post: John Parker, 2 St Sevan Way Exmouth, EX8 5RE

…and some words from our Group Leader

I suspect that very many of you are like me, more than a little concerned that ‘we’ have voted to leave the European Union. Even putting aside issues such as immigration, trade and finance, there are of course other major points which are not clear. Do the EU Directives still hold once we leave the Union? I am of course particularly thinking of those which have an impact on wildlife, namely the Birds Directive, the Marine Strategy Framework Directive and the Habitats Directive. The latter covering areas close to our hearts, like Dartmoor, Exmoor, East Devon Pebble Heaths and Dawlish Warren. When will these matters be addressed and will anyone in the new government care anyway?

The summer goes on even if the weather does not reflect the season. Therefore the new indoor talks will soon be upon us and I look forward to the programme which has been arranged. At our AGM in October the Regional Director, Nick Bruce-White, will be our guest and will speak to us. Surely not to be missed.

I am pleased to tell you that we have a new Group Secretary following the resignation of Loran Waite, Tracey Coombs has kindly agreed to take on the role and I will introduce her to those at the next indoor meeting. Our thanks go to Loran for the work she has done over the past two years.

On a different matter can I ask for some help! I recently boiled an egg for my breakfast (not for the first time!) and found myself pondering which end I should open and subsequently which way does the chicken lay the egg, pointy end or flatter end first?

Roger Tucker

mailto:[email protected]

Exeter and District Local Group Newsletter No. 165 Autumn 2016 of 16


FORTHCOMING EVENTS

Indoor Meetings

All meetings start at 7.30 pm in the United Reform Church Hall, Southernhay, Exeter

Members – £3.50 : Non-members – £4.00

Tue 13th September 2016 : “Exeter Wild City & the Swift Project” plus “Gardening

for Wildlife in the City?” by Emily Stallworthy

Emily is Conservation Officer at Devon Wildlife Trust. Urban Wildlife is often more unusual & unexpected than you might think possible. Exeter Wild City project aims to make this city a national beacon for wildlife conservation. A fascinating insight into nature around us & the many ways it is being protected and encouraged to flourish.

Tue 11th October 2016 : AGM, followed by RSPB SW Regional Director Nick

Bruce-White on "Saving Nature in South West England"

Nick has been Regional Director for the RSPB in South West England since October last year. He has worked for the RSPB for 15 years, most recently as Regional Reserves Manager in Northern England and before that working across London & the Thames Estuary. He grew up in Wiltshire, where his family have farmed for many generations (incidentally, very near to the RSPB's Winterbourne Downs reserve) but now lives in Exeter with his wife Catriona and 4-year old daughter Elspeth. As a family they love exploring the outdoors and getting close to nature, both in the SW and travelling more widely.

Tue 8th November 2016 : “English Wildlife - Autumn & Winter” by David Kjaer David’s last talk ‘English Wildlife - Spring & Summer’ was excellent & his beautiful photos much enjoyed. He is a lifelong birdwatcher and naturalist, drawing inspiration from his observations of the natural world. His work has been published in numerous books, calendars, cards, newspapers and magazines around the world

Carolyn Channing

Plant Sale and Spring Fayre

Once again, at the end of the morning we were slightly anxious about the amount likely to have been raised in view of attendance figures, but once again we were surprised! A grand sum of £528.35.

Thank you so much to everyone who donated items to be sold, or helped before/during/after the event, or came and spent their money…we really appreciate your support!

As has been said before, our events are often a chance to catch up with old friends and acquaintances and, as such, are enjoyed by many. Do try and come to the next one…Saturday 19

th

November! More details will follow and we look forward to seeing you there.

RSPB Autumn/Winter Gift Catalogue 2016

I know it’s far too early to be thinking of Autumn, Winter and Christmas, but some people have commented that by the time they receive the next newsletter it’s too late! There may also be some new Local Group Members who aren’t aware of the ‘service’ which we have been offering for about 25 years now!

Your copy of the RSPB gift catalogue should arrive soon (or of course you can access it online) and once you have decided which items you would like to purchase, you can place your order with me and save money on postage and packing. When your order arrives I will contact you to arrange collection and you pay, on receipt, by cash or cheque.



All purchases benefit the RSPB.

Please tell your family, friends and neighbours too!

Order by: phone (01392 258786), e-mail ([email protected])

or post (12, St Loyes Rd, Heavitree, EXETER, EX2 5HL)

Marilyn Steel

Outdoor Trips

For outdoor meetings, weatherproof clothing and waterproof footwear are recommended.

Barn Owl = car share meeting point, SX 962928

Sun 21st

Aug 2016 : a morning trip to … Bowling Green Marsh

We will make a circular walk around Topsham, including a visit to Bowling Green Marsh for waders and ducks. Even though it’s summer, autumn migration is already starting and anything may turn up!

Meet: 9.30 am at Holman Way Car Park, Topsham (SX968881). Car park charge. Please do not park on the approach road to Bowling Green.

Toilets on Topsham Quay

Tue 6th

Sep 2016 : a morning trip to … Black Hole Marsh and Colyford Common

Some rare migrant waders have previously been seen at Black Hole Marsh at this time of year - in 2015, the group just missed seeing a Baird’s Sandpiper.

Meet: 9.30 am at Axe Wetlands car park, accessed through Seaton Cemetery (SY249915)

Refreshments available at the Discovery Hut, and toilets adjacent

Sun 18th

Sep 2016 : a day trip to … Prawle

Starting from East Prawle village, we will take a scenic walk around the cliffs near Prawle Point. We hope to see a variety of autumn migrants as well as the local Cirl Buntings.

Meet: 8.30 am at the Barn Owl (SX962928) or 10.00 am at East Prawle car park (SX781362)

Cafe and toilets by village green Bring lunch

Sat 1st

Oct 2016 : a morning trip (maybe more) from … Shipley Bridge to Avon Dam

The path from Shipley Bridge to the Avon Dam can be a good area to spot a variety of woodland and moorland birds – perhaps including Ring Ouzels on migration. We may continue birding into the afternoon, depending on what has been reported nearby.

Meet: 8.30 am at the Barn Owl (SX962928) or 9.20 am at Shipley Bridge car park (SX680628)

Toilets at Shipley Bridge Bring lunch if staying until the afternoon

Sun 16th

Oct 2016 : a day trip to … Portland

Portland’s geography means that it can be an excellent place to see a variety of migrants. We will visit several different sites on the Isle of Portland, and perhaps one of the RSPB Weymouth reserves.

Meet: 8.30 am at the Barn Owl (SX962928) or 10.00 am at the Chesil beach visitor centre car park by the Fleet (SY668755) Car park charge(s)

Toilets at Chesil Beach and Portland Bill Bring lunch




Sun 30th

Oct 2016 : a day trip to … Isley Marsh

This is a full-day field trip to look for waders, ducks and other wintering birds around the Taw-Torridge estuary. We’ll visit the RSPB Isley Marsh reserve in the morning, moving on either to the adjacent Home Farm reserve or to Fremington in the afternoon.

Meet: 8.30 am at the Barn Owl (SX962928) or 9.45 am at the access point to the Tarka Trail at Yelland (SS483322)

Toilet and refreshments in cafe at Fremington Bring lunch

Mon 21st

Nov 2016 : a morning trip to … Dawlish Warren

By November, there will be a large number of waders and ducks on the Exe estuary. After exploring the woods and open areas on the Warren, we will visit the hide to view the high tide roost of Oystercatchers and other waders.

Meet: 9.30 am in car park (north end, near nature reserve, SX981786), continuing to lunchtime. Car park charge.

Toilets near car park

I have a mailing list for e-mail reminders and updates about the outdoor meeting programme.

If you would like me to include you in this list, please e-mail me at [email protected]

Richard Swinbank

NEWS AND INFORMATION

Birdwatching trip to Hampshire

In January 2017, we are planning a trip to Hampshire, where we will visit several birdwatching sites in and around the New Forest. We will be staying in Hordle, near Lymington, which is just outside the National Park boundary. It is a convenient base to visit Keyhaven and Pennington Marshes on the south coast. We will also visit Blashford Lakes, near Ringwood (which we visited on the way back from our previous trip to Sussex), and one or two other sites in the New Forest itself.

We will base ourselves in the Premier Inn (Lymington, Hordle), arriving on Monday 23rd

January and departing on Thursday 26

th January, i.e., staying for 3 nights.

In a change from our normal arrangements for these trips, you will need to book your stay directly via the hotel website, www.premierinn.com or by phone, 0333 003 8101. The room rate is variable, and depends whether you pay in advance (non-refundable) or make a flexible booking (paying on arrival). We plan to eat at the adjacent Brewers Fayre restaurant (not included in the room cost, more information on the website).

In addition, since it is a local group trip, we will need those who participate to pay £10 to contribute to the group’s public liability insurance and other expenses.

Please tell me once you have booked, and send me a cheque payable to RSPB Exeter Group for £10 per person (to 9 Broad Oak Close, West Hill, Ottery St Mary, EX11 1XW). Please include your contact details, and whether you need, or can offer, a lift to other participants. If you have any queries, please contact me; my phone number is 01404 813666 and my email address is [email protected].

Richard Swinbank


http://www.premierinn.com/




Exe Estuary Reserves – selected musings from the residential volunteers

(from http://www.rspb.org.uk/discoverandenjoynature/seenature/reserves/guide/e/exminsterpowderham/index.aspx)

15 Apr, Ryan : Nesting time is here

In practical news this week we have been renovating the set of steps on the Powderham path leading to the viewing platform. They had become worn and water appeared to be gathering at the base so they’re being re-dug and the wet muddy area replaced with a layer of stones.

The Lapwing appear to be doing well, with more sitting each week. Sedge and Reed Warblers have now arrived on site with their confusingly similar songs sparking many a debate as to which species each song belongs! Another piece of wildlife news is the Short-Eared Owl being back on the reserve. We had brilliant views as it quartered around the fields between the canal and the motorway bridge last Saturday and more reports came in from earlier this week. Phil has also been lucky enough to see a Common Tern fishing on the lagoon which made me very jealous!

Keen moth enthusiasts will be pleased to know that we have begun trapping this year, our first haul consisting of 4 Hebrew Character and 2 Common Quaker. Not too bad for a cold and windy night.

22 Apr, Steve’s April blog

We went to Labrador bay with our volunteer work party to install a new step by the gate leading into the field off the car park, and re-hang a kissing gate on the Southwest coast path. The resident ponies will be moved off the reserve soon, to be replaced by cattle and sheep from a local farmer.

Following on from Ryan and Phil’s first moth trapping we had a good night last Saturday with a total of 26 moths from 8 species - Powdered Quaker (6), Common Quaker (5), Small Quaker (1), Clouded Drab (2), Hebrew Character (8), Early Grey (2), Early Thorn (1) and Brindled Beauty (1).

We have several new arrivals on the reserves with sightings of Wheatear, Swift and Whitethroat having been noted. We have also seen Ringed Plover and Common Sandpiper on the Powdwerham reserve. Several Whimbrel have also been noted again at Bowling Green Marsh, along with the Spotted Redshank, which is in full summer plumage.

20 May, Morning Folks.....

We have had a good week with regards to rarer birds being spotted on the reserve, with a Purple Heron at the beginning of last week which stayed for a few days. Also we had a Wood Sandpiper on the freshly created scrape down the turf path.

27 May, Ryans Bank Holiday Blog

The work party focus this Thursday was on fixing gates on Exminster Marshes. With all the boisterous cattle rubbing themselves on fences and gateposts at this time of year, keeping up with the important infrastructures repairs is an ongoing battle. We are grateful to the hard working volunteers for digging holes and hammering nails helping us keep on top of it, but the cattle are always one step ahead!

5 June, Steve’s June Blog

Most of the lapwing chicks are close to fledging, with lots of preening and testing of wings, so they will be away very soon.

17 June, Steve’s mid-June blog

On Wednesday we had a morning’s work undertaking running repairs on the predator exclusion fence on the Powderham side of the reserve because the fence voltage readings had been particularly low.

We have also been undertaking footpath maintenance work, mowing and strimming the public and permissive footpaths around the reserve, as well as some gate removal, to maintain good access for the members of the public, especially wheelchairs and pushchairs.

24 June, Hannah’s first blog

My name is Hannah, one of the new Residential Volunteers here at the Exe Estuary. My first week is drawing to an end and so far it has been wet, muddy and tiring but wonderful. Just like every typical British summer should be! I am learning that wellies, waterproofs and enthusiasm are must-haves! So far, I have chased cows, built fences, watched birds and butterflies, cleared plants and somehow managed to not fall over once!

Each day here varies hugely. I am learning that a lot of conservation work involves estate management and maintaining land to make sure that it is in the best possible condition for wildlife to thrive in. This involves a lot of training and I am looking forward to learning how to use a quadbike,

http://www.rspb.org.uk/discoverandenjoynature/seenature/reserves/guide/e/exminsterpowderham/index.aspx



chainsaw and various other pieces of equipment needed for this job. I’m not sure that my parents are quite as keen for me to gain these skills...

1 Jul, Nick’s First Blog

Hello everyone, my name is Nick, another of the new residential volunteers here at Exe Estuary. My background is in tropical conservation of mainly marine species, so the RSPB is a bit of a diversion for me but excellent experience in UK conservation and species management.

We have spent quite a bit of time this week at Labrador Bay trying to manage the bracken situation. The bushy coastal slopes are key habitat for the Cirl Bunting, so clearing the area for less dominating grasses and flowers to grow though has become a priority. Although there is a lot of bracken there we have made a dent this week, and this will be an ongoing project over the coming weeks and months.

7 Jul, Andrew's First Blog

Hi, my name is Andrew, a part time volunteer at the Exe Estuary Reserve, hoping to work more closely with nature, while gaining experience of surveying and managing habitat. I think I’ve joined at just the right time as I’ve been on quite a few lapwing, butterfly and dragonfly surveys since arriving. I found identifying damselflies and dragonflies incredibly difficult, especially as they often refused to settle. However, when they did land it was worth the wait as they are stunning creatures.

On my first day we set up a cattle fence around a wetland scrape, to allow emergent flowering plants to grow, creating more habitat and food sources for insects and invertebrates, in order to encourage more birds to feed in this area. Last week I helped to check water levels, learning how to control them across the marsh using sluices and pumps. Powderham Marsh has been a definite highlight for me. Of course it’s important for lapwings and I’ve been on a couple of surveys with residential volunteers Hannah and Nick. The path we walk to get there is short but full of things to see. Last time I saw a black and yellow spotted longhorn beetle on a hogweed flower. It’s apparently a common longhorn but this was a first sighting for me.

Aylesbeare Reserves

April

Spring at last! The breeding season is much further along than usual; bird surveyors spotted 2 nests of siskins with chicks eager to be fed in mid-April. Unusual for two reasons – very early, AND we don’t often get breeding siskin at all. Toby reckons he has already heard a cuckoo, which would be a first for Devon, and they need to get a move on or all the species they parasitise will have fledged their first broods! Willow warblers arrived on the 7

th April, they are usually the first breeding migrants

to arrive. Although we know plenty of Dartford warblers are about and getting on with breeding, they are being strangely invisible. They probably started so early that they’ve stopped flaunting themselves on the gorse bushes so as not to draw unwelcome attention to their nests full of chicks.

The winter work program finished in a bit of a mad rush to complete pond maintenance and scrape creation funded by The Landfill Communities Fund through Tarmac Lafarge. Many thanks to them!

Our stockman, Vlad is off for a month to Belgium to share expertise and learn from their conservation grazing over there. Let’s hope he brings back plenty of chocolate... Of course we will be maintaining the checks on the ponies, so there will be a variety of people taking on Vlad’s role during May.

Back at our base pressure is on to finish the new log cabin: our builder has given us a completion date, as he wants to move on to his next job, and that is a great way to make us get on with it! The plasterers have finished, so now we can start on the floors. The new double-sided stove is in, thanks to sponsorship from Stovax. So hopefully I can soon start arranging the completion party!



May

Warm and wet! At last, some good growing weather, bringing on the bluebells which are having a great year in the woody margins of the reserve. Out in the heath lousewort is showing its little, pink, lippy flowers – an interesting plant described as “partially parasitic” on other herbs – one way of surviving the nutrient-poor heathland environment. And the classic acid wetland specialist sundew is now to be found in the boggy areas, spreading its sticky leaves to supplement its poor diet with small insects. These are annuals, so we never know exactly where they will appear each year and sometimes vehicle wheel ruts on the tracks are the favoured spots.

The butterflies which over-winter as adults, such as brimstones and peacocks are now being joined by those freshly hatching from pupae – orange tips, speckled woods and green-veined whites are on the wing. There are plenty of reptiles in evidence, adders, grass snakes and slow worms using the warm sunny patches to bask.

The Breeding Birds surveys are now two-thirds complete and we have found a couple of pairs of skylarks nesting, which hasn’t happened for a few years. There are good numbers of meadow pipits with a few tree pipits mixed in if you really want to test your id skills on small brown birds! The Dartford warbler numbers are stable compared to last year and stonechats have gone up a little, but yellowhammers are down in numbers.

Staff and volunteers have been rallying round to care for the livestock while Vlad, our stockman, is in Belgium sharing his experience of conservation grazing. Grazing must go on and ponies are now out on the Stockland Turbaries and at Trinity Hill. Galloway cattle are about to go out on the main reserve and there will be a group of Herefords (new to us) on Venn Ottery Common.

On the reserve fence line maintenance goes on – preventing brambles from engulfing the new fences. And our hayfields have had some drainage work as well as spot treatments for thistles and docks.

Back at base the new log cabin is now at the internal fittings stage, so we are having a big push to get the major tasks finished before our favourite builder slopes off to his next job, and, naturally, we are keen to move in to the new office as soon as possible. As I write, endless acres of floor tiles are being stuck down, so no more muddy boots inside!

But it won’t be me who has to lug the filing cabinets across the yard, and this is the last newsletter I personally will be writing. Someone else will be taking over in future, as I am retiring later this month. So cheerio, and keep getting out there and enjoying the commons, as I fully intend to do myself!

Nicky Hewitt (Administrator)

BRING AND BUY STALL

Reluctantly I have decided to give up running the Bring and Buy stall at our indoor meetings, due to lack of produce to sell! It is possible that the committee will appoint someone to give it another go - keep an eye on the newsletter for any update.

My thanks to all members who have supported the stall.

USED STAMPS

I shall continue to collect used postage stamps. I have taken 1.5kg (3lbs 5oz. if you're old like me!) of trimmed and sorted stamps, as well as 2 mobile phones, into Regional Office for onward transfer to H.Q. at Sandy. These were all donated during the last indoor meetings season; it is quite amazing how they mount up. Many thanks to all of you who remembered to save and bring them in - and special thanks to those of you who had trimmed them! The sale of the stamps helps fund the work of the Save The Albatross task force which, as you will no doubt have read, is achieving great results.

Pat Thomson



Items of Interest – some snippets you may have missed

Big Garden Birdwatch 2016 - hedgehogs, foxes and other wildlife

More than 519,000 people across the UK took part in Big Garden Birdwatch 2016, and more than 284,000 of them also answered questions about non-birdy wildlife visiting throughout the year.

This year, only 25 percent of survey participants said they found a hedgehog snuffling around their garden at least once a month, 13 percent fewer than in 2014. This reflects latest figures which suggest that the UK hedgehog population has dipped to under one million.

For the first time in 2016, we asked people to keep an eye out for foxes and stoats visiting their garden. The results revealed that foxes were the 2nd most common garden visitor, with 41 percent of people spotting one at least once a month. Stoats are an elusive species, preferring to hunt under cover of hedges and ditches, so it's not surprising that only two percent saw one on a monthly basis.

Grey squirrels remained the most common garden visitor for the third year running, with 76 percent of participants catching one scurrying across their garden at least once a month. The grey's native relative, the red squirrel, meanwhile continued to struggle — with only 3 percent of people seeing one on a monthly basis.

“The cameras may have rolled out, but the show goes on!”

A report on the 3rd (and probably last) series of BBC Springwatch from RSPB Minsmere.

It's been a fantastic opportunity to showcase the work that takes place at Minsmere and other RSPB reserves thanks to the contribution of volunteers! It's required significant effort from the wardens, who assisted the BBC with translating our activities into formats that can be relayed in five-minute slots on live television. The viewer will have little comprehension of the hours of work that went on behind the scenes (including up to 12 hours of effort to develop some stories that never actually made it to the screen!) but it is of great credit to the reserve team that they persevered.

Team effort

As every year, there was the not so small matter of keeping the reserve's day-to-day operation on track as much as possible during filming. This is where the legions of helpers came in. Existing volunteers, Springwatch volunteers and RSPB staff from across the organisation all came to the rescue. Acting as wildlife guides, reception greeters, car parkers or helping hands willing to assist wherever required, they guaranteed that our many visitors enjoyed a wonderful experience. The influx of extra visitors was not without incident, but the careful planning, expertise and calm approach of the operational team ensured that everything ran smoothly.

It's all in the numbers

The BBC was delighted with this year's viewing figures, regularly exceeding 2.5 million for the 8pm shows and peaking at 3 million, with up to 15% of the available viewing audience. In fact, the first episode of Springwatch beat viewing figures for the new Top Gear! The earlier Unsprung on BBC2 also regularly drew in 0.7 million and peaked at 1 million viewers. Audiences grew over the weeks and the engagement on the digital platforms for the series reached unprecedented levels. There clearly is an appetite to engage with nature!

In addition to Springwatch, the past weeks saw us host live broadcasts for BBC Breakfast Weather, BBC Radio Suffolk and Blue Peter as well as links to BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio 6 Music and CBBC Newsround.

Marvellous Minsmere

Of course, we couldn't have sustained the nine weeks of almost continuous broadcasting from Minsmere during the springs of 2014-16 without the wildlife. And that wildlife would not have such a fantastic home at Minsmere without the skill and dedication of the RSPB team on site, supported by colleagues in the region and at our UK HQ. Where else in the UK could you have filmed bittern, bearded tit, avocet, stone-curlew, nightingale, sparrowhawk, tawny owl, little owl, redshank, shoveler, Dartford warbler and green woodpecker at the nest, along with ant lions, water voles, badgers, hobbies, marsh harriers, adders and that stickleback! Although only a fraction of



Minsmere's 5,700 species had a starring role, the ability to follow a wide selection of 'characters' each spring was testament to the rich biodiversity that the management of the site has achieved.

Springwatch and the associated fanfare have promoted Minsmere and the work of the RSPB to a wide audience. We've seen tremendous returns in terms of visitor income and satisfaction. This has been achieved by the great efforts of RSPB staff and volunteers, employing our cultural values. There are numerous examples of bold decisions, focused thinking and supportive behaviour.

Thank you!

A huge thank you to everyone who has contributed to making the last three years such a success. We've had the opportunity to connect many more people, young and old, to nature and we'll continue to do so by offering great encounters and inspiring live interpretation. The cameras may have rolled out at Minsmere, but the show goes on!

Congratulations to the following winners for the last few months.

March (extra draw)

Mr R Turner & Ms S Thompson Dr J Burston

April Ms CM Lewis Mr RH Brennan Mr L & Mrs H Stephan Dr R Swinbank

Not already in the Club? Like the chance to be a winner, as well as give just a little bit more

to the RSPB? Then contact Liz Saunders (see details below) – she’d love to hear from you.

LOOKING BACK ON SOME OF OUR EVENTS

Saturday 9th

April – a day trip to Slapton and Start Point

Nine of us turned up at The Barn Owl and, sharing 3 cars, we set off for Slapton. It poured with rain. I really did wonder what I was doing! However on arrival at the car park on the sea front, where a number of other keen members of the group were waiting, the rain miraculously stopped, and obliged us for the rest of the day until the journey back. Proving nothing ventured nothing gained! It pays to be an optimist.

And our first spot? A Great Northern Diver. What a beauty, what a treat, although one member was heard to say they were a regular occurrence in their neck of the woods.... After bagging a Shag, Herring Gull and Pied Wagtail seaward, on the beach, we scanned the lake and were rewarded with numerous ducks including plenty of glorious Gadwall, Tufted Duck, and Great Crested Grebes, plus Heron, Coot, Canada Geese and Mute Swans. At least three swans' nests were immediately evident.

One of the most rewarding and uplifting features of the day was the joyous birdsong. Nearing the bridge we listened to and spotted Skylarks, a Blackcap, Chiffchaffs and a Stonechat. Numerous Cetti’s Warblers were warbling at full throttle here and further on along the lakeside. In the hedge beyond the bridge were Goldfinches and a Dunnock. A Blackbird, Robin and Cirl Bunting presented themselves. No Kingfisher from the bridge today though.

Along the lakeside footpath accompanied by many a Chiffchaff, were seen a Wren and two Buzzards. And then from the platform we enjoyed the odd swallow, a first for the year for some of the group, plus a Blue Tit. A Crow, Magpie, Pheasant and Rook and numerous Wood Pigeons were seen and a Water Rail heard.

As it was rather cold, despite the intermittent sunshine, most of us picnicked in the cars before setting off for Start Point. It was certainly very windy. Here we saw Cormorant, Great Black-backed Gulls and a pair of Buzzards being mobbed. A Meadow Pipit, Raven and some Linnets flitting in the field



below were added to the list. Then we all had superb views of a Peregrine preening for some time on a rock the cliff edge, silhouetted against the sea. Three Grey Seals were spotted on the rocks below, then a Gannet out to sea. Having gone as close to the lighthouse as possible we then doubled back and with some effort against the wind scrambled over the hill to our left to walk along the coastal path where we were rewarded by an Oystercatcher, and then a Kestrel to add to the tally.

All in all, it was an excellent day out.

Chrissie Edginton

Tuesday 12th

April – “Fighting For Birds” by Mark Avery

Mark is an environmental campaigner, author and blogger who formerly worked for the RSPB, holding the post of Conservation Director for 13 years. He is now a freelance author not afraid to stir up the odd controversy, and a good sized audience assembled to hear his talk on 12th April.

His themes revolved around two of his publications. The first, “A message from Martha” concerned the strange case of the passenger pigeon. A bird once so numerous in America, it almost defied observers’ attempts to count its enormous flocks. Being nomadic in search of food supplies, passage birds (hence the name) would be seen to cross the skies from dawn to dusk, and the scot Alexander Wilson estimated that two billion birds passed over in one day. Other observers, including John Muir, made similarly fantastic sounding estimates.

So how did this bird come to be extinct by 1914, when the last individual (the eponymous Martha) died in Cincinnati Zoo? It seems that the European settlers of North America were probably to blame. While native Americans had some awareness of the need to conserve a species that was a good food source, the “civilised” incomers showed no such restraint. Mechanisation: the telegraph, railways, improved firearms, assisted the slaughter and trapping which assumed an industrial scale. To be fair, the supply of pigeons must have appeared inexhaustible to contemporaries, and the temptation to take advantage of a cheap food supply was irresistible, particularly if there had been crop failures. The flocks were also perceived as agricultural pests, since they could destroy entire crops when they arrived in locust like numbers. Deforestation of deciduous species which produced the beech and oak mast that were important elements of the bird’s diet may have accelerated the decline in numbers.

Why did nobody attempt to conserve the species, and what can we learn from this mistake of the past? Possibly the “irruptive” nature of the flocks meant that it was difficult to perceive the danger of extinction. We see irruptions of waxwings in the UK, and assume in a few years that they will reappear. The decline of farmland birds in the UK has occurred at a similar rate to that of the passenger pigeon, Mark said, but if losses are spread across a number of species they are not newsworthy. We have better means of monitoring bird populations now, so we have no excuse for allowing further species to become extinct.

The second part of the talk concerned the hen harrier and other birds of prey, or more specifically the impact on them of driven grouse shooting, the topic of his book “Inglorious: Conflict in the Uplands”.

Driven grouse shooting, where flocks of red grouse are chased by lines of beaters so that they fly over lines of guns that shoot the birds, is a peculiarly British fieldsport. It is also peculiarly British in that it is deeply rooted in the British class system: “a line of poor people drive the birds towards a line of rich people with guns”. This lucrative business dominates the hills of the north of England and Scotland. Grouse shooting is big business and backed by powerful, wealthy lobbying groups, and, he claimed, its tendrils run throughout British society.

Mark made a case for an outright ban, rather than the RSPB’s preferred approach of licensed shooting. Arguments against the practice include the following:

- the intensive management of upland areas for grouse wrecks the ecology of hills - intensive keepering leads to extermination of all threats to grouse: weasels, stoats, foxes, badgers

and hedgehogs. Persecution of hen harriers and other birds of prey is known to occur in defiance of the law

- anti-parasite medicine put down for grouse in grit gets into the food chain - drainage and burning increases flood risk: these costs are passed on to the ordinary consumer in

our water bills

Arguments in favour of driven grouse shooting usually include: - it’s a traditional British pastime



- grouse shooting is economically important - a few species can benefit from grouse moor management

The first argument was dismissed quickly: “traditionally” we stuffed children up chimneys and denied women the vote. On the economics, Mark says that those wealthy enough to afford to shoot would spend their money elsewhere rather than just keep it in their pockets. Also the true costs to the wider community are hidden, and if better known then public opinion would be mobilised. He concedes that species such as golden plover and curlew may benefit from grouse moor management, but this is a poor return in the wider scheme of things.

The above is just a brief summary of arguments that Mark has addressed at length in “Inglorious”. More than that he has launched an e-Petition (his third attempt) to try to force a debate in Parliament on the topic: see https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/125003 . 100,000 signatures are required for a debate to take place; 10,000 are required for a government response. Currently (15 Apr 2016) the petition has attracted 19,243 signatures.

Mark gave us an interesting, entertaining and thought provoking evening: and all done without a single slide being shown!

Richard Farr

Saturday 23rd

April – a day trip to Brownsea Island

This is a trip we have been looking forward to since it appeared in this year’s events leaflet, and we weren't disappointed. It started with a lovely blue sky and we sat back and enjoyed the coach journey through Dorset to Poole, with beautiful long distant vistas across the countryside. We passed the glorious signs of spring with new tree buds, bluebells, and an abundance of primroses along the roadside. We soon arrived at Poole Quay for our boat trip over to Brownsea Island.

As we crossed the water, we could hear and see the Sandwich Terns flying around the Brownsea lagoon. After arriving we quickly made our way to the hides in the nature reserve. At the first hide we could see Shelducks, Crows, Oystercatchers, to name but a few. At the next hide there were Redshanks, Greenshanks, and the RSPB emblem bird, the Avocet, which were in the full throes of mating. At the third hide we spotted a Yellow-legged Gull, Great Black-backed Gulls, many nesting Black-headed Gulls and, in perfect condition, a Spotted Redshank.

We then moved round the island with many more bird sighting as well as Sika deer, a Water Vole, and the famous island favourite, and ours - the Red Squirrel. We then made our way slowly back to the boat quay some of us stopping off to look at the island’s church on the way. The ferry then took us on a short trip to Sandbanks, to see how the other half live, before we made our way back home after a very fruitful bird watching day

Richard Winfield

Tuesday 10th

May – a morning trip to Exminster Marshes

It really was a very noisy start to the walk with trains, aeroplanes, helicopters, strimmers and vans, but once that lot had gone quiet we had a very good day out. Only six of us assembled - probably because the weather forecast was somewhat dicey. But, as things turned out, it was fine, just a few spots of rain occasionally. We started off with a fly-past by a Peregrine, which then settled on its normal perch near the top of a pylon. That was an excellent start. The Chiffchaffs sang to us most of the way round the walk. We only got Willow Warblers near the Fishermen’s car park, and they were very difficult to see.

By this time of the year most the ducks have gone to their breeding quarters, leaving Shelducks (lots), a few Tufties and the odd Mallard. We had Swifts overhead for much of the time, often accompanied by House Martins. We also had Skylarks singing for a large portion of the outing - they certain have an ability to lift ones heart.

The main reason for visiting the reserve in early May is because of the migrants, especially the warblers. The Cetti’s Warbler is there all the year round, but there were not as many singing as usual, perhaps they have already paired and so are not singing, but they certainly make a loud noise. They are usually in the area before we get to the Fishermen’s car park, or in the reeds along the canal. We were serenaded by Reed Warblers for most of the way and some Sedge Warblers. Now for a brief

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/125003



summary of these two similar birds: they both live in reed beds, both are about the same size and brown, and difficult to see as they tend to remain hidden. The Reed Warbler is a plainer bird, no obvious features, but has a longer beak; they tend to hide and are really difficult to see. Their song is of a regular rhythm, with even tempo and tone and quite slow and they repeat their similar phrases. The Sedge Warbler is more streaky paler underneath, and has a strong supercillium. The song is similar to that of the Reed, but a little less regular and a little more frenetic. It often sings in flight. It also is easier to see as it may climb to the top of the reed.

We also had two Whitethroats, which were singing their scratchy song, and showed quite well. The Blackcap has a sweeter and more fluid song, and they were hiding in the bushes. The top bird for me was the Garden Warbler that we saw in a large oak tree. It was difficult to see; it stayed close to the middle of the tree and kept hiding behind the leaves. It is a very boring bird, brown, no obvious features, and the song is similar to the Blackcaps’s but twittering on for a long time, with rather a rambling song.

All in all a good morning birding, thanks, as ever, to Richard for his leadership and guidance.

Ann Crawford

Saturday 25th

June – a day trip to Ham Wall and the Somerset Levels

We assembled at the Ham Wall car park at 9.45. The weather looked a little iffy, so most of us wore waterproofs, but it turned out well. Our walk was led by John Christie, one of the reserve volunteers, who was excellent. He told us about the reserve and found various birds for us.

The route took us along the north side of the channel, as the old railway bridge was, once again, being worked on. First stop was the new Avalon Hide, where we saw a pen and 6 cygnets in a line, swimming about. There was a pair of nesting Great Crested Grebes, with only one egg in their nest, and when she moved you could see how far back her legs are - grebes are not good on land. We then went around the back of the lagoon that is visible from the second viewing platform. This was great, as I had never been there before and you do get a better, and less reed-obstructed, view. We saw a pair of Glossy Ibis very clearly, which was great. There were a great many ducks around. We continued round the lagoon, and then went back along the main track.

After lunch we went to the Shapwick side. The new tower hide is lovely, and gave us good views of reeds, on one side, and Mere Scrape on the other. We went on to Noah’s Lake, which had very little on it. We decided to head back to the cars, and head off to Greylake to finish the day. In the Greylake car park we got excellent views of Dunnock, Goldfinch and Chaffinch on the feeders. There was not a lot from the hide, except for a Redshank which was quite happy to pose on a post just outside the hide. As we were leaving the hide, a Bittern appeared, which surprised me, as I did not know that they were there.

Now for the birds. We did see a lot of Marsh Harriers, on both Ham Wall and Shapwick Heath. Though, we were probably seeing the same birds several times, rather than all different ones. There are known to be 3 nesting sites, but may be more, It is difficult as the males are men behaving badly and are polygamous - often with two or three wives. Bond pairs usually only last for one season. They are the largest of the harriers, and have a long tail and the wings are held in a shallow V, and have no white on their rump. The females have creamy heads. We were very lucky to actually watch a food pass, female to young.

There are nine breeding pairs of Great White Egrets, and we certainly saw a lot, more than the Little Egrets. They have a much more majestic flight. The Avalon Marshes is the best place in England for both breeding Great Egrets and Bitterns. There are 47 booming male Bitterns in the Avalon area, of which 19 are on Ham Wall, which is a great conservation success. We did not see many, as they do not fly so much this late in the breeding season.

A good day out, and as ever thank go to Richard for organizing it and John for his expertise.

Ann Crawford



Our Annual General Meeting

will be held on Tuesday 11th

October 2016

in URC Hall, Southernhay

at 7.30 pm

AGENDA

Apologies Minutes of Last Meeting (see end of Newsletter) Matters Arising Group Leader’s report Treasurer’s Report

Election of Officers *** 100 Club Draw AOB

*** Most of the committee posts have to be filled by annual election at each AGM, though the

Secretary can serve up to three years without re-election. All the current post holders are prepared to stand for re-election though there is a form at the end of this Newsletter for alternative nominations. The Group Leader and the Treasurer are approved centrally and are not subject to annual re-election but other nominations can be made, subject to prior approval.

GROUP CONTACTS

Leader: Membership: Indoor Meetings: Roger Tucker (01392 860518) Liz Saunders (01392 832080) Carolyn Channing (01884 242288)

Treasurer: RSPB Sales: Field Trips: Chris Jebb (07930 228906) Marilyn Steel (01392 258786) Richard Swinbank (01404 813666)

Secretary: Newsletter: Displays: Tracey Coombs (07977 901564) John Parker (01395 264527) Martin Chambers (01392 860627)

Website address www.rspb.org.uk/groups/exeter

http://www.rspb.org.uk/groups/exeter



RSPB EXETER AND DISTRICT LOCAL GROUP ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING October 13

th 2015 at 7.30pm in the URC Hall, Southernhay

1. Apologies: Gilly Robinson 2. Minutes of last meeting: These had been circulated with the newsletter. The minutes were

accepted on a show of hands and signed by the Chair. 3. Matters Arising: None 4. Group Leader’s Report. Roger Tucker presented his report for 2014—15:

At the AGM last year we were celebrating our 40th Anniversary and were very pleased to welcome

Dr Tim Stowe and Tony Richardson among our guests. This was the highlight of our celebrations which proved varied and successful and I thank all those who helped in any way. Sadly this year our membership is down again, by some 7%, a fact that is of concern to the committee and we are planning a meeting very soon to examine how we might reverse the trend and recruit more members. We have also lost Steve Henry from the regional office team but his replacement, Sammy Fraser, is now in post and we look forward to working with her. Tonight we have to appoint a new treasurer. Chris Steel has done the job brilliantly for 8 years but has decided that it is time to stand down. On behalf of you all I thank Chris for all he has done and would like to take this opportunity of presenting him with a small token of our appreciation. The role of treasurer is key to the successful running of any organisation and I am delighted to say that Chris Jebb, who is an accountant, has agreed to take on the role and his appointment has been approved by Regional Office. Following the resignation of Jane Spencer, we also have a new secretary in Loran Waite who has taken to the role like a ‘duck to water’. Loran is away on holiday at the moment so Jane has kindly agreed to reprise her role as minute taker for one night only. The indoor meetings over the past year have again proved popular although average attendance is down slightly. Worthy of particular note is the evening with Nick Baker as part of our anniversary celebrations and many non-members including a number of young people attended. As always Carolyn Channing has done an excellent job in organising the speakers and we thank her for her hard work. In November last year, together with the Regional Office team, we organised an event at the Royal Albert Memorial Museum. Other local wildlife based organisations took part making it a very successful day with over 1500 people coming through the doors, a substantial increase on the numbers that the museum normally gets at time. I thank all of those who helped that day, particularly Marilyn and Chris Steel and John Parker who helped me spend the day dissecting owl pellets with the youngsters. The event was so successful the museum have asked that we repeat the event next year and this is to held on Saturday February 13

th, which is coincidently my birthday

so being up to my elbows in owl pellets will be a real birthday treat. Our outdoor events continue to be well supported and we thank Richard Swinbank for planning the programme and all those who led the walks. The numbers seem to fluctuate depending on the weather, but again Richard’s inside information works well, as an example on our visit to Arne, which was a great day with a nearly full coach, the rain only started as we left the reserve! The away trip to Bosham was excellent and enjoyed by all those who attended. Our principal fund raising events once again are the fayres, raising over £1100, and we thank Marilyn and Liz for their untiring work in organising, and to all of you who helped. This, together with other events and donations, enabled us to pass £3700 to the RSPB. Chris will give full details in his report. Your committee works hard to ensure the success of the group and on your behalf I thank them all plus those who help at the indoor meetings including the draw, the catering and collecting the money. In conclusion I thank all our members for their support over the past year in making this a most worthwhile group of which to be a member.

Acceptance of the report was proposed Ray Hunt and seconded by Clare Edey; report accepted.

5. Treasurer’s Report: Chris Steel, outgoing treasurer, thanked the group for the presentation made to him, and expressed his sense of the privilege of having served as the group treasurer. He was proud to say that the group has raised and donated the substantial sum of £27, 000 to the RSPB during his tenure. He then presented his report for year ending 31st March 2015

Charity Account

This is the account where the majority of the financial activities take place and where all monies raised are paid directly into an RSPB account. This allows the RSPB to have direct control on any monies raised under its name which is a requirement of the Charities Act.

Income (amounts have been rounded to nearest £5)



Our overall income is up by around £670. Income from the Christmas and Spring Fayres totalled £1120 which Is down on the total for the previous year (£1215). Income from other fund-raising activities (100 Club) is down slightly.

Donations are up by £205.

Group subscriptions were up by £107. Membership now stands at 324 (as of 21st April)

compared with 357 the previous year.

Meetings income is up this year by £345 (This year’s figure has been boosted by the Nick Baker event which formed part of the Group’s 40

th celebrations). We have been treated with some

excellent speakers. Thanks, as always, to Carolyn who has continued to organise this side of things for us. Thanks also Val and her various helpers who have organised the raffles at indoor meetings and at the Fayres. The total proceeds of all raffles was over £380, up £20 on the previous year. Totals for the Bring & Buy stall at indoor meetings was over £15. Thanks to Pat Thomson for organising this.

Expenditure

Our overall expenditure was down this year by £745.

Meetings costs were up by £285 due to the extra meeting and rising cost of speakers. Newsletters costs were down by £405 due partly to anticipated sponsorship of the newsletter by Darts Farm.

Fund raising events, payments have apparently fallen by £40 but fluctuations are explained by the timing of 100 Club prizes in relation to the start of the financial year.

Other expenditure is up due to the necessary purchase of a new screen and extra printing costs associated with our 40

th Anniversary Year. Also we purchased a leaving gift for Val Tressider

who has looked after our website since it was first created.

Donations to the RSPB this year, £3700. Of this, £50 was allocated to the Aylesbeare reserve. £1500 was donated last October and a further £2000 was donated in March for which the priority areas have not yet been notified (as at June 2015).

Group account

The financial activity of this account remains at a low level as it is principally used for events which are not open to the public.

Events profits (£s): Bosham weekend, £160; Avocet Cruise, £10.50

Many thanks to Richard for organising the Group events.

RSPB Sales

Sales of £702 (up from £565) enabled £242 to be allocated to the RSPB towards their work in an RSPB priority area. Our thanks to Marilyn for her continuing hard work in organising the RSPB sales goods.

Conclusion

It has been a very successful year with the group contributing some £3942 to the RSPB. The treasurer thanked the members and the committee for their efforts in raising this amount.

Acceptance of the report was proposed by Jo le Roux, and seconded by Richard Swinbank; report accepted.

6. Annual Subscription Rate: The subscription rate will remain unchanged for the coming year.

7. Election of Officers: Chris Steel having signalled his intention to stand down as Treasurer, Chris Jebb’s nomination as Treasurer had already been endorsed centrally by the RSPB, and was now put to the members. He was elected unanimously and welcomed to the Committee. The other officers were all standing for re-election and were duly elected.

8. 100 Club Draw

£ 25: Mr DHW Taylor; £15: Val Palmer; £10: Pat Thomson; £10: Miss J Allen and £5 prizes to: Mr Farlow & Ms Sanders; Mr & Mrs W G Voaden; Mr R Babb; Mr & Mrs C Tucker

There being no other business the meeting closed at 7.55pm.



AGM : Tuesday 11th October 2016

Election of Officers

The following committee posts (except the Secretary who can serve up to three years without re-election) have to be filled by annual election at each AGM.

The posts are listed below together with a nomination slip for your use. Each nomination must be supported by two members of the local group and signed by the nominee.

Post Current Post holder

Secretary Tracey Coombs

Membership Secretary Liz Saunders

Newsletter Editor John Parker

Indoor Meetings Organiser Carolyn Channing

Field Meetings Organiser Richard Swinbank

Sales Goods Organiser Marilyn Steel

Publicity Officer (Vacant)

Displays Organiser Martin Chambers

Campaigns Organiser (Vacant)

All the above post holders are prepared to stand for re-election

(although it would be really nice to get rid of Vacant!)

The Group Leader and the Treasurer are approved centrally and are not subject to annual re-election though other nominations can be made, subject to prior approval.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Nomination slip

To be returned to –

Roger Tucker, 17 Hederman Close, Silverton, Exeter, EX5 4HW

by Friday 30th September 2016

Committee Post Name of Nominee

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Nominated by (1st signature) ……………………………………….…..

(please print name) ……………………………………….…..

Nominated by (2nd signature) ……………………………………….…..


Signature of nominee ……………………………………….…..


EXETER AND DISTRICT LOCAL GROUP - The RSPB · Exeter and District Local Group Newsletter No. 165...

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Transcript of EXETER AND DISTRICT LOCAL GROUP - The RSPB · Exeter and District Local Group Newsletter No. 165...