The post Now is the Time to Build a Brighter Future for our Seas appeared first on British Wildlife, Nature and Outdoor Living.
]]>Image by Laurie Campbell
Conservationists are today calling on the UK and developed governments to work together as we prepare to leave the European Union to develop new fisheries law that will allow fish stocks to recover while putting our traditional fishing industries and coastal communities on a sustainable footing.
As an island nation our coastal communities and connection to the sea hold a special place in our cultural identity. Our seas are also home to or visited by an amazing variety of wildlife such as puffins, Minke whale, lesser sandeel and basking shark.
Over the last 10 years progress has been made on reducing overfishing in the northeast Atlantic and adjacent waters. In this period the number of assessed stocks being overfished dropped by over a quarter. However, the latest official information confirms that 47% of assessed stocks are still being overfished, which doesn’t just impact on the profitability of our fisheries but also the food supplies and habitats that support other marine life.
As control of waters around the UK are repatriated, conservationists are calling on the governments to ensure our precious marine life and important fishing industries both have a long-term future.
As a leading voice in the reform of the EU’s fisheries policy, the UK has helped shape policies to reverse the damage done by overfishing, and new domestic fishing legislation should continue this positive work. In line with the governments’ ambition to become world leaders in sustainable fisheries management, future policy should be science-based, following scientific advice when setting fishing limits to ensure fish stocks remain sustainable into the future.
This would also set high standards for foreign fishing vessels seeking access to UK waters and guide us as we look to negotiate the multiple new agreements that will be required to allow our fishing fleets continued access to waters they have previously fished under European Union arrangements.
The principles unveiled by ClientEarth, Greenpeace, Marine Conservation Society, New Economics Foundation, The Pew Trusts, RSPB, The Wildlife Trusts and WWF-UK set out how governments can build a brighter future for our seas. They highlight the need for:
Catherine Weller, Head of Biodiversity Programme, ClientEarth, said: “Brexit must not mean lower environmental protection for marine life. Overfishing, catches of vulnerable species and damage to marine habitats are some of the major issues facing the seas around the UK. To create a sustainable future for the UK’s seas and the communities which depend on them, strong environmental protection must be built into the new fishing laws.”
Will McCallum, Head of Oceans Campaigns, Greenpeace UK, said: “There has never been better time to reimagine the future of the UK’s marine environment than over the next two years. Politicians need to put the health of our oceans and the interests of coastal communities at the forefront of their policy making, making sure that fishing is done sustainably and has the interests of the local community at heart.”
Sandy Luk, Chief Executive, Marine Conservation Society, said: “Thriving coastal communities and a profitable fishing industry rely on a healthy marine environment. Knowing how we are impacting our environment through our fishing activities allows us to ensure that we are fishing in the most sustainable, low impact way. Our seas have the potential to be profitable, protected and well managed for future generations”
Aniol Esteban, Programme Director, New Economics Foundation, said: Healthy seas can help bring economic activity back to communities around the UK coast. Brexit must not mean the plunder of the seas but ensure that fish stocks recover, so that sustainable fishers in ports nationwide can earn a living for generations to come.
Martin Harper, RSPB Conservation Director, said: “Our seas are home to an amazing variety of wildlife and some of the most incredible wildlife spectacles from pods of dolphins off the coast of Aberdeen to the hundreds of thousands of seabirds that make their home at Bempton Cliffs. We want to work with Governments and stakeholders to develop new laws to better manage our seas to protect our marine life, allow fish stocks to recover and support our traditional fishing industries.”
Andrew Clayton, Project Director, The Pew Trusts, said: “As the UK prepares to leave the EU, it is imperative that UK governments put sustainability at the heart of their plans for fisheries management. This will allow UK to fulfil its requirements under international law, enable effective management of shared stocks and the marine ecosystem, and help to deliver resilient, productive fisheries into the future.”
Joan Edwards, Head of Living Seas, The Wildlife Trusts, said: “UK marine wildlife and UK fisheries alike depend upon healthy seas and healthy ecosystems. As well as ensuring that exploitation of fish populations is sustainable we must also reduce the pressure that fishing places on the seabed, especially in those areas set aside to protect marine habitats and species. Putting marine ecosystems at the heart of decision making is not only good for our wonderful marine wildlife, but will help to ensure a future for those who rely on the resources that our marine ecosystems provide.”
Dr Lyndsey Dodds, Head of Marine Policy, WWF-UK, said: “Healthy seas and plentiful fish stocks lie at the heart of a sustainable and resilient fishing industry and dependent coastal communities. Ensuring the use of the right fishing gear, fishing at levels that result in sustainable stocks and identifying ways to monitor what is happening at sea are key in order to understand the impacts of fishing and provide accountability for all fish caught. Let’s make UK seafood synonymous with sustainable seafood”
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]]>The post Toad-al success appeared first on British Wildlife, Nature and Outdoor Living.
]]>Numbers of breeding natterjack toads recorded at one of RSPB Scotland’s nature reserves have increased by 400% over the course of a three year project launched to help save this rare amphibian.
The conservation organisation started work in 2013 at Mersehead in Dumfries & Galloway, after severe winter storms destroyed the sand dunes these toads often hibernate in. The Solway Firth is the only place natterjacks can be found in Scotland and there were serious concerns that the Mersehead population may have been decimated.
Intensive survey work began in spring 2014 to count male toads, which are found by pinpointing their rasping call – the loudest of any amphibian in Europe. New shallow ponds were also created across the site for the toads to breed in.
At the start of the project there were around 30 breeding male toads counted at Mersehead and by the end, in 2016, there were 150. With the help of Dr Pete Minting from Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (ARC), RSPB Scotland set up a ‘mugshot database’ of natterjack toad photographs during the surveys, to ensure that the same individuals were not being counted night after night. Each toad carries a unique wart pattern and yellow ‘racing stripe’ on its back – which together, act much like a human fingerprint.
Females are more difficult to survey than males, due to their habit of only visiting the ponds for a couple of nights a year to lay their eggs. As such, the team at the reserve also monitored the amount of spawn strings laid each year. From this combination of detailed data the team can tell that the natterjack population is thriving.
James Silvey, RSPB Scotland’s Species and Habitats Officer, said: “It’s fantastic to see that the natterjack population is responding to the habitat management we’ve put in place. The evidence of toads breeding in three of the five ponds we made for them in 2015 is a real highlight. Natterjack populations are declining across most of their range in Scotland due to climate change and inappropriate management, making the population at Mersehead all the more important. We’ll be continuing our work for these amphibians over the coming years to hopefully increase their numbers even more.”
This winter (2016/17) there is work planned to create three large shallow lagoons at the nature reserve, just behind the dune grasslands, to further expand the habitat available to natterjack toads.
Following this, efforts will be focused on removing scrub across the dune system to the east of the site and bring it into favourable condition for breeding, so that the toads can be heard across the length of the coast as they once would have been.
Natterjacks are one of only two species of toad native to the UK – the other one being the common toad. Natterjack toads are confined to coastal sand dune systems; feed on beetles, sandhoppers and other invertebrates; and, because of their short legs, are pretty quick on land – they are actually known to run rather than hop.
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]]>The post Vital Volunteers Needed to Save Our Last Red Squirrels appeared first on British Wildlife, Nature and Outdoor Living.
]]>Laurie Campbell: Our iconic yet declining and increasingly isolated Red Squirrel.
The Wildlife Trusts are leading the largest ever recruitment drive for red squirrel volunteers. With the help of National Lottery funding, the Trusts aim to increase volunteer numbers from 500 to 5000 to save the UK’s last red squirrels.
**If you’d like to volunteer check our list of local red squirrel conservation groups seeking volunteers www.redsquirrelsunited.org.uk/volunteering **
With the first of this year’s surveys of the endangered mammal due to start on 1st March, a new approach to the conservation of this charismatic species puts volunteers at the forefront of efforts to halt their decline.
Volunteers are needed to help protect red squirrels, as part of community-based teams gathering information about squirrel populations. Tasks include speedy reporting of grey squirrels moving into areas which are currently strongholds for red squirrels. The larger, invasive non-native greys are a major reason for the reds’ decline.
Volunteers will work with partner organisations in their local area, logging squirrel sightings, monitoring feeders for reds, setting up camera traps to film their behavior, controlling grey squirrel populations in key areas, and teaching the public and schoolchildren about our treasured native species, characterized by Beatrix Potter’s ‘Squirrel Nutkin’.
Data about sightings will contribute to the work of Red Squirrels United, a UK-wide network set up to protect the reds, and to the Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels project. The initiatives are supported by Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF across the UK) and LIFE (in England, Wales and Northern Ireland). LIFE is the EU’s financial instrument supporting environmental, nature conservation and climate action projects throughout the EU.
Red Squirrel United Programme Manager Dr. Cathleen Thomas said: “In most of the UK there are only a handful of refuges left for red squirrels; without help, experts predict this beautiful and treasured creature could be extinct within as little as 35 years. Volunteers are playing a crucial role enabling red squirrels to thrive. Problems arise because grey squirrels are competing with reds for food and places to live, pushing them into areas where they find it more difficult to survive. Greys can also transmit disease to reds. Since greys were introduced into England in 1876, red squirrel populations have dramatically declined. It is now thought there are less than 140,000 red squirrels left in the UK.”
Dr Mel Tonkin, Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels Project Manager said:
“Our work since 2009 shows that through targeted control of grey squirrels it is possible to reverse the decline of our native reds and help them to return to former territories. Red squirrels are one of Scotland’s most-loved species. Thanks to National Lottery players we will be able to empower communities to help protect not just their local red squirrels, but major populations of the species in Scotland, and ensure that future generations can continue to see these special animals.”
Red Squirrels United came together in 2015. It marks the biggest ever partnership of academics and conservationists working together on a scientifically robust programme of conservation for this iconic native species.
RSU is a UK-wide network of nine organisations, led by The Wildlife Trusts, working with local landowners and communities in nine stronghold areas in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In Scotland RSU works with Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels.
Partners will maintain grey squirrel-free habitat where it already exists, for example on the island of Anglesey and in Kielder Forest in northern England; extend current red squirrel protection zones in mid-Wales and Merseyside and implement a new whole country approach in Northern Ireland. In Scotland, volunteers will be leading the conservation effort for the first time. Scotland is home to 120,000 red squirrels, three quarters of the UK population. The Scottish Wildlife Trust has just been awarded a grant of £2.46 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) for the Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels – Developing Community Action project.
Over the next five years the Scottish project will enlist volunteers from communities in three key regions to carry out practical work to protect and strengthen red squirrel populations in their local area, and in turn safeguard squirrels across Scotland.
On the 7th and 8th March 2017, Red Squirrels United will hold a Red Squirrel Knowledge Fair – it will be the first ever time people across the UK have shared experiences and techniques to help stop the declines of this charismatic species.
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]]>The post Photographing Nuthatches appeared first on British Wildlife, Nature and Outdoor Living.
]]>Damian Waters
Nuthatches are quite exotic looking birds, resembling a small woodpecker with a paint job. Their blue, grey and buff colouring make them an attractive species to photograph and almost impossible to confuse with any other bird. A rule of thumb is that if you see a small bird working its way down a tree trunk probing for food it is probably a Nuthatch, Treecreepers on the other hand almost always work up the tree.
The Nuthatch occurs across most of Western Europe, although not Ireland or most of Scotland, and there are a couple of variations on the species in Europe – for example the Corsican Nuthatch. Although I will be discussing the Eurasian Nuthatch, there are 25 or so species around the world and this guide could apply to any of them. Most species are monogamous and pair for life …ahhhh bless!!
They’re usually quite sedentary birds in that they don’t move far on long flights and are almost always associated with mature woodland. It is unlikely that one will turn up on your garden feeder if you aren’t lucky enough to live near deciduous woodland.
They will, however, use manmade nestboxes and do become regular garden visitors if you have the right territory nearby. It is unlikely that they will fly across large open areas to reach your peanuts no matter how attractive they may seem. If they do arrive at your bird table they tend to do so in a blaze of glory, scaring off other species and scattering peanuts and seeds across the garden.
It sounds obvious, but firstly you have to find the bird. Their colouring may seem exotic but it is very effective camouflage and they can be hard to spot. They add to the challenge by spending a lot of time high up in the treetops or hidden behind large branches.
Damian Waters
The good news is that although they are rare garden visitors, they do visit feeders in parks and at nature reserves regularly and are also creatures of habit; they will return to the same feeder again and again.
Nuthatches are also fairly easy to bait; some of my best images have been taken at a site where I regularly left food out to attract the birds and found that they would arrive on site within seconds of the bait being placed. They are also quite an inquisitive species, so don’t disturb easily – I’ve had one bird land on a branch within inches of my left ear and not appear at all phased by my presence.
My best tip if you do put food out is this: don’t put out whole nuts. The Nuthatch will arrive, take a bill-full of nuts and shoot off before you have time to press a button. If you crush the nuts into small pieces the bird will have to stop and take more time to collect the food, allowing you the chance to record the images you want.
Please remember that you should not over bait any one site, doing so might encourage the birds to become dependent on your food supply.
You won’t necessarily need a long lens to photograph Nuthatches, depending on where you see them. Sadly most parks and nature reserves aren’t designed with photographers in mind and hides are often a long way from the feeders. But, if you find a good baiting site, you may be able to sit comfortably in your car and have the birds flying to a perch almost within touching distance.
Nuthatches are best photographed in early morning or late evening light; the warmth of the light at those times really enhances the beautiful tones of their colouring.
However, the most challenging aspect of photographing this bird is presented by their dark eye stripe. It is easy to ‘lose’ the bird’s eye in the stripe if you don’t get the exposure quite right and you end up with an image of an “eyeless” bird. So a catchlight in the bird’s eye is essential.
Damian Waters
The contrasting colours of the bird’s feathers don’t really present a problem, because although they are colourful, they are subtle and not as challenging as say a Magpie would be with harsh black and white.
They are nippy little beggars and so you will have to aim for a relatively fast shutter speed, but they are small birds so you can usually get away with an aperture setting that allows for this. Most of my images are at f/5.6 and I aim for a minimum shutter speed of 1/500s.
I usually try and take a meter reading off a neutral toned object before I photograph the bird; trial and error suggests that a nicely lit tree trunk is a good guide – a smooth tree trunk, not an oak tree!
As I said earlier, they do tend to return to food many times in a short time span (they horde the food rather than eat it straight away) so be prepared for quick, short visits rather than long lingering stops. They will also regularly land a short distance from the food, check for danger and then fly in. If you see a regular pattern emerging you can accurately predict where this will be and wait with your camera pre-focussed on that spot, this often gives a more natural pose.
Nuthatches are reasonably hard to spot and find, but once you have you’ll have plenty of opportunity to make the most of it. They’re sedentary and habit forming, use that to your advantage.
I’ve seen Nuthatches right across the UK and have found that some of the best sites to see them are in relatively busy places; National Trust properties often have large deciduous woodlands with car parks close by. Don’t be ashamed of using your car as a hide!
Damian Waters
[email protected]
www.DrumImages.co.uk
Follow me on Twitter – http://twitter.com/DrumImages
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]]>The post Photographing Red Squirrels appeared first on British Wildlife, Nature and Outdoor Living.
]]>Damian Waters
There are two species of Squirrel in the UK, the Red and the Grey; the Red is our native squirrel whilst the Grey, often portrayed as a bullying murderer of the Red, was introduced to Britain from North America. The Reds are much more scarce than the Grey, are smaller and shier and, sadly, in decline as a species in the British Isles.
Luckily there are strong populations of Red Squirrels located in places that we humans like to spend our leisure time in the UK – namely Scotland, Cumbria, Isle of Wight, Wales and Northumberland. But unless you are a very serious photographer and want to travel, the Red Squirrel might be a good project to save for a holiday.
Red Squirrels are much more closely associated with coniferous forest than Greys; in fact a recent study has suggested that Reds do better in coniferous forest than Greys and that this might be a key to ensuring their survival.
Red Squirrels are also aware that only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun, as they tend to rest up at this time and be seen more commonly early in the morning and late afternoon/evening.
Clearly Red Squirrels are creatures that spend their time in and about the tree tops, but they do venture onto the ground frequently, in search of food.
Their natural predators are other arboreal animals, such as Pine Martens, Stoats, Weasels, bird of prey and also Foxes. The main threat to their continued existence in the UK is the Grey Squirrel, which not only out-competes the Red for food resources, but also carries a virus that is fatal to the Reds but harmless to the Greys. In 2008/09 over eighty percent of the Red Squirrel population in Formby was wiped out by the virus from Greys.
Once you have found your Red Squirrel, getting them on camera can be quite a performance; they are of course creatures that spend most of their lives in trees and consequently you tend to see lots of them from below – never the most flattering angle for a photograph. They will, however, come to the ground frequently to forage for food items and many have become accustomed to visiting feeding stations in search of easy pickings. So unless you have Tarzan-like climbing abilities, then staking out a feeding station is likely to be your best chance of getting some good images.
They do tend to be very timid creatures and although I have been lucky enough to have Red Squirrels feeding from my hand and sitting on my shoulder, they are more often likely to scurry up the nearest tree if you alarm them, so as with most nature photography you will have to remain still, calm and as much out of site as possible.
If you are lucky enough to live in an area with a Red Squirrel population they can be tempted to come to you, but you have to have patience and supply a regular amount of food for them.
If you are feeding with the intent of photographing I would recommend using only natural food from the UK (e.g. hazel nuts) not only is it better for the squirrel, but it also means that you will get natural looking photographs. Whenever I see an image of a Red Squirrel eating a money-nut I think it is like seeing a Golden Eagle eating a pork pie, it just wouldn’t happen in the wild.
Damian Waters
From a photography point of view Red Squirrels are not only great subjects because they have a high ‘cuteness’ rating, but also because they don’t offer too many technical difficulties.
However, ‘Red’ is a bit of a misnomer as their fur colour can range from almost black to very light tan. If you are photographing Red Squirrels and there is more than one about remember to be aware that a much darker coat might require different exposure than a very light coat. I have photographed Red Squirrels that have virtually white tails and that can cause problems of over exposure in bright sunshine.
Reds are nothing if not flighty, they move like lightening when the mood takes them, so your best bet to get good images will always be when they are feeding or approaching food. A nervous animal may scatter at the first sound of your camera so be prepared for a long game while it recovers its courage.
Getting the eye in focus is all important, but you also need good boy details for an animal like this, so an aperture of at least f/8 is required – wider is the lighting conditions allow. If the Red is sitting eating don’t be fooled into thinking you can use a slow shutter speed – I’ve fallen into this trap before and while the head or body is sharp you will find the claws and jaw are blurred by movement.
If you are trying to photograph Reds in trees and in ‘action’ you will have more of a challenge; the forest is obviously darker and the animals movement harder to capture. That shouldn’t stop you from trying, but you will need to alter your camera setting accordingly.
We all love Red Squirrels and they make great photographic subjects, you just may have to travel to find them.
The best images of Reds are in natural settings, so try to avoid photographing them on bird tables and nut feeders.
Above all, respect the animal and its environment and don’t do anything that could be harmful to either.
Damian Waters
[email protected]
www.drumimages.co.uk
Follow me on Twitter – http://twitter.com/DrumImages
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]]>Image by Laurie Cambell
Grey seals are one of the rarest seal species in the world and about two thirds of the entire population lives in British and Irish waters. They have a distinctive horse-like face with a long muzzle, large appealing eyes and long whiskers. Their streamlined body and flippers enable them to move easily through the water. Their fur is not a uniform grey colour, but can vary from light to dark speckled grey and even black.
Grey seals usually come ashore to breed from late September until November. They prefer barren uninhabited islands and often go back to the same beach each year to breed.
They give birth to a single pup and the mother sniffs it repeatedly to get used to its scent. The pups have pure white fur and cannot swim until they have moulted this fur a few weeks later. The pup suckles the very rich milk from its mother every five hours for three weeks and grows rapidly putting on 1.2 – 2 kg per day.
Image by Laurie Cambell
These amazing creatures can be seen around the coast of the UK.
Grey seals are particularly abundant around the coasts of the Outer Hebrides and the Orkney Islands in Scotland. Small numbers are found off the coasts of Norfolk and Lincolnshire and larger numbers off the Farne Islands, Isle of May and the Shetland Islands. They are increasing in number partly because hunting pressures have eased.
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Image by Laurie Campbell
Our resident starlings have now been joined by thousands of birds that have migrated here to over-winter from Scandinavia forming huge flocks.
One of the most fascinating wildlife spectacles in the UK is to watch the Starlings ‘dance.’ Just before sunset the smaller feeding flocks join together to form massive roosting flocks of thousands, and sometimes, tens of thousands of birds. These birds will all roost together but before they settle for the night they perform an amazing dance, known as a mumeration.
When
The best time to see starlings in this way is in the early evening about an hour before sunset between November and February. It is best to get there early as the length of the display varies. In bad weather the starlings may not display at all preferring to conserve their energy by going straight to roost.
Image by Laurie Campbell
Why
No-one can say with 100% certainty why starlings display as they do but there are a number of theories.
Huge roosting flocks form for two reasons. Firstly there is safety in numbers and secondly the more birds there are the more heat is produced but this doesn’t explain why the displays happen.
One explanation given is that the ‘dance’ is some form of communication between the birds, perhaps directing the numerous birds to good supplies of food. This explanation likens the starling’s dance to the ‘waggle dance’ of bees which took years for experts to understand.
A second theory is that the graceful and fascinating movements are caused by individual starlings reacting to finding themselves on the outside of the flock and therefore more at risk from predators. It is thought that each starling requires a set personal space to fly and this space is kept at all times. When a starling finds itself on the outside of the flock it then reacts and moves itself to the inside. This then has a knock on effect on all the other birds causing the swift changes of direction.
Flock of starlings. Image by Laurie Campbell
Where
Some of the biggest flocks roost overnight in reed beds but starlings also make use of piers and buildings. Although there are well known places where starlings roost be aware that they can move to new nesting sites and so it may take a bit of patience to see them in action.
Somerset Levels – the Ham Wall reserve is well known for the starling displays.
Martin Mere, Nr Preston
Leighton Moss
Aberswythwyth pier.
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Image by Laurie Campbell
For anyone who grew up watching Blue Peter, it is now a deep-rooted knowledge that before fireworks night, one must check bonfires for hedgehogs. As a child I often felt traumatised watching wood piles go up in smoke, at the thought of oblivious sleepy mammals beneath the flames.
But what a morbid start to my column! When what I really wanted to talk about was the force driving hedgehogs (and other small mammals) into log piles in the first place – the desire to hibernate.
Hibernation is nature’s ingenious solution for creatures unable to generate enough heat to survive the cold winter months. Underground, or tucked into wood piles, warm-blooded animals can slow their metabolisms right down by lowering heart rate and temperature, and thus live on their stores of fat until the spring.
Whilst world-wide there are a huge range of hibernating mammals, from tiny mice to lumbering bears, in the UK there are only three types of mammal who do so: hedgehogs, dormice and bats (although there are insects who behave in the same way). Having said this, there are certain UK species, like frogs, slowworms and toads, which have periods of torpor, but reawaken on warmer days to continue to feed.
Hedgehogs hibernate when their food sources, such as slugs and caterpillars, become scarce in the colder months. Image by Laurie Campbell
Hedgehogs hibernate (if they are fat enough – young hedgehogs need to weigh around 550g, older hedgehogs need to weigh more) when their food sources, such as slugs and caterpillars, become scarce in the colder months. During hibernation a hedgehog’s heart rate will slow from around 190 beats per minute to a mere 20 bpm, causing their body temperature to drop around 25 degrees! Breathing is also slowed, as they only require around one breath every few minutes to supply oxygen to their slow system. The exact time for hibernation varies from year to year, depending on how early the temperature drops, although it’s generally from November to March. According to the British Hedgehog Preservation Society (http://www.britishhedgehogs.org.uk/) hedgehogs often wake up several times during the winter, and they recommend offering food and water to any you happen to see. One of my favourite books about hedgehogs is by Hugh Warwick, and entitled “A Prickly Affair – My Life With Hedgehogs”. On the subject of hibernation, Hugh says: “Hedgehogs do not need to hibernate. It is just a survival strategy, so if there is no reason to – that is, if there is plenty of food available – they will stay wide awake. On the North Island of New Zealand, for example, hedgehogs rarely hibernate, or do so only briefly. And when hibernating, it is not a constant state of torpor. They might get up and have a wander, especially when winters are mild.”
Image by Laurie Campbell
The common, or hazel dormouse, is a creature after my own heart, as it may spend up to three quarters of its life asleep. Something to think about as you drag yourself out of bed in the morning. Hazel dormice spend the summer months fattening up on berries and, unsurprisingly, hazelnuts (sometimes doubling in weight), before curling up in a ground nest as soon as temperatures drop beneath 15 degrees, to await the spring. Like hedgehogs, their body temperatures drop to match their surroundings, and their hearts slow to a tenth of their normal rate. The BBC Nature website has an adorable soundclip of a dormouse waking up, which sent my cat absolutely crazy – http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/species/Hazel_Dormouse. Britain is home to 17 species of bat, all of which wrap themselves up in their wings through the insect-free months. Hibernation is generally between October and March, beginning and ending with periods of gradual activity, although they will also occasionally wake to drink and excrete waste during hibernation. Whilst a flying bat’s heart rate can be a staggering 1000 beats per minute, a hibernating bat’s heart slows to just 20 per minute to conserve their energy. Bats rest in cool, humid places like caves, tree hollows, garden sheds and specially made bat boxes. Remember that bats are protected and shouldn’t be disturbed – even if it’s your attic they chose to call home. If you feel like giving our sleepy natives a helping hand, leave log piles undisturbed for hedgehogs (not forgetting to check your bonfire!!) or consider investing in your very own bat box. For groggy frogs, who sleep at the bottom of ponds, prevent water from freezing over by floating a tennis ball on the surface. Toads and slow worms would be grateful for a snugly compost heap to call their own. So all in all, the best advice is to leave the gardening until summer and sit back with a glass of mulled wine.
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]]>The post RHS Companion to Wildlife Gardening appeared first on British Wildlife, Nature and Outdoor Living.
]]>The RHS Companion to Wildlife Gardening by Chris Baines is a beautifully illustrated and comprehensive book giving a very broad coverage of wildlife in and around our gardens.
The book opens by explaining the ever increasing importance of our gardens for wildlife due to the rapid expansion of our urban areas and the subsequent reduction on wildlife habitat. It then goes on to explain how we can help our struggling native wildlife by creating various wildlife friendly habitats in our gardens no matter how large or small they may be. These areas are covered much more thoroughly than I’ve seen in many other books I’ve read with whole chapters devoted to woodland edges, hedgerows and climbers, lawns and wildflower meadows and garden ponds and other wetlands.
The final part of the book goes into more detail on possible improvements to these areas and the benefits that these may bring (for the wildlife and the gardeners). During this part there is a lot of information on planting a variety of native species to help wildlife in the cottage garden as well as some excellent advice for encouraging wildlife to the kitchen garden whilst also giving ideas of protecting crops from pests using organic methods.
Verdict
As mentioned in the opening line the book really is a beautifully presented book with some abundant and stunning photography. The coverage is very comprehensive, well written and packed with useful and actionable information. We have been trying to provide wildlife habitats in our own garden for many years and have generally had some good success but there are new ideas here that we’ll start trying out. Having tried out growing our own vegetables and salads this year we have been all too aware of the damage that some wildlife pests (namely slugs, snails and caterpillars in our case) can bring and already had a few thoughts on what we could try next year with this book providing a few other things to try too.
I really liked the overall approach of the book and it has a very good balance of providing wildlife friendly habitats for a large range of wildlife both small and large whilst at the same time providing some very good gardening and species information (as would be expected from an RHS publication). I was particularly pleased to see an organic approach being favoured which seems to be very much in line with the permaculture principles that we’ve also being learning about this year, such as using diversity to confuse insects, creating predator friendly habitats – frogs love slugs etc.
In summary this is a beautiful book that would make a great gift for anyone ranging, from an experienced gardener to a total novice, who has an interest in attracting more wildlife to their garden and is one of the best of the numerous books I’ve read on the subject – highly recommended and is available on Amazon.
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Early autumn can often feel like a quiet time for wildlife – summer migrants long gone, mammals starting to think about hibernating – but my garden is teeming with life. Creepy crawly life. Ok, I realise that not everybody is a fan, (even I get caught off-guard sometimes by one in the bathroom), but this column is my attempt to wrestle with arachnophobia and help gain the spider some much needed good press. Even as I type, there’s a smug-looking spider outside the window, in the centre of his web (an orb web- or series of rings around a central point), who every now and then catches an aphid or tiny fly, and of course (apart from the legs) it is the web that sets the spider apart from other species. Produced from glands near the abdomen, the web is a string of protein, (fibroin to be exact) so fine that the human eye can only see it because of the light it reflects. The further spider silk is examined by scientists, the more impressive it turns out to be. It is full of chemicals to prevent decay, such as acidic Potassium Hydrogen Phosphate to stop fungus or bacteria growth. The elasticity of the silk is what makes it so difficult for insects to break, the webbing of the orb web spider Araneus diadematus is very elastic and can be stretched 30 – 40% before it breaks. Steel can be stretched only 8% and nylon around 20%. It is said that a web with a 3cm radius could stop a Boeing 747 in full flight.
Garden Cross Spider. Image by Laurie Campbell
Impressed yet? For those of you still not convinced, I asked the lovely people at Bugwatch what they thought about our arachnid neighbours. Matt Shardlow said, “On dewy autumn mornings we can see the full intricate details of the thousands of spider webs that bedeck bushes and grass. There are over 400 different species of web building spider and each species builds a subtly unique web. Giant orb-webs span paths and between bushes while thousands of tiny money spider hammocks sit close to the foliage of bushes and in amongst the grass at our feet. As the sun breaks through the lace work fades away. While now less of a spectacle for us, for the spider this is a benefit – highly visible webs are not good traps.”
In fact, for beating any bug-related phobias, I would suggest the Buglife website (http://www.buglife.org.uk/) as a first port of call. Hearing from people so committed to and passionate about invertebrates can really change your point of view. (Besides which, occasionally Yours Truly writes an article for them.) Current spider-related projects include artist Sheila Tilmouth photographing Fen Spiders for display in October, and for the kids there’s a “Love Spiders” page with various fun activities.
Many arachnophobes claim not to “see the point” of spiders, so it might come as a shock that webs have been used world-wide for the following:
With silk entering daily life, it’s no wonder spiders have influenced cultures around the world. West African and Caribbean culture celebrated Anasai – the Spiderman of his day, who was the keeper of stories. Ted Hughes sees his daughter as “a spider’s web, tense for the dew’s touch”, in The Full Moon and Little Frieda. Of course there was the Incy Wincy Spider, and I personally have vivid memories of crying myself to sleep over the death of Charlotte in ‘Charlotte’s Web’. There’s even a song by No Doubt called ‘Spiderwebs’ (although I’m not sure it’s got much to do with invertebrates.), and that’s without mentioning all the day-to-day references to spiders, see: a web of lies, dusting the cobwebs off and the World Wide Web.
So ingenious, strong, influential and unique. Spiders, I salute you. (Just please stay out of the towel cupboard).
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