The river at Abridge burst its banks a few weeks ago and the fields have been awash. The water levels have reduced and the river is now within its banks.
As I drove home tonight I glanced left. I often do this and have yet to see a duck! I have seen the odd swan and tonight I saw the other bird I've seen there and a year tick....... a Little Egret. He looked so exotic!
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Tuesday, March 09, 2010
Knotweed
There's been a lot in the news recently about invasive species and the damage they do to native species.
One of the species that is often mentioned is Japanese Knotweed. It is said that it currently costs over £150m a year to control and clear.
Knotweed grows quickly (more than a metre a month). It can burst through tarmac and concrete, causing costly damage to pavements, roads and buildings.
In its native Japan it has predators. Scientist have been testing some of these on 90 different UK plant species, including plants closely related to Japanese knotweed, they have discovered a psyllid called Aphalara itadori was the best control agent.
The insect feeds on the sap of the superweed, stunting its growth and it will be released on a handful of sites this spring.
The Leader of the project Dr Dick Shaw said:
This is the first time that biocontrol - the use of a "natural predator" to control a pest - has been used in the EU to fight a weed and according to Dr Shaw it could take 5 to 10 years to have a big impact.
Let's hope there isn't a big side effect, remember the cane toad!
One of the species that is often mentioned is Japanese Knotweed. It is said that it currently costs over £150m a year to control and clear.
Knotweed grows quickly (more than a metre a month). It can burst through tarmac and concrete, causing costly damage to pavements, roads and buildings.
In its native Japan it has predators. Scientist have been testing some of these on 90 different UK plant species, including plants closely related to Japanese knotweed, they have discovered a psyllid called Aphalara itadori was the best control agent.
The insect feeds on the sap of the superweed, stunting its growth and it will be released on a handful of sites this spring.
The Leader of the project Dr Dick Shaw said:
Safety is our top priority. We are lucky that we do have an extremely specific agent - it just eats invasive knotweeds.
In the early stages, a contingency plan is in place so that should, in the unlikely event, any unintended consequences be detected, we will be able to do something about it.
Insecticide and herbicide treatment will be on standby for rapid response.
This is the first time that biocontrol - the use of a "natural predator" to control a pest - has been used in the EU to fight a weed and according to Dr Shaw it could take 5 to 10 years to have a big impact.
Let's hope there isn't a big side effect, remember the cane toad!
Monday, March 08, 2010
Butterflies in trouble
I read today that conservationists are considering reintroducing the Lynx into Kent. My first reaction was are you kidding?
This reaction was reinforced when I read that that five of Britain's rarest butterflies face a growing risk of extinction.
For instance the Duke of Burgundy is now at its lowest level since monitoring began. The butterfly was once a common sight in woodland clearings and now there are less than 80 colonies throughout the UK.
Other rare species suffering include the High Brown Fritillary (less than 50 colonies) and the Wood White and the Lulworth Skipper are both down to under 100 colonies. The Pearl-bordered Fritillary, had its second worst year in 2009.
The massive influx of Painted Ladies last summer made it look like butterflies were doing well. Although some common species including the Green-veined White, Ringlet and Speckled Wood did ok.
Personally if we have money to spend why are we reintroducing Lynx ? In my humble opinion we should be looking after what we have rather than spending money on glamorous reintroductions.
This reaction was reinforced when I read that that five of Britain's rarest butterflies face a growing risk of extinction.
For instance the Duke of Burgundy is now at its lowest level since monitoring began. The butterfly was once a common sight in woodland clearings and now there are less than 80 colonies throughout the UK.
Other rare species suffering include the High Brown Fritillary (less than 50 colonies) and the Wood White and the Lulworth Skipper are both down to under 100 colonies. The Pearl-bordered Fritillary, had its second worst year in 2009.
The massive influx of Painted Ladies last summer made it look like butterflies were doing well. Although some common species including the Green-veined White, Ringlet and Speckled Wood did ok.
Personally if we have money to spend why are we reintroducing Lynx ? In my humble opinion we should be looking after what we have rather than spending money on glamorous reintroductions.
Sunday, March 07, 2010
Local Birding coming up trumps
Doesn't the world look better when the sun shines? OK it's still colder than it should be but the world seems better somehow.
After lunch I went to Rye Meads. I don't why as I was more likely to get pictures at Amwell or Fishers Green but Rye Meads it was.
One of the resident Buffalo.
The Draper hide had a very high water level so there was no chance of anything but ducks.
At the Moorhen hide was this chap bobbing up and down.
If you zoom in you can see the way the stripe splits above the eye. And the bobbing is a give away for Jack Snipe!!
They've lowered the water level on Tern hide (the Tern rafts are from Gadwall hide - long story!!) and I got my first Green Sandpiper of the year.
Off to Kingfisher hide. This chap was too distant for a good shot but it shows him sitting over the Kingfisher bank. Fingers crossed for a good year for them!
These chaps are such little posers!!
And a return to look at the Jack. He was sat next to a Snipe which really showed off the beak and size difference.
After lunch I went to Rye Meads. I don't why as I was more likely to get pictures at Amwell or Fishers Green but Rye Meads it was.
One of the resident Buffalo.
The Draper hide had a very high water level so there was no chance of anything but ducks.
At the Moorhen hide was this chap bobbing up and down.
If you zoom in you can see the way the stripe splits above the eye. And the bobbing is a give away for Jack Snipe!!
They've lowered the water level on Tern hide (the Tern rafts are from Gadwall hide - long story!!) and I got my first Green Sandpiper of the year.
Off to Kingfisher hide. This chap was too distant for a good shot but it shows him sitting over the Kingfisher bank. Fingers crossed for a good year for them!
These chaps are such little posers!!
And a return to look at the Jack. He was sat next to a Snipe which really showed off the beak and size difference.
Saturday, March 06, 2010
Old Haunts
It was a tadge cold but the skies were blue and off I headed to Lackford Lakes. Lackford is a Suffolk Wildlife Trust to the North West of Bury St Edmunds, I rather like it especially in summer. I haven't been in ages.
Some nice birds by the visitors centre, Coal and Marsh Tit and a small flock of Redpoll. There were some Goldenye and a Pintail amongst the commoner ducks on the lake and a few Lapwing.
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It's that quiet time of year bird wise winters heading off whilst the summer migrants have yet to make it.
I headed off to the Steggles Hide the furthest on the reserve. On the way were Goldfinch, Treecreeper and a Great Spot Woody (heard a Green).
Steggles hide was where I looked at my watch on the 19th April 2003 and realised it was a year since I had been made redundant. The idea that I would have been looking at gulls would have been ridiculous a year earlier. Today I dug out a Common Gull and two Oystercatcher before something brown flew in ..... BITTERN. Nice!! The obligatory text to the Blonde One.
As I headed back to the visitors centre this chap appeared. Couldn't get a clear shot.
At the visitors centre I went to the "Tree Sparrow feeders". Dunnock, Bullfinch, Reed Bunting but no Tree Sparrows but after five minutes 4 turned up.
So on to Ickworth House, you'll see a lot of this in trips with Dad no doubt!!
I've never been to Ickworth this early and was surprised to see so many winter flowers - loads of Snowdrops. The daffs are way behind so hopefully will be in full bloom for Easter.
Some nice birds by the visitors centre, Coal and Marsh Tit and a small flock of Redpoll. There were some Goldenye and a Pintail amongst the commoner ducks on the lake and a few Lapwing.
It's that quiet time of year bird wise winters heading off whilst the summer migrants have yet to make it.
I headed off to the Steggles Hide the furthest on the reserve. On the way were Goldfinch, Treecreeper and a Great Spot Woody (heard a Green).
Steggles hide was where I looked at my watch on the 19th April 2003 and realised it was a year since I had been made redundant. The idea that I would have been looking at gulls would have been ridiculous a year earlier. Today I dug out a Common Gull and two Oystercatcher before something brown flew in ..... BITTERN. Nice!! The obligatory text to the Blonde One.
As I headed back to the visitors centre this chap appeared. Couldn't get a clear shot.
At the visitors centre I went to the "Tree Sparrow feeders". Dunnock, Bullfinch, Reed Bunting but no Tree Sparrows but after five minutes 4 turned up.
So on to Ickworth House, you'll see a lot of this in trips with Dad no doubt!!
I've never been to Ickworth this early and was surprised to see so many winter flowers - loads of Snowdrops. The daffs are way behind so hopefully will be in full bloom for Easter.
Friday, March 05, 2010
Plane Spotting
I note that two plane spotters have been released in India.
This happened in Greece a few years back, I am always slightly puzzled as to why they are shocked that the police/military are just a bit suspicious.
The world is an odd place and things that are normal here aren't going to be normal in a Foreign Country and vice versa.
They had sparked suspicion after asking a Delhi hotel for a room overlooking Indira Gandhi International Airport. Common sense chaps Common sense!!
This happened in Greece a few years back, I am always slightly puzzled as to why they are shocked that the police/military are just a bit suspicious.
The world is an odd place and things that are normal here aren't going to be normal in a Foreign Country and vice versa.
They had sparked suspicion after asking a Delhi hotel for a room overlooking Indira Gandhi International Airport. Common sense chaps Common sense!!
Thursday, March 04, 2010
Some music
It's my friend Jan in Cornwall's birthday so I thought she'd like a little concert.
and well.........
and well.........
Wednesday, March 03, 2010
Michael Foot 1913 - 2010
I can't say I was ever a fan of Michael Foot's politics, a left wing (OI LEAZ A PROPER SOCIALIST !! He made Barrack Obama look like Sarah Palin LOL ) unilateralist who believed in state control but his death today aged 96 shouldn't go unmarked by this blog.
He was a committed anti-fascist and a truly marvellous orator of the old school. I heard a clip today of him addressing a CND meeting and you had to marvel at the power of his oratory. Foot was anti the European Union and a Republican (although it is reported that he got on well with the Royal Family at a personal level).
What made Foot so admired in Westminster was his decency as a person and his conviction. Foot was a politician who went into politics to change things not for what he got out of it. He was a politician you could imagine in a big hall debating with Gladstone and Disraeli not for him the smart suits and media consultants of Blair and Cameron.
He was derided for the coat he wore at the cenotaph in 1981 (although the Queen Mother admired it - apparently she had more sense than the red top media). He led his party to its worst election performance since the war but Foot was a politician of principal and perhaps his view that banks should be state owned is not so wrong headed in 2010 as it once was.
Not only though was Foot a politician (with 42 years in the commons ), he was a journalist (editor of the Standard) and highly regarded writer.
I do like the comments of Ed West in the Telegraph.
This speech was from 1942 in Defence of the Daily Mirror which had criticised the conduct of the war by the Churchill Government.
He was a committed anti-fascist and a truly marvellous orator of the old school. I heard a clip today of him addressing a CND meeting and you had to marvel at the power of his oratory. Foot was anti the European Union and a Republican (although it is reported that he got on well with the Royal Family at a personal level).
What made Foot so admired in Westminster was his decency as a person and his conviction. Foot was a politician who went into politics to change things not for what he got out of it. He was a politician you could imagine in a big hall debating with Gladstone and Disraeli not for him the smart suits and media consultants of Blair and Cameron.
He was derided for the coat he wore at the cenotaph in 1981 (although the Queen Mother admired it - apparently she had more sense than the red top media). He led his party to its worst election performance since the war but Foot was a politician of principal and perhaps his view that banks should be state owned is not so wrong headed in 2010 as it once was.
Not only though was Foot a politician (with 42 years in the commons ), he was a journalist (editor of the Standard) and highly regarded writer.
I do like the comments of Ed West in the Telegraph.
and though most of us here will not have agreed with his politics, ........ he was a good man who loved his country and wanted to make it even better
This speech was from 1942 in Defence of the Daily Mirror which had criticised the conduct of the war by the Churchill Government.
Tuesday, March 02, 2010
Wildlife Story
A few stories about the impact of the weather on wildlife.
The intense cold in Scotland has mean BILLIONS of midges have died. It is believed that the coming summer may be one of the best, midge-quiet Scottish summers on record.
Equally the RSPB Scotland said there have been few sightings of Wrens, Stonechat and Goldcrests since winter started.
This isn't a weather story but....
Naturalists at a Somerset Nature Reserve have decided to protect the caterpillars of Orange Tipped Butterflies to stop Blue Tits taking them for food.
I'm not sure I approve of this. Surely we should let nature take its course. I might have understood if the butterfly is rare.
The intense cold in Scotland has mean BILLIONS of midges have died. It is believed that the coming summer may be one of the best, midge-quiet Scottish summers on record.
Equally the RSPB Scotland said there have been few sightings of Wrens, Stonechat and Goldcrests since winter started.
This isn't a weather story but....
Naturalists at a Somerset Nature Reserve have decided to protect the caterpillars of Orange Tipped Butterflies to stop Blue Tits taking them for food.
I'm not sure I approve of this. Surely we should let nature take its course. I might have understood if the butterfly is rare.
Monday, March 01, 2010
Whoops
Is it me or is it rather typical that as soon as I'm back in the office the flipping sun comes out?
An amusing report in the Express. United Utilities are putting up metal decoys to stop Great Spotted Woodpeckers pecking the wooden polls.
The decoy was of a Black Woodpecker which has never been seen in the UK. A passerby reported it but the truth was revealed before a mass twitch could occur.
Personally I'd have found it rather amusing but Twitchers got rather upset when a report of 3 Cranes over Milton Keynes was actually 3 mechanical Cranes and not birds!
An amusing report in the Express. United Utilities are putting up metal decoys to stop Great Spotted Woodpeckers pecking the wooden polls.
The decoy was of a Black Woodpecker which has never been seen in the UK. A passerby reported it but the truth was revealed before a mass twitch could occur.
Personally I'd have found it rather amusing but Twitchers got rather upset when a report of 3 Cranes over Milton Keynes was actually 3 mechanical Cranes and not birds!
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