www.devonbirds.org The Devon Birds newsletter Oct-Dec 2016 A round-up of Devon Birds’ news stories from the last three months October 2016 about the matter and we intend to accept that offer. Since the letter was written it now appears Bird of the month that four further licences have been applied for. This might not constitute a 'flood of applications' as suggested in the original letter to Natural England but it is a worrying trend. Much of the documentation for the granting of this licence has now been published by Natural England, though heavily redacted so it is impossible to discover even the region where the Buzzards are being destroyed. We are not alone in our opposition to this decision. You might like to read a piece by the RSPB's Conservation Director, Martin Harper, who also condemns this and calls it 'a perversion of the licensing system'. If you feel strongly about this, please write independently to Andrew Sells or John Holmes at Natural Dalmatian Pelican – taken by Phil Naylor on 5th England. Better still both - their addresses are October on the respective letters. After spending three months wandering around Cornwall, including teasing us on the far side of the Tamar, the Dalmatian Pelican finally saw sense and crossed the border into Devon. Most recently it was seen on the Taw/Torridge estuary around Crow Point and Fremington. The nearest breeding Dalmatian Pelicans are found in Greece and Bulgaria though the greatest concentrations of the birds, classified as Vulnerable, are in the former countries of the Soviet Union. Fossil records show that pelicans bred in the UK until they became extinct here around two thousand years ago. What are the chances that this bird will be joined by a mate? Probably very slim, unfortunately. Sadly, for those who missed it, the Pelican has returned to Cornwall. Natural England replies to Buzzard letter In August, Devon Birds' Chairman Kevin Cox wrote a letter to Andrew Sells, NE's Chief Executive, to express concern about the fact that Natural England had granted a licence for the control of up to ten Buzzard in order to protect pheasant poults, which following a judicial review are now classed as 'livestock'. We have now received a letter from John Holmes, Natural England's Area Manager in reply. This is reproduced in full below. The letter does not answer in full all the questions that we asked but we acknowledge the fact that Mr Holmes has offered to speak to Council 1 . interesting migrants especially in the rougher coastal areas. The farmer is keen to improve the habitat for wildlife and so he is about to start planting new broadleaf woodland, hundreds of metres of new hedges, scattered copses and plant wild bird cover for winter feeding. To see the positive effects of this work, he would like to have a baseline survey completed now. If you would like more information about the survey or to register your interest in taking part, please email [email protected] or call 01364 644214. Even if you can’t make all four dates, you will still be welcome to join us. Willow Tit Survey 2017 Our Willow Tits are in trouble. The national decline between 1995 and 2010 is estimated at 79 per cent. The new Devon Bird Atlas shows a collapse in range: the number of tetrads for which breeding was confirmed or probable was just 31, down from 166 in the Devon Tetrad Volunteers wanted for Atlas 1977-85. Willow Tits are notoriously difficult to South Devon survey survey. They can be secretive and the habitat they occupy, wet scrubby woodland, is often Devon Birds has been invited to do a full bird inaccessible. Plus, they can be very tricky to survey of a 1200 acre farm on the South Devon differentiate from Marsh Tits in the field, coast next year and we’re looking to recruit except by call. volunteers to join a team willing to spend four Devon Birds, in partnership with Devon days next year birdwatching and recording. Wildlife Trust and the Devon Biodiversity Dates have yet to be agreed but the four days Records Centre, carried out a successful survey are likely to be in January, March, April and for Willow Tits in February/March this year. early June. The good news is that the birds were recorded in 12 tetrads where it was thought they had disappeared. Most of the tetrads surveyed this year were in Mid and East Devon. In 2017, we will shift our attention to North Devon plus a couple of tetrads in the south. The survey is mostly done using playback of the Willow Tit call as the birds can be very responsive if they are around. Full training will be offered to those who are new to the survey at the Devon Wildlife Trust Meeth reserve on Saturday 14 January 2017. If you would like to find out more or to Carswell Farm is a fully organic dairy farm that help by surveying a tetrad, please contact either sits in the beautiful area between Noss Mayo Kevin Cox on 01364 644214 and Mothecombe. It has a range of habitats, ([email protected]) or Emily including meadows, hedgerows, woods, copses, Stallworthy at Devon Wildlife Trust on 01392 scrub and coastal strip. The birding should be 279244 ([email protected]). exciting – as well as Cirl Buntings and other farmland birds, there is a good chance of some 2 Botswana, Svalbard, Morocco, Mongolia and The Holne Moor Bird the UK: www.dascottartist.com Study Dave with Steppe Eagle chicks in Mongolia As a side-line he takes photographs, but what photos. This practice requires patient observation in all conditions and temperatures. Wherever his travels take him his enduring passion is finding and photographing birds’ nests, and where possible ringing the young. The stresses of their environment have led to the some of the most beautiful eggs, and ingenious nest-building behaviour. The techniques are wonderfully adapted to the rigours of the habitats, from the Arctic to African deserts. However, everywhere he travels he encounters man’s destructive influences. His studies of the effects of hundreds of miles of poorly designed overhead power lines in Mongolia has shown that they are killing hundreds of birds of prey; and led to international meetings to try to find some solution. Meanwhile on our own moors he has seen increased leisure use, by walkers, dogs and mountain bikers, give rise to disturbance that has driven away most of Dartmoor’s nesting The Dartmoor Upland Bird Nest Group has waders and many other birds. Constant activity been monitoring the breeding of birds on Holne can scare the parent from the nest exposing Moor for the last nine years. The team puts in young or eggs to chilling or the ever-present an incredible number of hours in all weathers attention of crows and other predators; while on the moor, finding nests, ringing birds and an inquisitive dog can eat a brood of skylarks monitoring the diet and foraging behaviour of without the owner noticing. Unfortunately this Meadow Pipits and Cuckoos. can be made worse by the thoughtless actions You can find more information on the of over-enthusiastic bird photographers.” website: www.dartmoornests.org Devon Birds supported the work of the Group in 2016 with a £2000 grant that November 2016 contributed towards the costs of equipment and transport. New County Recorder & Plymouth Branch Talk – Membership Secretary Devon Birds is pleased to announce that Kevin 12 September 2016 Rylands has agreed to accept the position of Douglas Herdson writes: “A good crowd County Recorder for Devon. turned up at the Spurgeon Hall in Mutley to Kevin's day job is working for the RSPB in hear a fascinating talk by Dave Scott. the South-West as a Conservation Officer. Dave is a photographer, falconer, ringer When not at work, he spends much of his time and runs a bird rehabilitation sanctuary, but his birding at Dawlish Warren and he runs the principal occupation is as a wildlife artist. website www.dawlishwarren.co.uk. He is Hence he began by showing photos of some of acknowledged to be one of Devon's top birders his impressive paintings from his travels in so we're delighted that he takes over as County Recorder as well as chairing the Devon Birds Records Committee. And Kevin's knowledge 3 extends well beyond birds – he is an all-round naturalist with a wide-ranging enthusiasm for Haldon & Hatherleigh all forms of wildlife. Surveys - can you help? One of the heathland restoration areas in Haldon Forest Kevin Rylands, County Recorder Devon Birds is looking for volunteers to help Devon Birds Council is also pleased to with another two surveys in 2017. Haldon welcome Shaw Edwards as Membership Forest is a 3500 acre conifer and broadleaf Secretary. Shaw is a Devonian and life-long woodland on the western edge of Exeter, birder who lives in Moreleigh in South Devon. dissected by the A38. The Forestry Shaw's passion for birds and conservation Commission, which owns and manages the site, combined with his extensive business has approached Devon Birds about the experience make him a great addition to possibility of carrying out a bird survey in a Council. His role will be to ensure that we are number of key areas of the forest, particularly doing all we can to look after existing members those parts where the conifer has been removed as well as to spread the word about Devon and heathland restoration is underway. Birds to help us recruit new ones.