DOCSLIB.ORG

Breeding Farmland Birds and the Role of Habitats Created Under Agri-Environment Schemes

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Breeding Farmland Birds and the Role of Habitats Created Under Agri-Environment Schemes Breeding farmland birds and the role of habitats created under agri-environment schemes Niamh M. McHugh Department of Life Sciences Imperial College London A thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy rd 23 of April, 2015 Abstract In this thesis, I aim to assess how farmland birds use insect-rich agri-environment scheme (AES) foraging habitats during the breeding season and how such birds might benefit from them. It is particularly focused on how the coverage and quality (measured by insect food levels and food accessibility) of AES habitats influence territory selection, foraging activities and breeding success. The thesis begins by explaining why farmland birds have declined, reviewing how AES may help reverse these trends, along with outlining why AES may fail to benefit breeding birds (Chapter one). I then investigated whether the addition of wildflowers to AES margins, boundary type, crop type, chick food availability or accessibility influenced the foraging activity of insectivores, mixed diet species and the passerine community in general (Chapter two). Next, I wanted to find out if territory selection by a declining farmland bird the yellowhammer Emberiza citronella related to the quantity of AES habitat available; models also accounted for chick food abundance, landscape diversity and nest site features (Chapter three). Subsequently I investigated how the availability of AES can affect chick diet and survival using the Eurasian tree sparrow Passer monatus as a focus species. I compared the abundance and diversity of tree sparrow chick food items between nest boxes with and without access to AES habitats aimed at foraging birds (Chapter four). I then documented whether tree sparrow productivity was limited by the availability of such invertebrate- rich foraging habitat (Chapter five). As the majority of AES studies use only short-term data sets, my final data chapter aimed to address this by linking trends in yellowhammer and common chaffinch Fringilla coelebs nest success to the total chick food abundance of available arable and AES habitats over an 10 year period (Chapter six). The thesis concludes by considering future research directions of AES and farmland bird studies in the United Kingdom (Chapter seven). i Thesis Declaration Declaration of Originality I confirm that all work within this thesis is my own, except where declared below. The data for Chapters two and three were collected with the help of three masters’ student Cecily Goodwin, Sophie Hughes and Jacqui Machin under my supervision. Data for Chapter six on annual trends in agri-environment scheme invertebrate populations and nest survival were provided by the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust. Copyright Declaration The copyright of this thesis rests with the author and is made available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives licence. Researchers are free to copy, distribute or transmit the thesis on the condition that they attribute it, that they do not use it for commercial purposes and that they do not alter, transform or build upon it. For any reuse or redistribution, researchers must make clear to others the licence terms of this work. ii Acknowledgements I would like to start by thanking my funders the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT) and Natural England for their monetary support through a CASE studentship. Without this funding none of this work would have been possible. A number of people provided help along the way most notably the North Wiltshire ringing group, Patrick White, Simon Lane, Tom Porteus, Julie Ewald, Neville Kingdon, Christopher Wheatley, Mark Whiteside, John Szczur, Gillian Gooderham, David Orme, E.J. Milner- Gulland, Barbara Smith, Nick Sotherton, Mick Crawley, Francis Buner, Andrew Knight, Andrew Hoodless, Nicholas Aebischer, Carlos Sánchez and Barbara Sanger. Special thanks are due to Steve Moreby for his help, patience and enthusiasm when teaching me to identify invertebrates and faecal fragments and also to Matt Prior, Cecily Goodwin, Sophie Hughes and Jacqui Machin for their assistance in the field and most importantly their company whist we waited for it to stop raining. Phil Grice – thank you for taking the time to read my thesis draft and for providing extremely helpful comments. Thank you to my supervisors Simon Leather and John Holland. Simon, I am extremely grateful that you gave me the opportunity to carry out this project and I would like to thank you for the expertise you contributed. John, you have always done what is best for me and I can never thank you enough for the support, guidance and encouragement you gave me throughout my PhD. iii To everyone at the GWCT, thank you for being so welcoming and making Fordingbridge my home away from home. I would especially like to thank all of the students who made my time there so enjoyable – Lizzie Grayshon, Ryan Burrell, David Evershed, Jessica Chadwick, Amy Smith, Laura Kor, Holly Narey, Freya Stacey, Lucy Coals, Tom Elliott, Liam Crowley, Claire Blowers and honorary student / wine night enthusiast Megan Hey. To everyone from the walled garden tearoom, thank you for keeping me both calm and refreshed on those stressful days. I would like to thank all of the friends I have made at Imperial over the years, especially my fellow PhD students – Henrietta Pringle, Will Pearse, Giovanni Rapacciuolo, Mark Ramsden, Kate Luckett and Diane Lawrence – and the friends I made whilst doing my masters there – Emma Jane Sheard, Francisca Sconce, Annie English, Rachael Hall and Sandy Morrison. Thanks to my family for encouraging me to pursue this PhD and fostering my enthusiasm for wildlife and the environment from an early age. Finally, I would like to thank my sister Elaine, for always beings there when I needed her and my partner Christopher for helping me with fieldwork, proofreading my thesis and for always being ready with a cup of tea. Thank you for everything. iv Contents Abstract ...................................................................................................................................... i Thesis Declaration .................................................................................................................... ii Declaration of Originality ..................................................................................................... ii Copyright Declaration ........................................................................................................... ii Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................ iii Contents .................................................................................................................................. iii Tables ...................................................................................................................................... vii Figures .................................................................................................................................... xiv Abbreviations ........................................................................................................................ xix 1. General Introduction ........................................................................................................... 1 1.1. Farmland bird population declines and agricultural intensification ........................ 1 1.2 Agri-environment schemes ............................................................................................. 4 1.3. Why might AES fail to benefit farmland birds? ......................................................... 7 1.4. Thesis aim .................................................................................................................. 8 1.5. Thesis objectives and predictions .............................................................................. 9 2. Use of Grass-only and Wildflower Margins as Foraging Habitat by Farmland Passerines ................................................................................................................................ 13 2.1. Introduction.............................................................................................................. 13 2.2. Methods .................................................................................................................... 17 2.2.1. Margin selection................................................................................................... 17 2.2.2. Vegetation survey ................................................................................................ 17 2.2.3. Invertebrate sampling........................................................................................... 18 2.2.4. Passerine surveys ................................................................................................. 19 2.2.5. Analysis................................................................................................................ 21 2.3. Results ...................................................................................................................... 24 2.3.1. Vegetation differences between margin types ..................................................... 24 2.3.2. Margin features and invertebrate abundance ....................................................... 25 2.3.3. Passerine foraging and habitat type ....................................................................
Load more

Recommended publications
  • 444 Yellowhammer Put Your Logo Here
    Javier Blasco-Zumeta & Gerd-Michael Heinze Sponsor is needed. Write your name here 444 Yellowhammer Put your logo here Yellowhammer. Winter. Adult. Male (04-XI) Yellowhammer. Spring. Pattern of upperparts and YELLOWHAMMER (Emberiza citri- head: top male (Photo: nella) Ottenby Bird Observa- tory); bottom female IDENTIFICATION (Photo: Ottenby Bird Observatory). 14-18 cm. Breeding male with yellow head; reddish upperparts, brown streaked; chestnut- reddish rump and uppertail coverts, unstreaked; bluish bill; in winter similar to female. Female more brownish and streaked than male. Yellowhammer. Juvenile. Pattern of head (Photo: Ondrej Kauzal) and up- perparts (Photo: Alejan- dro Corregidor). SIMILAR SPECIES Male in breeding plumage unmistakable. Fe- Yellowhammer. Win- male similar to female Cirl Bunting which ter. Pattern of upper- has grey-olive rump and lacks pale patch on parts and head: top nape. Female Ortolan Bunting has brown rump male; bottom female. and grey-buff underparts. Juveniles Yellowham- mer are unmistakable due to their chestnut rump. http://blascozumeta.com Write your website here Page 1 Javier Blasco-Zumeta & Gerd-Michael Heinze Sponsor is needed. Write your name here 444 Yellowhammer Put your logo here Yellowham- mer. Spring. Sexing. Pat- tern of head: top male (Photo: Ot- tenby Bird Observa- tory); bot- tom female (Photo: Ot- tenby Bird Observa- Cirl Bunting. Female tory). Yellowhammer. Spring. Sexing. Pattern of breast: Ortolan Bunting. 1st year. left male (Photo: Reinhard Vohwinkel); right female (Photo: Reinhard Vohwinkel). SEXING In breeding plumage, male with head and under- parts deep yellow. Female with head and under- parts brownish. After postbreeding/postjuvenile moults, adult male with crown feathers yellow on more than half length without a dark shaft streak.
    [Show full text]
  • Four Year Study Involving Wildlife Monitoring of Commercial SRC Plantations Planted on Arable Land and Arable Control Plots
    Four year study involving wildlife monitoring of commercial SRC plantations planted on arable land and arable control plots DTI TECHNOLOGY PROGRAMME: NEW AND RENEWABLE ENERGY CONTRACT NUMBER B/U1/00627/00/00 URN NUMBER 04/961 PROJECT REPORT The DTI drives our ambition of ’prosperity for all' by working to create the best environment for business success in the UK. We help people and companies become more productive by promoting enterprise, innovation and creativity. We champion UK business at home and abroad. We invest heavily in world-class science and technology. We protect the rights of working people and consumers. And we stand up for fair and open markets in the UK, Europe and the world. ii ARBRE MONITORING - ECOLOGY OF SHORT ROTATION COPPICE B/U1/00627/REP DTI/PUB URN 04/961 Contractor The Game Conservancy Trust (GCT) Sub-Contractor The Central Science Laboratory (CSL) Prepared by M.D.Cunningham (GCT) J.D. Bishop (CSL) H.V.McKay (CSL) R.B.Sage (GCT) The work described in this report was carried out under contract as part of the DTI Technology Programme: New and Renewable Energy. The views and judgements expressed in this report are those of the contractor and do not necessarily reflect those of the DTI. First published 2004 © Crown Copyright 2004 ii i EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Introduction This project, funded by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) through Future Energy Solutions, was conducted over a four-year period starting in 2000. The project involved wildlife monitoring within Short Rotation Coppice (SRC) plots managed commercially for the project ARBRE (Arable Biomass Renewable Energy) throughout Yorkshire.
    [Show full text]
  • Rejection Behavior by Common Cuckoo Hosts Towards Artificial Brood Parasite Eggs
    REJECTION BEHAVIOR BY COMMON CUCKOO HOSTS TOWARDS ARTIFICIAL BROOD PARASITE EGGS ARNE MOKSNES, EIVIN ROSKAFT, AND ANDERS T. BRAA Departmentof Zoology,University of Trondheim,N-7055 Dragvoll,Norway ABSTRACT.--Westudied the rejectionbehavior shown by differentNorwegian cuckoo hosts towardsartificial CommonCuckoo (Cuculus canorus) eggs. The hostswith the largestbills were graspejectors, those with medium-sizedbills were mostlypuncture ejectors, while those with the smallestbills generally desertedtheir nestswhen parasitizedexperimentally with an artificial egg. There were a few exceptionsto this general rule. Becausethe Common Cuckooand Brown-headedCowbird (Molothrus ater) lay eggsthat aresimilar in shape,volume, and eggshellthickness, and they parasitizenests of similarly sizedhost species,we support the punctureresistance hypothesis proposed to explain the adaptivevalue (or evolution)of strengthin cowbirdeggs. The primary assumptionand predictionof this hypothesisare that somehosts have bills too small to graspparasitic eggs and thereforemust puncture-eject them,and that smallerhosts do notadopt ejection behavior because of the heavycost involved in puncture-ejectingthe thick-shelledparasitic egg. We comparedour resultswith thosefor North AmericanBrown-headed Cowbird hosts and we found a significantlyhigher propor- tion of rejectersamong CommonCuckoo hosts with graspindices (i.e. bill length x bill breadth)of <200 mm2. Cuckoo hosts ejected parasitic eggs rather than acceptthem as cowbird hostsdid. Amongthe CommonCuckoo hosts, the costof acceptinga parasiticegg probably alwaysexceeds that of rejectionbecause cuckoo nestlings typically eject all hosteggs or nestlingsshortly after they hatch.Received 25 February1990, accepted 23 October1990. THEEGGS of many brood parasiteshave thick- nestseither by grasping the eggs or by punc- er shells than the eggs of other bird speciesof turing the eggs before removal. Rohwer and similar size (Lack 1968,Spaw and Rohwer 1987).
    [Show full text]
  • Federal Register/Vol. 85, No. 74/Thursday, April 16, 2020/Notices
    21262 Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 74 / Thursday, April 16, 2020 / Notices acquisition were not included in the 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA Comment (1): We received one calculation for TDC, the TDC limit would not 22041–3803; (703) 358–2376. comment from the Western Energy have exceeded amongst other items. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Alliance, which requested that we Contact: Robert E. Mulderig, Deputy include European starling (Sturnus Assistant Secretary, Office of Public Housing What is the purpose of this notice? vulgaris) and house sparrow (Passer Investments, Office of Public and Indian Housing, Department of Housing and Urban The purpose of this notice is to domesticus) on the list of bird species Development, 451 Seventh Street SW, Room provide the public an updated list of not protected by the MBTA. 4130, Washington, DC 20410, telephone (202) ‘‘all nonnative, human-introduced bird Response: The draft list of nonnative, 402–4780. species to which the Migratory Bird human-introduced species was [FR Doc. 2020–08052 Filed 4–15–20; 8:45 am]‘ Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. 703 et seq.) does restricted to species belonging to biological families of migratory birds BILLING CODE 4210–67–P not apply,’’ as described in the MBTRA of 2004 (Division E, Title I, Sec. 143 of covered under any of the migratory bird the Consolidated Appropriations Act, treaties with Great Britain (for Canada), Mexico, Russia, or Japan. We excluded DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 2005; Pub. L. 108–447). The MBTRA states that ‘‘[a]s necessary, the Secretary species not occurring in biological Fish and Wildlife Service may update and publish the list of families included in the treaties from species exempted from protection of the the draft list.
    [Show full text]
  • Yellowhammer (Emberiza Citrinella) Ecology in an Intensive Pastoral Dominated Farming Landscape
    Anderson, Dawn E. (2014) Yellowhammer (Emberiza citrinella) ecology in an intensive pastoral dominated farming landscape. PhD thesis. http://theses.gla.ac.uk/5356/ Copyright and moral rights for this work are retained by the author A copy can be downloaded for personal non-commercial research or study, without prior permission or charge This work cannot be reproduced or quoted extensively from without first obtaining permission in writing from the author The content must not be changed in any way or sold commercially in any format or medium without the formal permission of the author When referring to this work, full bibliographic details including the author, title, awarding institution and date of the thesis must be given Enlighten:Theses http://theses.gla.ac.uk/ [email protected] YELLOWHAMMER (Emberiza citrinella) ECOLOGY IN AN INTENSIVE PASTORAL DOMINATED FARMING LANDSCAPE DAWN E. ANDERSON Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences University of Glasgow October 2013 2 Abstract Farmland birds in Europe have declined as agriculture has intensified, with granivorous specialists disproportionately affected. Despite grassland based farming being widespread, farmland bird research to date has focussed on mixed and arable farms. Yellowhammers are a red-listed species in the UK. This study investigated year round habitat requirements, diet, and movements of yellowhammers at four grassland dominated farms in Ayrshire, Scotland. Data were obtained via field surveys and trials, radio-tracking and faecal analysis. Fine scale breeding season foraging habitat requirements were studied by comparing invertebrate and vegetation communities at foraging sites with paired controls across all four farms.
    [Show full text]
  • Pesticides and the Loss of Biodiversity How Intensive Pesticide Use Affects Wildlife Populations and Species Diversity
    Pesticides and the loss of biodiversity How intensive pesticide use affects wildlife populations and species diversity March 2010 Written by Richard Isenring Pesticide Action Network Europe PAN Europe is a network of NGO campaign organisations working to minimize the negative impacts of pesticides and replace the use of hazardous chemicals with ecologically sound alternatives Our vision is of a world where high agricultural productivity is achieved through sustainable farming systems in which agrochemical inputs and environmental impacts are minimised, and where local communities control food production using local varieties. PAN Europe brings together consumer, health and environmental organisations, trades unions, women’s groups and farmer associations. Our formal membership includes 32 organisations based in 19 European countries. DPesvetilcoipdmeeAncttHioonusNe etwork Europe 56-64 Leonard Street London EC2A 4LT Tel: +44 (0) 207 065 0920 Fax: +44 (0) 207 065 0907 Email: [email protected] Web: www.pan-europe.info This briefing has been produced with the financial assistance of EOG Association for Conservation. Contents Biodiversity loss and the use of pesticides 2 Bird species decline owing to pesticides 5 Risk to mammals of hazardous pesticides 8 Impact on butterflies, bees and natural enemies 9 Pesticides affecting amphibians and aquatic species 10 Effect of pesticides on plant communities 12 Are pesticides diminishing soil fertility? 13 Policies and methods for biodiversity conservation 14 The need for a biodiversity rescue plan 16 References and websites 17 1 Biodiversity loss and the use of pesticides Pesticides are a major factor affecting biological diversity, along with habitat loss and climate change. They can have toxic effects in the short term in directly exposed organisms, or long-term effects by causing changes in habitat and the food chain.
    [Show full text]
  • Bred in a Trap
    Stroming Ltd, for Nature and Landscape Restoration Bred in a trap An investigation into illegal practices in the trade in wild European birds in the Netherlands March 2007 Stroming BV commissioned by Vogelbescherming Netherlands Arnold van Kreveld Bred in a trap An investigation into illegal practices in the trade in wild European birds in the Netherlands March 2007 Stroming BV commissioned by Vogelbescherming Netherlands Arnold van Kreveld Index 1 Preface 4 Legislation and inspection 4.1 Legislation 2 Breeding and trapping 4.2 Inspection 2.1 Avicultural societies 2.2 Breeding 5 Conclusions 2.3 Trapping 2.4 The ringing system 6 Recommendations 3 Trade Appendix 1 – Confiscations 2003-2006 3.1 Confiscations Appendix 2 – European bird species 3.2 Fairs and exhibitions offered for sale by private individuals 3.3 Internet in fairs and on the internet in the 3.4 Prices Netherlands 3.5 International trade 3.6 The bird keeper’s culture Literature Confiscated tawny owl | 5 1 Preface “Illegal bird trapping and bird trade have demanded, yet again, much of our attention. It is clear to us, that these businesses are more abundant than anyone suspects, and that they flourish considerably more than we care for. By monitoring these illegal practices, we hope to succeed in keeping them in check. There are places in the south, where so-called “bird fairs” are still safely taking place.” This text comes from the annual report of Vogelbescherming in 1936/1937. However, it could just as easily have been written today because there are still bird fairs taking place in scores of places all over the country.
    [Show full text]
  • The Mechanics of Terrestrial Locomotion and the Function and Evolutionary History Of
    The Mechanics of Terrestrial Locomotion and the Function and Evolutionary History of Head-bobbing in Birds A dissertation presented to the faculty of the College of Arts and Sciences of Ohio University In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy Jennifer Ann Hancock August 2010 © 2010 Jennifer Ann Hancock. All Rights Reserved. 2 This dissertation titled The Mechanics of Terrestrial Locomotion and the Function and Evolutionary History of Head-bobbing in Birds by JENNIFER ANN HANCOCK has been approved for the Department of Biological Sciences and the College of Arts and Sciences by ___________________________________________ Audrone R. Biknevicius Associate Professor of Biomedical Sciences ___________________________________________ Benjamin M. Ogles Dean, College of Arts and Sciences 3 ABSTRACT Hancock, Jennifer Ann, Ph.D., August 2010, Biological Sciences The Mechanics of Terrestrial Locomotion and the Function and Evolutionary History of Head-bobbing in Birds (194 pp.) Director of Dissertation: Audrone R. Biknevicius Head-bobbing is the fore-aft movement of the head exhibited by some birds during terrestrial locomotion. It is primarily considered to be a response to enhance vision. This has led some researchers to hypothesize that head-bobbing should be found in birds that are visual foragers and may be correlated with the morphology of the retina. In contrast, other researchers suggest that head-bobbing is mechanically linked to the locomotor system and that its visual functions are secondarily adapted. This dissertation explored the mechanics of terrestrial locomotion and head- bobbing of birds in both the lab and field. In the lab, the kinetics and kinematics of terrestrial locomotion in the Elegant Crested Tinamous (Eudromia elegans) were analyzed using high-speed videography and ground reaction forces.
    [Show full text]
  • Scotland in Style
    SCOTLAND IN STYLE MAY 1-10, 2020 ©2019 Please note this tour may be taken in connection with Wild & Ancient Britain with Ireland cruise , May 11-26, 2020. Cairngorms National Park © Andrew Whittaker This short, one hotel tour provides an enormously varied and comprehensive taste of all that the bonnie Scottish Highlands have to offer. During our seven full days based around Strathspey and the spectacular Cairngorms National Park, there will be a varied and flexible daily program of events. Although the main focus is on birding excursions, we will be centrally located to visit many fine castles, battlefields, and sites of historical significance, plus we’ll enjoy a guided visit to a famous Scotch single malt whisky distillery. Scotland in Style, Page 2 The Highlands scenery is the most dramatic in the British Isles: the highest peaks in Britain; extensive remote moorlands; large tracts of ancient woodland of Caledonian Pines; stunning coastal scenery of cliffs, inlets, lochs, and offshore islands; and vast tracts of prehistoric peat bog and fast-flowing, crystal clear rivers. We will target localized and rare specialties such as Eurasian Capercaillie (rare), Black Grouse, Rock Ptarmigan, Willow Ptarmigan (the British subspecies known as Red Grouse, an excellent candidate for a future split and another endemic), the gorgeous Mandarin Duck, the endemic Scottish Crossbill, localized Ring Ouzel, Crested Tit, Horned Grebe, Arctic and Red-throated loon, and raptors such as the striking Red Kite, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Eurasian Buzzard, and Golden and White-tailed eagle (rare). Most of these breed only within the British Isles, exclusively here in this wild region of Scotland, and we have good chances of seeing most of them.
    [Show full text]
  • Scotland in Style: Birds & History
    SCOTLAND IN STYLE: BIRDS & HISTORY A birding and history break in the bonnie Scottish Highlands APRIL 23–MAY 2, 2019 Top voted bird of the trip was the superb male Black Grouse displaying at its lek – Photo: Andrew Whittaker LEADERS: ANDREW WHITTAKER & PHIL JONES LIST COMPILED BY: ANDREW WHITTAKER VICTOR EMANUEL NATURE TOURS, INC. 2525 WALLINGWOOD DRIVE, SUITE 1003 AUSTIN, TEXAS 78746 WWW.VENTBIRD.COM Another fantastic time was had by all in Bonnie Scotland! This year, more than ever, the birding and scenery were simply breathtaking! Based in our wonderful cozy hotel, we enjoyed superb food and birding throughout an exciting week. We marveled as we explored vibrantly colorful glens, stark seabird-rich sea cliffs, and picture-perfect lochs. We strolled in towering Caledonian forests and enjoyed a constant backdrop of either snow-capped peaks, wildflowers, or vibrant ever-changing spring greens in hedgerows and in the lovely glens. This tour combines birding with a wealth of Scottish history, including visits to castles, stately homes, and bleak, wild, windswept battlefields. We also get a chance to warm the cockles of our hearts with a wee dram of delightful single malt on an excellent guided tour of one of the world’s finest Scots Whisky Distilleries! Sharing many wonderful moments with such a wonderful group of warm, friendly people while based in the delightful Grant Arms, a historic (birding) hotel in the charming town of Granton on Spey, is always a joy. Here, as always, we enjoyed their marvelous hospitality, often being treated like royalty (whom, in fact, have also stayed here) with countless delicious meals (we all certainly gained a little weight); really, how can life get much better? Cairngorms National Park – Photo: Andrew Whittaker Victor Emanuel Nature Tours 2 Scotland in Style: Birds & History, 2019 This year in the UK, despite 100-year record high April temperatures (warmer than the Mediterranean), the spring again was late, this time even more than almost three weeks, causing us to sadly miss some migrants.
    [Show full text]
  • Factors Affecting Populations of Farmland Birds. a Study of Data Collected Between 1993 and 1998 At
    MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD Date project completed: -. Research and Development 28/02/1999 Final Project Report BDml1 (Not to be used for LINK projects) 1. (a) MAFF Project Code IBD0911 (b) Project Title FACTORS AFFECTING POPULATIONS OF FARMLAND BIRDS - A STUDY OF DATA COLLECTED BETWEEN 1993 Ai'ill 1998 AT ADAS DRAYTON (c) MAFF Project Officer I DR P COSTIGAN (d) Name and address ADAS CONSULTING LTD of contractor OXFORD SPIRES BUSINESS PARK THE BOULEYARD KIDLINGTON, OXON Pastcade OX5 1NZ (e) Contractor's Project Officer I_M_R_C_P_B_R_lT_T _ (f) Project start date 101/iO/l99R Project end date 13 1/01/1999 (g) Final year costs: approved expenditure I £9,663 actual expenditure (h) Total project costs 1total staff input: approved project expenditure I £9,663 actual project expenditure 'approved staff input 'actual staff input (i) Date report sent to MAFF 124/03/1999------ Ul Is there any Intellectual Property ari~ing from this project? 'staff years of direct science effort CSG 13 (1/97) 1 Ilij!!!.:I~Jlll~ilwl!II~~ijlllI11~ll!llll~g,~!lill~11l§l!ll~~,el!!;!!!~~II.;~I:'!~~!,!tgll!lllill111111~l!lill~11~IIIII!li!Jl[IIIIIIIII'I~ 2. Please list the scientific objectives as set out in CSG 7 (ROAME B). If necessary these can be expressed in an abbreviated form. Indicate where amendments have been agreed with the MAFF Project Officer, giving the date of amendment. 01 To collate Common Birds Census and farm management data from the ADAS Drayton ECN site. 02 To statistically analyse bird population data, to detennine the habitat preferences of skylarks and yellowhammers and examine other possible causes of spatial and temporal variation.
    [Show full text]
  • HUNGARY & SLOVAKIA Bird Report May 2016 OJ Version
    Limosa Holidays Trip Report HUNGARY & SLOVAKIA Hortobágy, Zemplén & Ore Mountains Sat 30 April-Sat 7 May 2016 ___________________________________________________________________________ Trip photos: A female Ural Owl in the Zemplén Hills surveying its territory (top) • female Three-toed Woodpecker on its drumming tree in the Ore Mountains of Slovakia (bottom left) • a male White-backed Woodpecker in its full glory in the Zemplén Hills © Tour leader János Oláh/Limosa Holidays Report compiled by tour leader: János Oláh ___________________________________________________________________________ 1 • © Limosa Holidays, West End Farmhouse, Chapelfield, Stalham Norfolk NR12 9EJ tel: +44 (0)1692 580623 / 4 • email: [email protected] website: www.limosaholidays.co.uk Limosa Trip Report HUNGARY & SLOVAKIA 30 April - 7 May 2016 Hungary & Slovakia | Zemplén, Hortobágy & Ore Mountains Tour Leader: János Oláh with Graeme Charles, Bob Timberlake and Nadine Timberlake This tour is our classic Hungary tour with a little twist – which is a short visit to the Ore Mountains of Slovakia. It was primarily designed to stand a chance of finding all European woodpeckers. The enigmatic Eurasian Three-toed Woodpecker does not live in Hungary but can be seen in the coniferous woodlands of the nearby Ore Mountains. In 2016 we were lucky and we managed to see all 10 species of European woodpeckers! We started our journey in the famous Hortobágy National Park where we experienced full-tilt migration with thousands of breeding-plumaged Ruffs and White-winged Terns moving through. We also had a great selection of special birds here such as the magnificent Great Bustard, Saker Falcon, Red-footed Falcon, Little Crake, Moustached Warbler and River Warbler.
    [Show full text]