SOUTH EAST HERTS RSPB LOCAL GROUP E-NEWSLETTER Editor: Mike Oakland November 2018 No.83 SOUTH EAST HE after them, you then hoped they would return the Your Committee compliment by naming one after you. Bewick's swan gets its name from the 18th century Group Leader Stan Kitchiner engraver Thomas Bewick, who published the Treasurer & Outings Steve Kiln first popular book on Britain's birds in 1797. Secretary & Publicity Dorothy Blatcher Montagu's harrier, after ornithologist George Raffles Rosie Bell Montagu. Cetti’s warbler bears the name of Local Walks Italian zoologist, Francesco Cetti. And yes, & Newsletter Editor Mike Oakland Bonaparte’s gull is linked to the famous French 100 Club Organiser Lyn Horsley emperor! Named after Napoleon’s nephew, Membership Secretary Janet Whybrow Charles Lucien Bonaparte, who was a renowned Website Editor Andy Johnson ornithologist in the 1800s. With the colonisation of the New World came The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds the chance for naturalists to discover fauna and (RSPB) is a registered charity: England and flora new to science, which also meant coming Wales no. 207076, Scotland no. SC03765 up with monikers for these species. Consequently, the Americas has a large number of creatures named after naturalists and explorers: Audubon, Baird, Harris, Ross, Editorial Swainson et al. Also, Alexander Wilson (1766 - 1813). The Scottish immigrant who is widely You can't help noticing as you flick through your regarded as the father of American ornithology. field guide that a number of birds are named after That is not just a fanciful title - Wilson actually people: Bewick’s swan, Montagu's harrier, Cetti’s wrote and illustrated “American Ornithology”, a warbler, Bonaparte’s gull, Wilson's phalarope and nine volume work published in 1814 that so on. But who were all these people and how did illustrated 268 bird species and kindled they become immortalised in the world of America’s insatiable appetite for bird ornithology? knowledge. RSPB LOCAL GROUP As Europe emerged from the Middle Ages an E-NWSLETTER intellectual and scientific revolution began to evolve. Scholars such as Copernicus, Galileo and Isaac Newton were at the forefront of scientific discovery and theory, with developments in mathematics, physics, astronomy, biology and chemistry transforming society's views about nature. Pioneering naturalists were also making exciting advances during this time, often resulting in the discovery of new species. The naming of these organisms required not only a scientific title - using Carl Linnaeus’s (1707- 1778) binomial nomenclature of classification - but also a ‘common’ label. This was an opportunity to flatter one's peers by naming some new warbler or thrush Although it is now rare for newly discovered species to be given a common name after well Latest News known naturalists, not so with the scientific Latin names. It is estimated that around 15,000 new Local Walk species are being discovered annually; 15,000 HMWT Tewinbury and the Mimram Valley organisms that for the purpose of international This was the first visit of S.E. Herts RSPB to identification need a scientific title. While the this delightful site. Set in the grounds of Tewin format for writing scientific names is standardised Bury Farm Hotel - a former 17th century and internationally accepted, within these farmhouse - the reserve sits alongside the lovely guidelines naturalists virtually have free reign to Mimram River, a tributary of the River Lee. name organisms how they want, with scientists - 13 members met in the large HMWT car park on like their predecessors - often choosing to honour a cloudy but dry Sunday morning. A scouting key figures in the world of natural history. Sir party, consisting of two able volunteers, had David Attenborough’s name has been bestowed on been sent into the nearby hide to reconnoiter the several creatures including an extinct marsupial reserve, while the leader awaited the arrival of lion - Microleo attenboroughi - and a spiny the rest of the group. From the car park the anteater - Zaglossus attenboroughi - as well as gathering members saw kestrel, little egret and spiders, plants, trees and insects. In 2008 a new an ensemble of small birds high up in an alder species of tree frog - Hyloscirtus princecharlesi - tree, these consisted of blue tits, goldfinches and was discovered in Ecuador and named after our best of all, a good number of siskins. On future king in recognition of the Prince’s charity entering the hide we were greeted with the work to protect its rainforest habitat. But with so dreaded declaration “you should have been here many new organisms being discovered, scientists earlier!”, as the two dedicated volunteers (often with tongues firmly in cheeks) are naming pointed to the stick that had briefly been creatures after presidents, actors, singers, sports occupied by a kingfisher only a short while stars etc. A new species of moth discovered in before. After several minutes - and no kingfisher Southern California now bears the title, Neopalpa - we left the hide and walked to the river to donaldtrumpi, due to its yellowish-white head begin the leisurely amble along the paths and scales evocative of the President's hair. The tracks that follow the waterway. A small flock muscular actor Arnold Schwarzenegger has a of skylarks were picked out enroute and a green beetle - Agra schwarzeneggeri - named after him woodpecker on a post, with a second bird further "in reference to the markedly developed along the fence. Behind us a nuthatch was (biceps-like) middle femora of the males of this calling and a great spotted woodpecker sat at the species reminiscent of the actor's physique”. And, top of a tree. Further along the trail two red kites inspired by the black exoskeleton and ‘broad, flew over, with one settling at the top of a large shiny, helmet like head’ entomologists have given tree allowing good views through our a recently discovered slime-mould beetle the telescopes. The route then followed the path up epithet, Agathidium vaderi - the Darth Vader the side of the valley reaching the Jacobean, beetle - after the villain from the “Star Wars” Marden Hill House, at the top. This Grade II films. listed country mansion has been partially demolished, redesigned and rebuilt by various owners since the middle of the 17th century but has recently been converted to apartments. The walk next took us along the public footpath final count of 41 cranes. A sure sign that this following the ridge of the hill and between an species is on in the increase in Norfolk and avenue of old lime trees, eventually dropping thank you Barrie. down through the woodland before emerging on the outskirts of Tewin Village. We crossed the field, aiming for the spire of St. Peter's Church in the distance. For the final leg of the walk we passed through the churchyard, across a field and back to the hotel grounds and car park. However, several members decided to have a ‘second bite of the cherry’ and revisited the hide. A little grebe seemed to be the reserve's only visible occupant until a kingfisher shot through and out of sight; you either saw it or you didn't. Everyone agreed it was a pleasant stroll around a new site for the Group. For the full report see our website. Common Cranes We then headed to Burwell Fen, which backs on to the National Trust’s Wicken Fen reserve, and found hardly anywhere to park due to the very Outdoor Field Trip high number of birdwatchers and photographers WWT Welney and Burwell Fen already in place. Once we had reached the high The group visited the Wildlife and Wetlands Trust point with an orange sun rapidly sinking into the reserve at Welney as the planned trip to the RSPB west we were treated to a fantastic flying display reserve across the washes had to be re-arranged by two short eared owls often coming to within due to maintenance work being undertaken by the 75-100 metres of where we were standing. Environment Agency. 11 members led by Stan For the full report see our website. Kitchiner still enjoyed a good day’s birdwatching on a bright sunny day, firstly at Welney and then at Burwell Fen. On arrival at Welney we checked into the visitor Indoor Group Meeting centre and viewed several flocks of sparrows Rolf Williams presented his talk ‘Space for coming to the feeders. There were many tree Nature’, describing his love of art and his sparrows mixed in with the house sparrows. A involvement in the satellite tagging and Cetti’s warbler was spotted from the viewing monitoring of various creatures across the balcony and our first Bewick's and whooper swans planet. flew overhead. Once across the road bridge and Rolf mentioned that he was interested in into the hides we saw two flocks of sleeping drawing from an early age, regularly adding his black-tailed godwits numbering at least 500 with own illustrations to his notebooks. Living near several still showing their bright orange summer the Jurassic Coast in Dorset, its wildlife and the plumage. A great white egret was also present but marinescape inspired his life in art and science. flew off shortly after we arrived. We were shown pictures of his early notebooks There were many ducks of the regularly seen depicting life in the region, which included species and 4 species of geese to be seen along drawings of lifeboats and the local fishing boats with 40 mainly whooper swans. There seemed to as well as the fauna and flora that he came be a competition going on between the swans and across.