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January 25, 2006

Svensson reprint

The BTO is pleased to announce the availability of reprints of the seminal identification guide for ringers and serious birders Lars Svensson's Identification Guide to European Passerines.

Svensson (as it's known to most) has been an absolute essential in every ringers box for decades, and details the characteristics used in determining the age and sex of 229 species and subspecies (including all passerines regularly occurring in Europe). With recent advances in optics though, modern birders now have the opportunity to see many features that were once only seen by ringers. Think about it where else will you find out how to age that spring Arctic Warbler or sort out the wing formula of that tricky Eastern Lesser Whitethroat?

The guide was originally born out of a booklet first published in Swedish in 1964, with the first English-language edition of the current guide published in 1970. In those 35 years, we‚ve gone from brown to orange to blue and finally green, and it is this edition many may be familiar with. A new edition of the guide is in preparation, but this limited reprint is a great opportunity to get hold of the guide now.

To order your copy of Svensson, email sales@bto.org or contact Chris Morley at the BTO, The Nunnery, Thetford, Norfolk, IP24 2PU. Tel: 01842 750050.

Posted by Surfbirds at 07:15 AM | Comments (0)

The Bitterns Return

Three rare Bitterns have returned to the WWT London Wetland Centre and they are making their presence known – just in time for this year’s free entry days on Sunday 29 January and Thursday 2 February 2006.

Bittern
© Nigel Blake from Surfbirds Galleries

These normally shy and secretive birds have been visiting the Wildfowl & Wetland Trust’s London reserve each winter since 2002, but in the past have remained hidden from view for weeks at a time. However, this year the birds are more confident and have moved into smaller areas of reedbed adjacent to the viewing hides, enabling visitors to get some amazing views.

It is hoped that the three birds will remain visible to visitors when the London Wetland Centre opens its doors for free on Sunday 29 January and Thursday 2 February, in celebration of World Wetlands Day 2006 (for a full list of activities on these days please visit: http://www.wwt.org.uk/visit/wetlandcentre/event.asp )

Reserve Manager John Arbon said: “Bitterns have fluctuated from being an extremely common bird in centuries gone by, to almost extinct in the UK in the last few decades. Thankfully their numbers are on the rise again and it is amazing to think people can see them here, just 4 miles from Westminster. And with three birds in such a small area of reedbed it might be one of the highest densities of Bitterns in one area in the UK.”

The Bitterns have been seen at several different locations around the reserve, but the best views have been from the WWF Hide and the Peacock Tower, on occasion the birds being just metres away from the hide windows.

§ The Bittern (Botaurus stellaris) is a large buff-brown heron, smaller and more compact in shape than the grey heron. Its ginger-brown colouration helps it to be almost entirely invisible in its habitat of reedbed – especially when it adopts its camouflage position with bill pointing up (a habit known as ‘Bitterning posture’)

§ Feeding on a diet of fish, amphibians, small mammals and insects the male’s booming call (used to attract its mate during the breeding season), which sounds like a very low fog-horn and can carry up to 5km on a calm night, is often the only thing that gives away the presence of this bird.

§ It is thought Bitterns require a reedbed area of at least 10 hectares to breed, with double this amount being preferable. Male Bitterns have been recorded ‘booming’ in only 10 places (across 4 counties) in the UK. It is not likely that they will ever be heard booming at the London Wetland Centre as the reedbeds are currently about a quarter of the size required of a breeding territory.

Bittern were first recorded at the London Wetland Centre on 11th January 2002 when three birds were sighted and subsequently stayed for up to 6 weeks. They have since returned each winter, usually first being seen in later December.

World Wetlands Day marks the date of the signing of the Convention on Wetlands in the Iranian City of Ramsar on 2 February 1971, when governments across the world agreed to conserve and make the best possible use of their valuable wetland resources. With 1314 designated Ramsar Sites, covering 111 million hectares world-wide, the Ramsar Convention now has 138 countries signed up.

This year’s World Wetlands Day theme is Alleviating Poverty through Sustainability. Visitors to the London Wetland Centre on the free days of Sunday 29 January and Thursday 2 February 2006 will be able to go on free bird-watching walks and guided tours. There will be children’s activities throughout the weekend of 28 and 29 Jan, as well as a programme of talks for adults around sustainable living on Thursday 2 February.

www.wwt.org.uk

Saving wetlands for Wildlife and People.

Help us to save wetland birds and their habitats by becoming a member of WWT. Telephone the Membership office on +44 (0)1453 891198
or email: membership@wwt.org.uk

Posted by Surfbirds at 07:07 AM | Comments (0)

January 22, 2006

Northern Bottlenose Whale Loses Fight

The Northern Bottlenose Whale that generated massive media coverage and captured British hearts has died.

The 18ft (5m) northern bottle-nosed whale had been placed in a special barge after it became stranded near London's Battersea Bridge.


Northern Bottlenose Whale, Greater London, River Thames, Battersea 21 January 2006 © Jeff Higgott See The Surfbirds Mammals Gallery

"A story without a happy ending - the whale died on its way to the open sea on board a barge. Undoubtedly the biggest UK wildlife twitch ever (an estimated 4000+ people watching it at midday today alone) thanks to its location in the heart of London and massive coverage in all the media." J. Higgott

The plan was to set it free in deep waters but as the tide receeded, the animal's condition worsened and rescuers aimed for a release into the Thames estuary. However, the whale finally died at about 1900 GMT en route to the Kent coast.

The story began on Friday after it was spotted moving up the Thames in central London on. It was even seen swimming past the Houses of Parliament.

River police, whale experts and teams of divers rushed to the scene. Tugs shadowed the creature on the water in an effort to persuade the whale, one of two that had been spotted yesterday in the Thames estuary 58 kms east of the capital, while airborne TV crews filmed it from above.

Posted by Surfbirds at 10:12 PM | Comments (0)

January 19, 2006

Three New Zealand storm-petrels captured in the Hauraki Gulf

Last week, a research mission led by Wrybill Birding Tours was able to successfully capture three birds and take full measurements, DNA samples and attach radio transmitters. New Zealand storm-petrel was, up until a few years ago, thought to be extinct.
New Zealand Storm-Petrel
New Zealand Storm-Petrel, New Zealand, Hauraki Gulf 8th Nov 2005 © Ray Wilson from Surfbirds Galleries

After being presumed extinct for over 150 years, the New Zealand Storm-petrel was rediscovered off the Coromandel Peninsula, on the North Island of New Zealand, on 25th January 2003 by Saville and Stephenson. More sightings followed and in November 2005 a petrel flew in to the cabin of a boat enabling DNA samples to be taken. In early January 2006, a research vessel went in search of more captures and after much effort, birds were caught and radio transmitters attached. The full story can be read here:
http://www.wrybill-tours.com/nzsp.htm

Posted by Surfbirds at 07:25 AM | Comments (0)

January 10, 2006

Winter storms bring Red Phalaropes to Northern California Coast

IBRRC has great success rehabilitating birds rescued from beaches

Red phalaropes wearing their winter plumage swim in pools at IBRRC Cordelia IBRRC photo

January 5 – 2006 -- Thousands of red phalaropes, rarely seen on land except when breeding in the Arctic, landed on the coast of Northern California in late December. Most were weak and starving, looking for food in marshes, creeks, and even backyards. The small birds were probably forced in by strong westerly winds that came with a series of powerful storms that hit Northern California the last part of December, 2005. Groups of up to 1,200 birds were reported seeking refuge along the coast.

International Bird Rescue Research Center in Cordelia, CA (Solano County) cared for 90 red phalaropes and achieved great success rehabilitating them. Only eight of the birds died. Most of the birds were rescued from beaches by IBRRC staff.

Weak and starving, the birds were immediately hydrated and warmed in warm water therapy pools, then fed meal worms and krill. They ate voraciously and quickly gained weight and strength. After intensive care, the birds continue rehabilitation in specially designed cold water pools with overflow to keep their feathers perfectly clean and oil free.

Thirty birds were deemed ready for release on January 5, 2006. The others will be released when they achieve normal weight and are waterproof. The birds are banded with numbered USFWS metal bands before release.

The red phalarope is a small bird rarely seen on land other than during spring when they migrate to Alaska to raise their young. Experts surmise the birds were suffering from a lack of food in the mid-ocean locales they frequent, either due to warmer ocean temperatures or the simple fact that the storms have churned the seas, making food scarce.

The birds feed by spinning the surface of the water with their lobed feet. For most of the year, phalaropes live at sea, principally off the coasts of southern South America and Africa. Red phalaropes are occasionally seen in the Bay Area during particularly harsh winters, but never before in numbers like these.

Posted by Surfbirds at 04:04 AM | Comments (0)