Surfbirds News: January 2008 Archives

« December 2007 | Main | February 2008 »

January 27, 2008

BBRC seeking submissions of all Siberian Chiffchaff records in 2008

Establishing the status in Britain of ‘Siberian Chiffchaff’ Phylloscopus (collybita) tristis has long been problematic.

Key to this problem is the correct identification of the form – the difficulties of separating true Siberian tristis (largely from east of the Yenisey) and ‘fulvescens’ (on the West Siberian Plain) from abietinus (from Scandinavia and western Russia west of the Urals) continue to plague both observers and records committees. In particular, it has become obvious that different observers (and indeed different records committees) hold different perceptions of what constitutes true tristis and therefore apply different threshold criteria for acceptance into the local record. The recording of this form across Britain can therefore best be described as uneven and has never been attempted nationally. As a consequence, our knowledge of the true British status of tristis is incomplete and we do not yet know definitively whether tristis can best be described as ‘scarce but regular’ or ‘rare but regular’.

Putative Siberian Chiffchaff, Bedfordshire, January 2004 © Nigel Blake,
from the surfbirds galleries

Context

Fortunately, three factors have now combined to help us move forward. Firstly, the work of Dean and Svensson has provided welcome clarifications over the identification of this form (British Birds 98: 396-410). Secondly, the rise of digital photography has greatly increased the availability of good quality images of birds in the field. Similar improvements in sound recording technology have also made recording birds increasingly feasible. Thirdly, BBRC has now moved to free up its resources to focus on the recording of subtle or rare bird forms not previously assessed. With these three developments now in place, we have the opportunity to make progress with the Siberian Chiffchaff issue.

Identification

Observers and records committees may find it useful to have a brief summary of the conclusions of Dean and Svensson. The traditional view that any Chiffchaff lacking green in the crown and mantle and lacking yellow in the face and underparts can be labelled tristis has now been refined. Dean and Svensson have confirmed that true tristis is defined additionally by the presence of pale brown or grey-brown hues above and the presence of warm buff in the supercilium, ear-coverts, breast-sides and flanks. ‘Fulvescens’ is similar in appearance though may be a little paler overall and may show very limited yellow and olive hues. This clarification has in turn highlighted the problem of ‘grey and white’ Chiffchaffs. Such birds are not all consistent in appearance nor attributable to a single ‘type’ but some individuals, at least, match aspects of the traditional image of tristis. However, when they also lack the pale grey-brown and buff hues now firmly linked with the form, they cannot be assigned to it. The origins of such individuals remain unclear but may include eastern abietinus and intergrades between abietinus and tristis. In summary, the identification of tristis rests on the following criteria:-

Absence of olive in the crown and mantle
Absence of yellow away from the underwing
Presence of a grey-brown or pale brown hue in the upperparts
Presence of warm buff in the supercilium and ear-coverts
Presence of buff at the breast-sides/flanks
Very black-looking bill and legs
A thin, piping near-monosyllabic Bullfinch-like or Dunnock-like call
A song markedly different from western Chiffchaff’s
For further guidance and useful biometric characters see British Birds 98: 401-402.

Putative Siberian Chiffchaff, Dorset, January 2004 © Garry Taylor,
from the surfbirds galleries

The Way Forward

2008 has been designated as a ‘trial year’ in order to try and gain a deeper understanding of the British status of tristis. BBRC is therefore seeking submissions of of all Chiffchaffs in 2008 considered to be tristis according to the criteria outlined above. Submissions may take any of the following forms but observers and recorders should try to ensure that as many categories of evidence as possible are secured. It is worth emphasising that any records committee assessing claims of tristis will be reliant on descriptions and photographs which accurately capture critical plumage hues. The precise analysis and description of such hues is therefore vital.

Field Descriptions

Field descriptions will be an important source of information but (particularly if unaccompanied by images or recordings) must be very detailed and focus specifically on a full and precise evaluation of plumage hues. Notes should demonstrate that views were good enough and over a long enough period to assess the bird’s true appearance and that full account has been taken of the effect of light conditions on perceived hues. Any transcriptions of calls or songs should be as detailed as possible.

Photographs

Observers are encouraged if at all possible to take photographs of any putative tristis. Furthermore, every effort should be made to obtain photographs which accurately represent the bird’s plumage hues. These may best be taken in dull, flat light rather than in bright sunshine. An accompanying note setting out to what extent the photographs accurately portray the bird’s appearance would be particularly useful.

Sound Recordings

Sound recordings of calling and/or singing birds should be obtained wherever possible. Modern mobile phones/mp3 players/ipods can often capture adequate recordings.

It should be emphasised that this exercise is not intended to formally ‘accept’ or ‘reject’ claims. This is very much an exploratory, learning process. The priority is to secure as much evidence as possible of the number of true tristis which might be reaching Britain.

Process

In 2008 we would like counties to assess all claims of tristis against the above criteria and then submit all those which meet, or come close to meeting them, to Nigel Hudson, BBRC Secretary. We would also like counties to provide summary details of any claims which are assessed locally as falling clearly outside the criteria. These summary details should include location, date and reason for non-acceptance (for example plumage not meeting criteria, call or song not meeting criteria or absence of sufficient critical detail).

Both full claims and summary data for local non-acceptances will then be examined outside the ‘mainstream’ flow of BBRC business by a small team made up of Colin Bradshaw, Alan Dean, John Martin, Andy Stoddart and Grahame Walbridge. Chris Kehoe will contribute to the process on behalf of BOURC. Following the review, conclusions will be presented to BBRC in 2009 with recommendations on how the occurrence of this form might best be documented now and in future.

Andy Stoddart, on behalf of BBRC

Posted by Surfbirds at 9:10 PM | Comments (0)

Government urged to look before £15 billion Severn Barrage leap

Ministers should think very carefully before subsidising a Severn Barrage costing in excess of £15 billion, the RSPB has said.

The charity has today reiterated its serious concerns over the possible impact of a Barrage as a two-year study begins into whether the Government should support the scheme.

The study, announced by John Hutton, Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, will seek to answer the question: 'Can the Government support a tidal range power project and if so on what terms?'

Dunlin
Dunlin, internationally important numbers depend on the Severn © Peter Beesley

Dr Mark Avery, the RSPB’s Director of Conservation, said: 'Ministers are right to be cautious about a Severn Barrage. Government is just waking up to the potential problems associated with its bio-fuels policy and so it is only right that it thinks long and hard before committing itself to a barrage.

'Supporting this scheme to the tune of £15 billion would not leave much spare change for alternative projects should it fail to deliver, so the Government has to be sure it is the right place to risk so much taxpayers’ money.'

The RSPB hopes to participate fully in the review, but on the evidence available, remains deeply concerned by the potential environmental impact of a barrage, as it will fundamentally change the nature of the Severn estuary.

Dr Avery said: 'It’s clear that there is a long way to go before a the Government can give a green light to build a Severn Barrage.

'Even before a project can be developed, it will have to investigate whether there are alternative energy solutions which might cause less harm to the natural environment and deliver better value for money.

'It will have to consider how to it would compensate for the damage to the Severn if a barrage was built and it will have to decide whether this is the right project to receive Government support.

'If during the study, it becomes clear that there are no satisfactory answers to these challenging questions, then it should pull the plug quickly and look again at other energy solutions such as the efficient use of heat from conventional fuels, enhanced on-shore wind capacity and upgrading the grid to enable decentralised energy.'

The RSPB believes that this study is an opportunity for the Government to develop a more transparent appraisal framework to make decisions about our future energy needs.

This might involve:

Using analysis derived from current market conditions to identify the technologies capable of meeting climate change, energy security and fuel poverty objectives

Making a transparent comparison of the costs of these technologies, both in terms of direct costs to the customer, and the wider environmental costs and benefits

Evaluation of alternative government interventions to promote those options that are the most sustainable and cost effective across this spectrum.

Notes

A recent study by the Sustainable Development Commission, Turning the Tide, concluded that there was a strong case for construction of a sustainable Severn Barrage but only if part of a radical package to tackle climate change and only if publicly funded.

It is estimated that a barrage could contribute 4.4% of the UK’s electricity needs. The Severn estuary is unique in Europe because of its 45-foot tidal range – the second largest in the world after the Bay of Fundy in Nova Scotia. Outgoing tides leave large areas of mudflats, saltmarshes and rocky islands, and food for an average of 65,000 birds in winter. The area hosts internationally important numbers of several species.

A barrage would cut the Severn’s tidal range by half reducing the amount of land and food for wildlife. Many birds could starve and the condition of birds attempting to breed would be too poor for them to be successful.

The Severn Estuary is a Ramsar wetland site under international law and a Special Protection Area under European law. It has just been proposed as a EU-protected Special Area of Conservation by Defra because of its importance to lamprey fish. There are a number of Sites of Special Scientific Interest in and on the banks of the estuary, all protected by UK law.
The Estuary attracts internationally important bird populations. Species include Bewick’s swan, pintail, shelduck, curlew, dunlin and redshank.

It is also important for many fish including lampreys, salmon and eels. Wild salmon swim from the North Sea into the Severn and up the River Wye to spawn. A barrage would block the path these fish take and studies suggest a worst-case mortality of 100 per cent. Young eels are born in the Atlantic and follow their parents back to the Severn Estuary and on to rivers to feed. The estuary should soon be a Special Area of Conservation because of its importance to lampreys.

Posted by Surfbirds at 9:00 PM | Comments (0)

January 24, 2008

Cuba ends turtle hunt

Cuba has banned the harvesting of all marine turtle species and products from its beaches and seas for an indefinite period, according to a Ministry of Fisheries Ministerial Resolution.

Conservationists have applauded the decision as a lifeline for the Caribbean’s endangered marine turtles and the communities that co-exist with them. It benefits all turtle species hatching on beaches throughout the Caribbean and coming regularly to feed in Cuban waters, including the critically endangered hawksbill turtle.

“For many years, Cuba retained a legal “fishery” of 500 hawksbills a year, with the hope of being able to trade their shells internationally, said Dr. Susan Lieberman, Director of WWF International’s Species Programme.

Green Turtle, an endangered species that will now benefit © Matthew Hobbs

“This far-sighted decision represents an outstanding outcome for Cuba, for the wider Caribbean, and for conservation. Cuba is to be commended for the example it has set in intelligent decision-making informed by science and the long term best interests of its people,” she added.

The phase out of the marine turtle fishery in Cuba is the result of a joint effort by WWF and the Cuban Ministry of Fisheries, with financial support from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).

The two remaining fishing communities that used to harvest marine turtles in Cuba will be helped with funds and technical assistance to find sustainable economic alternatives, modernize their fishing fleets, re-train their inhabitants and engage them in hawksbill turtle protection activities.

The WWF/CIDA grant of over $US 400.000 will also support the Ministry's Centre for Fisheries Research to become a regional hub for marine turtle conservation and research, capitalizing on decades of experience by leading Cuban scientists. It will also strengthen the Office for Fisheries Inspection (the Cuban Fisheries law enforcement group) to ensure compliance with the ban.

Along with other marine turtles, Hawksbill turtles are threatened by the loss of nesting and feeding habitats, egg collection, entanglement in fishing gear, climate change, and pollution. But the main threat to the Hawksbills comes from continuing illegal trade in tortoiseshell.

The species is now classified as critically endangered after population declines estimated at 80 per cent over the last century. Its preference for feeding on sponges also means it plays a significant but until recently unappreciated role in the continued health of coral reefs, by opening up new feeding opportunities for some varieties of reef fish.

The decision can be found at:

http://www.cadenagramonte.cubaweb.cu/noticias/enero_08/190108_01.asp

The species that will benefit from Cuba’s decision are the green, loggerhead, and hawksbill turtles. Greens and loggerheads are endangered, while hawksbills are critically endangered, according to the IUCN Red List and international trade in hawksbill turtle products is banned under the CITES convention. The ban reduces the pressure on turtles from hunting for meat and tortoiseshell.

Posted by Surfbirds at 6:30 AM | Comments (0)

January 18, 2008

Drastic decline in one of UK's rarest ducks

The UK's most threatened breeding duck has suffered further drastic declines over the last decade with their population nearly halved, according to alarming new survey results.

Common scoters - plump, jet black diving ducks with long tails and bright yellow beaks on the male - have also experienced marked reductions in their UK range in the same period, with the remaining breeding population now restricted to isolated and remote freshwater lochs of northern Scotland.

Common Scoters, West Yorkshire © Sean Gray, from the Surfbirds galleries

The species has been surveyed nationally only once before in 1995, and the 2007 count was conducted to assess changes in common scoter numbers in the intervening years. Just 52 pairs were recorded in 2007, compared with 95 pairs in 1995 - a 45% drop in their numbers. The survey was a partnership between the RSPB, Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) and the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust. Fieldwork was conducted by four dedicated RSPB scoter surveyors working alongside RSPB regional and reserves staff, a team of WWT surveyors, and other volunteers.

Whilst thousands of Arctic and Scandinavian common scoters spend the winter off the British coast feeding in shallow waters, in summer the vast majority return to breeding grounds in northern Europe and Arctic Russia. The breeding population in Britain is the most westerly outpost for this species.

Although factors driving the reduction in the breeding population are still unclear and more research is needed to determine the precise causes, there are several possibilities.

The highest declines have been in the south and west of their British range; they have been lost completely from Loch Lomond and in Northern Ireland, so it is possible that changes to the climate could be pushing the birds further north.

Plantations and inappropriately sited forestry in the Flow Country of North Scotland have also led to changes in the water chemistry of some freshwater loch systems, causing invertebrate populations to shift. This could be restricting food availability and making it more difficult for them to thrive in their historical territories.

Common Scoter (female) © Josh Jones, from the Surfbirds galleries

Elsewhere predatory species such as pike have been introduced in some of the lochs where scoters used to breed and this could be responsible for higher chick mortality restricting their breeding success. However, some scientists believe that pike might actually help common scoters, predating smaller fish which compete with the ducks and their offspring for the invertebrates in the water systems.

Mark Eaton, research biologist with RSPB who led the survey, said: 'A decline of this nature highlights precisely the gravity of the situation facing common scoters in the UK right now. For this to have occurred in such a short time period is rare and of great concern. However, the news isn't all bad. We have a great track record of turning round the fortunes of species that have experienced such precipitous declines, such as the corncrake and the red kite. We really need to get out and conduct more research over the coming years to firmly establish the causal factors that have driven this reduction in the breeding population so we can stop it. We can then put together conservation measures and management schemes that will hopefully ensure that the common scoter can flourish in UK once more.'

Stuart Benn, senior conservation officer for RSPB in the Highland region, said: 'The remaining population is largely split between small freshwater peaty lochans in the Flow Country - many on RSPB's Forsinard reserve - and some of the larger hydro lochs in west Inverness, with the biggest historical declines on more nutrient and lime rich lochs in the South. The reasons for these differences are still unclear, so we need to establish why they choose to breed on such different water habitats, and why they aren't on all the apparently similar lochs. Once those questions are answered we can then work with the land managers such as the hydro companies who have already approached us for information on how they can ensure that these interesting diving ducks can continue to breed and flourish on our waters.'

Peter Cranswick, programme manager for threatened water birds at the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, said: 'The continuing decline in our rarest breeding duck is especially worrying. Common scoters became extinct as a breeding species in Northern Ireland in recent decades. These new results clearly demonstrate that urgent action is needed to avoid the same fate befalling the remaining birds in Britain.'

Posted by Surfbirds at 1:45 PM | Comments (0)

New finds deepen mystery of rare bird's migration

Efforts to save the Middle East’s rarest bird have been boosted by two chance sightings of the species 1,500 miles apart.

Northern bald ibises were seen last month in the Jordan Valley for the first time in 13 years, and in Djibouti, east Africa, for the first time ever, raising hopes that the species’ numbers are not as low as scientists fear.

Northern Bald Ibis © Stephen Daly, from the Surfbirds galleries

The bird was thought extinct in the Middle East in the 1990s before a colony of just six birds was found in Palmyra, Syria in 2002. Since then, adult and young birds have been fitted with satellite tags by the RSPB and BirdLife Middle East, to try to discover and protect their migration routes and wintering sites. The tagged adult birds are currently in Ethiopia for the winter.

Dr Jeremy Lindsell, a Research Biologist at the RSPB, said: 'These sightings are great news. They were entirely unexpected and in some ways deepen the mystery of where they go on migration. The fact that the birds are in three different sites away from their breeding grounds reflects the little we know of their numbers and where they go. It also shows how essential it is that we keep tracking the birds so that we can protect them throughout their range.'

Two adult bald ibis were spotted on the Yardena cliffs on the Israel/Jordan border early last month. They were seen by a researcher surveying black storks and had disappeared when he returned the following day.

Two weeks later, a young bald ibis was found on the beach at Tadjoura, eastern Djibouti, by a group of Swedish birdwatchers. The bird was searching for food and its appearance astonished the visitors.

Dr Henrik Lind was amongst the visiting group from the Swedish bird organisation Club300. He said: 'We knew about the Syrian birds and our first thought was that this bird was from Palmyra. When a young boy from the village saw the bird, he told us there were others nearby. We didn’t find the others but it was fantastic to see one bald ibis so far from where they breed.'

Tracking adult birds was successful in 2006 when three birds flew a total of 3,700 miles to the Ethiopian highlands and back last spring. But readings from the satellite tag fitted to a young bird last summer failed in August and the fate of that bird is unknown.

The Djibouti find is more significant for scientists because the bird was a juvenile and very few of the 25 birds fledged in Syria since 2002 have returned.

Conservationists fear the missing birds are being shot on migration but until they know the young birds’ migration route, they cannot alert hunters to their rarity.

Scientists hope to tag more young birds in Syria this summer in a second bid to track their migration. RSPB scientists also hope to agree steps to protect the species from hunters, with colleagues from Ethiopia, Yemen and other countries on the adult birds’ migration route.

The only other known population of bald ibis is in south-west Morocco but it is thought that the birds in the Jordan Valley and Djibouti flew from Syria.

Sharif Al Jbour of BirdLife Middle East said: 'Unless there is another colony we know nothing of, it seems young bald ibises are strong enough to fly as far as Djibouti which is nearly 1,700 miles from Palmyra.

'We are gradually piecing the jigsaw together but it is a long process fraught with problems. How we alert hunters in remote areas to just how rare this bird is, is something we must urgently resolve.'

Posted by Surfbirds at 1:40 PM | Comments (0)

Climate Change study predicts hazy future for Europe's birds

On January 15th, BirdLife International welcomed the publication of ' A Climatic Atlas of European Breeding Birds'. This Atlas marks a major advance in understanding the potential impacts of climate change on wildlife. It shows that in the course of the 21st century the changing climatic conditions will force most species to move into new areas. For many of them this will prove difficult, and combined with other threats this will increase their risk of extinction in Europe.

The study, based on the use of 'climate envelope modelling', predicts that without vigorous and immediate action against climate change, the potential future range of the average European bird species will shift by nearly 550 km north-east by the end of this century and will reduce in size by a fifth compared to the current range. For some species, the potential future range does not overlap with the current range at all. Arctic and sub-arctic birds and some Iberian species are projected to suffer the greatest potential range loss. Projected changes for some species found only in Europe, or with only small populations elsewhere, suggest that climate change is likely to increase their risk of extinction.

Red Grouse is one of the species that will face problems due to a changing climate
according to the results of the Atlas © Steve Round, from the Surfbirds galleries

The Climatic Atlas not only shows maps of the potential range of each species breeding in Europe at the end of this century, it also provides ways of responding to this challenge. Most of all we need to protect and restore today's wildlife, and secure healthy populations of birds within their current ranges. Central to this will be the strengthening of Natura 2000, the European network of protected areas. The sites must be better protected, managed and connected to provide a 'backbone for biodiversity' and to accommodate the expected changes in distribution. At the same time, the landscape outside these areas must become more 'permeable' to species movements by providing stepping stones of high quality habitat and by more sustainable land-use policies.

Dr. Clairie Papazoglou, Head of the European Division of BirdLife International concluded: "The implementation of the EU Birds and Habitats Directive across the EU is a precondition for helping our wildlife against the impacts of climate change and for supporting Europe's ecosystems on which we depend ourselves if we want to come through the climate crisis."

To read more click here

http://www.birdlife.org/eu/pdfs/Climatic_Atlas.pdf'

Posted by Surfbirds at 1:24 PM | Comments (0)

January 10, 2008

Satellite imagery paints picture of New Britain’s disappearing forest birds

Analyses of satellite images have revealed for the first time the extent of deforestation occurring on the island of New Britain, Papua New Guinea, indicating that many more bird species are threatened with extinction than previously feared.

An eighth of lowland forest on the island –a stronghold for a number of birds found nowhere else on Earth- disappeared between 1989 and 2000, largely driven by a rapid and uncontrolled expansion in global demand for palm oil.

The findings, published in the journal Biological Conservation mean that the total number of threatened or ‘near threatened’ birds on the island will almost double to 21.

Conservationists are now calling for an effective system to adequately protect the crucial lowland forests that remain on New Britain.

New Britain Kingfisher, New Britain, September 2005 © Ian Merrill ,
from the Surfbirds galleries

In the paper, scientists from the RSPB (BirdLife in the UK), BirdLife International, Conservation International, an independent consultancy and Institute of Environment and Sustainability, EC JRC, analysed ‘before-and-after’ high resolution images of New Britain, showing that approximately 12% of forest cover was lost between 1989 and 2000, including over 20% of forest under 100 m altitude, with substantial areas cleared for commercial oil palm plantations.

“Examining the satellite images of New Britain, we were struck immediately by the clear and extensive loss of forest in many parts of the island”, explained Dr Graeme Buchanan of the RSPB and lead author of the paper. “Deforestation was particular severe in the flat coastal lowlands.”

The authors of the paper then overlaid the maps of forest loss with known habitat preferences of New Britain’s birds. These analyses suggested that extensive habitat loss will have forced significant declines for 21 of the island’s bird species, bringing some to the edge of extinction.

“By comparing this information against the altitudinal ranges of each of the birds that live in New Britain, we estimated the potential effects on species – a ‘before and after’ of disappearing habitat, and of disappearing populations”, said Buchanan.

The novel study represents the first time that that the use of satellite imagery (‘remote-sensing’) has been used to determine the likely threat status of a complete set of birds present in a given region or locality.

The technique has potential for use in other places where field-data are lacking in areas that may be too extensive or too difficult to survey on the ground, as is the case on New Britain.

The island of New Britain is a hotbed of rare and unusual bird species, home to 37 endemic (occurring nowhere else on Earth) or ‘restricted-range’ bird species. Species most affected by deforestation on the island are those which cannot tolerate degraded or non-forest habitats, and that only occur in the lowlands. [1]

The paper reports that hardest hit is the strikingly iridescent Bismarck Kingfisher Alcedo websteri –a specialist of lowland forest streams- which lost a fifth of its habitat during the ten year period.

Other birds to suffer include the Green-fronted Hanging-parrot Loriculus tener, which lost 18% of its habitat in the same period.

Southeast Asia’s largely unregulated and expanding palm oil industry –fuelled by increasing global demand- is highlighted as the main factor behind the extensive lowland forest loss on New Britain.

“The findings show that New Britain’s endemic birds are being driven to extinction by our thirst for palm oil, which is widely used in foodstuffs and industry”, said Dr Stuart Butchart, BirdLife’s Global Species Programme Coordinator and co-author of the paper. “After wiping out the lowland forests of Malaysia and Indonesia, companies are now moving eastwards, to New Guinea and Melanesia, where they now threaten a whole new suite of species.”

Based on further analysis of the satellite images, an estimated 320 km2 (11%) of the land cleared had already been converted to plantation, mainly for palm oil. Much of the remainder is likely to be planted up in the next few years: “it is likely that oil palm plantations will continue to increase rapidly: by 2001, oil palm estates at just two sites totalled c.295 km2 with one company planning to expand its plantations on New Britain to 800 km2 by 2014”, the authors assert.

The paper recommends potential areas to designate as protected areas, concluding “there is clearly a pressing need to survey these areas to confirm that they are refuges for New Britain’s endemic fauna, and to ensure their immediate and effective protection”.

Notes:

[1] New Britain is crescent-shaped, approximately 600 km (370 miles) along its southeastern coastline, and from 30 to 110 km (20-70 miles) wide, not including a small central peninsula. The island is the 38th largest in the world, with an area of 37,800 km² (14,600 mile²), according to Wikipedia.

The island of New Britain, east of New Guinea, is of very high global conservation importance, and home to 37 endemic or restricted-range bird species.

The island forms part of a high priority Endemic Bird Area (EBA) with New Ireland and satellites which together support 38 endemic bird species. For a factsheet on New Britain with information on habitat types and species present, visit BirdLife’s Data Zone

Posted by Surfbirds at 1:40 PM | Comments (0)

New logging in Sumatra threatens endangered species

A recently released investigative report finds that paper giant Asia Pulp & Paper (APP) and its affiliates are constructing a massive logging highway that will split in half one of Indonesia’s most important forests. The legally questionable highway threatens to devastate one of Sumatra’s last large forest blocks, home to two tribes of indigenous people and endangered elephants, tigers and orangutans.

The Bukit Tigapuluh Forest Landscape in central Sumatra contains some of the richest biodiversity on Earth, with more than 250 other mammal and bird species. Field investigations by WWF and its partners found evidence of illegal logging and constuction of a logging highway there by APP, one of the world’s largest paper companies, and its partners. The highway allows logging trucks easier access to APP’s pulp mills in Jambi Province; the clearing took place after APP’s forestry operations in neighboring Riau Province were halted due to a police investigation of illegal logging. APP partners have cleared an estimated 20,000 hectares of natural forest in the Bukit Tigapuluh landscape and some of the clearing appears to be in violation of Indonesian law.

The forest is home to two tribes of indigenous people, one of which lives nowhere else on Sumatra. The landscape also was designated one of just 20 “global priority” landscapes for tiger conservation by a global team of tiger scientists in 2006. It is the location of a successful conservation project to reintroduce orang utans, which now reside in a part of the landscape that is proposed for protected status but is already being cleared by APP-affiliated companies, the report found.

Rufous-collared Kingfisher, Sumatra, © Pete Morris/Birdquest,
from the Surfbirds galleries

Conservationists urge APP and its partners to stop clearing any more natural forest whose ecological, environmental and cultural conservation values have not been determined and to stop sourcing any of its purchased wood from such forests. Conservationists also call on the government to ensure an end to all forms of forest clearance found to violate national Indonesian laws and regulations.

“With its high conservation values, the Bukit Tigapuluh Landscape should be protected and thus all natural forest clearance in the area has to be stopped,” said IanKosasih, WWF-Indonesia’s Forest Program Director. “APP is one of the world’s largest paper companies and we believe its global customers expect it to act like a responsible corporate citizen. The company should commission independent assessments of the conservation values of these areas in a publicly transparent manner before any conversion takes place, and commit to protect and manage conservation values identified in these areas.”

Indonesian law has a set of criteria and requirements to be fulfilled prior to conversion of natural forest. Yet evidence found during the investigation indicates APP-affiliated companies converted hundreds of hectares before fulfilling these requirements, thus violating Indonesian law. Part of the area being cleared is in a proposed Specific Protected Area that serves as habitat for about 90 Sumatran orang utans recently introduced into the area for the first time in more than 150 years.

The full report on APP’s activities in Bukit Tigapuluh can be downloaded at http://www.panda.org/news_facts/newsroom/

Posted by Surfbirds at 1:34 PM | Comments (0)

January 9, 2008

BBRC and BOURC seek records of vagrant "Canada" Goose

Following the recent split of Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) into two species (B.canadensis or Greater Canada Goose and B.hutchinsii or Lesser Canada Goose) neither species is currently on category A of the British list. Both species appear to occur in Britain as vagrants, but their status requires further clarification.

The "conventional" 10 or 11 taxa are now divided between the two species, but there is major variation within some of the recognised taxa. The confusion amongst birders is understandable. BBRC and BOURC need to work closely together to establish three things:

On the basis of which records can either species be added to category A of the British list? Can we identify potential vagrants to specific and sub-specific form? What is the status of each of the various taxa?

We need the help of observers who have seen either species in Britain in a potentially wild (vagrant) state. Even if you do not know what form you saw and even if you feel the origin was doubtful the record will be of value. There is no date limit so any record from any year is welcome, but records need to be well documented. Photographs would be ideal (as many images as possible are helpful - not just the good ones) but field notes will also be acceptable alone provided they were contemporaneous. An assessment of size, bill structure and plumage tones are all important along with date (month/year at least) and location. All accepted records will be acknowledged in the usual way in the report. It is probably best not to assume that someone else will be sending in a complete record, all data can make a contribution.

Descriptions and photographs should be emailed to or sent by post to the BBRC secretary, Nigel Hudson, by March 31st 2008. We will scan and return any non-digital images by return. Photocopies or scans should suffice where there are only field notes.

Email records to: secretary@bbrc.org.uk

OR send records to:

Nigel Hudson
Post Office Flat,
Hugh Street,
St Mary’s,
Isles of Scilly,
TR21 0LL

For further details contact jimmy.steele@ncl.ac.uk

The BOU decision on the taxonomy of Canada Goose can be found at:

http://www.bou.org.uk/recnews05.html

The AOU decision can be found at:

http://www.aou.org/checklist/suppl/AOU_checklist_suppl_45.pdf

There are many useful websites on Canada Goose forms many of which carry extensive further references and images. The labelling of images is rarely verified by biometrics or ringing data and there are probably many assumptions in assigning vagrant individuals to form.

The conventional taxonomy has been challenged in the seminal work by the late Harold Hanson, the first part of which has recently been published. His taxonomic approach, which proposes over 100 taxa in 6 species, is highly controversial but his documentation of skins is exceptional. From a British perspective his museum records demonstrate that there are some populations of interest to UK birders which are not particularly well represented by the conventional taxonomy. There are still no clear answers.

Posted by Surfbirds at 1:45 PM | Comments (0)

January 6, 2008

Can you spot a Mistle Thrush this Christmas?

While the Robin is the bird that usually springs to mind at this time of the year, spare a thought for the Mistle Thrush this winter.

Whilst everyone will be seeing Robins around this time, (how many of your Christmas cards depict a Robin?), the Mistle Thrush will largely go unnoticed. It is at this time of the year that this larger cousin of the more familiar Song Thrush comes into its own. It is one of our earliest breeding birds. Male Mistle Thrushes can often be heard in full song over the Christmas period, often from the top of the highest tree around, not stopping even during wild and windy weather, lending weight to its old name of ‘storm cock’.

All is not well with this devourer of mistletoe; its scientific name ‘viscivorus’ comes from its penchant for mistletoe berries, viscum (mistletoe) and vorare (to devour). The bird has been undergoing a steady decline, leading to it being included on the amber list of birds of conservation concern. British Trust for Ornithology led research has shown that the population has fallen by 35% over the last twenty-five years.

Mistle Thrushes feed on soft fruits and berries during the winter months, and will often vigorously defend large clumps of mistletoe and well laden hollies from all-comers with the distinctive football-rattle like call, as it chases off another raider, can often be heard. This habit not only ensures them a steady supply of food but is also proven to give them a head start in the breeding season. Birds that guard berries have been shown to produce bigger and earlier clutches than those that do not.

During Victorian times it was believed that the seed of the mistletoe would only germinate if it first passed through the body of a Mistle Thrush. This may hold some truth, as some seeds do indeed germinate more quickly if they have passed through a birds gut. If, as some suggest, mistletoe and holly are in short supply this year, Mistle Thrushes will turn to gardens in search of other berries.

You might have mistletoe in your home, but will you have its bird namesake in your garden? Keep an eye out for this big, bold and beautiful thrush this Christmas.

If you are concerned about the decline of the Mistle Thrush and would like to learn more about this fascinating bird, including information on how to tell the difference between the Mistle and Song Thrush, please contact the BTO on 01842 750050 and ask for the Garden BirdWatch team, or email gbw@bto.org or write to GBW team, BTO, The Nunnery, Thetford, IP24 2PU.

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:16 AM | Comments (0)

Partridge in a pear tree, but for how much longer?

An analysis of 124 of Europe’s common birds has revealed that over a 26-year period 56 species (45 per cent) have declined across 20 European countries.

This alarming rate of decline has fuelled fears for the future of many of the continent’s birds, including Christmas favourites like our own ‘partridge in a pear tree and turtle dove’.

Five of the ten common European species showing the greatest declines are birds of farmland habitats. And worryingly, a comparison of new and old EU Member states shows that the declines of farmland birds of the newest member states appears to be mimicking those of longer-established EU states, where the increasing intensification of farming has been the main cause of the declines.

Dr Mark Avery, the RSPB’s Conservation Director, said: 'Seeing a countryside increasingly bereft of familiar birds, like the grey partridge and lapwing, is deeply worrying. These declines are so severe that in Europe they are considered to be heading towards continental extinction – it is only the sizeable populations of both birds in Asia, which prevents them from being considered at risk of global extinction.

'A recent study by the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust has revealed that the grey partridge faces additional pressure in the UK from those who shoot grey partridges in the mistaken belief that they are shooting the more common and introduced red-legged partridge.

Of the 124 species, 33 species were classified as common farmland birds and 28 as common forest birds, with 63 other species regarded as either habitat specialists or specialists of other habitat types. The data analysis confirmed that farmland birds are in decline throughout Europe, with the cumulative populations of all 33 species of farmland bird suffering a decline of 44 per cent between 1980 and 2005.

The report The State of Europe’s Common Birds 2007 illustrates that of the ten species which have shown the greatest declines in Europe between 1980 and 2005, seven occur as regular nesting birds in the UK, including grey partridge; lapwing; lesser spotted woodpecker; wheatear; willow tit; nightingale and turtle dove. The wryneck also used to be a regular nesting bird in the UK, but it longer nests regularly and is now effectively extinct as a breeding bird in the UK. The crested lark and serin do not occur as regularly nesting species, although the serin has nested in England on several occasions.

The ten species that have shown the greatest declines in Europe between 1980 and 2005 are:

Crested lark (95 per cent decline)
Lesser spotted woodpecker (81 per cent decline)
Grey partridge (79 per cent decline)
Wryneck (74 per cent decline)
Wheatear (70 per cent decline)
Nightingale (63 per cent decline)
Turtle dove (62 per cent decline)
Willow tit (58 per cent decline)
Lapwing (51 per cent decline)
Serin (41 per cent decline)

Although 56 species have declined in Europe, in contrast, 29 species have increased, while the populations of a further 27 species have been found to be stable. Because of a lack of data it has not been possible to assess the long-term population trends of 12 species.

Across Europe, the species that have shown the greatest increases in Europe between 1980 and 2005 are:

Hawfinch (658 per cent increase)
Collared flycatcher (182 per cent increase)
Raven (118 per cent increase)
Blackcap (82 per cent increase)
Common buzzard (80 per cent increase)
Black woodpecker (77 per cent increase)
Woodpigeon (71 per cent increase)
Collared dove (59 per cent increase)
Chiffchaff (56 per cent increase)
Green woodpecker (43 per cent increase)

As the Chairman of the European Bird Census Council and Head of Monitoring and Indicators at the RSPB, Dr Richard Gregory led the study. He said: 'Unsurprisingly, some of the ten species, such as the collared dove, that have shown the greatest increases in Europe are birds that don’t rely on specialist habitats and have taken advantage of new opportunities.'

'The increases in buzzard and raven are encouraging as the European populations of both birds appear to be bouncing back after decades of unwarranted persecution.'

Dr Gregory added 'We know that birds can be excellent indicators of change and although the overall picture is bleak, there are signs of recovery and we have the knowledge to help many of these birds.

'For the first time ever, we are able to look at European birds in near real time and we are making important discoveries. This is all thanks to the fantastic cooperation of thousands of expert ornithologists right across Europe. It is vital that such essential work continues into the future'.

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:07 AM | Comments (0)

January 2, 2008

UK Government trumpets green credentials at breakfast and authorises damage before tea

Exploration for oil and gas is likely to be allowed in the Moray Firth Special Area of Conservation. This threatens a vulnerable, unique group of bottlenose dolphins and casts a shadow over the Government's recent pledge to give greater protections to UK sea life.

Malcolm Wicks, Energy Minister announced today that whilst Cardigan Bay, also a Special Area of Conservation for bottlenose dolphins would be spared, oil and gas exploration in the Moray Firth was likely to go ahead.

Emily Lewis-Brown of WWF said "The dolphins in each site can be expected to be impacted by oil and gas activities in the same way and both sites are protected under the same EU law. WWF calls upon the Government not to license for oil and gas near or in either dolphin protected area."

The licences in the Firth are to be allowed despite scientific evidence that clearly demonstrates that oil and gas activities can disturb marine mammals and in some cases be lethal.

Mark Simmonds, Director of Science for WDCS, the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society said. "At worst this could dramatically impact the dolphins' chance of survival in the Firth, and in combination with other threats could even drive this unique population towards extinction. If we lose these dolphins we may never get them back, the Government has let us all down if they allow this to go ahead in a dedicated and supposedly protected critical habitat."

The announcement comes on the same day another branch of Government announced its intention to give special protected status to seven offshore European Marine Sites in the UK's seas.

The DEFRA, Marine, Landscape and Rural Affairs Minister, Jonathan Shaw, was quoted as saying: "The UK has one of the richest marine environments in the world. We want to bring conservation standards at sea up to the level of those that we have on land, to give greater protection to sea life."

While these European Marine Sites will cover only a miniscule area of sea (less than 0.012% of the UK's seas) at last implementing European legislation from 1992, this was a move welcomed by conservationists, as a first small step on the road to proper protection for our important marine wildlife.

Dr Sharon Thompson from the RSPB said: "Is this a case of the left hand not knowing that the right hand was supposed to be protecting these sites? We're calling for a Marine Bill to introduce legislation to better protect marine wildlife, but to actually make a difference, we would expect that or any existing conservation legislation to be effective."

Melissa Moore, Senior Policy Officer at the Marine Conservation Society said: "This Government needs to re-think it's priorities at sea. This strongly suggests it will be 'business as usual' not protection in the seven new European Marine Sites."

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:31 AM | Comments (0)