WATERFOWL AND OWLS AMONGInitially, winter 2004/05 maintained theappare - PDF document

WATERFOWL AND OWLS AMONGInitially, winter 2004/05 maintained theapparent growing strength of unseasonalnesting during the 'non-breedingÕ season(October-February). My well-thumbed 'bibles'.(Witherby (Campbell and Ferguson-Lees 1972), bothgrebes, ducks, thrushes and sparrows have longbeen an occasional feature. For some waterfowl,owls, doves and thrushes this is becoming aregular occurrence. (the mildest since 2001) were followed by a greyNovember, blanketed by cloud (the dullest since1997), continuing into early December. BTO/CJGarden BirdWatchers reported Woodpigeon andCollared Dove broods and some Stock Dovesturning to birdtable fare in various parts of thecountry. Many surveyors, though, describedquiet, often relatively Ôbirdless' gardens - CoalTit, Nuthatch , and Chaffinch, in particular, werein short supply. This was a legacy of the hugeberry and seed crops (it was the highest beechsince 1995), which resulted in many birdsGardens and shopping precincts, though,were slowly brightened by an unusually earlyinflux of Waxwings, starting in mid October,flocks of 500 or more strong noted in Aberdeen,Renfrew (Clyde), Edinburgh (Lothian), Morpeth(Northumberland), and Newcastle-under-Lyme(Staffs). The mild weather and wild fruit glut alsomice and rats. These aided late fledging broodsof Barn Owl near Peterborough (Cambs) in midNovember, and premature broods of nestbox-using Tawny Owl on the Wirral (Cheshire) andin Highclere Forest (Hants). Other unusualnesting resulted in well-grown families of GreatCrested Grebe (Stafford), Moorhen (Birming-ham) and Mallard (several sites), the latter aidedby grain sources on wildfowl reserves.December records of lingering summer visitors,as reported to BTO/RSPB/BirdWatch IrelandBirdTrack, including Swallow (Somerset,BTONews© British Trust for Ornithology 2005AVIDBritish Trust for OrnithologyThe National Centre for OrnithologyThe Nunnery, ThetfordBTO Research Biologist, natural foods prompted premature nesting among some UK birds in 2005.ANIDACION PREMATURAEl investigador del BTO alimento natural dieron lugar a una temporada de anidaci—n prematura en varias aves del UNSEASONALNESTINGNESTINGCornwall), Redstart (London), Willow Warbler(Upton-on-Severn) and Ring Ouzel (Durham),posed growing headaches for County Recordersrecording first/last, arrival/departure dates.TO FLYING START A brief Arctic blast gave a festive whiteChristmas for some, arresting most nestingtemperature 1.9¡C above average), brought14.7¡C at Church Fenton, ncar York, on 9th,dropping to just 12.7¡C at Weybourne (Northlaying by Collared Dove was reported familyparties of Woodpigeon were observed in severallocalities. Intriguingly, unusually early fledgedbroods for other species came from coastalsettings by mid month: Song Thrush, Brighton(Sussex)Pavilion gardens; Blackbird, South-(Cornwall); while Robin benefited from gardencentre surroundings at Bicester (Oxon). Most coastal stretches of southern Englandand Wales remained frost-free, helping over-wintering survival prospects of potentiallyvulnerable Spoonbill, Whimbrel, CommonSandpiper and Little Stint; similarly, long-staying Lesser Yellowlegs (Norfolk), DuskyWarbler (Suffolk) and Yellow-browed WarblerHowever, not all was rosy. Violent stormyof 60-70 knots, gusting hurricane force inHighlands, topping 120 knots in the WesternIsles. Crown-heavy conifers, laden with cones(notably spruces) toppled like cards, causingcostly forestry losses. Birds also suffered: nestearned Owl, woodpeckers, and others weredamaged or destroyed, alongside battered hidesand rafts on reserves. Resilient, paired Crowbillssang lustily, weathering the storm, alongsideonly a few resorting to supplementary foods atbirdtables. FEBRUARY SNOW-CHILL CHECKSEARLY NESTING PROMISESpring seemed well set at the start of FebruaryÑ a dangerous assertion, as nature chose to turnthe screw. Initially, in late January, a ÔblockingÕanticyclone anchored west of Ireland generateda cold northerly airflow, sweeping seabirdsAswift shift to warmer winds from the southearly by mid month. Shelduck, Grey Heron,Ringed Plover and Kingfisher had returned toinland sites and displayed breeding intent. By StValentineÕs Day an interesting spectrum of 19species had been reported to the BTOas havingunexpected were a scattering of thrushes andRobin: more so were Great Crested Grebe (River(Essex, Merseyside), Stock Dover (WestNorfolk), Wren (London), Blue Tit (North Wales)and Mistle Thrush (Oxon).Nesting progress was cruelly curtailed fromprogressively cold air from North Russia, givingsnow to most parts, with overnight frostsmonthÕs close. The bitter easterly winds createdadverse conditions to rival February 1991 orJanuary 1987, but were not as destructive forUKÕs birds as February 1986 which hit hardover-wintering waders and resident populationsof Bearded Tit, CettiÕs Warbler and DartfordWarbler. Despite this untimely late cold snap,winter 2004/05 continued with an increase inthe strength and frequency of westerly winds, afeature of the January-February spells startingbroadly from 1988. These key months are now1.7¡C warmer than 50 years ago, a feature thathas been driving the UKÕs recent series of mild