WEBs Count - Open Sunday 16th March

During his count at HESC last Sunday Andy Harding recorded the following species:

G.C.Grebe                             13

Little Grebe                             3

Cormorant                             14

Grey Heron                             8

Little Egret                              6

Mute Swan                             6

Greylag Goose                     35

Canada Goose                     34

Egyptian Goose                      2

Wigeon                                102

Gadwall                                  6

Mallard                                   5

Teal                                      21

Shoveler                                 8

Tufted Duck                          59

Coot                                        8

Moorhen                                 3

Oystercatcher                         6

Kingfisher                               1

 

Other sightings

Willow Tit                               1

Chiffchaff                               3 singing

Andy's comments........

 

Also of interest...HESC provided an unusually high proportion of the wildfowl/wetland birds count for the whole complex, with very little elsewhere.  

The Reserve is clearly a crucial component in the Linford Complex.

 

GC Grebe photo by Tony B

The Bank That Likes to Say Yes

This last week has seen the KFB (Kingfisher Bank) put to use by two more species that were not on our original radar.

As the flood levels started to drop the muddy area around the bank had obviously become a good holding spot for fish and a number of Little Egrets were gathered around it.

Ay Up - What's he caught

As I watched one caught a sizable Perch and was forced to make a swift getaway in order to prevent the others snaffling his catch.

They're not having my fish supper

Then yesterday during a glorious early spring afternoon, I spotted a black and white bird snuggled down on the gravel roof of the bank.

It seems we also have an OCB - Oystercatcher Bank.

 
I suspect the Oystercatcher was only resting up - but - on the other hand it does look a bit like it might fancy the spot as a potential brood site.

We certainly seem to be getting full value for all the hard work and effort.

Here I am again, gently reminding you.....

....that Nicholas Watts, multi award-winner for  nature conservation work on his farm, will be coming to talk at HESC on Wednesday 12th March.

For more details, see my previous blog from 1Oth February......

I've now reserved places for a number of people who responded to the email that was recently sent to our FoHESC members.

Not a Permit Holder and FoHESC member yet?

If you'd like to reserve a place, email  michelewelborn@homecall.co.uk 
Let me know if you need directions to HESC.

The Centre will open at 7pm. If you don't make a reservation, please arrive early to ensure a place.
And if you do make a reservation, please arrive early if possible so that we don't let your place go to someone else, as there might be......

 

.......a rush!

Looking forward to seeing you next week,

Michèle

WEBs Count Open Sunday 16th Feb

Egyptian Geese - Photo by Tony B

With assistance? from a goodly gathering of Friends Andy recorded the following species:

G.C.Grebe                 5

Heron                      14

Little Egret                 1

Cormorant                 3

Mute Swan              16

Canada Goose       22

Greylag Goose        82

Wigeon                    94

Teal  also                94

Mallard                      6

Gadwall                   22

Shoveler                   1

Tufted Duck             38

Egyptian Goose         2

Coot                         16

Woodcock                  1

Lapwing                   90

Kingfisher                   1

As Andy says "Not bad given the flooding"

Nicholas Watts, RSPB Nature Farmer of the Year, 2013 - 12th March at HESC

It's been a while since I've contributed a personal take on any or all things natural at HESC..... 

Today's offering is slightly off-topic, but at the same time wholly pertinent.

Most of you reading this will be as interested as I am to learn about conservation projects both nearby and throughout the UK.  

        Anyone who has travelled through crop-growing areas in Britain must have noticed the oddly sterile feel of a landscape in which there is much growing. Yes, there are verdant fields of wheat and barley, the green turning to gold as the year progresses. There are swathes of yellow early on, from rapeseed. Look closely, however, and you realise what's giving you that feeling of unease  - it's because of what's not there, and how the ground between crop plants is mostly devoid of any weed, or inconvenient shrub, to break the monotony of form and colour. 

         And if you've had time to stop, look and listen, you might also notice the lack of birds, and a very precious sound - birdsong.

         

          Nicholas Watts is a man who noticed. Awarded the MBE in 2006, and the Lapwing award (for a second time) in 2011, he farms on Vine House Farm in Spalding, Lincolnshire. 

          In 2013 he was awarded the RSPB 'Nature of Farming Award'.  Just before that, here in Milton Keynes, I heard him talk about his farming life, his growing realisation that birds were no longer abundant on the lands he worked and walked, and about his efforts to bring them back to farmland on which his family has farmed for generations. 

        

        He is a very engaging speaker, passionate about farming, and passionate about birds and nature.  His talks are illustrated with fascinating photographs both of the birds on his land, his collected data, and the old and new farm machinery which his family has used over the last 100 years or so.

His aim is to educate and inform everyone about how things can be done differently......

I'm delighted that he's agreed to return to MK to talk to us at here at The Hanson Centre on  Wednesday, 12th March.  Come along and support him - and us, in our efforts to ensure that HESC and the Reserve  are conserved and kept appropriately for the birds, plants and all other things bright and beautiful, including yourselves....!

Doors will be open from 7pm.

Entry is £3.00 for permit holders and under 18s, and £4.00 for non-members/guests. 

Refreshments, books, bird food will be available to buy, and the usual warm welcome guaranteed!

As many of you know, seating is limited in the Centre. 
If you'd like to reserve a seat:
tel or text 07801 735860, or email michelewelborn@homecall.co.uk

(For more information about Nicholas Watts and his farm, visit www.vinehousefarm.co.uk)

Stanton Low Country Park

 

For those of you interested in the development of the park around HESC you may like to attend the following:

 

Stanton Low Park Landscaping

Saturday 15 February 2014
from 9am until 12 noon at Oakridge Park Medical Centre

 

All local residents and representatives are welcome to drop in to view and discuss the proposed phase 2 plans for Stanton Low Park. The plans include a neighbourhood play space for children of all ages, additional footpaths to enable inclusive access to the canal and countryside, a horse trail connecting to existing bridleways, areas of open space for informal public use, meadow, pasture and a paddock, community orchard, habitat creation and the conservation of existing habitats to increase diversity.

 

Community Engagement Drop-in Morning

 

The archaeology, heritage assets and wildlife of Stanton Low are at the very heart of the phase 2 proposals which address visitor parking and confirm the intended long term management of the park by The Parks Trust.

 

The conceptual masterplan for phase 2 of the park is available for download at

www.milton-keynes.gov.uk/stantonlowpark

As the design evolves over the coming months, the latest proposals will be uploaded here for your information. All comments are valued and we encourage all residents and representatives to communicate their thoughts. This is important to enable the design team to effectively gauge the communities overall support for the scheme.

 

Comments should be emailed to stantonlowpark@milton-keynes.gov.uk by 10 March

Architecture, UDLA, Civic Offices, Saxon Gate East, Milton Keynes, MK9 3EJ. If you would like a copy of the masterplan posted to you, please call 01908 252109.

We look forward to seeing you on 15 February 2014, where tea, coffee and biscuits will be provided by Oakridge Park Residents Association.

 

 

 

 

 

January WEBs Count

Apologies for not letting people know in time, that Andy Harding (County Bird Recorder) was doing his official monthly wildfowl count at HESC last Sunday. Although, I know that a few of you who had come to the Open Sunday, managed to meet up with him and enjoy his company, wisdom and wit (not to mention he does seem to be very good at spotting and identifying birds !)

 

Anyway, the good news is, Andy will be back next month on our Open Sunday - 16th February 10am start - to do another count at HESC and would be delighted if members of the Friends Group would like to join him and help in the process.

 

I can say from personal experience that you will find it a very interesting and rewarding experience - and - don't worry if your ID skills are still developing (that's pretty much all of us) it's  a great opportunity learn some tips and hints on how to identify water birds, in a very friendly environment.

 

The HESC wildfowl counts for 19th January were...

G.C. Grebe              4

Little Grebe          2

Cormorant         3

Heron                 3

Little Egret         2

Mute Swan       22

Greylag Goose       4

Canada Goose       6

Egyptian Goose     2

Wigeon             313

Mallard                     2

Pintail                     2 ( male and female)

Teal                        9

Shoveler                 2

Gadwall               30

Pochard                6

Tufted                   83

Coot                      18

Lapwing            350 over on a couple of occasions

Andy's Note

Due to the flooded conditions and the muddy water quality, species numbers were very different from other months. I neither heard nor saw a Moorhen within both HESC and the whole complex from Dovecote to Bradwell !