Sussex Wldlife Trust and our Future!

The Sussex Wildlife Trust, and all other wildlife trusts in the country, are calling for support for nature in our lifetimes, indeed, they want nature to be 'restored by 2030' (website)! They are calling on all political leaders to make 5 electoral pledges to 'save nature.' That is, they are asking that all political parties support these 5 pledges (below), cut & pasted from their website, and a petition is included too (website):

💰 A pay rise for nature

Farmers need greater support to help nature and manage over 70% of UK land - we want to see double the current budget for nature-friendly farming in future. 

🏭 Make polluters pay

Business - from companies working finance to retail to energy  - all contribute to nature’s decline and should contribute to nature’s recovery. 

🏞️ More space for nature

Just 3% of the land and 8% of English waters are properly protected for nature. We want rapid action to expand and improve protected areas, and ensure public land and National Parks contribute more to recovery.

🤝 A National Nature Service

We want lots of helping hands if nature is to recover quickly and at scale: a 'National Nature Service' would create thousands of green jobs as well as a healthier society.

🌳 A right to a healthy environment 

Limited access to nature and pollution in the air and water affects everyone’s health: An 'Environmental Rights' Bill would drive better decisions for nature and improve public health.

I support the wildlife trusts 👍

Help Save our Sea, Marine Life & Fishing Industry!

The Wildlife Trusts have started up an online petition to support the Government's plans to introduce 5 Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMA). The purpose is to protect our waters in those HPMAs by banning development, over-fishing (and Hastings fishing boats are small/sustainable, this means larger trawlers!), and other damaging activities, and I think we all know the sort of thing this could be (blog).

So, if you want to share your opinion, please go to The Wildlife Trusts website, and click on the Add Your Name button. Good stuff! 👍

Saving Bees!

I'm straight copy and pasting from Sussex Wildlife Trust:

We need to end the use of bee-killing pesticides! But the UK Government has authorised their use on crops across England, just weeks after passing the new Environment Act. This catastrophic decision:

> Ignores the 100,000 people who appealed to the Prime Minister to reverse the same decision last year

> Disregards the advice of health and safety experts

> Undermines legal-binding commitments to nature in the Environment Act

We’ve made a simple form to allow you to tweet your MP asking them to say #NoToNeonics in Parliament – and call on the Government to reverse this decision: https://wtru.st/neonics-tweet-MP

As a member, I support this effort to save our bees...

If you'd like to know more about the Sussex Wildlife Trust see their website, or nationally, The Wildlife Trusts website.

Save our Bees - Pesticides Damaging Wildlife!

 

I have received an email from the Sussex Wildlife Trust, which I am a member of, that is encouraging people to take part in influencing the Government's consultation for a National Action Plan to "reduce the risks of pesticide use" (website). Go to the website to have your say about how bees and other pollinating insects are in danger from the use of pesticides, notably neonicotinoid thiamethoxam, which is banned across Europe. But the use of this pesticide has been authorised recently by the current Environment Secretary, George Eustice, for the treatment of sugar beet seed, despite the then Environment Secretary in 2017, Michael Gove, agreeing with the EU, and promising to maintain the restriction of neonicotinoids use.

In addition, The Wildlife Trusts have organised a petition calling on the Prime Minister to overturn Eustice's "decision to allow bee-killing pesticides." More about this at the Sussex Wildlife Trust website, and you can sign the petition at The Wildlife Trusts website. Let's protect our wildlife please folks!

Pigeons, Woodpeckers and Allies - Birds Part 7

Another blog with a shorter title than that of the chapter in Gooders' book* as, quite frankly, all I have seen of the birds mentioned in this chapter on my walks during these troubled times and the 2 lockdowns, are pigeons, doves and woodpeckers... For anyone reading my Bird Blogs for the first time, they are based on birds I have seen on my regular travels across Hastings Country Park, and along Barley Lane, since the first Covid-19 lockdown began way back in March. Gooders says that this group is a “rag-bag of species, convenient in that they are the "only perching birds that do not belong to the order Passeriforms." So now you know...

Great Spotted Woodpecker

For my first couple of sightings I refer to the woodpeckers, and, usually heard rather than seen, the Great Spotted Woodpecker, the most common and most widespread woodpecker in Britain. I have heard woodpeckers drumming and drilling away all over the place, notably when walking in the higher parts of Alexandra Park, but early on in my cross Hastings Country Park walks during this crisis I not only heard them, but saw one, I heard it first and was lucky enough to spot it whilst walking long Barley Lane just after Fishponds View, thank you very much! They eat mostly insects and larvae, but during the Autumn and Winter months they switch their diet to include berries and nuts, and they may be seen in gardens pecking at peanut feeders.

I have seen many more Green Woodpeckers than the more common Great Spotted variety during my life, well noticed them anyway, indeed my first ever was as a young lad out with a mate, duffle bag over my shoulder, and flask of tea and some goodies in the bag for sustenance, saw the Green Woodpecker and followed it for quite a way until it flew over a small stream, without thinking I threw my bag over to the other side and leapt over myself; well, thermos flasks in those days had very fragile glass linings and I wasn't forgiven by my mum for ages, and no more tea to drink either that day! Similarly, their main diet is insects, and they can often be seen searching for food on the ground, ants forming a significant part of their diet, indeed, the one I saw, again quite early during the lockdown, was on the ground along a track off Barley Lane.

Collared Dove

The ubiquitous and largest pigeon in the country, is the Woodpigeon, and the most commonly seen pigeon during my walks across Hastings Country Park too, with an almost husky 'coo.' It eats seeds, leaves, grain, fruit, peas and root crops, consequently, it can become a pest to farmers. It's amazing that pigeons appear to know where to live, for example, up on the Country Park the Woodpigeon is virtually the only pigeon/dove you will see, whereas the feral town pigeons (mostly descended from rock doves/domesticated pigeons, although you may spot a hint of white dove or even collared dove interbreeding here and there), well, those town pigeons stay in town!

But back to the edge of town, and smaller than the Woodpigeon, I have spotted Collared Doves close to the Hastings end of Barley Lane during my travels. A relative newcomer to Britain, which was first recorded nesting in Norfolk in 1955 having spread westwards from Asia, but it has since spread throughout this country (and across to America too), and now is quite common in Britain. Again, it 'coos' but in a more gentle manner, almost begging you to listen, and eats seeds and grain from the ground.

Sorry folks, I haven't seen an owl for ages, consequently, not in my chapter! But the photograph above is of a wee painting I was given as a present over 35 years ago.

So, that's it for today and this 'chapter' of my bird observations... The next chapter of the book* is called Waders, Skuas, Gulls, Terns and Auks, but my Birds Part VIII blog will likely just be called Gulls, you'll understand! 😉 Please do watch out for it, I'll try not to leave it for so long this time, and many thanks for reading these blogs.

The photograph of the Great Spotted Woodpecker is reproduced with many thanks to Mark Hamblin, and of the Collared Dove with thanks to Gillian Day, and thanks to The Wildlife Trusts for both.

* John Gooders The Complete Birdwatcher's Guide.

John Gooders used to live in East Sussex before he died 10 years ago, sadly, and had previously been Chair of Friends of Rye Harbour Nature Reserve.

Daily Exercise and Filsham Reedbed

My daily  exercise this morning had me walking in a different direction, again with an early start, consequently, I saw very few other people, particularly on the way out, and the early part of my return journey. As for all days these days, maintaining at least 2 metres distance was essential and, yet again, it was very rare that anyone else got within 5 metres of me, as I zigzagged along the less quiet later segment of the route. Anyway, I walked westwards this morning to Combe Valley Countryside Park, reaching the edge by the seashore at Bulverhythe.

Then I cut inland, crossing the footbridge over the railway tracks, and then crossing the A259, and walked up to Combe Haven. I saw one young woman walking her 2 dogs, but we maintained over 10 metres between us, and with no social discourse, not me being unfriendly I can guarantee, honest guv! Anyway, I coped with being ignored from 10 metres away and turned north up on the west side of the Combe Haven river...

About 600 metres on I crossed the small bridge to reach the entrance to the Sussex Wildlife Trust's Filsham Reedbed Nature Reserve. Being a member of the trust, and a regular visitor to this wonderful reserve, which is one of the largest reedbeds in Sussex, I have written about the reserve quite frequently, for example when I wrote a blog last month about World Wetlands Day 2020.

The image above is a rarely seen view of an area of wetland in the reserve, indeed, I cannot remember ever seeing this! Why? Because the reeds are usually very tall here and obstruct the view. However, the trust appears to have cut back the reeds in recent maintenance, so there you are (a rarely seen view for you!).

Finally, I reached my turning point for the walk, the 'hide' in the reserve, at the end of a very easy to manage raised wooden walkway (keeps your feet dry too). Gorgeous and peaceful, indeed, perfect tranquility. On this visit I didn't actually see any rare birds (though I did see a pheasant fly across the river on my way back!), but the reserve is an important stopover for migrating birds, reed warblers, bearded tits and water rail are among the birds that breed here, and specialist insects and plants thrive here.

For information about the Sussex Wildlife Trust, or how to join, go to their website, or go to The Wildlife Trusts website.

Remember, at least 2 metres apart, and be respectful!

PS. I only saw 2 people I know today, on my way back to the town centre, and I spoke to them both from about 5 metres.

Support Marine Conservation Zones Please!

In 2011 sea user stakeholder groups agreed and recommended a network of 127 carefully selected marine sites for protection, so far only 50 have been designated. Right now there is a public consultation about adding a further 41 Marine Conservation Zones (Wildlife Trusts website). We live by the sea, Hastings has a fishing fleet that supports sustainable fishing, I have already sent acknowledgement of my support for this proposal to Defra, you can do so too at the following website. Let's provide a Wave of Support, many thanks!

New Chief Executive for Sussex Wildlife Trust

Following the retirement of Dr Tony Whitbread, who originally joined the Sussex Wildlife Trust as Head of Conservation in 1991, becoming Chief Executive 15 years later, a new Chief Executive has been appointed. Tony played a great role in that time as an advocate for conservation, published The Vision for the Wildlife of Sussex, played a leading role in establishing the Sussex Biodiversity Record Centre, promoted the need for the establishment of the South Downs National Park, acted as a Trustee of The Wildlife Trusts, and saw the membership of Sussex Wildlife Trust double to 30,000 during his tenure. A hard act to follow indeed...

Tor Lawrence

The newly appointed Chief Executive is Tor Lawrence, who grew up in Lewes, still lives in East Sussex, and has announced it as an "absolute honour to take over this important role from Tony." Tor's previous history includes senior management roles with London Wildlife Trust, East Sussex County Council, and more recently as South Downs National Park Authority Countryside Policy Manager for the Eastern Downs.  

My best wishes to Tony, and a warm welcome to Tor!

Photograph of Tor Lawrence from the website, with many thanks to Miles Davies.