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Trevor Hannington
Trevor Hannington sadly passed away yesterday evening after a long illness. He was a very keen birdwatcher and well known for his sense of humour and outgoing personality. He was a regular visitor to the Scillies and was often present wherever there was a rare bird about. He is a great loss to the birding world and our deepest sympathy goes out to his wife and two children.
Tony Smith
February 26th 2010
Request for your 2009 bird records
Please send your bird records in as soon as possible and by no later than 30 April 2010. Of particular interest are counts of wintering passerines, including thrushes, pipits, larks, wagtails, finches and buntings, plus flocks of waders, gulls and waterfowl. Any breeding bird data, i.e. counts of singing males in one particular area, or records from nest box schemes are also of interest. Also submit descriptions of any unusual birds you’ve encountered in the county. Some birds are particularly scarce or rare in the county and are listed as Category A or Category B species. The lack of an acceptable description will lead to records being rejected. A much more detailed description will be required for difficult to identify species, e.g. Caspian Gull and Ring-billed Gull than for example, a White Stork. In addition, written descriptions are also required for scarce sub-species/races, including limosa race Black-tailed Godwit, Scandinavian Rock Pipit, flava race wagtails, autumn White Wagtails, Greenland Wheatear and Chiffchaff races. Please visit the Bird Recording Page for the complete county list and the current status of each species. Rarity descriptions can be submitted online by using the Rarities Submission Form while general records can be submitted via email including attachments of Microsoft Works, Word or Excel documents.
I very much look forward to receiving your records by the end of April - thanks in advance.
Brian Stretch
Worcestershire Bird Recorder
Pied Flycatchers on the Malvern Hills
The Pied Flycatcher nest box project is looking for interested volunteers as two of last years team have left. The population crashed in 2003 and in 2009 there were just six breeding pairs remaining. This may now be the largest population left in the county.
Tasks will involve any of the following:
1. maintaining nest boxes and putting up new ones during February to early April.
2. monitoring study area in April-early May to see which boxes the birds go in, noting interaction with Redstarts and other species and mapping territories etc.
3. Helping with ringing of adults and young in late May to June.
4. Writing the report for 2010.
5. Clearing out/repairing some of the boxes in autumn.
A field meeting has been arranged by the Malvern Hills Pied Flycatcher Group to meet at Swinyard car park, Castlemorton Common (on the road to the Gullet Quarry) on Saturday 27th February at 9am. The aim is to show the locations of some of the nestboxes and the types of terrain/gradient and give you a bit more of an idea of what is involved in the project. The meeting should be finished by around midday. Please contact Steve Whitehouse for further details using the following details:
Land: 01905 454541
The Biking Birder
During 2010, Upton Warren regular Gary Prescott (53), currently a special needs teacher in Bromsgrove will cycle to every RSPB nature reserve and Wildfowl and Wetland Trust site in the UK open to the public; no one has ever attempted this feat before. He will be starting his journey at 10:00am on the 1st January 2010 at Sandwell Valley RSPB reserve near Birmingham.
Heading south for the winter, Gary's route circumnavigates the UK with south coast destinations first off before reaching Wales in the Spring. It’s then over to Northern Ireland in late May, before Gary will cycle up into Scotland (including the islands) for the summer. He eventually cycles down the east coast of Britain before cycling back for a Christmas family reunion at the place where it all started; Sandwell Valley RSPB reserve.
His aim is to cycle to over 190 nature reserves over the year in order to raise funds for three charities; namely the RSPB, the WWT and Asthma UK (Gary is asthmatic).
In addition to this physical feat, Gary will also be attempting to break the non-motorised year bird list record, currently held by Chris Mills of Norfolk. The record presently stands at 252 bird species but Gary dreams of reaching the magic figure of 300 bird species.
Gary hopes to raise over £10,000 for the charities and more information on the adventure, including where he will be on each day and how to support his efforts, is available on his website www.bikingbirder.co.uk. His travels may also be read about on his daily blog at www.bikingbirder2010.blogspot.co.uk.
Phil Andrews, 30-12-09
THE BIRDS OF UPTON WARREN
The Annual Reports for 2007 and 2008 are now available from the Sailing Centre, priced £2.50 each, or in person from Mike Wakeman.
Mike also has a selection of previous years’ reports for those wishing to add to their collection. His contact details are at the front of the hide log books
A new Worcestershire Wildlife Trust wetland reserve in the Avon Valley
Pershore Meadows Wetland
The creation project includes a 4.5 ha wet reedbed including willow carr (accessible by boardwalk, which will be installed soon), and a further 20 of wet grassland with scrapes, smaller reedbeds, etc (viewing screen for scrapes will also be installed soon). The site received it's first water on Tuesday and ground works have now more or less finished.
Access is still limited due to construction work but it should be fully opened soon. Reeds will be planted next spring. For a map of the location, please Click Here
Jurjen Annen
Water and Wetlands Officer
Worcestershire Wildlife Trust
13 September 2008 | 
