EBwS Coronavirus COVID-19 Update
In the light of the latest government restrictions limiting the number of people that can meet together the society has cancelled ALL field trips for 2020 and indoor meetings for the present time - though the situation will remain under review.
Mystery Bird Competition
Try your hand at identifying these mystery birds. All these birds have been seen in the UK and have been cropped to make things a little trickier! Answers are on the last page. Good luck!
Photos
Latest Highlights
| Westley Heights: 8 Ring-necked Parakeet |
| Great Baddow, Chelmsford: 1 Red Kite |
| Thorndon CP (South): 1 Peregrine Falcon, 1 Lesser Spotted Woodpecker |
| Thorndon CP (North): 1 Bullfinch |
| Terling: 1 Red Kite |
| Naze, The: 1 Leach's Petrel, 2 Lesser Redpoll, 3 Cetti's Warbler |
| Wrabness: 1 Kingfisher |
| Braintree: 3 Red Kite |
| Whetmead NR, nr Witham: 2 Red Kite, 2 Kingfisher |
| Hanningfield Reservoir: 1 Kingfisher, 2 Red-crested Pochard, 1 Raven, 2 Peregrine Falcon, 2 Goosander, 1 Scaup |
Latest News
Stay at Home Wildlife Recorders Club
The British Naturalists Association have set up this online club to record all the sightings in gardens during the Covid-19 crisis. This is a great opportunity for everyone to take part in a BNA Citizen Science Project watching and recording nature in your garden. Full details are below.
WHAT TO RECORD AND WHAT NOT TO RECORD
1. Record only those species of birds, butterflies, wild flowers etc. that you see in your garden or from your garden or house.
2. Birds that you see flying that do not land in your garden can be recorded as can animals, deer etc. that you might spot from your garden in a nearby field so long as you can see them without leaving your garden or house
3. Any wildlife you spot whilst taking exercise away from your house or garden should not be included in your records.
4. Only record on your chart a species once, the first time you see it. If you see for instance a robin on a number of occasions in your garden do not record it on your chart every time you see it.
5. A chart is provided for you to keep a record of your own individual sightings, but feel free to produce your own chart.
6. Encourage others in your area to record wildlife sightings and then set up an online community group. Nominate a co-ordinator and send your sightings to that person to combine sightings onto one chart.
7. We have a team of experienced naturalists who can help identify difficult species. Please take a photo and send it to chairman@bna-naturalists.org and we can help you
Websites to help with identification
Birds: www.rspb.org
Butterflies: www.butterfly-conservation.org also www.ukbutterflies.co.uk
Wildflowers: www.seasonalwildflowers.com also www.wildflowerfinder.org.uk
Dragonflies: www.dragonflysoc.org.uk
Bugs: www.britishbugs.org.uk
Also for a range of species: www.first-nature.com
RSPB Old Hall Marshes car park closure
The RSPB have decided to no longer open the gate to RSPB Old Hall Marshes at the weekend, as of the 1st of February 2020. It will remain open as normal during the weekdays. It will still also be able to arrange access for organised groups wishing to access the reserve at the weekend.
Attached is a note that explains why they are doing this - as a result of a review of into the amount of resource put into maintaining a 7 day week operation at the reserve. By removing this they will be able to put more resource and time into carrying out vital conservation tasks and still maintain site security and prevent anti-social behaviour occurring on the reserve.