Goshawk chicks in Kielder Water & Forest Park are having their mouths swabbed in a bid to discover more about the creature’s blood lines in the 62,000 hectare (155,000 acre) Northumberland wilderness.

The bird, once persecuted to extinction and which reappeared in Kielder in the 1960s, is one of the rarest in the UK and a special licence is required simply to visit its nest.  Now monitoring by the Forestry Commission which includes ringing, weighing and measuring chicks is being stepped up to include taking a DNA sample.

Martin Davison, a Forestry Commission ornithologist, said: “Blood tests carried out two decades ago found that the local population derived from a single female – presumably the one which arrived in the forest 50 years ago.

“We are now seeking scientific proof that new bloodlines have since come into the forest.  It’s an interesting project, but very much in its early days. We expect the results to confirm that the bird is drawing on a wider gene pool of unrelated birds. That is important because it makes for a healthier and more viable population.   Goshawks are magnificent birds and it’s good see the population is stable.”

Rangers are staging three thrilling goshawks walk to raise the curtain on the Wild at Kielder season which celebrates the forest’s amazing wildlife.  Male goshawks bid to impress potential mates with a thrilling “sky dance” in spring and walks take place at 10.30am and 1.30pm
(March 5) and 9am to 12 noon (March 6). Booking is required on 01434 220242 and the cost is £6 adults, £5 concessions and £16 for a family of four.

Other great opportunities to sample Kielder’s wildlife include:

Deer Safaris, 20 and 27 April  and 1 and 11 June – Kielder Castle/Bellingham
Bat Night, 30 April – Kielder Castle
Dawn Chorus, 1 May – Kielder Castle
Badger Watch, 6 and 14 May – Wark Forest
Owl Night, 13, 18 and 20 May – Kielder Castle

Richard Gilchrist, Chief Recreation Ranger, said: “Kielder Water & Forest Park is the most tranquil spot in the UK according to the CPRE, but when it comes to animals it is like Piccadilly Circus!  It’s a haven for some of the nation’s rarest creatures, including goshawks, red squirrels and even wild goats.  This is a special place and these events are a great way to experience Mother Nature.”

Wild at Kielder season is being organised by the Kielder Partnership – for detail of other exciting events go to www.visitkielder.com/

The Forestry Commission has announced that the rare Barbastelle bat has established a maternity colony in Lincolnshire woodland – a first for the county and one of the very few such sites identified in Britain.

The bat is generally regarded as a southern English species, but research has revealed that it is not only present, but breeding in the 900-acre Chambers Farm Wood, near Wragby.

The discovery was made by Dave Hughes, Lincoln University postgraduate research student and Principal Ecologist at Lincoln-based Ecological Consultancy, ESL.  He has fitted tiny radio transmitters to bats in the Forestry Commission beauty spot, part of the Bardney Limewoods National Nature Reserve, and used harmless nets to catch the mammal.  Both pregnant Barbastelles and most tellingly recently born juveniles have been recorded and further detective work led to the discovery of the maternity colony under the bark of a rotting tree.

Wally Grice, from the Forestry Commission, said: “This is really great news and shows that sensitive management of woodlands pays dividends for wildlife.  It means that we now have nine bat species in Chambers, making it a real hotspot for the endangered creature.”

Dave Hughes added: “We have caught 37 individuals so far, which is a good sized colony.  I’ve also found Barbastelles in other woods nearby, but only in Chambers do we have a maternity colony. The habitat here is just right, being in part an old oak wood with plenty of insects to feed on and dead wood to provide roosting sites. Barbastelles are becoming increasingly rare so finding a maternity colony is cheering news.”

Bats suffered a dramatic decline in the 20th century and are on the European Protected Species list together with otters and the dormouse.  The UK population of Barbastelles is estimated at just 5,000 individuals and because of its rarity it has its own species action plan.

The bat’s strange name is derived from the Latin for ‘star beard’ and refers to the delicate beard of frosted white hairs radiating from its lower lip.  It has a squat face giving it a `pug-like’ appearance.

The discovery of a maternity colony is of national significance.

The initial discovery that Barbastelles were living in Chambers was made using an electronic detector which captured the unique frequency of its echo location system.  That led to the Forestry Commission, Lincolnshire Bat Group and Vincent Wildlife Trust installing 100 special boxes in the woods.

The Forestry Commission has carried out the first ever full survey of the Red Squirrels Reserve at Whinlatter Forest, Dodd Wood, Wythop and Setmurthy near Keswick as part of efforts to help conservation.

Numbers of red squirrels were counted using 75 traps located within the reserve.

A total of 416 red squirrels were recorded–during a 12-week period between May and August, although individual squirrels could have been caught more than once.

The figures provide a starting reference for future surveys in subsequent years and help provide an indication of population trends. This in turn will help wildlife rangers to manage the reserve more effectively to help the red squirrels continue to survive in Cumbria.

Matthew Easton, Forestry Commission wildlife ranger, said: “This exercise will help to show us whether our current methods of forest management are sufficient to help this highly popular indigenous species survive.”

Forest management techniques currently used to help the red squirrels survive include maintaining a level of mature conifers within Whinlatter Forest and the neighbouring woodland. This is because there is evidence that reds fare better against competition from the larger grey squirrels in a coniferous environment, compared with broadleaf trees.

Graeme Prest, the Forestry Manager in the North West, says: “Cumbria’s publicly owned forests are home to a wide range of wildlife and the Forestry Commission places a high priority on improving the biodiversity of these important habitats.  Red squirrels are one of the most popular residents of our forests in Cumbria and this study will help in the work we are doing to try to protect them.”

Any grey squirrels that were found were found in the traps were removed from the area.  One result from this year’s trapping that is cause for hope is that the numbers of grey squirrels that were caught in the reserve this year are lower than last. This is an indication that there are fewer grey squirrels moving into the reserve.

Grey squirrels, which were introduced into the UK from North America, are a threat to red squirrels because they compete more effectively for food and they are also carriers of the deadly Squirrel Pox. Grey squirrels are resistant to Squirrel Pox, but they can pass it on to reds, which are not resistant.

The results of one of the biggest ever surveys of the UK’s butterfly population have been announced.

It reveals the top ten most common species are the Small White, Large White, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown, Common Blue, Peacock, Green-veined White, Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell (right) and the Ringlet.

The exercise was designed to give scientists an indication of the state of the nation’s butterfly population, particularly in gardens and urban areas.
There was an impressive number of sightings of the Small Tortoiseshell which has been ravaged in recent years. Numbers have declined by 82 per cent in south-east England with the arrival of a parasitic fly called Sturmia bella.

The big butterfly count results indicate strong signs of recovery. The Small Tortoiseshell was the ninth most common butterfly seen across the UK and did even better in garden habitats.

The Gatekeeper’s results also pleased conservationists. The Gatekeeper has suffered a run of extremely bad years but ranked as number three in the top ten list during the count. It was seen in greatest numbers in fields and other rural habitats, but this orange butterfly was also found thriving in major cities such as London and Manchester.

Although no day-flying moths made it into the top 10, the most common moth reported during big butterfly count was the Six-spot Burnet, followed by the Silver Y (left) and then, some way behind, the Humming-bird Hawk-moth.

The full results of the count can be viewed online at www.bigbutterflycount.org.

Richard Fox, Butterfly Conservation’s Surveys Manager said: “A big thank you to all who have made the big butterfly count the biggest ever weekly count of butterflies anywhere in the world! It’s been a fantastic start and the big butterfly count will continue in 2011. With the public’s help, we’ll be able to compare how butterflies and moths have fared. We hope people from all over the UK will help us take the pulse of nature in years to come”.

Despite the pleasing results for some species, scientists at the charity Butterfly Conservation, who are analysing this year’s data, warn that most butterflies continue to face serious long-term decline.

Butterflies and moths are important as indicators, alerting us to underlying problems with the environment. If butterfly numbers are falling, inevitably other wildlife is also in decline.

The main factors causing the long-term decline of many butterfly species include the loss of crucial habitats such as flower-rich grassland and the intensification of farming methods. A lack of management is also causing problems in habitats such as woodlands. Butterfly Conservation is working with landowners and other conservation organisations to help reverse declines as a matter of great urgency.

The first baby beavers to be born in the wild for about 400 years have been spotted in Scotland, it has been announced.

About the size of a large guinea pig, beaver kits weigh about one pound at birth and are born with a full coat of fur, their eyes open and the ability to swim.

Older kits within the family may help care for and defend the younger ones but when they reach about two years old, they will leave the group in search of their own territory.

The Scottish Beaver Trial, which reintroduced the animals, aims to provide information which could determine whether or not beavers are reintroduced into the wild across Scotland.

The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland’s Beaver field officer, Christian Robstad, said: “Seeing the newborn beaver kits was really amazing – this is a huge achievement for the project and for conservation in the UK.

“It’s often difficult to tell if wild beavers are pregnant especially as they are elusive and largely nocturnal animals, but with our adult female beavers at two sites known to be in peak condition, there was a real possibility that kits could follow. Increasingly in the last few weeks, staff and volunteers have seen more evidence that there were young around and tracking activities were stepped up.

“After weeks of patient observation, we were finally rewarded with not just one kit being spotted but a second kit from a different family group as well. The first emerged as part of a ‘family outing’ with its parents and older sister close by to offer additional protection.

“It kept close to the edge of the loch and called out to its family for reassurance while it began to learn to forage for food,” he said.

The young birds, named Aqua, Splash and Spray, and only the second osprey family raised in North East England since records began 200 years ago, have all successfully flown in Kielder Water and the forest park.

Over the past week rangers have been monitoring CCTV coverage beamed live to Kielder Castle Visitor Centre as the chicks exercised their wings and leapt into the air, getting ready for take off. Two of the birds left the nest for the first time some days ago, but the third – the smallest of the brood and possibly a male – proved reluctant to leave and has only fleged in the past couple of days.

Kevin Hudson, Northumbrian Water leisure manager said: “The ospreys’ diet exists almost exclusively of fish. Kielder Water is well stocked with rainbow trout – a favourite dish for these raptors. Visitors to the Park now have a rare opportunity to watch the family of birds hunting as the parents will be showing the three chicks how it’s done. The best place to catch sight of these sensational creatures is from the aptly named ‘Osprey’ Ferry, which sails daily throughout the summer.”

The adult male will teach his offspring to fish – and it really is a crash course. By the end of August they will start a hazardous 5000-mile migration to sub-Saharan Africa when they must fend for themselves or perish.

Martin Davison, Forestry Commission ornithologist, explained: “The  chicks need to put on extra body fat to tackle the long flight. Ospreys  are  expert  hunters and will often hover over water to spot fish close to the surface. After fixing on their prey, they take the plunge with legs extended forward and wings swept back to keep them dry, before lifting away with a fish held in powerful talons.  It’s amazing how quickly young birds learn, but it is a matter of survival.”

Northumbrian  Water’s  ’Osprey’  Ferry departs from Leaplish Waterside Park and Tower Knowe Visitor Centre. Booking  is  advisable on 01434 251 000 or by enquiring on site.

Kielder Osprey Watch 2010 is organised by the Kielder Partnership, the RSPB and  Northumberland Wildlife Trust. The partners are working hard to ensure that  the ospreys are here to stay by maintaining a high quality habitat in Kielder  Water & Forest Park and safeguarding and monitoring the nest site. To find out more go to www.visitkielder.com

Ospreys were once distributed widely, but persecution resulted in the species becoming extinct in England as a breeding bird in 1840 and in Scotland in 1916. Some birds re-colonised Scotland in the 1950s and by 2001 there were nearly 160 breeding pairs (today about 200). The same year saw the first successful osprey nests in England for 160 years by re-colonising birds in the Lake District and re-introduced ones at Rutland Water in the East Midlands.  Kielder is only the place in England where the bird has returned to breed naturally.

Planting trees along stream banks could play an important part in protecting sensitive fish such as salmon and trout from rising temperatures as the climate warms, a new study has found.

Climate change predictions indicate a rise in average summer temperatures across southern England of 2 to 6 degrees centigrade by 2080. It is expected that this might result in similar rises in water temperatures in small streams, causing them to frequently exceed the range that some native fish species can tolerate.

Now results from a new study in lowland streams in southern England suggest that planting riparian woodland (trees on the margins of streams) could play an important part in preventing summer water temperatures exceeding dangerous limits.

The findings come from a three-year study by Samantha Broadmeadow and Dr Tom Nisbet from Forest Research, the scientific research arm of the Forestry Commission, and Professor Terry Langford, Pete Shaw and John Jones, fisheries specialists from Southampton University.

Using The Ober Water and Dockens Water streams in the New Forest, the scientists monitored stream water temperatures over three years, and assessed how they related to the riparian tree cover. The authors also considered the potential for using riparian shade to manage stream water temperatures for the benefit of fish such as salmon and trout.

Water temperature fluctuates through the day in small, rain-fed streams such as those of the New Forest. The study found that riparian woodland had a marked effect on the water temperatures, with daily peaks in water temperature typically five degrees cooler in the shade than in open water. This was enough to significantly reduce the number of days on which stream water temperature exceeded critical thresholds for trout.

Critically, the study indicates that achieving about 20 per cent canopy cover along at least 500 metres of small, rain-fed streams could be effective in preventing current summer maximum water temperatures from exceeding potentially life threatening levels for native cold-water fish.  However, higher proportions of riparian woodland are likely to be needed to address future climate warming.

Ms Broadmeadow said: “Most anglers are aware that fish such as brown trout are very sensitive to the water temperature, and will be concerned about the possible effects of climate change on fish populations in their rivers.

“Although more work is needed to refine its findings. However, this study will provide some reassurance that there are relatively simple, natural and sustainable measures that can be taken to protect fish populations and the biodiversity of our cold-water stream habitats from rising temperatures.”

Further research is being conducted to build on these findings, with the intention of enabling future riparian tree planting to be targeted in catchments known to support trout and salmon fisheries.

Three osprey chicks are ready to make more natural history in Northumberland – and now youngsters are being invited to suggest names for each of them.

The record breaking birds in Kielder Water & Forest Park are the second brood to hatch in the north east after their siblings successfully fledged year – the first to do so in the region for many centuries.

Rangers report that the chicks are growing really well and putting on plenty of weight. They are now moving around the nest  – or eerie, built on top of a tree in the 155,000 acre wilderness – and exercising their wings to build up strength.

All being well they should make their first flight at the end of July.

Now the Kielder Partnership want children across the region to suggest the best names for the three chicks, with the winner and guardian being offered a unique chance to join rangers and watch as the birds are ringed.*

Elisabeth Rowark, Director of the Kielder Partnership, said: “Every chick that takes to the air is a massive step forward for conservation efforts and its only right to bestow such fabulous birds with a special name. We are looking for suggestions that capture the character, bravery and star quality of these fabulous fish eating creatures which will travel to Africa before they hopefully return to Kielder Water & Forest Park in a few years time.   So don’t be shy, come up a good name and you could come face-to-face with an osprey!”

*Children need to offer three names for each of the ospreys.  There will only be one winner. The prize is subject to terms and conditions and is non-transferable and the winner must be available mid-week early July to attend the ringing.

To make your suggestion visit www.visitkielder.com and submit via the ‘contact us’ form or email info@kielderpartnership.co.uk <mailto:info@kielderpartnership.co.uk> with ‘Osprey naming competition’ in the subject line.  Include the child’s full name, parent’s full name, postal address, email address and telephone number.**  The closing date is 1 July and the competition is open to children aged between the of 5 – 16 years old.

Above: A screen grab from the latest video footage of the Kielder osprey family with mum and dad and the three chicks. You can download footage at http://www.vimeo.com/12792794

It might not look much but this little fella is as rare as a good start for England in the World Cup.

And, despite the difference in size, its similarity to the World Cup (at a stretch) has not gone unnoticed!

Keith Blackmore, assistant reserves and grazing project officer for Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, found the small patch of tiny, orange, club-shaped fungi on a site owned and used by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) for army training.

Samples were sent to the head of mycology at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, who confirmed their identity as multiclavula vernalis, a fungus rare in the British Isles and never recorded in England before. It is usually found in colder climes, either nearer the Arctic Circle or in mountainous regions. In the British Isles, it has been recorded only in the Outer Hebrides and the Shetland Isles.

Keith Blackmore said: “I knew it was a very unusual discovery when I saw it but I didn’t know exactly what it was. Having sought expert advice, I’m really thrilled to find out it’s an exciting first for England. It’s a great addition to the flora and fauna that already exists on these wonderful wildlife reserves.”

It appears that the management carried out by Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, and its partners Plantlife and the MoD, has created the ideal conditions for spores that have drifted in on the wind, to settle and grow.

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, which looks after the site, will be keeping an eye on it to see if it continues to inhabit this area or spreads. The Grazing for Wildlife Project is a partnership between the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust and the Ministry of Defence. It is working to benefit wildlife on the Defence Training Estate in north and east Hampshire by introducing conservation grazing and undertaking practical habitat management.

The Forestry Commission is backing a root and branch survey to assess the condition of the Tees Valley’s precious ancient woodlands.

Now survey chiefs are asking for the co-operation of local landowners to grant access to their woods so a full assessment can be made. The study will include all sites over 2 hectares (5 acres) in size including those that have been replanted with non native species.

Ancient woods are defined as those which appear on the earliest reliable maps, which date to about 1600. In reality much of the area’s 1936 hectares (4840 acres) of ancient woodland goes back much further in time and some may be the fragments of the great wildwood that covered England after the last Ice Age.

Ecologically, they are amongst the most important of all habitats, supporting an incredible range of plants, insects and animals.

Locally they include woods like Clarkson’s, and Rosecroft, at Loftus and Saltburn Gill at Saltburn, and Thorpe Woods at Wynyard. Such beauty spots are characterised by trees including ash, oak, lime, birch, hazel and hawthorn and an associated rich ground flora,, with alder and willow species in wetter areas.

Rachel Sparks, from the Forestry Commission, said: “This is a key project for us and an important part of the Tees Valley’s Biodiversity Habitat Action Plan for broadleaved mixed woodland. We have supported a similar survey on the condition of ancient woodlands in Northumberland and the North Pennines AONB and our ultimate aim is to have reliable data on the condition of all such habitats in the North East of England. That will give us a powerful tool so we can plan remedial action where required and have a benchmark to gauge progress.”

Dr Sue Antrobus (above right), of the Tees Valley Wildlife Trust, who will manage the project, added: “There’s going to be a lot of leg work involved and the co-operation of landowners will be absolutely crucial in helping us achieve out aims. If we find that the condition of a wood is unfavourable then that could open up grant aid from partners like the Forestry Commission, so it’s in everyone’s interest we get the survey underway. It goes without saying that ancient woods are irreplaceable. They are the equivalent of the rainforests of the Amazon and once they are gone they are gone. That’s why it’s so important we take practical steps to ensure they are in good condition and benefiting from sustainable management. This survey is breaking new ground as nothing quite like it has been attempted before in the Tees Valley.”

Ancient woods provide the sole habitat for many creatures and plants – indeed they have been described as the UK’s equivalent of the rainforest. Plants typical of such woods include bluebells and wood anemone – both very good indicators that a site goes back many centuries.

Experts say that other surveys in the region have found that overgrazing by sheep and deer and lack of management over many years are the main causes of ancient woodlands being in poor condition.

For more information on the Tees Valley survey please contact Sue Antrobus on 01287 636382, or email santrobus@teeswildlife.org <mailto:santrobus@teeswildlife.org>