Wildlife February 2010

[mark smyth]

They're obviously in the mood and might nest in your garden. Are there two drakes and a duck?

[Tony Willis]

yes but two were clearly a pair and the other was trying to but in. My garden is not large enough for them to nest in and they have moved on.

[mark smyth]

Good news bird fans

Swallows and sand martins have been seen in Italy and Spain

[Anthony Darby]

Anyone see the news this morning? Seems like the Japanese Knot Weed problem in the UK is going to be solved by introducing a species of psyllid, also from Japan, to combat it. I won't be holding my breath.

[Brian Ellis]

Anyone see the news this morning? Seems like the Japanese Knot Weed problem in the UK is going to be solved by introducing a species of psyllid, also from Japan, to combat it. I won't be holding my breath.

I think the worry is - what else will the psyllid attack?

[mark smyth]

For those, like me, who haven't heard of this insect
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jumping_plant_louse

I had heard a few weeks ago on TV this was going to happen. Surely a lot of insects cant suck the plants dry?

[ashley]

I think the worry is - what else will the psyllid attack?

Scary.  I understand that the introduction programme is to include monitoring over 5 years for unforeseen consequences, but history (including that of Japanese knotweed itself, ironically) shows that serious environmental impacts can take far longer to become apparent.

[TC]

Mark

Sand Martins and Northern Wheatears arrived last week in Dorset. Large groups of Red throated/Black throated/Great Northern Divers are in the Clyde estuary moving North.  White Wagtails have also arrived and will be moving up the coast before heading off to Iceland.  I will know that Spring has arrived when I hear my first Sandwich Tern.

[mark smyth]

I dont see sandwich terns very often and only when visiting people in Bangor - Co. Down. They take a short cut over the houses to and from the sea to their breeding places in Strangford Lough.

Two cock sparrows are trying to entice hen sparrows under the eaves of the house. I haven't had sparrows nest before now. Very interesting to sit in the sun watching them. They do their best to sing sitting outside the nest site they have chosen. When a females fly in to feed the males go in to a chirping frenzy and if she joins him he dashes in to the nest site calling like baby sparrows.

[Anthony Darby]

I think the worry is - what else will the psyllid attack?

Scary.  I understand that the introduction programme is to include monitoring over 5 years for unforeseen consequences, but history (including that of Japanese knotweed itself, ironically) shows that serious environmental impacts can take far longer to become apparent.

Introducing Cactoblastis cactorum to control Opuntia sp. worked in Australia, but it is not in the psyllid's best interests to eradicate its food source. Perhaps the idea is to reduce the plant's vigour making it more able to be controlled by other means? Psyllids are fairly specific in their food preferences, so I don't think they will attack other species of plant.

[Armin]

Mark,
a flock of ~35 Northern Lapwings (Vanellus vanellus) arrived here yesterday. Amazing is their precise timing of arrival (every year 2nd week of March) but this year it is still frosty and fields are partly snow covered. I don't know how they can find food in the frozen ground.
Usually they take a rest for 1-2 weeks on some fields to perform the courtship display until they distribute afterwards...

[Stephenb]

First Lapwings also in Central Norway this week, also dead on schedule. Should see my first in a couple of days if this mild weather keeps up (+4C today) together with the first Oystercatchers.

http://www.artportalen.se/fennoscandia_birds.asp?speciesid=297&year=2010&month=3

[Armin]

Stephen,
amazing the record from Finland, so far north

[Stephenb]

Yes, I saw that one too - possibly a mistake - can't be much food to find for a Lapwing in inland Finland at this time of year, still well below zero in that location...

[Michael J Campbell]

This chap was looking very smart today.