An Identification Guide to Garden Birds of Britain and North-West Europe is a photographic guide to 75 species of bird most commonly found in or over the gardens of Britain and North-West Europe. The text combines scientific facts with affectionate descriptions of the birds’ identifying features, including sex and age differences, habits, nest types, eggs and calls. The introduction contains tips on how to identify birds, how to look after garden birds, which species can be seen throughout the year, a glossary and anatomy details. For each species, there are two or three photographs labelled with distinguishing features where appropriate, a calendar showing the time of year when the adult can be seen and star facts that give further proof of the birds’ fascinating features.
We were lucky enough to ask both Dominic and Carl a few questions about what inspired them to produce this guide, what the process was like to assemble it and the importance of providing habitats for birds in our gardens.
What inspired you to produce this introductory guide to garden birds?
Dominic: As a regular Twitter follower I quickly became aware of Carl’s work. What stood out for me was his wonderfully giving attitude, really helping “ordinary” people connect with birds and birdwatching with the use of clever and funny bird photos, as well as wondrous ones. He encourages everyone to get involved and to enjoy nature, and he does it in a unique way.
So from my (Dominic’s) point of view, it was a no-brainer to cooperate with Carl on an entry-level guide to garden birds, with his own special take.
This book follows on from a book on garden insects published with another first-time author, Gail Ashton, last year. In both guides we have used light-hearted introductions and mentioned star facts about each species, to helve delve into the subject’s life.
Blue tit by Carl Bovis
How did you choose which species to include in this guide?
Our subject was garden birds, and since we wanted to cover northern Europe we had a good range to choose from. Most species pick themselves, but the guide will stand or fall on what we include.
This guide is full of many wonderful and illustrative photographs. What was the process like to assemble these? Where there any species that were particularly difficult to attain clear photos of?
Carl Bovis
Carl: I’m known for taking photos of the common birds, a lot of which many serious bird photographers turn their noses up at! So a book about garden birds was perfect for me, as I have taken many photos of them over the last few years and had many to choose from. I also have a passion for catching birds in flight, the shape and angles of their wings and tail fascinate me. Obviously this is an ID book, so perched birds are essential, but we’ve included lots of flight shots too.
It’s very rewarding for me to have my photos in this guide. A couple of years ago I was talking to a serious birder at Steart Marshes and he said to me; ‘your photos of birds are very engaging, but they’d never be in a mainstream bird book’. I didn’t take offence, I like that many of my photos are different to the norm, but at the same time, I’m happy now to have proved him wrong!
It’s also an honour to collaborate with Dominic on this, as before I even knew him personally, I had bought and enjoyed many of his previous books, and had attended one of his fascinating talks on bird behaviour. He is nature-writing ‘royalty’ as far as I’m concerned.
The shy and rarer garden birds were obviously toughest to get clear photos of, especially ones that don’t visit my own little Somerset garden where many of the photos were taken. So birds like Bullfinch, Treecreeper and Redstart were a challenge. If you get them in your garden, consider yourself lucky!
Included with this interview are a few of my favourite photos from the book.
Given the many pressures facing our garden birds, are there any species in this guide that you think won’t be so common in coming years?
Dominic: We have included a number that are declining, such as Marsh and Willow Tits, Chaffinches and Greenfinches. The Lesser Spotted Woodpecker is in serious trouble, and both House Martins and Swifts are on the wane. There are others, too.
Swift by Carl Bovis
But I do think it’s very important to let people just discover and enjoy birds. I hope the book inspires first and foremost.
This guide includes a section on looking after garden birds, giving tips as to how people with gardens can help. How important is it that people make their gardens into good habitats for birds?
Dominic: Gardens are incredibly important for two reasons. They are the best place for people and birds to meet, and for people to get excited about birds and love them.
Secondly, gardens are where everybody can be a conservationist. The overall fortunes of birds and other wildlife often feel as though they are outside our control, but in gardens we can make decisions that directly affect wildlife. If enough people realised how important their backyard decisions were to wildlife, they might be inspired to do more.
House sparrow by Carl Bovis
Are there any plans to continue this series and, if so, which other species groups that you would like to make an identification guide about?
Dominic: Yes, a book on Trees is already well in production. Any others in the series may require us to get John Beaufoy, our publisher, drunk so that we can persuade him to do some more.
An Identification Guide to Garden Birds of Britain and North-West Europe by Dominic Couzens and Carl Bovis is published by John Beaufoy Publishing in June 2023 and is available from nhbs.com.
Fears of hottest year on record as global temperatures spike. Preliminary global average temperatures taken so far in June are nearly 1?C above previously recorded June levels since 1979. It is thought that the gathering El Niño event may propel 2023 into becoming the hottest year ever recorded. This naturally recurring phenomenon will likely add heat to the long-term warming conditions already caused by the burning of fossil fuels.
Devon’s Wildlife Trust (DWT) is planting a temperate rainforest near Totnes with its share of a £38 million Aviva fund. The 30-hectare site has a 105-year lease, which will allow DWT to plant two-thirds of the land with native tree species. Rainforests of the British Isles have been largely destroyed over hundreds of years, now covering less than 1% of Britain. DWT will create new rainforest close to existing examples of the ancient, wooded landscapes in the Dart Valley and on the southern edges of Dartmoor.
Rare hazel dormice will be reintroduced into the National Forest near Calke Abbey in Derbyshire. This native species has seen a 51% decline nationally since 2000 and is locally extinct in the area. People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES), which will release 38 individuals, is working as part of Natural England’s Species Recovery Programme. Since 1993, 1,078 dormice have been reintroduced to 25 different woodlands in 13 countries.
Around 20 captive-bred wildcats are being released in secret locations across the Scottish Highlands. The animals were raised in captivity as part of a breeding programme run by the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, which aims to release up to 60 individuals over the next three years. Scottish wildcats are functionally extinct in the wild in the UK, therefore it is hoped that these reintroductions will help to save the species.
Extinction risk
Campaigners fear that East West Rail will lead to the loss of rare species. A new route between Bedford and Cambridge has been confirmed, with the spokesman for the line saying that chosen route would offer an “environmentally sustainable solution”. However, local campaigners believe the scheme could threaten Red List species, such as skylarks and yellowhammers. They believe an ancient woodland which provides habitats and a local wildlife corridor will be dramatically impacted by the route. The company has committed to a 10% net biodiversity gain target across the whole project, however, and has already established 20 ecological compensation sites across the first stage.
A new study is warning that the mass “sixth extinction” is well underway, with nearly half of the world’s animal species now in danger of becoming extinct. The study, More Losers than Winners, examined global population trends from approximately 71,000 animal species. They aimed to determine how many are at risk due to threats such as loss of habitat, harmful use of pesticides and herbicides, and the long-term impact of the climate crisis. The researchers found that only 3% of animal species were growing, while 49% showed stagnant population growth. 48% showed declining populations.
New discoveries
A new flying gecko species has been discovered in northern India. The Mizoram parachute gecko is one of 14 geckos known to take to the air, using a combination of skin flaps and webbed feet. The researchers hope that this new discovery will highlight the underappreciated biodiversity of northern India and encourage greater efforts to document its wildlife.
When the Kite Builds…: Why and How We Restored Red Kites Across Britain is an informative and comprehensive examination of the project to reintroduce red kites to England and Scotland. Mike Pienkowski, the chairmen of this project, describes why the decision was taken and how it was implemented, as well as examining the success of the experiment and exploring the outcomes from this success. Chapters cover how nestlings were collected and imported, how the kites were reared, the initial survival after release, education and public awareness, and much more.
Mike Pienkowski
Below is our interview with Mike Pienkowski, where we discuss how he became involved in this project, whether population recovery would have been possible without reintroduction, how the increase in red kites has impacted or enhanced the British countryside, and more. When the Kite Builds… was published in February 2023.
Dr Mike Pienkowski will be signing copies of his book at the NHBS stand, number S107, in Swallow Marquee at Global Birdfair on Saturday 15th of July between 2–3pm.
When the Kite Builds… is a comprehensive overview and analysis of the project to restore red kites to Britain. How did you become involved in this project and why did you decide to write this book?
From the mid-1980s, I was Head of Ornithology at the Nature Conservancy Council (then the UK Government conservation agency). NCC was struggling to implement legislation which it had not drafted, and which tended to give the false impression that conservationists were always negative to others. Among a review of all the projects we needed to meet bird conservation needs, I wanted to include something clearly positive and cooperative. There were at the time three globally threatened bird species which occurred in Britain. One was red kite, whose range was now restricted to Europe, and declining across most of it. Red kites had been common across Britain in the Middle Ages, and valued as the recycling agents of the time, clearing bodies from city and countryside, but had later been exterminated from England, Scotland and Ireland, with just a tiny isolated and interbred population surviving in central Wales involving intense protection. Could we restore red kites across Britain? Colleagues in RSPB had been thinking along similar lines, and we formed a joint project team, which I chaired. From 1984, we researched all aspects and began an experimental introduction in 1989. When this proved successful by 1995, we encouraged others to use our methods in other appropriate locations across the country.
I wanted to document the process, the full story of what one reviewer described as “a mixture of science, politics and luck” – especially as there have been few books addressing all aspects of science-based conservation projects. I had started the book in the mid-1990s – but various things intervened. I went back to it a couple of times and finished it during lockdown. It is actually a much better book now than it would have been 25 years ago, both because we can see the real outcomes and I can be more open now than would have been possible then.
Fully grown kites ready for release. Image credit: Dr Mike Pienkowski
Chapter 10 discusses education and public awareness, especially among landowners and gamekeepers. Do you believe that population recovery would have been possible without reintroduction through extensive campaigns to educate the public to reduce persecution and increase suitable habitats or was the existing population too small to be viable?
I think that the two elements worked together. In fact, we planned in the hope that they would. Although we considered that, in much of the country, illegal persecution was much reduced, making releases viable, we knew that this was not the case everywhere and, especially when the young kites dispersed, that we would probably lose a few to this vile activity (which by far the majority of land-owners and game-keepers deplore). We found that the public were horrified by deaths from such causes, particularly of birds imported to correct previous human errors. We are grateful to the public, police and public health authorities for securing several successful prosecutions. These and the campaigns did lead to a reduction in such activity. This has allowed not only red kites but also other species, such as buzzard and raven, to repopulate some of their former ranges.
There have been reports that the illegal killings of birds of prey have been surging across the UK in recent years. Has this affected the red kite populations, and do you think it will impact the success of any other bird of prey species’ reintroductions?
Despite the overall positive trend in decent decades, illegal killings have continued, particularly in certain regions of the country, particularly those with many moorland shooting estates. Whilst most estates are probably law-abiding, it does not take many to devastate a bird of prey population. This is not limited to reintroduction projects but applies strongly to some species, such as the hen harrier, which would be doing so much better without this activity. In the same areas that hen harriers suffer, individuals of other species, including red kite and buzzard, do not survive long. Such higher mortality is why the red kites released in the Black Isle in the north of Scotland increased in population size at a much slower rate than did those in the Chilterns in the same experimental phase of the project. Despite these problems, red kites in the UK now account for well over 10% of the world population. Hen harriers suffer because they are more restricted in habitat than red kites, and this habitat is the centre of most remaining illegal persecution.
Kite nestling being placed in a travel box in Spain. Image credit: Dr Eric Bignal
How has the increase in red kite populations across Britain impacted or enhanced the countryside?
I may be biased, but I see that most people seem to agree that it is an enhancement. The fact that the red kites increased at a rate at the upper limit of our models shows how well they still fit in, after their absence of over 100 years. In general, it does not seem to be at the cost of other species, The nearest in ecology to them, buzzards, have been spreading as well, as I mentioned earlier. In a few urban areas, there have been complaints about kites diving at people. However, it seems that this has occurred only in certain town areas where some people have ignored our advice not to provide food. This leads to a range of problems for the kites and other humans. Overall, people seem to be delighted to experience such beautifully coloured birds of prey, with their amazing aerobatic ability, due to their huge wing area but relatively small, light bodies.
Kite flying free from rearing cage. Image credit: Dr Mike Pienkowski
Chapter 12 discusses the reintroductions and recovery programmes of other species of wildlife. Are there any species that you hope will be reintroduced to the UK soon?
There is not a one-size-fits-all solution; each species needs individual study, assessment and outreach. I think that beavers have largely proved the case for themselves (with a little help from open-minded humans), and a human-led exercise for white storks seems very promising. I think that the cases are strong for pine marten (especially if, like me, one would like to see the range of red squirrels restored) and for lynx (a medium-sized cat very shy of humans, which might help address the problems that the over-population of deer pose to tree saplings). As the book indicates, there are others waiting in line, once we build further confidence with these. Britain’s wildlife populations are hugely depleted due to human actions, and we now have the methods to bring some back, if we have the will.
What do you believe are the key barriers to successful reintroductions and species restorations in the UK? How have these changed since the red kite restoration began?
Kite boxes on a plane. Image credit: Dr Mike Pienkowski
The red kite restoration faced the problem in attitude that many people thought that such things could not be done, and certainly not in densely populated south-eastern England. That is now overcome. However, we must always start from the objective: reintroduction is one of a range of methods that can be deployed. It is best (and least expensive!) not to lose species in the first place. But we are still doing so, whether it be hen harriers or breeding waders (just staying in the world of birds). We need to reverse the serious habitat changes, such as excessive drainage or illegal persecution, as immediate priorities. Even for those species lost to Britain (or elsewhere) and which we wish to reintroduce, before doing so, we need to ensure that there is suitable habitat. The book gives examples of where habitat needed restoration first. One also needs to meet other internationally agreed criteria including avoiding threat to the source population.
Do you have any future projects that you can tell us about?
Most of my work nowadays is as the honorary Chairman of the charity UK Overseas Territories Conservation Forum. Britain is internationally important for wildlife, but its Overseas Territories (UKOTs) are even more so. However, these are small places, with small human populations and small economies – so they are hugely underfunded. In fact, all proceeds from the sale of ‘When the Kite Builds…‘ are going in support of this charity’s work. UKOTCF encourages others to undertake conservation work in support of UKOTs, such as the marine protected zones of Pitcairn, Tristan da Cunha, Ascension and St Helena, and the restoration of South Georgia and Ascension. UKOTCF’s in-house projects, always with local partners, include both liaison work across UKOTs and projects with individual territories, such as our current project in Montserrat, ‘Adopt a Home for Wildlife’, empowering local residents and communities to take a lead in managing areas to support conservation.
When the Kite Builds…: Why and How We Restored Red Kites Across Britain was published by UK Overseas Territories Conservation Forum in February 2023 and is available from nhbs.com
The first national Marine and Coastal Wildlife Code has been launched in England, which will protect animals and habitats by helping people enjoy the coast responsibly. England’s coastline contains vitally important habitats, including sand dunes, saltmarshes and a significant proportion of Europe’s vegetated shingle beaches. The coastline also supports a number of key species, such as 95% of Europe’s grey seal population and 25% of Europe’s breeding seabirds.
This builds on the existing Countryside Code but only applies to England. Scotland, Ireland and Wales have previously produced similar coastal and marine wildlife codes and guidance, which should be reviewed if you are looking to visit these areas.
If a seal is looking at you, you are causing a disturbance. Image by Simon Palmer
What does the code include?
Similarly to the Countryside Code, this new code aims to act as a guide to help visitors act responsibly around marine wildlife. We all have a responsibility to protect our local wildlife. The guidance from the UK government for England is:
1. Be aware of how you could cause a disturbance
Many people may not realise the impact disturbing wildlife can have, but if an animal is repeatedly disturbed, it can lead to stress, injury and even death. You can also displace animals from their preferred habitat, disrupting behaviours such as migration, breeding, feeding and resting. This disturbance can also increase their vulnerability to predators.
The impact of disturbance on seals has been brought to the public’s attention in recent years, with many organisations calling for people to be aware of the damage caused. Disturbances that force seals to flee from haul-out sites into the sea can result in them struggling to put on or maintain weight and unable to properly feed their pups. Seals can also receive injuries such as gashes from sharp rocks or even broken ribs, which can be difficult for a diving species to heal from. Increased vigilance also wastes energy and can reduce the amount of time spent feeding or resting. This increased energy expenditure can increase stress as well as the seal’s vulnerability to disease, reducing overall fitness and increasing mortality rates.
You can disturb wildlife by approaching or touching an animal; crowding, circling, separating or chasing them; feeding them; making noise; or damaging or altering habitats. This can include disturbance by dogs, therefore pets should be kept on a lead or under effective control when at the coast. An easy way to reduce your impact is to remember that if an animal has repeatedly noticed you, you have caused a disturbance and it is best to move away and take a wider berth.
Kayakers straying too close to seals. Image by Simon Palmer
2. Know when wildlife are most vulnerable
There are certain times when animals are particularly vulnerable, such as during breeding seasons, in winter and when they’re resting or moulting. It can be difficult to know when these times are, as they often differ between different species. Therefore, it is important to check signs in local areas, as they should tell you where there are access restrictions, and to research the wildlife in the area you are heading. Local councils, Wildlife Trusts and local harbours or ports may be able to provide you with this information.
For seabirds, ‘bird nesting season’ is officially from February until September, therefore it is important to consider access restrictions, dog activities and the impact you may be having on an area during this time. Certain species, such as ringed plovers and oystercatchers, lay their eggs on open ground such as beaches, with little to no surounding vegetation, and so these eggs are vulnerable to being stepped on. Local councils may put up signs in areas where these species are known to breed to discourage visitors but caution should be taken on any beach.
Breeding and pupping season for grey seals can start as early as June in the UK, lasting until January. Pups are particularly vulnerable to human disturbances as this can cause a seperation between the mother and pup or interrupt lactation, potentially leading to pup abandonment. Due to their heavy white coat, grey seal pups can’t swim during their first few weeks and will be left on beaches while their mothers hunt. If disturbed, they are therefore unable to swim away. Addtionally, disturbances that cause stampeeds during pupping season can increase pup mortality rates. You should never approach a seal pup and if you suspect one has been abandoned or is in need of attention, you should keep your distance and call for help.
Other important breeding periods are March to September for seahorses and summer months for cetaceans. Additionally, the September to March wintering season is important for many birds, as they use this time to conserve energy and build up reserves, often for long migrations. Disturbance during this time can reduce their likelihood of survive winter or these migrations.
3. Recognise when you are causing a disturbance
Many people do not have negative intentions and simply wish to appreciate and experience the wonderful wildlife we have along out coastlines. But it is important to recognise the signs for when animals are becoming uncomfortable with your presence.
There are a number of behaviours you can look out for that will indicate a disturbance. For birds, this includes moving away from you, in flight or by walking; flapping their wings at you; and attacking. Seals are more likely to look directly at you, move suddenly from a restful position, suddenly dive into the water, or swim away from you. Cetaceans such as dolphins and whales will slap the water with their flippers or tail, dive away from you, or group together. Other species such as sharks, skates, rays, turtles or seahorses will swim away if disturbed and should not be followed.
If a seal is looking at you, you are causing a disturbance. Image by Simon Palmer
4. Act responsibly
This is the main aim of this code, to encourage people to use common sense and act responsibly. As a rule of thumb, try to stay at least 100 metres away from any wildlife and try not to approach animals from behind or head-on. If you notice any signs of disturbance, you should immediately and calmly move further away.
You should never chase, follow or harass any wildlife. It is important to not feed or touch wildlife either, as you could unintentially be causing serious harm. Other actions such as creating loud noises and using flash photography should be avoided.
5. Use watercraft responsibly
Crafts like boats and jetskis can be a disturbance to wildlife as they can injure animals and create noise both above and below the water. You should slow down to under 6 knots if you notice an animal, stay at least 100 metres away (further if you notice that you are causing a disturbance), and keep even more distance if there are more than two watercrafts nearby. You should also maintain your engine to reduce noise and make sure to launch or moor your craft correctly.
Image by Simon Palmer
6. Enjoy water activities without harming wildlife
It is important to take care not to disturb wildlife when you enter or exit the sea, therefore you should avoid doing this through sensitive habitats, including saltmarshes, mudflats, maerl beds, seagrass meadows and areas where marine wildlife are resting, breeding, nesting or feeding.
7. Report wildlife crime
If you see someone intentionally or recklessly harassing, injuring, disturbing, taking or killing an animal or damaging their habitat, you should report it. Call 101 to report an incident that has already happened, or 999 for a crime in action. Certain actions can incur fines of up to £5,000.
Our coastline and marine life are under serious pressures from a variety of threats, including climate change, disease, habitat loss, reduced food availability (usually due to overfishing), pollution and human activity, all of which already negatively impact marine wildlife. Repeated disturbances can combine with these other pressures, causing reduced fitness and increasing mortality rates.
Image by Simon Palmer
Is this effective guidance?
This code was developed in collaboration with a number of wildlife organisations, including the RSPB, Shark Trust, Whale and Dolphin Conservation and the Cornwall Seal Group Research Trust. It is not a law or regulation but does help to raise awareness of the impacts you can have on coastal and marine wildlife, while also offering practical guidance to minimise or even eliminate these impacts. While this is unlikely to prevent those with negative intentions, it does provide a great basis to help educate the vast majority of the public on how to be responsibe around wildlife. With reported disturbance incidents more than tripling in Cornwall alone since 2014, and with the ongoing work to establish the King Charles III England Coast Path (a 2,700 mile waymarked coastal path), this new code is a welcome step towards reducing and preventing incidents.
A whale shark was observed feeding at the seabed for the first time. This species usually filter-feeds on plankton at the sea surface; this unusual behaviour was filmed by an ecotourism guide. A new study, published in May 2023, proposes that whale sharks actively feed on benthic prey, either in deep water environments or where the abundance of this prey exceeds that of planktonic food sources.
Whale shark filter feeding at the surface. Image by Daniel Gillaspia via Flickr
Irish geneticists have discovered how some species may have been able to survive a mass extinction. Scientists at Trinity College Dublin unearthed a ‘dramatic evolutionary event’ in sturgeon and paddlefish populations. The species’ entire genetic makeup was ‘copied and pasted’ so that it had twice the genetic material it had before, providing more opportunities for mutations and evolution to occur. By strengthening their genetic mix, they might have been able to facilitate their re-establishment after a major mass extinction 200 million years ago.
Pollution
The River Wye has had its health status downgraded after a wildlife review by Natural England. The status changed from “unfavourable-improving” to “unfavourable-declining”, meaning that the river’s condition is worsening. The assessment showed that the river has experienced declines in certain key species, including Atlantic salmon and white-clawed crayfish. Previous studies linked this decline in condition to intensive chicken farming on the catchment.
The population of white-bellied heron in Bhutan continues to grow. Across 14 habitats, 27 individuals were recorded this year, four more than last year. This critically endangered species has fewer than 60 individuals worldwide and is found only in the Himalayan region in Bhutan, north-east India and Myanmar. As this is a top predator, its presence indicates a healthy ecosystem. Threats to this species and its habitat include fishing, local activities, natural resource extraction, development, ecotourism and timber and firewood.
The oak processionary moth, an invasive species, is thought to be spreading across south-east England. The government has introduced new legislation which aims to control the movement of oak trees in south-east England due to this rise in moth numbers. The toxic moths feed on the leaves of oak trees, affecting the health of oak trees by weakening them, making them more vulnerable to pests, diseases and drought.
Farmers are warning that England’s hedgerows are under threat from funding cuts. The transition to post-Brexit farming payments may mean that schemes to protect hedgerows could be lost. These habitats are vital for a number of species, including mammals, birds and pollinating insects, as they provide both food and shelter. The EU paid farmers under its subsidy scheme to keep hedgerows on their land, but they had to meet certain standards such as not ploughing to the base of hedgerows; not using fertilisers or pesticides within two metres of them; and not cutting hedgerows between 1st March and 31st August without good cause due to nesting birds. The government is ending these requirements by the end of the year.
30 Days Wild is the UK’s biggest nature challange. Run by the Wildlife Trusts, this annual event is taking place between 1st – 30th June 2023. The event is suitable for people of all ages and backgrounds and aims to connect people with nature and increase their appreciation of the natural world by asking them to do one wild thing a day for the entire month. A five year review of 30 Days Wild participants found that people felt happier and healthier from taking part, with the effects lasting for at least two months afterwards.
This event has continued to grow, with the majority of participants in 2021 starting that the pandemic made them value nature more. Over two million people have taken part over the last nine years. Last year alone, over 500,000 people took part in the challenge, with popular activities including wildlife-watching, planting wildflower seeds and listening to birdsong.
Key themes of 30 Days Wild
For the first time, each week of 30 Days Wild will have a different theme. These are:
Tune into the senses
Movement and play
Learning and discovery
Helping nature
Emotional connection to nature.
These themes will take you on a week-by-week adventure, helping to guide you through the challenge to reach the 30 day target.
How to get involved
Bug Box Kit – an easy-to-assemble insect hotel
There are a number of easy ways to get involved in 30 Days Wild. The ten most popular activities in 2020 were: listening to birdsong, exercising outdoors, eating or drinking outdoors, identifying wildflowers, planting wildflower seeds, going on a bug hunt, hugging or admiring a tree, making a wildlife home such as a bird box or bee hotel, going barefoot on the grass and sketching, drawing or painting nature. Other ways to get involved include reading a nature book, exploring a reserve, having a plastic or waste free day, watching a sunrise or sunset, switching to a more sustainable household product, going litter picking or taking a nature photo.
If you’re looking for some inspiration for activities during the month, why not check out some of our guides?
If you’re interested in catching a glimpse of some bats in June, this guide includes the equipment you might need, the best times and places to go, and a general guide of what to do.
Hedgehogs are abundant in urban and suburban areas but are facing some serious threats to their populations. Now is a great time to look for hedgehogs, particularly if your garden is hedgehog friendly. This blog includes ways to improve the attractiveness of your garden to hedgehogs, tips for watching hedgehogs and some great books for further reading.
Owls are unable to digest certain parts of their prey, including teeth, bones, fur or feathers. These parts are regurgitated as a pellet, which can be very interesting to dissect. This guide provides information about where to find pellets, how to identify the species of owl the produced it, how to dissect a pellet and how to identify the contents.
For those interested in exploring the plant life in their garden or local green space, especially right after No Mow May, this guide can help you. Quadrats are square frames which can be used to survey plants, to gain an estimate of total number of species, species richness, plant frequency and percentage cover.
While the ocean may still be very cold, snorkelling is a great way to experience many of the amazing species that inhabit our oceans. This guide includes advice on planning a trip, the equipment and method, and several species you might see along our coasts.
Beachcombing involves searching along the shoreline for interesting, valuable or even usable objects. It is a simple activity that you can do anytime you are at the beach and is a great way to learn more about your local coast. Its also a great way to help nature if you help to clear any plastic or fishing waste you come across.
While late autumn and winter are the more ideal times for planting trees and hedgerows, you can still get involved at this time of the year. Check out our article where we provide tips for the first time tree-planter and point you towards heaps of helpful information to ensure that your trees and shrubs get off to the best start.
Moth trapping is a wonderful way to discover the species of moths that visit your garden. This blog includes guidance on the best time for moth trapping, where to put your trap and anything else you might need to know.
Rockpooling is an educational and enjoyable wildlife activity that introduces you to a diverse and colourful world of creatures, usually hidden beneath the waves. This guide includes information on how to plan a trip, which equipment and methods you should use, common rock pool inhabitants and recommended reading.
This is an excellent activity for children of all ages to introduce them to a wide range of plants, insects and amphibians, but its also perfect for adults who want to connect with nature. Our guide includes tips on what you’ll need, when and where to go, what to do and some great book and equipment suggestions.
Your garden can be a wonderful oasis for wildlife if you provide the right habitats and food. In this two-part series, we look at how to attract wildlife to your garden by including plants for pollinators and providing food for birds and mammals, and how to create nesting or overwintering habitats.
Catching a glimpse of a whale or dolphin whilst visiting the coast is a uniquely memorable experience and a few hours spent whale and dolphin watching is fun for all age groups. Our blog will help you know when and where to watch cetaceans, how to get started and where to submit any sightings.
You can sign up for 30 Days Wild on the Wildlife Trusts website, where you’ll receive a free downloadable or postal pack full of activities, games, wildflower seeds and a calendar to help you plan out your activities. There are also packs for businesses, schools and care homes.
Let us know in the comments what you plan to do for 30 Days Wild!
Recommended reading
Springwatch: Great British Walks: 100 Wildlife Walks Through Our Beautiful Countryside
A Spotter’s Guide to Countryside Mysteries: From Piddocks and Lynchets to Wtich’s Broom
Master of Field Arts
Nature Journaling for a Wild Life
RSPB The Nature Tracker’s Handbook
The Forager’s Calender: A Seasonal Guide to Nature’s Wild Harvests
The Power of Trees: How Ancient Forests Can Save Us if We Let Them is forester Peter Wohlleben’s follow-up to his New York Times bestseller, The Hidden Life of Trees. Throughout this eye-opening book, Wohlleben describes how trees pass knowledge and their ability to survive climate change down to future generations. He is also unsparing in his criticism of those in positions of economic and political power who plant trees solely for logging and virtue-signaling, while continuing to ruthlessly exploit nature.
Peter Wohlleben
The Power of Trees is an impassioned plea for the preservation of nature’s incomparable biodiversity, not just for the sake of the trees, but also for all of us. Author Peter Wohlleben kindly agreed to answer our questions, discussing topics such as what inspired him to write this latest follow-up, the most effective ways to battle misinformation and his current and future projects. His new book was published by Greystone Books in April and is available at nhbs.com.
After your highly successful book, The Hidden Life of Trees, what inspired you to write this follow-up?
Research into trees and forests is progressing rapidly. Almost every week, something new and surprising is discovered. Also, I am seeing for myself the way trees in the forest are reacting to climate change. And not all the news is bad. Trees react and learn, they adapt, which gives us hope that they will be around for a long time.
Nach der Veröffentlichung Ihres erfolgreichen Buches, ‘The Hidden Life of Trees’, was hat Sie dazu inspiriert einen zweiten Teil herauszubringen?
Die Forschung zu Wald und Bäumen schreitet rasend schnell voran. Fast wöchentlich gibt es überraschende neue Erkenntnisse, zudem beobachte ich selbst in den Wäldern die Reaktion der Bäume auf den Klimawandel. Und es gibt nicht nur schlechte Meldungen: Bäume reagieren und lernen, passen sich an und machen so Hoffnung, dass es sie auch noch lange geben wird.
In Chapter 1 ‘When Trees Make Mistakes’, you make a very interesting point about how trees growing in a community can support one another through stressful periods, while ones growing away from woodland are ‘on their own’. Given the increasing fragmentation of our woodland habitats, do you think this lack of a network between trees will exacerbate the impacts of climate change?
That’s right. We urgently need larger forests. In Germany, for example, the forest is divided into about 2 million fragments. This reduces the trees’ ability to cool the landscape and create rain clouds. This is why when we rewild landscapes, as the nations of the world agreed to do in Montreal, we should pay attention to creating large contiguous natural areas.
Im ersten Kapitel, ‘When Trees Make Mistakes’, machen Sie eine sehr interessante Beobachtung, dass Bäume, die in Gemeinschaft wachsen, sich gegeseitig in stressigen Zeiten unterstützen können, während jene die nicht in Gemeinschaft leben, ‘alleine’ sind. Wenn man bedenkt, dass der Lebensraum Wald immer mehr zersplittert wird, glauben Sie, dass die Abwehsenheit einer solchen Gemeinschaft einen Einfluss auf die Auswirkungen des Klimawandels haben kann?
Richtig – wir brauchen dringend größere Wälder. In Deutschland etwa ist der Wald in rund 2 Millionen Fragmente zergliedert. Die Fähigkeit, die Landschaft zu kühlen oder Regenwolken zu erzeugen, leidet darunter. Deshalb sollten wir bei der Renaturierung der Landschaft, wie sie in Montreal von den Nationen der Welt beschlossen wurde, darauf achten, große zusammenhängende Naturgebiete zu schaffen.
Wood and wood-derived products are so integrated into our ways of life, from building materials to toilet paper, and it is often seen as the more environmentally friendly, ‘sustainable’ option compared to material such as concrete. Do you think it’s possible for us to move towards less destructive forestry practices and still be able to use this material at such a large scale, or will usage need to be adapted as well?
To harvest wood, we need forests, that’s pretty obvious. At the moment, however, the question we always focus on is how we can satisfy our demand for wood, without giving much thought to how the forest itself is going to survive. We need to move the survival of the forest front and center in our discussions. Only then will we be able to answer questions about how much timber can be harvested without damaging the ecosystem too much. Trees, after all, produce biomass to meet their own needs and not the needs of sawmills.
Wälder und deren Produkte sind so sehr in unsere Lebensweise integriert, von Baustoffen bis hin zum Toilettenpapier, welche oftmals als umweltfreundlichere und nachhaltigere Optionen im Gegenzug zu Materialen wie Beton gelten. Ist es Ihrer Meinung nach möglich, dass wir uns weniger zerstörerische Praktiken in der Forstwirtschaft aneignen können und dennoch Materialien in dem gleichen Ausmaß verwenden können wie bisher, oder muss dies auch angepasst werden?
Um Holz zu ernten, brauchen wir Wald – eine Binsenweisheit. Doc aktuell stellen wir immer zuerst die Frage, wie unser Bedarf nach Holz befriedigt werden kann und weniger, wie der Wald überlebt. Deshalb muss das Überleben des Waldes ins Zentrum unser Bemühungen gestellt werden. Erst anschließend können wir die Frage beantworten, wie viel Holz geerntet werden kann, ohne das Ökosystem zu sehr zu beschädigen. Denn die Bäume produzieren die Biomasse ja für ihre Zwecke, nicht für das Sägewerk.
COP26 in 2021 produced a pledge signed by over 100 nations to halt and reverse deforestation by 2030, though it only refers to net deforestation, with forest loss being replaced ‘sustainably’. Why do you think the value of ancient woodlands is so often overlooked when policies surrounding climate change are made?
Honestly, I don’t know. Way back around 1800, the world-renowned naturalist Alexander von Humboldt described the importance of forests for cooling landscapes and creating local rainfall. Modern satellite research confirms that old-growth forests are especially good at doing this. And yet, these days, forests are viewed mainly in terms of carbon storage. That’s far too narrow a view.
Bei COP26 in 2021 unterzeichneten über 100 Nationen das Versprechen die Entwaldung bis 2030 einzustellen bzw, rückgängig zu machen, jedoch geht es lediglich um die Netto-Entwaldung und den nachhaltigen Ersatz von bereits abgeholzten Wäldern. Warum werden alteingesessene Waldlandschaften Ihrer Meinung nach oft außer acht gelassen, wenn es darum geht Richtlinien zu erstellen?
Ich weiß es ehrlich gesagt nicht. Schon Alexander von Humboldt, der weltweit berühmte Naturwissenschaftler, hat um 1800 die Wichtigkeit der Wälder für die Kühlung der Landschaft und die lokalen Regenfälle beschrieben. Moderne Satellitenforschung bestätigt, dass gerade alte Wälder dies besonders gut können. Doch aktuell wird Wald überwiegend unter dem Gesichtspunkt der Kohlenstoffspeicherung betrachtet. Das ist viel zu kurz gesprungen.
Part 3: ‘Forests of the Future’ mentions that climate change is often blamed for the impacts of mismanaged forests. What do you believe are the most effective ways to combat this misinformation?
The only thing you can do is to push back. And that is exactly what motivates me in my work. I educate the public about what is really going on so they can decide for themselves what needs to be done. That is why I write books and travel to give presentations, and why I have established a new course (social and ecological forest management) at Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development. My goal is to create an emotional connection between people and trees. Trees make people happy!
Teil 3: In ‘Forests of the Future’ sprechen Sie davon, dass der Klimawandel oft für die Auswirkungen von schlecht geführten Wäldern verantwortlich gemacht wird. Was sind Ihrer Meinung nach die effektivsten Methoden um die Verbreitung solcher falschen Informationen zu vermeiden?
Da kann man nur gegenhalten. Das ist genau der Grund für meine Motivation: Die Bevölkerung über die wahren Hintergründe zu informieren, damit sie selber entscheiden können, was zu tun ist. Deshalb schreibe ich Bücher, deshalb reise ich zu Vorträgen, deshalb habe ich einen neue Studiengang an der Hochschule Eberswalde initiiert (sozial-ökologisches Waldmanagement). Mein Ziel: Menschen und Bäume emotional zu verbinden. Bäume machen glücklich!
One of the main solutions that a number of people are beginning to promote is the stepped back approach of allowing nature to regenerate without serious hands-on management. In a world where people often want to see governments taking action to help nature, do you think this method would be accepted by the public?
There’s no quick fix. People want to help. They want to actively participate in making everything better. But our activities lie at the heart of the problem. It’s difficult for us to step back and simply observe. Nature has been healing itself for hundreds of millions of years and it does this better without any help from us. The solution is to elevate the art of observation. If you visit the same places for years and take photographs, you see how the landscape recovers and changes for the better. This gives people hope and makes them happy! It’s the best cure for “climate depression”.
Eine der Hauptlösungen, die mehr und mehr Aufmerksamkeit bekommt, ist es, der Natur die Möglichkeit zu geben sich selbst zu regenerieren ohne größere Eingriffe. Kann Ihrer Meinung nach in einer Welt, wo Menschen von der Regierung Hilfe für die Natur erwarten, solch eine Methode öffentlich akzeptiert werden?
Das ist ein langer Weg. Menschen wollen helfen, wollen aktiv umgestalten, um alles besser zu machen. Doch unsere Aktivitäten sind ja Kern des Problems. Sich zurücklehnen und zuzuschauen, wie die Natur es seit Hunderten von Millionen Jahren immer noch besser macht, ist schwierig. Der Ausweg: Wir sollten das Beobachten thematisieren. Wer immer wieder dieselben Orte über Jahre hinweg aufsucht und auch Fotos macht, sieht, wie sich die Landschaft erholt und positiv verändert. Das macht Hoffnung und macht glücklich! Es ist das beste Mittel gegen die “Klimadepression”.
Do you have any current projects or plans for the future that you could tell us about?
I’m still writing books of course and I work nationally and internationally with our non-profit organization to prevent illegal clear-cutting and bring back old-growth forests. I also work at our forest academy almost every day (www.wohllebens-waldakademie.de) to tell people more about the wonder of trees. Forests are endlessly fascinating and you never run out of things to discover–I am still learning something new every day.
Haben Sie zukünftig Projekte oder Pläne, die Sie hier gerne besprechen möchten?
Ich schreibe natürlich weiter Bücher, kümmere mich national und international mit unserer gemeinnützigen Organisation um die Verhinderung illegaler Kahlschläge und die Rückkehr der Urwälder. Daneben arbeite ich fast täglich in der Waldakademie (www.wohllebens-waldakademie.de), um Menschen das Wunder der Bäume näher zu bringen. Wald ist so faszinierend, dass es unendlich viel zu entdecken gibt – ich lerne also jeden Tag immer noch dazu.
Answers translated from German by Jane Billinghurst.
The Power of Trees: How Ancient Forests Can Save Us if We Let Them was published by Greystone Books in April 2023 and is available from nhbs.com
Offshore wind farms (OWFs) are areas with multiple turbines, often located in relatively shallow water just off the coast. The energy produced by the force of the wind is clean and renewable but, often, such climate change solutions come with trade-offs. Research around these areas has shown that they can impact surrounding habitats and ecosystems both positively and negatively.
Climate change prevention vs biodiversity protection
Policies and strategies for fighting climate change can sometimes ignore or under-emphasise biodiversity protection. For example, a pledge made at COP26 in 2021 to halt net deforestation by 2030 does not actually prevent the cutting down of forests, but instead requires that forest loss should be replaced ‘sustainably’. However, replacing primary forests with new growth has negative consequences for biodiversity, as ancient woodlands are highly complex ecosystems. New growth is less able to support the same level of biodiversity and it would take decades for an area to develop back into a climax community. Therefore, while this pledge may help to fight climate change by potentially stabilising or even increasing global forest cover, it would allow for the continued negative ecological impacts of deforestation.
Wind farms face similar dilemmas. They produce clean and renewable energy, without the negative impacts on the climate of traditional energy sources such as coal and gas, but they have been shown to impact the surrounding environment.
Negative impacts of offshore wind farms
Two phases can potentially cause disturbance to wildlife: the construction phase and the operation phase. Some species may be impacted during the construction phase but are able to recover and are unaffected by the general noise of the operation phase, but some are impacted by both, thus creating long-term changes in the ecosystem. Additionally, wind turbines do not have an infinite lifespan, and may need replacing as frequently as every 20-25 years. While this may not involve a full replacement, it would involve some level of construction and therefore disturbance.
The impacts of wind farms can be through collisions, displacement, noise, destruction of habitat, change in hydrology and more. One new report, however, found that seabirds off the UK coast are better at avoiding wind turbine blades than previously thought. Researchers monitored how birds behaved in Aberdeen Bay for two years using radar and cameras. The results showed the birds adapted to the rotor blades from approximately 120 meters, becoming increasingly precisely adapted the closer they came to the rotors. During the two-year study, there wasn’t a single collision between the birds and the rotor blades. However, collisions are not the only way wind farms can affect wildlife.
A recent study has found that populations of red-throated divers decreased by more than 90% in areas where OWFs were built. The data, gathered by German scientists, looked at population numbers in the North Sea before and after five OWFs were built and found that numbers were up to 94% lower within half a mile of the turbines after they were installed. One farm in particular showed a 99% decline in population numbers. The impact is also more widespread, with an average decline of almost half of bird numbers up to six miles away from the turbines. The cause behind this decline is thought to be due to the effect turbines have on their hunting techniques. Their formerly large foraging area has been split into smaller units by these offshore farms, restricting their movements when foraging for highly mobile prey.
Red-throated divers are not the only species that are being affected by OWFs. A study assessing the vulnerability of marine populations to offshore wind farms in 2013 identified a number of other seabirds that are potentially at risk, including gulls, white-tailed eagles, northern gannets, skuas and common scoters. More recent studies highlight the impacts on long-tailed ducks, common eiders, razorbills and common guillemots, such as general avoidance, changes in migration patterns and lower abundance around wind farms. The increased energy cost of avoiding wind farms could potentially impact survival and reproductive success, depending on the length and frequency of the flight, as well as the characteristics of the species.
While birds are often the focus of studies into the environmental impacts of OWFs, numerous studies have found that marine mammals such as porpoises, whales and dolphins, as well as fish and marine invertebrates, are affected. Many types of offshore wind turbines need foundations that are placed deep into the seabed. By drilling the sea floor, any benthic marine habitats in the surrounding area could be destroyed, while the displaced sediments can hang in the water column impacting filter feeders and photosynthetic organisms. Once the sediment settles, it can also smother many bottom-dwelling organisms, preventing them from feeding.
Furthermore, the noise pollution from the construction can threaten marine organisms, as it interferes with the communication of species such as porpoises, dolphins and whales. These species rely heavily on their hearing for orientation, hunting and communication between individuals. Prolonged exposure to loud noise, which even the normal operation of turbines can produce, leads to hearing loss and stress, increasing their vulnerability to diseases, while also combining cumulatively with the impacts of other pressures such as pollution and reduce food availability. Fish are also affected by this prolonged exposure.
Stress from these pressures leads to behavioural changes, and affects general movement, feeding patterns and migration. It can also impact fecundity and mortality rates. Due to this, as well as changes in the physical or chemical characteristics of the habitats surrounding wind farms, ecosystem structures may change because of alterations in species composition or abundance. This can impact the functions of the ecosystem, having widespread impacts on the surrounding environment, as well as the industries that rely upon it, such as fisheries.
Wind farm pieces from Cammell Laird by Andrew via Flickr
Positive impacts of offshore wind farms
Wind turbines and their foundations, though destructive to construct, provide structures that become artificial reefs for corals and other sessile aquatic organisms such as sponges, seaweeds, mussels and anemones. This increase in the distribution and abundance of certain species, such as invertebrates, can attract other species that are higher in the trophic level, such as fish.
Certain farms also ban fishing, which can reduce pressures within the boundaries of the farm. This, along with the ecosystem supported by the artificial reef system, can provide a haven for fish that are usually heavily overfished. This increase in food availability can, therefore, have a positive impact on many species in higher trophic levels, such as seabirds, but the impact varies from species to species and often from farm to farm.
Advantages of onshore vs offshore wind power
Onshore wind farms are cost-effective, as they’re one of the least expensive forms of renewable energy and are far less expensive than offshore wind power. They are also easier to construct and maintain, unlike offshore farms, where higher wind speeds, strong seas and other accessibility issues can make maintaining these farms more challenging. However, offshore wind farms are more efficient, as higher, more consistent wind speeds mean that fewer turbines are needed to produce the same amount as onshore farms. Additionally, there is more space to construct farms offshore than onshore, with a reduced effect on local people.
What are the solutions?
As the world moves towards carbon net zero in an effort to fight climate change, wind power is going to be more heavily relied upon, meaning the construction of more wind farms. With the construction of these structures in the ocean, there will always be some negative impacts, but there are things that can be done to mitigate some of these. A balance needs to be found between efforts to meet net zero and protecting our environment.
Continuing to monitor and assess the impacts of existing wind farms can inform the ecological strategies of future builds. By improving our understanding of how these farms impact the environment and ecosystem, future projects can be adapted to reduce these impacts. This research needs to be properly funded and shared globally, with stringent legislation that is updated in response to findings. These studies should be rigorous and consistent, avoiding underestimations that could allow the continued threat to the environment but steering clear of overestimations which could hinder further development of clean energy through wind farms.
Greater Gabbard offshore wind farm by Department of Energy and Climate Change via Flickr
Using data from fisheries can indicate where research is needed, as an increase or decrease in catch around wind farms suggests ecological changes. However, this would mean only the impacts that affect commercial fish would be investigated and impacts on other, non-commercial species may be overlooked. Therefore, other monitoring methods are also needed, which will involve funding from both private and government sources.
In the UK, Natural England has called for new OWFs to leave nature in a better state than before its construction, avoiding any irreparable damage to the environment. The approach, published in June 2021, set out how these farms can play a vital role, not only in tackling climate change, but also in nature recovery. Similar to Biodiversity Net Gain, which requires new developments on land in England to ensure that habitat is 10% better after building than before, Natural England is seeking to ensure that new OWF projects ‘build in’ plans that will enhance nature and protect the environment from the pressures mentioned above. The approach outlines the objectives and actions that Natural England will focus on, in partnership with others such as Defra’s Offshore Wind Enabling Actions Programme. These include:
Aiming for each development to leave nature in a better state.
The advanced introduction of strategic, to-scale and evidence-based measures that will compensate for environmental harm.
Monitoring to inform stronger, evidence-based impact assessments, promoting the use of environmentally sensitive design, construction and operation.
The development of an environmental sensitivities map that is easy-to-use, so that planners and developers can make sure OWFs and their cables avoid causing irreparable damage to the environment.
Other mitigation options include the arrangement of turbine clusters, as certain patterns can minimise barriers to movements, such as creating corridors within the farms to allow birds to pass through rather than having to extend their flight to go around extensive concentrations of turbines. Advances in technology have also given rise to options such as floating wind farms, which would reduce the impact on the sea bed, as well as potentially reducing the construction phase; and multi-purpose interconnectors, which would allow multiple offshore farms to be connected to the shore, rather than individual wind farms, which would reduce the impact of cable laying.
Other renewable energy options
Other renewable energy options include hydropower, solar power, biomass and geothermal energy. Solar power is an important source of renewable energy and can be placed on areas such as roofs, to reduce the space needed, but there are environmental implications for large-scale solar energy production, including aluminium demand. Hydropower, such as wave and tidal power, has future potential but is not yet widely employed commercially.
These could also have ecological impacts, however. For example, large-scale wave energy converters could cause changes in water velocities, which may impact sediment transport, coastal erosion and the increase of sediment deposition. Additionally, barriers such as dams radically change the typography and environment of rivers, with widespread ecological implications. Burning biomass, often from agricultural waste, releases carbon dioxide. While the plants that are grown as the source of the biomass can capture almost the same amount of CO2, the burning smoke can also contain harmful pollutants such as carbon monoxide, as well as producing ash which can contain high concentrations of various heavy metals such as lead and cadmium, which would need proper disposal. Geothermal energy produces both water and air pollution, such as arsenic, mercury, nickel, methane, ammonia and carbon dioxide. It also produces hazardous waste that would require safe disposal and requires a large amount of water for purposes such as cooling.
It is clear that all renewable energy comes with some negative environmental implications. However, the pollution and greenhouse gases produced are far less than non-renewable energy sources such as fossil fuels. Fossil fuels do substantially more harm than renewable energies, therefore the world must continue to expand and improve its renewable energy endeavours, while focusing on reducing and mitigating their negative environmental impacts.
Summary
Climate change strategies often overlook the protection of biodiversity, with wind farms producing clean and renewable energy but having serious impacts on the environment and ecosystems surrounding them.
Both the construction phase and the operation phase of offshore wind farms (OWF) cause disturbances, such as population declines, changes in general movement, feeding patterns, migration, fecundity and mortality rates.
OWFs also have positive impacts, creating structures that form artificial reefs, and increasing the abundance of certain species such as corals, mussels and anemones, which then attract species in higher trophic levels. Certain farms also ban fishing, creating havens for commercially important fish.
A balance needs to be found between the effort to meet net zero through creating more clean, renewable energy and the protection of our environment.
Continuing to monitor and assess the impacts of existing windfarms, plus stringent legislation, can help improve the ecological strategies of future farms.
Natural England has developed an approach that would require new OWFs to leave nature in a better state than it was before construction, avoiding any irreparable damage to the environment. The objectives of this approach include the advanced introduction of strategic and evidence-based measures that will compensate for environmental harm and the development of an easy-to-use environmental sensitivities map, which will help planners and developers make sure OWFs avoid causing irreparable environmental damage.
All renewable energy sources come with some negative environmental implications but fossil fuels are far worse. Therefore it is important for renewable energies to expand, with a focus on reducing environmental impacts.
There are eight species of corvid in the UK, five of which belong to the Corvus genus. They are intelligent birds, with many studies finding species demonstrating self-awareness and tool-making abilities. Their brain-to-body mass ratio is only slightly lower than ours and equal to cetaceans and non-human great apes.
Corvids occur worldwide, except for the polar ice caps and the southern tip of South America. Certain species are a common sight in our urban areas, having adapted to the proximity of humans. Some surveys have even found that fitness and reproduction have increased due to human development. Crows and ravens have been shown to have high reproduction rates and a positive association between annual survival and proximity to human development.
The crow family feature heavily in mythology and folklore, often as omens of ill fortune or death, though magpies can also be considered a herald of fortune. This is thought to have derived from their scavenging behaviour, feeding on carrion at battlefields. They were considered by some to be ‘soul guides’, there to carry to dead into the afterlife. Ravens feature in Scandinavian mythology, as the god Odin had two ravens that would tell him secrets they’d heard. This communication also features in Anglo-Saxon history. This is most likely due to the ability of many corvid species to mimic sounds in their environment, including human speech. They do this by using their two ‘syrinxes’, vocal organs located at the base of the bird’s trachea, which is made of ossified cartilage, muscles and vibrating membranes. As corvids have excellent memories, they can be taught a wide range of words and sentences.
All species are listed as green by the Birds of Conservation Concern 4, with the Eurasian Jay being upgraded from its previous amber status.
Carrion crow (Corvus corone)
Distribution: Common and widespread, although less common in northwest Scotland. They are found across many habitats, including woodland, farmland, heathland and urban areas. Wingspan: 84–100cm What to look for: An all-black species, they have a shiny, thick black beak that is of medium length, and black legs. Their black plumage has a glossy sheen. They are fairly solitary and are most likely seen alone or in pairs, but they can occasionally form flocks.
Distribution: Common and widespread, except for parts of the Scottish Highlands. Wingspan: 64–73cm What to look for: The jackdaw is a black species with a distinctive silvery patch on the back of its head. It has pale eyes that are quite easy to see. Their beaks are shorter than carrion crows, though both have an extended patch of feathers on the top of their beak.
Distribution: Widely distributed across most of the UK, although less widespread in Scotland and mostly absent from far northwest Scotland. They are mostly seen in open fields but can be found along roadsides and occasionally in parks and villages. They mainly avoid the centre of larger towns and cities. Wingspan: 81–99cm What to look for: This species is black, with a distinctive bare, greyish-white face and a peaked head. Rooks also have a thinner, paler beak than other corvids, such as carrion crows. This beak darkens towards the tip. Juveniles do not have a bare face, therefore can resemble other all-black corvids such as crows, but they can be distinguished by their peaked head.
Distribution: Widespread across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, present in parts of Scotland except in the north. Wingspan: 52–58cm What to look for: This colourful bird is a light brown to pinkish-grey, with a pale throat and prominent black moustache stripes. Their forehead and crown are pale with dark stripes. The upper surface of their wings is white and black, with a distinctive bright blue patch patterned with black bars. Their tail is white or pinkish underneath but their upper tail feathers are mainly black.
Distribution: Widespread across the UK, except the highlands. Wingspan: 52–62 cm What to look for: This species has a distinctive black and white plumage, with a purple-blue shine to the wings and a green shine to the tail. They have a black beak, black legs and black leg feathers. Did you know? Magpies have long been associated with folklore in many countries, with a wide range of beliefs. Magpies have been thought to signal death, bad luck, good luck, fortune-telling and happiness. They are also the centre of the well-known ‘one for sorrow’ nursery rhyme where the number of magpies signals different events and occurrences. Depending on the version, gatherings of magpies can signal a birth, funeral, wedding, gold, silver, the gender of a child and even the devil.
Distribution: Widespread across Wales, Northern Ireland and the West of Scotland and England. They are found across a number of habitats, including woodland, farmland, upland and marine habitats. Wingspan: 115–150cm What to look for: This is the largest member of the crow family, with an all-black plumage, a large bill and long wings. Their necks are thick, with a shaggy appearance. They have a diamond-shaped tail, best seen in flight. They closely resemble the carrion crow, except for their much larger size, but they can resemble raptors such as buzzards in flight.
Distribution: Small, isolated populations along the west coasts of Wales, Cornwall and Ireland, as well as the Isle of Man. Wingspan: 73–90cm What to look for: Choughs have a blue-black plumage with a green sheen to their wings and tail. They have a slender, red bill that curves downward. Its legs are red with black claws. Juveniles have an orange bill and either pink or grey legs. Did you know? In 2002, a pair of choughs raised young in Cornwall for the first time in more than 50 years. They continued to nest successfully for over a decade, raising 46 chicks in total. In 2022, the population reached 200 birds, with 25 pairs successfully raising over 70 young.
Distribution: Present in Northern Ireland, north and west Scotland, and the Isle of Man. In winter, it is present on the eastern side of England. Wingspan: 93–104cm What to look for: This species has an ashy-grey plumage, with a black head, throat, tail, wings and thigh feathers. It has a black beak and legs, with dark brown eyes. Did you know? The hooded crow was thought to be the same species as the carrion crow until 2002 when they were given full species status.
Marzluff, J. M., and Neatherlin, E., 2006. Corvid response to human settlements and campgrounds: Causes, consequences, and challenges for conservation. Biological Conservation, 130(2), pp. 301-314
Møller, A. P., 2010. The fitness benefit of association with humans: elevated success of birds breeding indoors. Behavioral Ecology, 21(5), pp. 913-918
Thrushes are passerines in the family Turdidae. They are found worldwide. The family was once much larger before biologists determined that the former subfamily Saxicolinae (chats) were Old World flycatchers rather than thrushes. Some thrushes are permanently resident in warm climates, while others migrate to higher latitudes during summer, often over considerable distances. There are four species that regularly breed in UK as well as two winter visitors that also occasionally breed here.
These small to medium-sized ground living birds feed on mainly on insects, other invertebrates and fruit. They generally inhabit wooded areas, creating cup-shaped nests that are sometimes lined with mud. They lay between two to five speckled eggs, with two or more clutches a year.
All the thrushes listed below are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, including their eggs and nest sites, with several included on the UK Red or Amber List. Song thrushes have even been designation as a Priority Species under the UK Post-2010 Biodiversity Framework.
Blackbird (Turdus merula)
Distribution: This is the most common and widespread thrush, present all year round. BoCC5 status: Green Wingspan: 34–38cm What to look for: Males and females look different, with males being all black, with bright yellow eye-rings and beaks, while females are a redish-brown, with a speckled appearance and duller yellow eye-rings and beaks. The female’s beak can also be dark brown.
Male blackbird by Jacob Spinks via FlickrFemale blackbird by Jacob Spinks via Flickr
Fieldfare (Turdus pilaris)
Distribution: These are winter birds, with only a few remaining to breed in the UK all year round. BoCC5 status: Red Wingspan: 39–42cm What to look for: This is a slight larger bird, with grey heads, necks and rumps, though they have a dark strip across their eye to their orange and black beak. Their backs are dark brown and their tails are black, with a tinged orange throat and a paler, puff coloured breast. They are speckled with dark markings, which are larger on their breast. Their underside is pale.
Distribution: Widespread, across the whole of the British Isles throughout the year. They are absent in parts of the northern and western isles of Scotland. BoCC5 status: Red Wingspan: 42–48cm What to look for: This is the largest of the thrushes, with a dark brown back and paler underside and throat that is speckled with dark brown. It has a pale eye-ring, cheeks and lores. They stand quite upright and have orange legs and an orange and dark brown beak.
Distribution: This is a winter visitor, arriving from late September onwards and leaving again in the summer. They’re found across the UK, except for parts of North Scotland. BoCC5 status: Amber Wingspan: 33–35cm What to look for: This species is the smallest thrush that regularly visits the UK, similar in appearance to the song thrush. Their distinctive feature, however, is the bright orange-red patch on their sides under each wing, as well as the pale stripe over their eye.
Distribution: Summer visitors are found in the uplands of Scotland and northern England, as well as parts of north west Wales and Dartmoor. During spring and autumn, when they migrate, they may be spotted along the east and south coasts of the UK. BoCC5 status: Red Wingspan: 38–42cm What to look for: Males are black, with a pale panel on their wings and a bright white band across their breast, resembling a bib. Females are similar but their colouration is much less striking, looking like a ‘washed out’ version of the male. Both have an orange and black beak and black legs. Their wings and underside feathers have pale outlines, and some can have white patches on their heads.
Male ring ouzel by Nick Goodrum via FlickrFemale ring ouzel by Stefan Berndtsson via Flickr
Song Thrush (Turdus philomelos)
Distribution: Found across the UK, through missing from parts of Northern and Southern Scotland. BoCC5 status: Amber Wingspan: 33–36cm What to look for: This, other than the blackbird, is probably the most well known member of the thrush family. They are a small bird, browner than the mistle thrush, with smaller speckles. Their sides and cheeks are yellowish, with a paler underside, eye-ring, undertail and legs. Their beaks are yellow and black. Did you know? The male song thrush copies other birds’ songs, creating a repertoire that it sings on repeat, often to reinforce territories and attract mates.
An Identification Guide to Garden Birds of Britain and North-West Europe is a photographic guide to 75 species of bird most commonly found in or over the gardens of Britain and North-West Europe. The text combines scientific facts with affectionate descriptions of the birds’ identifying features, including sex and age differences, habits, nest types, eggs and calls. The introduction contains tips on how to identify birds, how to look after garden birds, which species can be seen throughout the year, a glossary and anatomy details. For each species, there are two or three photographs labelled with distinguishing features where appropriate, a calendar showing the time of year when the adult can be seen and star facts that give further proof of the birds’ fascinating features.
