Category: Biodiversity News

How have we improved our dormouse nest tubes?

We have just released a new and improved model of the dormouse nest tube. What’s different? Well, we have tried to tackle two of the most frequently encountered problems with setting up dormouse nest tubes. (1) It can be tricky to attach them securely to a branch and (2) once ‘securely attached’ they are prone to slipping. To reduce these issues we have added retaining loops to the base of the nest tube to stop slippage and to enable faster placement.

We also supply 71cm cable ties for fast set-up. If you prefer using garden wire to secure your nest tubes then this method will also be easier using the new loops.

Dormouse survey – best practice

For the non- (or new) professionals out there a few quick pointers on best practice for a survey using dormouse nest tubes.

1. Surveys should not be limited to habitat perceived as ‘optimal’ but should be undertaken in any areas of affected woody habitat (including adjacent areas if the impact of development is likely to extend beyond the site footprint).
2. Normally at least 50 nest tubes should be placed at roughly 15-20m intervals and these should be left in place (and checked monthly) for the majority of the active season.
3. In order to have any chance of obtaining a license to carry out work affecting dormouse habitat you must first conduct a survey with a probability of 20 or above of finding dormice if they are present (although please remember that an absence of evidence is not evidence of absence). To calculate the probability score for your survey you add together the scores (Table 1) for the months during which the survey was conducted (for surveys conducted using 50 dormouse nest tubes and following the advice given in points 1 and 2 above).

 

 

 

 

 

Taken at face value this means that all dormouse surveys should begin by June at the latest; however, it is possible to start a survey later than this under certain conditions. For example, you can increase survey effort by increasing the number of dormouse nest tubes deployed (if you use 100 tubes you can double the scores in Table 1). Note though that surveys conducted using a large number of tubes for a short period are not good practice and nor are surveys where tubes are crowded together at intervals of less than 15-20m (although 10m intervals may be acceptable in very small sites).

For further details we recommend you consult the latest guidance from Natural England in England or your national licensing authority (e.g. Countryside Council for Wales, Scottish Natural Heritage, etc.).

Dormouse resources:

The Mammal Society

Dormice: A Tale of Two Species
Pat Morris

 

 

 

Living with Dormice
Sue Eden

 

 

Dormouse survey products:

Dormouse nest tubes

 

 

Dormouse box

 

 

 

 

 

New books in stock 

The best of the new arrivals:

Snails on Rocky Sea Shores

John Crothers

Number 30 in the Naturalists’ Handbooks series. The British and Irish coastlines are covered in this key to the common species. Habitats and ecology are considered along with accessible techniques useful to anyone interested in the study of these fascinating invertebrates. Clearly illustrated throughout with photographs, maps and diagrams.

Extinct Birds

Julian P. Hume and Michael Walters

This Poyser monograph detailing the avian extinctions of the last 700 years is a vital resource for the serious ornithologist as well as the interested amateur. The historical range is fascinating; in the Plovers section, for instance, the Madagascar Lapwing – which disappeared around the 14th century due to habitat aridification, and is known only from subfossil records – rubs shoulders with the Javan Lapwing, which is assumed extinct having not been recorded since 1940 – although an unconfirmed report is given from 2002. Thorough and informative.

RSPB Birds: Their Hidden World

Peter Holden

Handy compact guide to the intricacies of avian behaviour, focusing on the usual categorisations of territory, breeding, songs, migration, feeding etc. but incorporating the lesser-known facts and interesting discoveries made through recent scientific investigations. Peter Holden worked for the RSPB for over 40 years and is the author of 9 books, including the RSPB Handbook of British Birds – a bestseller now in its third edition, and the acclaimed RSPB Handbook of Garden Wildlife.

77 Years: The History and Evolution of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums 1935-2012

Laura Penn, Markus Gusset and Gerald Dick

Of interest to anyone associated or involved with zoos and aquariums, or the history of wildlife conservation in general. Tells the story of WAZA, and the key individuals and events involved since its establishment in 1935, through archival material that goes back to the 1930s, giving insight into the various historical contingencies and political and industrial factors that have affected the development of the organisation.

Wildlife Equipment Highlights 

Our recommendations to help you get kitted out for conservation field work, wildlife watching, travel and photography, are selected from our range of over 2,000 equipment items.

NHBS are now selling high quality affordable spotting scopes. The first addition to our new range is the Hawke Nature spotting scope with fully multi-coated optics providing crisp, bright images and available with either 20-60x or 24-72x magnification. The Nature family of spotting scopes is designed to deliver years of functional use for the budget-minded consumer. Both Nature spotting scopes are waterproof and come as a complete kit with a hard storage case, soft carry pouch and fully adjustable aluminium tripod.

The Gowlland range of Hand Lenses are another great new addition to our range. With a standard lens and plastic body these affordable lenses are perfect for school groups.

 

New books in stock this week

The best of the new arrivals from the last seven days:

Avian Architecture: How Birds Design, Engineer and Build

Peter Goodfellow

A beautifully designed and fascinating book which documents in clear detail many examples of bird nesting styles, with full-colour illustrations and text describing technical details about construction means and methods, and further detail about such things as the purposes of adornment, and defence structures built into nests. Case studies illustrate the nest-building process, and the chapters are ordered around different nest types, eg Aquatic, Domed, Hanging etc.

The Ecology of Snow and Ice Environments

Johanna Laybourn-Parry, Martyn Tranter and Andrew J Hodson

New volume summarizing the state of research into these environments, looking at their function as indicators of climate change, their biological and ecological importance, and the service provided by glacial systems as an environmental analogue for astrobiologists studying eg. the evidence of life on Mars or the moons of Jupiter. As such the material is presented in terms accessible to the environmental scientist getting to grips with the biology, and vice versa.

Two reprints of essential conservation handbooks:

Herpetofauna Workers Manual

Edited by Tony Gent and Steve Gibson

 

Bird Monitoring Methods: A Manual of Techniques for Key UK Species

Gillian Gilbert, David W Gibbons and Julianne Evans

 

 

 

Wildlife Equipment Highlights 

Our weekly suggestions to help you get kitted out for conservation field work, wildlife watching, travel and photography, selected from our range of over 2,000 equipment items.

eTrex 10

Garmin’s long awaited replacement for the eTrex H, the eTrex 10 retains the core functionality, rugged construction, affordability and long battery life that made eTrex H the most dependable GPS device available. The perfect tool for most basic GIS projects, from mapping nature reserves to geocaching.

Browse our range of landscape survey equipment 

Paramo Unisex Torres Jacket

Ethically produced, with a lifetime warranty, and designed by outdoors people, the Paramo Torres Jacket provides fast block insulation and water repellency in extreme or prolonged cold and wet. Packs down small when not needed.

Browse our range of Paramo clothing

 

New books in stock this week

Looking at the very best of the new arrivals from the last seven days:

Bird Sense: What it’s Like to be a Bird

Tim Birkhead

The author of The Wisdom of Birds returns with this thought-provoking exploration of the subjective sense experience of birds. The premise is that there is much more to being inside a bird’s head than at first we may assume. The chapters journey through the different senses, revealing the fascinating insights that surround each through generous reference to the history of avian scientific investigation. Birkhead shows by implication that the sensory life of birds has a rich diversity and specificity which may make many readers revisit the question of what it’s like to be a bird.

Atlas of Highland Land Mammals

Edited by Ro Scott

The second publication that we have stocked from the Highland Biological Recording Group, the previous being Highland Bumblebees. The area in question corresponds to the administrative area covered by the Highland Council and accounts for one third of the land mass of Scotland. Drawing upon data from previous surveys by HBRC of specific species, plus the results of mammal recording over the last 12 years from 1999 to 2010, this is a summary of the appearance, behaviour and location, ecology and conservation status and history/management history  of 37 species. Illustrated with clear distribution maps and four colour plates.

Survival of the Beautiful

David Rothenberg

Explores the evolutionary nature of beauty, and beauty in nature, taking on the challenge that led to Darwin’s pronouncement that “The peacock’s tail makes me sick!” Rothenberg’s investigations roam through a world of natural and artistic phenomena, from Bowerbirds and their elaborate nest-building to attract a mate, to abstract art and its demolition of the traditional pursuit and exaltation of beauty in art – and his observations about the interplay of beauty, art and culture interrogate the capacity of Darwin’s concept of sexual selection to fully explain the sense of the aesthetic and its appearance in the evolutionary history of animals and humans. Rothenberg is currently collaborating with researchers from CUNY, NYU, and the Netherlands Institute of Ecology on the quantification of the musicality of nightingale songs.

Ecological and Environmental Physiology of Insects

Jon F Harrison, Arthur H Woods and Stephen P Roberts

Volume 3 in the Ecological and Environmental Physiology Series from Oxford University Press.
From the publisher’s description:
“Ecological and Environmental Physiology of Insects presents a current and comprehensive overview of how the key physiological traits of insects respond to environmental variation. It forges conceptual links from molecular biology through organismal function to population and community ecology. As with other books in the Series, the emphasis is on the unique physiological characteristics of the insects, but with applications to questions of broad relevance in physiological ecology. As an aid to new researchers on insects, it also includes introductory chapters on the basics and techniques of insect physiology ecology.”

The Sounding of the Whale

D. Graham Burnett

A majestic and sweeping history of the development of the relationship between science and the whale in the twentieth century, drawing in the implications and side-stories from the whaling trade, politics, environmental activism and cultural perceptions. The author is professor of history and history of science at Princeton University, joint editor of Cabinet magazine, and author of four books, including Trying Leviathan, which won the New York City Book Award in 2007.

Wildlife Equipment Highlights 

Our weekly suggestions to help you get kitted out for conservation field work, wildlife watching, travel and photography, selected from our range of over 2,000 equipment items.

Elekon Bat Scanner Bat Detector

The most advanced heterodyne-only detector on the market. Just turn on the device and listen. The ultrasonic sounds are automatically transformed into the audible range without the need for any adjustments, whilst the large LCD screen provides an immediate display of the peak frequency.

Browse our range of bat detection equipment

 

Cluson CB2 Clubman Deluxe Li-Ion 9.2Ah High-Power Lamp/Torch

All the great features of the CB2 combined with the reduced size and weight but increased battery life of a Lithium Ion battery. The 12V 9.2Ah version can now produce the high beam for 2.25 hours continuously on a single charge whilst the 12V 18.4Ah version will run for 4 hours. The total weight of the CB2 has also been reduced considerably with the 12V 9.2Ah version now at 1.65kg and the 12V 18.4Ah version at 2.2kg whilst the size of the units has been reduced by approximately 30%.

Browse our range of lamps and torches

 

New books in stock this week

Looking at the very best of the new arrivals from the last seven days:

Fern Fever: The Story of Pteridomania

Sarah Whittingham

This wonderful book tells the story of the nineteenth century obsession with ferns, the infinitely various manifestations of which – in the ferneries, the pottery, sculpture and paintings, albums and frontispieces and other curiosities of the day – are amply illustrated throughout.

An unmissable addition to the literature on botanical history.

The Tiger: A True Story of Vengeance and Survival 

John Vaillant

Astonishing true story about a tracker and leader of a tiger conservation unit, Yuri Trush, who discovers that the tiger which has been creating terror in a remote Russian village is attacking not at random but seemingly by design. Trush must stop the tiger from pursuing its ‘vendetta’ before anyone else comes to harm.

The narrative of his pursuit takes the reader deep into the Siberian winter, where animals and humans struggle to survive – and through this Vaillant weaves fascinating threads of the history of the natives and settlers, conservationists and poachers who have been at odds over the status of the Siberian tiger.

Butterflies of Europe and the Mediterranean Area

Vadim V Tshikolovets

A classic example of a work born of the passion and dedicated research of a true enthusiast, this volume, which covers 700 species, is the result of contributions from about 100 lepidopterists, combined with the rich knowledge and field experience of the author – known for his book series on the butterflies of Palearctic Asia.

The extensive geographical range should be of interest to butterfly fanatics and entomologists who may wish for a single volume as they travel Europe, North Africa, Asia Minor and the Near East in search of their subjects. The detailed species descriptions are accompanied by full colour photographs of butterflies in situ, collection specimens, and butterfly habitats.

A More Perfect Heaven: How Copernicus Revolutionised the Cosmos

Dava Sobel

Sobel is famous for her international bestseller, Longitude, which was integral to the massive popularisation of the history of science over the last two decades. Her new book tells the story of the historical moment in which humanity found that it was no longer at the centre of the cosmos. In the early 1,500s Copernicus was developing his theory that placed the Sun at the centre of the universe, and the narrative explores the fateful collaboration between Copernicus and a young German mathematician, Georg Joachim Rheticus, which resulted in the publication of the infamous book De revolutionibus orbium coelestium (On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres).

Wildlife Equipment Highlights 

Our weekly suggestions to help you get kitted out for conservation field work, wildlife watching, travel and photography, selected from our range of over 2,000 equipment items.

Stealth Gear Two Man Chair Hide

Spacious enough for two photographers with tripods to work comfortably together, this is one of our most popular chair hides. The Camo-Tree camouflage pattern is designed for the UK countryside and is effective all year round.

Browse our range of hides and camouflage

 

BirdMIKE

With spring fast approaching, it’s time to start learning or refreshing your bird call identification skills before the summer migrants start to arrive. The BirdMIKE  pack contains all you need to develop a sound knowledge of common British birdsong, without the use of a computer.

Browse our range of sound recording equipment

 

Looking at the very best of the new arrivals from the last seven days…

New Books

Birds of the Indian Subcontinent

Richard Grimmett, Carol Inskipp and Tim Inskipp

New second edition of the ground-breaking 1998 original, featuring the usual quality of plates and information associated with the Helm Field Guides.

Covers India, Pakistian, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and the Maldives. Updated with new species and some newly painted plates.

 

Carnivore Ecology and Conservation

Edited by Luigi Boitani and Roger A Powell

From the Techniques in Ecology and Conservation series, this is a practical guide to the methods and processes involved in the study and conservation of all the world’s carnivore species, with particular emphasis on the human/carnivore interface. The book provides information on the diversity of practical considerations for field research and technical considerations for accurate analysis and modelling.

 

A Natural History of Belize: Inside the Maya Forest

Samuel Bridgewater

As well as being a unique and richly illustrated portrait of this fascinating country, A Natural History of Belize provides a lens through which the reader is introduced to questions regarding the debates around rainforests and their ecology and conservation.

The Maya Forest is an important regional biodiversity hot spot and provides some of the last regional habitats fo the jaguar, the scarlet macaw, Baird’s tapir, and Morelet’s crocodile.

 

Scotland

Peter Friend

Volume 119 in the New Naturalist Series takes the reader on a journey around the landscape of Scotland. Friend explores the incredible diversity of the country, region by region, looking at how it formed over the ages.

Illustrated with photographs, and maps and diagrams created using the latest computer imaging technology.

 

Adventures Among Ants: A Global Safari with a Cast of Trillions
Mark W. Moffett

Moffett recaps his exploration around the world of the lives of ants, recounting stories of their behaviour on the human scale – looking at ants in terms of various familiar roles like warriors, builders, big-game hunters, and slave owners. These tales demonstrate the incredibly complex ways in which ants have evolved to flourish and dominate the ecosystems in which they live.

 

New Wildlife Equipment

 

Pond Net – Complete Net Bag, Frame And Pole

A high quality new pond dipping net designed to be affordable enough for non-professionals but robust enough to be used year after year by school children and other such demanding users.

Browse all Nets

Stealth Gear Extreme Photographers Jacket2

The latest version of the ultimate wildlife photographers jacket – plenty of space for lenses and batteries in the ample pockets.

Browse all Hides, Camouflage and Clothing

Floating debris is a real threat to the oceans’ wildlife, as revealed by this study of the stomach contents of a juvenile turtle, living off the coast of Argentina.

Read the full story on the Independent’s website

Related title: Flotsametrics and the Floating World

News from BirdLife International

A new report has been published which provides an analysis of the value of mangroves and coral reefs to the tourism and fisheries industry in the Dominican Republic.

Coastal Capital: Valuing Coastal Ecosystems in the Dominican Republic, released yesterday by the World Resources Institute (WRI) and Reef Check-Dominican Republic also looks at economic benefits of the Dominican Republic’s Jaragua-Bahoruco-Enriquillo Biosphere Reserve – a popular and lucrative tourist destination.

photo: Yolanda León (Hawkbill juvenile at Jaragua-Barhoruco-Enriquillo Biosphere Reserve, Dominican Republic)

Read the full story

Visit the Jaragua-Bahoruco-Enriquillo Biosphere Reserve website – a project run by Grupo Jaragua, the BirdLife Partner in the Dominican Republic.

Visit the BirdLife Caribbean homepage

Buy the World Atlas of Mangroves at NHBS

Plus – good news! – click on the photo  for some more good news about rare birds from BirdLife International

News from BirdLife International

Until recently it was thought that this bird, so significant that it was once represented by its own heiroglyph, was extinct in the wild.

Then in 2002 a population was found in Syria – but last year that amounted to only three individuals raising one juvenile.

Now a unique effort is being made to bring this fascinating species back from the brink…

Read the full story at BirdLife International

Follow the progress of the birds at www.rspb.org.uk

New BirdLife International publication: Important Bird Areas of the Americas available to order from NHBS

Wired Magazine has a series of stunning close-up images of insect eyes from previous year’s entries of Nikon’s Small World Photomicrography Competition.

My favourite image has to be the  Klaus Bolte’s Tetse Fly (Glossina genus). Nikon also offer a daily ‘Identify the Image‘ challenge (I only got 3/5 today…).