Concern is mounting over the lack of progress made at COP16. After the historic agreement in Montreal which established targets to reform subsidies and to protect 30% of the planet by 2030, COP16 has revealed that participating nations are not on track to meet these targets outlined in the agreement. In order to reach 30×30, we must designate protected land equivalent to Brazil and Australia combined, and an area of the sea larger than the Indian Ocean. The second week of negotiations has shown little concrete progress on any of these targets, and a slow implementation of these international agreements risks another decade of biodiversity loss.
The UK’s largest supplier of farmed salmon has reported the biggest mass die-off in a decade. Mowi Scotland, a supplier to large supermarkets in the UK, has reported the loss of over one million fish in one production cycle. The supplier has attributed the loss to a rise in sea temperatures, exacerbated by the climate crisis, which give rise to jellyfish blooms – these harmful blooms can cause injury to farmed salmon, risking health issues and fatalities.
The final phase of a £4.5 million rodent eradication project is underway on Rathlin Island, Northern Ireland. The island hosts one of the UK’s largest seabird colonies, including Puffins, Manx Shearwaters and Kittiwakes. Seabird species are suffering heavily from rodent predation, and Puffins alone have declined by 74% over a twenty year period. In October, the last of over 6,700 rodent traps were deployed across the 3,400 acre island and over the next seven months, conservationists and volunteers will continue to work on the eradication programme, which will come to an end in 2026.
West European Hedgehogs have been classified as ‘near threatened’ under the IUCN red list. Their populations have suffered significant declines over recent decades and are believed to have halved in more than 50% of its native countries, including the UK. A 2022 study found that British hedgehogs declined up to 75% in rural areas due to growing environmental pressures, including agricultural intensification and urban expansion. Further population declines could see this species under risk of extinction.
A project to remove invasive Stoats from Orkney has seen positive results in the islands biodiversity. The Orkney Native Wildlife Project began in 2019 to remove non-native Stoats which pose significant threats to ground-nesting birds and an endemic vole species.The project is the largest Stoat removal attempted anywhere in the world, with over 6,500 animals removed to date, and has helped to boost wildlife across the island – compared to 2019, curlew and Oystercatcher nest success is three times higher, Hen Harrier nesting success is at its highest, and Orkney Vole activity has increased by 200%.
Environment
More than one third of tree species are facing extinction. Over 38% of the planet’s trees are threatened in 192 countries, outweighing the cumulative number of threatened birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians. Compiled by Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the work of over 1,000 scientists contributed to the assessment of the conservation status of trees. It found that logging, land clearing, pests and diseases were the greatest threats to the group, which could have a cascading effect on other animal and plant species that rely on trees for survival.
Foliage at Whitebrook by Charlie Llewellin, via flickr.
Two Bison calves have been born in Blean Woods. As part of the Wilder Blean Bison Project, managed by the Kent Wildlife Trust and the Wildwood Trust, a small herd of European Bison were introduced to woodland in Canterbury, Kent. Three females and one bull were released in 2022 to boost biodiversity and improve the resilience of the environment in the face of climate change. The birth of these calves now brings the herd to eight members, and conservationists hope that the group will continue to expand and benefit the biodiversity of their environment.
Many animal groups use sound to communicate, whether this be for mating and courtship, navigation or general intraspecific communication. These sounds can come in the form of croaks, songs and calls, and are produced by a wide range of animal groups including amphibians, birds, mammals and insects.
Acoustic recorders allow us to listen to these sounds, whether this be for surveying and monitoring, or just for enjoyment. This non-invasive monitoring method allows us to gather data from an environment without disturbing wildlife, and some recorders are designed to be extremely sensitive, enabling users to capture sound from great distances. From these recordings we can identify species, analyse distribution, abundance, ecological community composition and even behaviour and can use the data to inform landscape management.
Acoustic recorders are a valuable piece of kit for ecologists, naturalists or those eager to learn more about the animals in their garden, and we have a fantastic range of recorders to meet these needs. Here we have selected our top five acoustic recorders, highlighting key features of each device.
A popular, cost-effective option, the Song Meter Micro 2 is the smallest recorder in Wildlife Acoustic’s Song Meter range. The simple yet innovative design of this recorderallows for a lightweight and fully weatherproof device with an impressive 240-hour battery life. This recorderalso features a built-in microphone, ideal for the detection of frogs, birds and other vocal species.
This all-in-one recorder is designed to suit all acoustic surveying needs. The acoustic microphone is suitable for recording birds, frogs and mammals, and can alsobe equipped with a second ultrasonic microphone for the detection of bats. It is robust and waterproof (IP67 rating) and can record in mono acoustic, stereo acoustic, dual acoustic or ultrasonic for up to 300 hours.
A compact and lightweight option, this acoustic recorder provides excellent recording quality whilemaintaining affordability. Building on the design of the original Song Meter Mini, this recorder features an improved battery life and weatherproof case design. It is suitable for the detection of birds, frogs and other vocal species, and a second microphone can be added for stereo recordings.
With an easily accessible design, this recorder is straightforward and simple to use. A two second prerecord function and an auto record function ensure that a bird or bat call will never be missed, and the built-in omnidirectional microphones ensure high-quality and high resolution on this handheld recorder.
This economical package includes aTelinga MK3 microphone, handle and22” folding dish, ensuring high-quality, focused audio. It is the ideal choice for recording wildlife, even over long distances, and its foldable design makes it easy to transport in field.
Following the loss of her husband, Ursula Franklin embarked on a mission to see and photograph every species of penguin in their natural habitat. In this breathtaking book, join Ursula on expeditions to some of the most remote places on earth, from the Falklands to Tristan da Cunha and Antipodes Islands, in search of these much-loved birds. Interspersed with stories from Ursula’s adventures, each chapter explores a different species of penguin, detailing their identifying features, the ever-increasing threats they’re facing, and the conservation efforts needed to ensure future generations can experience the wonder of these animals.
Ursula Franklin is a keen wildlife photographer who grew up in Yorkshire, and is now based in Somerset. She developed a keen interest in photography when she was a child and her wonderful husband supported her passion until his sudden death in 2012. As a way to process her grief and heal, alongside her husband’s constant encouragement for her to ‘do something with her photography’, Mission Penguin was born.
We recently had the opportunity to talk to Ursula about her expedition, how she thinks we can we work to protect these vital species in the future, her favourite memories throughout this journey and more.
Plus, enter our prize draw to be in with the chance of winning one of four exclusive Mission Penguin prints here.
Having travelled around the world and seen every species of penguin in every habitat, which species surprised you the most and why?
Like many people, I had always associated penguins with snow, so it was amazing to discover that some species breed in forests, others in the desert and one species even at the equator. The species that really surprised me, however, and for a totally different reason, was the Royal Penguin. This species breeds on Macquarie Island, and in the north of the island are the rusted remains of huge digestors which were once used to extract oil firstly from seals and then when they ran out, penguins. Millions of King and Royal Penguins were slaughtered leaving just a few thousand birds when the barbaric practice was finally stopped. Having suffered years of persecution by man, I marvelled at how trusting the birds were. As I sat on the beach, groups of Royal Penguins waddled up to me, inquisitively studying my boot laces, camera bag and equipment. They were so curious and seemed utterly fearless. It was hard to imagine humankind betraying such trust. Luckily, over the last 100 years, their numbers have steadily increased and in 2022 they were finally taken off the list of near-threatened species (IUCN red list). Hopefully they will continue to increase despite the human-induced climate change crisis.
Royal penguins waddling across Sandy Bay, Macquarie Island.
You were lucky enough to witness the full, daily lifecycle of a number of penguin colonies by watching them from dawn until dusk, and I particularly loved the photographs of the Gentoo penguins on Saunders Beach at sunset. What does the typical day in the life of a penguin look like?
A day in the life of a penguin varies hugely depending on the time of year, especially during the breeding season, or when moulting. At other times of year, the birds spend their timeforagingin the open ocean. During their annual moult, which usually lasts around 3 weeks, they are no longer waterproof so cannot go into the ocean to feed – insteadthey must stay on land living solely off their fat reserves. The breeding season is when they spend time on both land and sea. For most species,males and females share incubation of the egg/s and often take it in turns to go foraging to feed the hungry chick/s whilst the other parent stays to protect it/them. With some species, as the chicks get older, they are left in a crèche, or some stay in a burrow, allowing both parents to go to the ocean to collect food for their increasing appetites. The birds often leave at dawn when foraging, and the length of time they are away depends on how far they must swim to find food. For some species, warming ocean temperatures have shifted prey populations further from the colonyleading to chick starvation and mass breeding failure.When the parents do return with food, some species engage their older chicks in long food chases before finally stopping to feed them. This is done to build up the strength of the chicks prior to fledging and is hilarious to watch.The adults then stay with their chicks at the colony overnight before the whole process starts again early the next morning.
A Gentoo penguin colony at sunset, Saunders Island, the Falklands.
You travelled around the world and have seen so many different placesas a result of this project – what was your favourite memory and why?
This is such a hard question. I could say the very beginning of the mission on the Antarctic Peninsula with the sighting of my first penguin – this was a Chinstrap Penguin and has since become my favourite species, probably because the black strap under their chin makes it look as if they are smiling. Or I could go to the very end of the mission at Snow Hill Island with the Emperor Penguin colony, which was like being on the film set of the movie Happy feet and a very fitting and emotional accomplishment of Mission Penguin.
My favourite travel destination, however, is the Falkland Islands. With fewer than 4000 people, beautiful coastlines and over one million penguins of five species I’m sure you can understand why. My favourite island is Saunders Island and my favourite location there is ‘the neck’. The accommodation is very basic and although small can technically sleep 8 in 4 sets of narrow bunk beds. Incredibly, on my last visit, my friend Hazel and I were the only occupants – apart from the penguins of course! What a joy and privilege to be the only humans sharing their world and a memory that will stay with me forever.
The Neck, Saunders Island, The Falklands.
Having witnessed first-hand the negative effects of both climate change and human activity on penguin colonies, and their respective habitats, how can we work to protect these vital species in the future?
Penguins are key indicator species for the health of our oceans and the effects of global warming. Although there are no penguins naturally occurring in the Northern Hemisphere, our everyday actions here will ultimately filter down to the Southern Hemisphere and affect these animals.
One of the most threatened penguins is the African Penguin, and research suggests that this species could become extinct in the wild by 2035 unless we act now. Whilst we have little influence on African governments regarding marine ‘no-take’ zones, limiting coastal development, (oil refineries etc) can still help. For example, all of us can reduce our use of plastics (especially single use), and switch to renewable energy sources.
For more direct and immediate help we can also sponsor penguin nest boxes. African Penguins naturally lay their eggs in burrows which are dug out of layers of guano (bird poo!) laid down over hundreds of years. In the 1800’s most of this guano was collected and shipped to the UK to be used as fertiliser. As a result, there has been a 99% decline in the population over the last 100 years. As land temperatures continue to rise, penguins now nesting out in the open air are either dying from hyperthermia or abandoning their nests to save themselves, leading to mass breeding failure. Carefully researched and crafted nest-boxes that replicate the conditions of a guano burrow are proving effective – to help visit the Saving Penguins website.
A shortage of suitable nesting sites mean breeding African penguins are exposed to the full heat of the sun often with disastrous consequences.
Photographing every species of penguin is no small feat, especially alongside a full-time job! What were some of the biggest challenges you faced and what did you learn along the way?
When I announced to a friend that I was going to photograph every species of penguin in their natural habitat, I had no idea how many species there were or where they could be found. My research took me to places that I had never even heard of and to say many of them were ‘off the main tourist route’ would be an understatement! Simply getting to the required and often incredibly remote locations was definitely the first challenge. Many of these are also found in the roughest oceans in the world, and I suffer dreadfully from sea sickness. Needless to say, I was often very unwell but even that could not detract from the awe and wonder of these amazing expeditions. Once at the location, sometimes I only managed fleeting glimpses of just a few penguins of that species so not many photographs, but I appreciate how very lucky I was to actually see and photograph every penguin species on the first attempt.
The weather also presented significant challenges (especially the wind), and trying to photograph from a Zodiac (Rigid Inflatable Boat) while being tossed around in large swells was at times nigh on impossible. I also needed to keep my equipment warm in Antarctica and dry in the humidity of the Galápagos. Sunshine, although lovely in itself, also made photographing black and white birds more difficult than normal in terms of achieving correct exposure. I certainly learned to tolerate imperfections but also became a better photographer along the way. I also witnessed firsthand how tenacious and resilient penguins are – characteristics that we can all learn from.
The strong wind blowing the crests of these Moseley’s rockhopper penguins also made photographing them more challenging.
Mission Penguin came to fruition as a result of loss and grief, and throughout the book I found it heartwarming to read about the healing effects of your expeditions. How important do you think nature is in healing from grief, and what are the benefits of spending time exploring the natural world?
Nature is indeed an incredible healer. I have lovely memories of my mother taking us out on nature walks when we were young as we didn’t have much money, and nature was all around us and free! I think from that age I learned to appreciate the wonder of nature and delight in simple things, so when grief struck, getting out in nature and reconnecting with life and beauty was essential to my healing. Nature stimulates all of our senses which certainly helped me to feel fully alive even in the context of death. What inescapable joy to hear the birds singing, see the dappled light in a woodland glade, smell the flowers, taste the salty sea air, and hug a tree! Being immersed in the natural world really helps to put things into perspective and to feel part of something much greater than ourselves. In nature I feel fully grounded which gives me an inner peace and the strength to keep going, one step at a time.
Southern rockhopper penguins, Pebble Island, the Falklands.
What’s taking up your time at the moment? Are you working on any other projects or planning any upcoming expeditions that we can hear about?
Following the completion of Mission Penguin I have spent more time delighting in the natural world on my doorstep. In the last couple of years, I have finally taken up gardening, which my husband would have found hysterical having tried to persuade me all our married life! My focus however is gardening with wildlife in mind, and I think we would have had very different definitions of a ‘weed’! I am also rewilding one large area and quickly learned the hard way that rewilding is not the same as letting things go wild! I am still taking lots of nature photographs and readers can see more of my images here.
As well as writing the book, I started giving talks on Mission Penguin to local groups and this quickly expanded to other topics as they keep inviting me back for more. I now have about 6 talks in my repertoire so that is keeping me busy as well as continuing with my singing – another fabulous activity for wellbeing.
King penguins returning from a fishing trip.
I am a firm believer in making the most of every moment. We only have one life, so live it well. Fill it with friends, joy, laughter – and of course, penguins.
Enter our competition to be in with the chance of winning one of four exclusive Mission Penguin prints signed by author Ursula Franklin here – good luck!
Mission Penguin is available from our online bookstore here.
Whether you have upcoming new developments or are looking to enhance existing construction projects with wildlife habitat, you may have come across the term ‘woodcrete’, ‘woodstone’, or a variation of the name. This hardy material is commonly used in bird and bat boxes and is often favoured for its longevity and cost-effectiveness. Here we take a closer look at woodcrete, its properties and manufacturing to help you make informed decisions when beginning new construction projects.
What is woodcrete?
Originally patented by Durisol and developed for the construction industry, woodcrete is a building material composed of cement, wood fibres and water. The material is referred to by a number of names, though they are almost identical in composition – woodstone is a trademark registered by Vivara Pro and woodconcrete is the term used by Schwegler, Faunus and Unitura, all suppliers of woodcrete bird and bat habitats.
A built-in swift box that has been rendered over, leaving just the access point visible.
Woodcrete Properties
A long-lasting, durable material, woodcrete can last for decades. It is weather resistant, does not support fungal growth and unlike wood products, does not rot. It does not leak, warp or crack, making it the ideal long-lasting, secure material for wildlife habitats.
The breathability of the material reduces the risk of issues with condensation, helping to maintain a healthy environment for roosting inhabitants.
It has good insulative properties and creates a stable environment inside the box to shelter inhabitants from extreme temperatures – especially important for maternity boxes where young are resting.
More lightweight than concrete, with great durability and strength, this material is suitable for both built-in and mounted nest boxes. The rough inner surfaces provide texture for bats to cling to, and create a safer, more natural environment for nesting animals. Built-in boxes can also be incorporated into brickwork and can be rendered over to blend into the structure whilst providing habitat benefits for local wildlife.
Woodcrete bat boxes during installation (left), built-in (middle) and rendered over (right)
Woodcrete Applications
Woodcrete is used as a construction material, as well as a variety of building and garden products, including artificial habitat products to support wildlife. These can include bat boxes, bird boxes, insect hides, bee bricks and hedgehog domes. Most commonly, woodcrete bat and bird boxes are available in built-in forms that are installed directly into the walls during the construction of new developments. These boxes are designed to cater to species subjected to habitat loss resulting from the development project itself, or urbanisation in the general area.
The material is made by chipping specially graded recycled waste wood and mineralising the chips to neutralise sugars. The chip is mixed with cement and water to create the woodcrete mixture, before being poured into moulds like regular concrete. These moulds are cured at high temperatures to ensure strength and weather-resistance and can take a considerable amount of time for the full curing process to take place.
The manufacturing of woodcrete products is a lengthy process which can cause longer lead times. We recommended ordering any woodcrete product as far in advance as possible to avoid delays.
If you have any questions about our range or would like some advice on the right product for you then please contact us via email at customer.services@nhbs.com or phone on 01803 865913.
Nest boxes can be an excellent way to support biodiversity and incorporate additional habitat into new builds or redevelopments. Some nest boxes are specifically designed to cater to certain species, while others are more generalist and are suitable for multiple species. Generally, bird nest boxes consist of a large internal cavity and an access hole in various shapes or locations depending on the target species. They can be made from a variety of materials, however, woodcrete (or woodstone, woodconcrete) is generally preferred due to its robustness, longevity and advantageous thermal properties.
As low impact, wildlife-friendly construction gains momentum, more choice is added to the market each day, and the range is extensive. We are pleased to offer the largest range of integrated nest boxes in the UK. Here we provide an overview of some of our bestselling models and their benefits.
Integrated Swift Boxes
Swift populations have declined over recent decades due to changes in roof design and the choice of materials used to construct our homes and public buildings. This species typically uses existing holes, cracks and crevices to build their nests, especially those in old buildings, so built-in swift boxes are recommended to provide areas for these birds to roost. These boxes provide large internal cavities within the brickwork that can be accessed by horizontally elongated, often downward facing entrance holes. As colony breeders, it is recommended to site multiple swift boxes together, situated with a clear flight path. The boxes should be installed at a minimum height of 5m on a non-south facing wall and should have no less than 40cm between entrance holes.
Installed flush to the wall or can be rendered over
Long lasting and durable
Integrated Sparrow Boxes
House Sparrow populations have undergone significant declines in previous decades and remain in a vulnerable state in the UK. As colony nesters, this species would benefit from boxes that are installed close together, or a larger, terraced box with multiple connected chambers. These built-in sparrow boxes consist of a durable woodcrete housing with a discrete entrance hole and a large cavity chamber (or alternatively multiple chambers) for nesting.
Can be integrated into the build or fixed to external walls
Removable front panel
Multiple chambers
General Purpose Integrated Bird Nest Boxes
Built-in bird boxes have inclusive designs to cater for a number of bird species, and usually consist of a woodcrete nest box with a cavity space and a discrete entrance hole. These self-contained concrete nests are unobtrusive and are typically installed flush to the wall or can be rendered over for more pleasing aesthetics.
Can be integrated into walls and rendered over, or can be mounted onto external walls
Suitable for multiple species
Custom Integrated Bird Boxes
Bird boxes typically consist of a solid box made from insulating materials with an internal nesting space. They can be custom faced with a chosen brick type (or existing brick, wood, stonework or rendered finish) to allow for discrete installation and a better blend into the existing facade.
If you have any questions about our range or would like some advice on the right product for you then please contact us via email at customer.services@nhbs.com or phone on 01803 865913.
In September, five species of seabird were added to the UK Birds of Conservation Concern Red List. Arctic Tern, Great Skua, Leach’s Storm Petrel, Common Gull and Great Black-backed Gull have joined the list of species most in need of conservation. Each of these species has experienced population declines due to pressures including climate change, avian influenza and habitat loss. Over 30% of all British birds are now on the Red List; the most recent additions joining Kittiwakes, Puffins and Arctic Skuas, among others. An alarming ten out of 26 UK seabirds now feature on the list.
In this blog we shine a spotlight on these seabirds and explore the threats that have resulted in their addition to the Red List.
Identification: Leach’s Petrel is a Starling-sized bird with a wingspan of up to 48cm. This burrow-nesting seabird is mostly black in colour, except for a white rump with a black line running through it. The wings are angled, with darker wingtips and a lighter coloured ‘V’ over the wingspan and the tail is dark and forked.
Distribution: Most sightings of this species are recorded around coastal headlands and sea-watching hotspots during autumn. The UK has an estimated 48,000 breeding pairs which can mostly be found on remote offshore islands (particularly in Ireland and Scotland) before migrating to the tropics over winter.
Threats: Leach’s Petrel was added to the Red List due to population declines and localised breeding concerns. It is thought that more than half of the UK’s population resides at fewer than ten sites, areas which carry the risk of predation by introduced mammalian predators as well as avian predators.
Fun fact: Leach’s Petrels spend most of their time offshore, close to deeper waters beyond the continental shelf, before returning to underground nests at night.
Identification: A medium-sized gull with a wingspan of up to 130cm. This species is similar in appearance to the Herring Gull but is smaller in size. It is mostly grey from above, with a grey back and upper wings. The underside, head, tail and body are white. The small bill and legs of the Common Gull are yellow-green in colour and, up close, a red orbital ring can be observed around the iris. Their call is a high-pitched ‘kee’ or ‘kee-ya’ sound.
Distribution: There are approximately 49,000 breeding pairs of Common Gull in the UK, which breed in the north and west of Britain and Ireland. They are generally widely distributed throughout the country but are found with the highest densities on the eastern side of Scotland. Predominantly a coastal bird, this species has a preference for upland areas and can be seen in towns along the coast throughout the year.
Threats: Severe declines have been observed over the last 25 years, with over half of the breeding population lost during this time. These losses are due to a number of factors, including predation, habitat loss and degradation.
Fun fact: Despite its name, this bird is scarcer than other gull species and is found in lower numbers.
Identification: A thick-set, very large gull with a powerful beak. Great Black-backed Gulls are easily recognised by their black upper wings and an impressive wingspan of up to 167cm. The head, neck, tail and underside are white and there are visible white edges to the upper wings in flight. This species has pale pink legs, and a distinctive large yellow beak with a red spot on the underside towards the tip.
Distribution: There are around 17,000 breeding pairs of Great Black-backed Gull in the UK which can be seen throughout the year in coastal locations. This species is found across the UK but has high densities around the northern Isles and south-west Ireland.
Threats: Populations of Great Black-backed Gull have declined by an estimated 50% since 1985, brought on by suspected declines in food availability in their natural habitat, habitat loss and threats from entanglement and development.
Fun fact: The Great Black-backed Gull is the largest gull species in the world.
Arctic Tern (Sterna paradisaea)
Image by Alaska Region U.S Fish and Wildlife Service via Flickr
Identification: A small, slender seabird with a wingspan measuring up to 85cm. The Arctic Tern is a white bird with a black cap and grey wings. It is streamlined in shape and has a deeply forked tail with long streamers. The legs and pointed beak are red in colour and their calls are hard and repetitive, with a ‘kee-arr’ sound.
Distribution: There are approximately 54,000 breeding pairs in the UK that can be seen in good numbers around Shetland and Orkney. Arctic Tern can be seen from April to September in Britain, breeding coastally in the north.
Threats: Arctic Tern populations have undergone long-term declines for several reasons: habitat loss, human disturbance in breeding and feeding habitats, impacted chick survival by avian influenza, and declines in Sand Eels, a critical food source.
Fun fact: The Arctic Tern has the longest migration of any tern – this species breeds in the Arctic and travels south to summer in the Antarctic.
Identification: A large, dark brown bird with a wingspan up to 140cm. Great Skua are heavy in build and almost black in colour when viewed at a distance, with white flashes on the wing visible in flight. Up close, their plumage is streaked with black, brown, white and yellow and their bills and legs are black. They have a distinctive gull call – a harsh ‘hah-hah-hah-hah’ sound.
Distribution: Great Skua can be seen around British coastlines throughout the year, with most sightings documented between April and November. This species is known to breed on northern islands, including Shetland and Orkney during the summer months.
Threats: Great Skua populations have been severely impacted by avian influenza, resulting in at least 2,500 deaths of Scottish birds since 2022.
Fun fact: Considered ‘pirates of the sea’, Great Skuas are predatory birds and will hunt small birds, rabbits and rodents.
In ten chapters, each dedicated to a different bird, this book travels the ocean paths along with them, looking at the way their bodies work and the strategies needed to survive in the most demanding environment on earth.
The second-generation Song Meter Mini Bat 2 is one of Wildlife Acoustics’ latest additions to the Song Meter range. This recorder offers improved battery life and weatherproofing, thanks to the new hinged enclosure. Learn more about the improvements and differences in this newer model here. Wildlife Acoustics have now gone one step further offering both AA and Lithium-Ion battery models of the Mini Bat 2. The Lithium-ion model holds 6 rechargeable 18650 lithium-ion batteries giving it 2.5 times more battery life compared to the AA model.
I took the Mini Bat 2 recorder and set it up for a week in June. As I was only recording for a week, the AA model was more than fit for purpose. I had two aims in mind; firstly, I wanted to see for myself how to deploy and use this newer model, and possibly more importantly, I wanted to discover which bats were living just outside the NHBS office.
Deployment
I set up the device using a 64 GB SDXC card and eight lithium AA batteries (other AA batteries are compatible but may offer shorter battery life). I chose to set up the recorder outside of our office on a nearby tree situated alongside the River Dart. I hoped that the presence of insects along the river would encourage bats to fly close to the recorder. However, I did experience some issues with this location which I will discuss later.
Recorder set up with batteries and SD card.
Like its predecessor, the Mini Bat 2 is configured using the free Song Meter app. Here you can select your preferred recording schedule and check the recorder’s status. Whilst in Bluetooth range, you can determine the currentstatus of the recorder, including SD card capacity, battery life, recording mode and number of recordings taken. I used a pre-set recording schedule to record bats from sunset to sunrise (subject to triggering).
Recorder status before deployment.
This model now helpfully features cable lock holes so that the unit can be secured – using a Python Lock I fixed the device to the tree and left it for a week to collect recordings.
What I found
By the end of the week, I had collected over 700 recordings. Despite this, very little battery life had drained and only 3 GB of storage had been used.
Recorder status after deployment.
I then removed the SD card and loaded the recordings into Kaleidoscope Pro. Unfortunately, I noticed a consistent disturbance present in all the recordings at around 20 – 30kHz. It was then I learned that the office has a ventilation fan, which unbeknownst to me, runs constantly (even at 3 am!). Not a bad reminder that when choosing your recording location to be aware of any possible noise disturbances.
Thankfully, this disturbance did not hamper my ability to analyse the recordings. Helpfully, Kaleidoscope Pro has an auto ID feature which allowed me to categorise the recordings by species. This feature compares each call pulse with reference libraries and generates a confidence interval from 0-1 called a “Match Ratio”. The more commonality a pulse shares with the reference data the higher the match ratio. I was delighted to discover that Kaleidoscope identified five different species just outside our office! My personal favourite being the Greater Horseshoe Bat, as we share a love of caves. Unfortunately, these species are now largely confined to south-west England and south Wales in the UK, so I feel very fortunate that I was able to record them.
Examples of the recordings can be viewed as sonograms below.
The Song Meter Mini Bat 2 is an excellent ultrasonic passive recorder. The unit is compact and lightweight, making it easy to store and carry in the field. The set-up was easy thanks to the simple user interface on the Song Meter App, which you can easily navigate to configure and check on your device. The Bluetooth beacon came in useful throughout the week as it allowed me to see the battery life and SD storage without taking the device down.
The Mini Bat 2 has a highly sensitive ultrasonic microphone capable of capturing high-quality recordings up to 250kHz, covering a truly impressive ultrasonic range. The sonograms above show the clear and distinct waveforms created; characteristic of the different species recorded. The excellent recording quality also helps to simplify the sound analysis when using the auto ID function of Kaleidoscope Pro.
The Song Meter Mini Bat 2 is a great addition to the Wildlife Acoustics range and features many improvements over its predecessor. It’s easy set up and deployment, making it simple and engaging to use. With its improved weatherproofing and in-built Bluetooth beacon, the Mini Bat 2 is a brilliant choice for remote recording. Furthermore, the increased battery life means the unit can be used for short- and long-term surveys.
In summary, the Mini Bat 2 is a fantastic all-rounder with a wide array of configurations and capabilities making it an ideal recorder for both enthusiasts and researchers.
The range of integrated or built-in boxes designed for bats can be overwhelming. For new developments, or renovation projects, you may be searching for bat boxes to incorporate additional habitats into your build, and support species while providing new infrastructure. With an upturn in low impact, wildlife friendly construction, integrated bat boxes are becoming increasingly relevant in the construction sector. Bat boxes are designed to provide an appropriately sized, predator-free space for bats to roost or hibernate. They are often designed to be built-in to the building itself, whether this be roofing or brickwork and are unobtrusive, often hard to spot, and help to provide various species with a permanent roost.
There are 18 bat species in the UK, all of which use the same areas of buildings to roost in the absence of natural habitats – most commonly cellars, roofs and loose brickwork, among many more. In general, bat boxes should be placed between 3-6 metres high, in a sunny location with around 6-8 hours of direct sunlight. It is also best to avoid placing these in areas around artificial light. For built-in products, woodcrete (or woodstone, woodconcrete) is preferred due to its durability, longevity and good insulative properties.
Here we discuss integrated bat boxes, providing an overview of our selection of bat boxes and their benefits.
Types of Integrated Bat Boxes
Bat Tiles, Bricks and Panels
Tiles, bricks and panels provide bats with an access point to a suitable roosting space, whether this be within the roof, ridge tiles or a cavity area behind bricks and panels. They are designed to be incorporated into the build itself during construction or renovation and should be provided with suitable roosting cavities behind the access point, usually in the form of bat boxes or insulation-free cavity space.
Provides bats with an entrance to underfelt or open loft
Protection from heat extremes
Available in five traditional tile colours
Integrated Bat Boxes
Bat boxes are designed to cater for either crevice and cavity dwelling species through varying complexity or can occasionally be a hybrid design to encourage uptake from both groups. These self-contained roosts are unobtrusive and are typically installed flush to the wall or can be rendered over. Bat boxes can also be designed for hibernation and breeding, providing a well-insulated, larger space to accommodate breeding colonies and larger groups.
Bat boxes typically consist of a solid box made from insulating materials with an internal roosting space. They can be custom faced with a chosen brick type (or existing brick, wood, stonework or rendered finish) to allow for discrete installation and a better blend into the existing facade.
Available in a variety of facings to suit any existing brick, wood, stonework or aa rendered finish
Insulative properties
External Bat Boxes
An alternative to integrated habitat boxes, externally mounted bat boxes can be attached to trees, fences, or buildings and are typically made of woodstone or woodcrete. These versatile boxes can be designed for summer roosting, hibernation, or maternity roosting, varying in size to accommodate different species.
If you have any questions about our range or would like some advice on the right product for you then please contact us via email at customer.services@nhbs.com or phone on 01803 865913.
Though bears loom large in our collective imagination, their flesh-and-blood counterparts are increasingly losing ground. Eight Bears, the debut of environmental journalist Gloria Dickie, draws on visits to key hotspots where Earth’s remaining bear species come into conflict with humans. By interviewing scores of people, both conservationists and those suffering at the paws of these large predators, this nuanced and thought-provoking reportage asks whether humans and bears can coexist.
The roots of this book go back to 2013 when Dickie started a master’s in environmental journalism and midway settled on bear-human conflicts in the Rocky Mountains. Since then, she has travelled to Asia and the Americas to see first-hand all eight extant bear species. The only obvious regions missing from her story are Alaska, Russia, and Europe, all of which have large populations of bears. Even so, she has visited a formidable list of destinations. As an aside here, kudos to both the stylish bear portraits by Arjun Parikh opening each chapter, and Dickie’s meticulous list of notes. The latter mentions the many people she has interviewed or corresponded with over the years and, for some sources, provides additional notes that are too detailed for the main narrative.
The first half of the book’s subtitle promises a look at the bear’s mythic past. Though there is mention here of the predominance of bears in northern hemisphere cultures, the so-called circumpolar bear cult tradition, and the rarely discussed role of the bear in Peruvian culture and history, this is a minor motif in the book. Much more can be and has been said about the cultural history of bears.
Instead, as seems unavoidable when writing about megafauna nowadays, the focus of Eight Bears is on the second half of the subtitle, their imperilled future. The outlook is grim and Dickie early on mentions that “almost everywhere I went, bears seemed to be a shadow of what they once were” (p. 8). Probably the biggest threat is habitat loss, followed closely by hunting and poaching. A historic combination of these two decimated North American bear populations under European settlement. Polar bears have become the poster children of climate change, though the disappearance of sea ice is yet another form of habitat loss. I would be remiss if I did not mention that several whistleblowers have argued that hunting poses a continued but underappreciated threat to polar bears. Asia is additionally home to some particularly grisly practices: sloth bears are beaten into submission to become dancing bears, and moon and sun bears are experiencing years of, what is effectively, surgical torture on bile farms. The former has been outlawed with a reasonable degree of success, the latter less so. From her descriptions, Dickie visits the same bile farmer and speaks to some of the same people that Nuwer interviewed for her 2018 book Poached. Little seems to have improved in the intervening years, unfortunately.
Though bears are usually at the losing end of human-wildlife conflict, Dickie does not avoid exploring the flipside. Many readers outside of Asia might be surprised to learn that the inappropriately named sloth bear is easily the world’s most dangerous bear. In India, more than 100 attacks every year kill or gruesomely injure predominantly poor, rural people, with Dickie seeking out some of the victims. In the USA, where grizzly populations are recovering, she speaks to ranchers and farmers who lose livestock to bears and frequently object that “liberal urbanites are the ones who want predators back on the landscape, but they aren’t the ones suffering the consequences” (p. 177). In Canada, she visits the remarkable tourist town of Churchill at the edge of Hudson Bay which is home to equal numbers of humans and polar bears. To keep people safe while avoiding lethal control methods as much as possible, it relies on an unprecedented amount of technology. Even so, human lives are at risk, and Dickie speaks to a woman who survived a mauling.
The chapters focusing on bears in the USA offer some of the most remarkable case studies of people attempting to live alongside bears. The century-long history of black bear management around Yosemite National Park offers “a full-scale experiment of all the ways people and bears can clash” (p. 153). After decades of park management doing things wrong (making a tourist attraction out of bears scavenging on garbage dumps, thus inadvertently training a generation of them how not to forage in the wild), they spent decades trying to do things right. A combination of bear-resistant food storage containers on campgrounds and strict enforcement of rules has trained tourists to be more mindful.
Eight Bears becomes more thought-provoking as it progresses. Here is how it provoked mine. Dickie puts down several relevant dots on paper at different points in the book (mentioning human population growth, climate change, and the resource-hungry global supply chain) but she does not explicitly connect them to draw the contours of the larger challenge ahead. So, here be a tangent, and my attempt to connect those dots, triggered by her repeated interviewing of grizzly bear recovery coordinator Chris Servheen. Upon retirement in 2015, with grizzlies sufficiently recovered, he supported their delisting. However, by 2021, seeing how states were failing to manage grizzly populations “with maturity and grace” (p. 180), he changed his mind. This raises fundamental questions. What is the point of all our conservation efforts if we do not address the root causes that got threatened species in trouble in the first place? For me, books such as Abundant Earth and Alfie & Me have really driven home the point that, unless we change our relationship with the natural world and stop treating it as a bottomless larder, conservation is little more than a palliative solution, a stay of execution. If we restore animals to an increasingly degraded environment, to a human population that does not want to share the world with them, they will have to remain on permanent life support. To be clear, I do not think conservation is futile; it is vital. So long as it is not an end unto itself. We cannot lose sight of the bigger picture: a world hospitable to non-human animals. Servheen’s call for “maturity and grace” in the context of grizzly bear management can just as well be applied to our tenancy of this planet.
Wild Black Bear at Anan Bear Observatory by Andrew Russell, via flickr.
Even if you were to come away from this book without having your thoughts similarly provoked, Eight Bears is a mighty fine environmental reportage that is nuanced and well-researched. Given the often regional nature of books on bears and people, Dickie’s globetrotting overview of the challenges faced by all extant bears is very welcome.
‘Effectively protected’ land in England has declined to just 2.93%. With the government’s commitment to protecting 30% of Britain’s land and sea by 2030 fast approaching, campaigners warn that swift, direct action is needed to overturn these declines. Ocean protection has increased to 9.92% from last year’s 8%, however land protection has fallen to under 3%, less than last year’s estimate. Declines in land protection result from the diminishing condition of Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) due to climate change, pollution and overgrazing and conservation authorities agree that the UK government will need to take big steps over the next few years to meet 30×30 targets.
The UK Government has pledged £22b to support the development of two carbon capture and storage projects. Based in Merseyside and Teesside, these carbon capture projects will store carbon emissions from industry and energy production to help the UK meet its climate goals. This new industry is regarded as a key element in meeting targets around greenhouse gas emissions and is hoped to attract significant private investment as well as provide 4,000 jobs for local people. The captured carbon will be stored in deep geological storage in the North Sea and Liverpool Bay, with the hopes of removing up to 8.5 million tonnes of carbon emissions each year.
Botanists from Kew’s Royal Botanic Gardens believe there are around 100,000 plant species yet to be discovered across the globe. A study revealed 33 areas that are likely to contain great numbers of undiscovered species and highlights regions in which botanists should be concentrating their search for new plants. By increasing the rate of discoveries, scientists hope to better target conservation and preservation, and discover these species before they are lost to extinction. Of the 33 areas identified, most are in Asia and include Vietnam and the eastern Himalayas. Africa, South America, Madagascar, Colombia and Peru have also been identified as key areas of interest.
Satellite data analysis from the University of Exeter has reported greening across the Antarctic continent. Due to the acceleration of the climate crisis, plant cover in the region has increased more than tenfold over recent decades, expanding from just 1km2 in 1986 to nearly 12km2 in 2021. Comprised mainly of mosses and green algae, this greening leaves the continent open to invasive species colonisation from foreign visitors. Although still dominated by ice, the growth of vegetation in the region is cause for concern and could facilitate further soil formation due to an increased presence of vegetative organic matter.
Conservation
Pine Martens have been successfully reintroduced to south-west England. In September, fifteen Pine Martens – eight females and seven males – were released in undisclosed locations on Dartmoor National Park for the first time in 150 years. After being driven to extinction by habitat loss and persecution, this translocation will reinstate natural predator-prey interactions and processes. Next year, the project will turn its attention to Exmoor National Park to translocate another group of these elusive mustelids.
Salmon numbers in England and Wales took a sharp decline in 2023. In a report by CEFAS and the Environment Agency, data showed that last year’s salmon stocks were at the lowest since records began in 1997 – declared catch in 2023 totalled 5,399, nearly 1,500 less than the year before. There are 64 principal salmon rivers in the UK (rivers which contain significant numbers), and only one of these is classified as not at risk. It is believed that climate change and polluted waterways are directly endangering these fish, as salmon are an indicator species for polluted waters.
The Welsh Government has announced its support for the reintroduction of Eurasian Beavers in Wales. With flood warnings becoming more regular across the country, the reintroduction of these animals could provide Wales with a nature-based solution to tackle water pollution and flooding through the creation of wetland habitats. The project is supported by over 90% of the Welsh population, revealed by a survey that was conducted by the Welsh Beaver Project who have been investigating the feasibility of reintroduction since 2005.
