Is it partly that people didn't write about birds before most of the land was drained? Presumably areas like Sedgemoor had open water habitats in the medieval period? There are places like this 👇in E Yorks - no records, no real trace in the landscape, just a name.
Depends where: lots of meres in the Fens, Cheshire and neighbouring counties, parts of Yorkshire. Lowland peat was heavily exploited from Roman times, so large areas of flooded cuttings. It's surprising how quickly these wetlands disappeared from memory once drained.
Some ponds can last for millennia though, especially if groundwater-fed, if they are grazed and if periodic drying-out allows the oxidisation of organic sediments.
Labour under Andy Burnham leading to an electoral pact with the Greens would be the best bet for keeping Reform out IMHO.
One of the grouse shooting estates, supposedly this is "moorland management" - most of the N York Moors are burned on a short rotation, allegedly to create optimal conditions for Red Grouse.
A few Green Hairstreaks along the path at Hutton Moor this afternoon but mostly mile after mile of charcoal. Incredibly, this is in a National Park, Special Area of Conservation, Special Protection Area and Site of Special Scientific Interest.
Yes, spring species as normal as far as I can tell. I have noticed a paucity of insects in some of the aquatic habitats I look at, which may be a result of the very dry spring followed by long summer drought we had last year.
Grand morning at Newton-under-Roseberry with at least 3 singing Redstarts, Tree Pipits, Cuckoo heard, Stonechat, plenty of common woodland birds too.
@teesbirds.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social
Yes, I'm always amazed at how regular the punctures are, they do look like they've been crafted.
The Red List (Vulnerable) scavenger water beetle Hydrochus brevis still present at this heathland pond in the Vale of York, where it's been known since 1949. This species occurs widely as a subfossil in late-glacial to early medieval deposits but is now confined to a small number of ancient fens.
"We're a Christian country. Any resemblance to Satan is entirely coincidental"
As the Normans approached, the rebels melted away into the night. The Northumbrian nobles, who had changed sides several times, submitted to William and their Danish allies set sail for home. After quelling one final rebellion at Chester, Norman power was entrenched.
In January 1070, William himself led an expedition against one of the last rebel holdouts, a camp on a narrow peninsula between fen & sea. This was probably at Warrenby, then a spit leading from Coatham to the mouth of the Tees.
The Norman response was a scorched earth campaign on a Biblical scale, known as Harrying of the North. Villages, tools, crops & food stores were burned, villagers & livestock slaughtered. The 12th century historian Ordericus Vitalis put the death toll from starvation at 100,000.
In 1069, revolts against Norman occupation broke out in many parts of England but those in Yorkshire & the North-east posed greatest threat. In January, rebels at Durham killed the newly-appointed Earl of Northumbria with his entourage of 500. In the following months, York fell twice to insurgents
Redcar's name refers to reed carr, hrēod kjarr, the expansive fen which lay between the Tees estuary and the coast. Coatham Marsh is the last remnant of this wetland and while historical accounts are a little shaky, may have been the scene of one of the final revolts against Norman rule.
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Bydales, Marske 15.00-15.30: 2 Red-throated Divers; 7 Sandwich Terns; small numbers of Gannets, Fulmars, Kittiwakes passing; small movement of hirundines north inc a few House Martins.
@teesbirds.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social
Yep, NZ Willowherb. Typical habitat.
Just like my veg plot in Boro only 10 degrees warmer and much better birds.
This East Riding fen has a distinct structure: open reed cover with an understorey of Purple Small-reed and small patches of moss and herbs in ankle-deep water. It's produced an impressive list of rare invertebrates in past but was disappointing today, perhaps reflecting last year's v dry spring.
I'll read this with interest. I review solar planning applications and displacement of farmland birds is one of the most significant residual impacts. I'm currently looking at 1,000 ha of proposed solar parks within a relatively small area, so potential effect is considerable.
I suspect dog and cat fleas are far less prevalent since laminate flooring became popular, so the eggs are easily vacuumed up - that's certainly my experience. If so, dab ons and collars are greatly over-used. Ticks have become more common though.
“One monthly flea treatment for a large dog contains enough imidacloprid to kill 25 million bees” - & whenever a treated dog has a dip it pollutes the river
So it’s great news for nature that the Govt is planning to ban over-the-counter flea treatments:
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Saltholme Pools PM: 4 Ruff, 2 LRP, resident White-fronted Goose, Sedge Warbler.
Substation Flash: 15 Black-tailed Godwits, 2 Egyptian Geese.
Dorman's Pool: Marsh Harrier, Cetti's Warbler.
@teesbirds.bsky.social
Iberian Chiffchaff still singing and showing well at Hardwick Park, 11.15. West end of the Serpentine River (walk west from car park).
@teesbirds.bsky.social
These people call themselves patriots. Almost invariably, they turn out to be stooges of foreign powers. goodlawproject.org/orbans-pay-c...
Funded by MOL, Hungary’s largest oil company which imports oil from Russia with an EU exemption. The Trump-Putin-fossil fuel nexus.
Today is a good day for Europe. Let's hope this is the beginning of the end for the Trump-Putin axis.
You clearly don't understand the Art of the Deal. It's a masterful bargaining ploy. Some people are saying it's the greatest bargaining ploy in human history.
#WinningSoMuch
