Curlew breeding site at Waterstock gets protected status

20 April 2019

A nature reserve found to be a breeding site for an endangered species of bird has been designated as a protected Local Wildlife Site.

Waterstock, near Oxford, is home to a population of curlews but is also an important site for otters, other mammals and some endangered plants.

The flood meadows near the River Thame has been surveyed monthly for the past three years.

In recent weeks 12 curlews have been recorded in the reserve.

Nick Marriner, from the River Thame Conservation Trust, said last year the RSPB estimated there were 10 breeding pairs in the entire Upper Thames area east of Oxford.

He said: "To have the majority of them in this area, highlights how important Waterstock and its flood meadows are both locally and regionally and how vital its wild and undisturbed habitat is.

"The iconic curlew is the UKs largest wading bird species and has one of the most evocative calls of all birds."

Continued

RSPB urges Oxford residents to help boost ailing swift population

16th June

Pete Hughes

BIRD lovers are being encouraged to take steps to try and boost Oxford’s ailing swift population.

The bird – known as a ‘master of the sky’ – has seen numbers decline by more than half between 1995 and 2015.

For swift awareness week, which starts today, the RSPB is urging residents to help boost the food and nesting options available for the bird in a bid to make the city more habitable.

Emily Seccombe, Oxford Swift City project officer, said people can help by putting up a nestbox or growing wildflowers to attract flying insects - a swift’s main source of food.

She added: “Swifts are urban nesting birds; they make their nests in the cracks and crevices under tiles or in stonework.

“A major cause of swifts’ decline is the loss of nest spaces in buildings, due to demolition or renovation of old buildings.

“Modern buildings often lack the spaces that swifts need.”

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Oxford to become a "swift city" with 300 new nests stuck on buildings

Pete Hughes

 

OXFORD is to become England's first "Swift City" under a major project by the RSPB. 

The charity has been given £83,700 from the Heritage Lottery Fund to lead a two-year project to maintain swift nesting sites in the city and add 300 further sites onto new and existing buildings. 

The iconic migrating bird, which lands only to breed and can fly 560 miles a day, nests almost exclusively in urban areas, but numbers in the UK have fallen by 38 per cent since 1994. 

One possible cause of the decline is thought to be loss of nesting sites as old buildings are renovated and new builds do not include spaces for them to nest. 

The RSPB project will research Oxford’s present swift populations and nest sites and work with builders and planners to maintain them and create 300 new sites on buildings.

Starting in January, the RSPB will work alongside partners including Oxford University, The Oxford University Museum of Natural History, Oxford City Council, Thames Valley Environmental Records Centre, Environment Resources Management and the Berks, Bucks and Oxon Wildlife Trust (BBOWT). 

As part of the scheme a showpiece "Swift Tower" is planned which will combine new nest site with a public art project. 

But the charity has said it will need volunteers to help monitor swift numbers. 

Charlotte Kinnear, local RSPB Conservation Officer, said: "Like much urban wildlife, swifts are under pressure in the UK. 

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Oxford scientist warns of 'drastic action' if neighbours allow cats to roam and kill birds

A research scientist with a PhD in chemistry from Oxford sends a "dear cat menace" leaflet to neighbours warning of consequences if they do not control their 'killer cats'

An Oxford University educated research chemist has issued his cat-owning neighbours with leaflets warning them of "drastic action" if they continue to let their animals roam free and kill the birds in his garden.

Dr Clive Mowforth claims he has received arson threats in response to the leaflets after he told owners they should control their cats and stop letting them roam free to "murder" dozens of birds in his specially redeveloped garden.

He sent out the angry leaflets, complete with photos of the two "leading killers" and three dates detailing when the latest birds were killed.

The leaflet is addressed to "cat menace" and has been posted to more than 100 homes.

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