Photographers capture wealth of wildlife on Fenland farm.
Amateur photographers have been cataloguing the wealth of wildlife on a farm after the land was opened up to them by a nature-loving farmer. Tom Clarke, who farms at Prickwillow in Cambridgeshire, has dedicated part of his land as natural habitat. Members of Ely Photographic Club have captured striking images of deer, hare, owls and insects. “I wanted to show that nature can thrive alongside commercial farming,” Mr Clarke said.
Eight Golden Eagle chicks successfully relocated to southern Scotland
Eight newly fledged golden eagles have been successfully transported to the southern uplands of Scotland as part of a wider project to reinforce dwindling local numbers. This brings the number of golden eagles relocated to the area up to 12, in addition to the dozen or so that were already living there.
The South of Scotland Golden Eagle project is rearing and releasing the chicks using the same methods employed in the red kite reintroduction programme in the UK. The project involves taking single eagle chicks from broods in the Highlands and releasing them in a secret location in the Moffat Hills area.
Isle of Man wildlife park brings in avian flu precautions
The Isle of Man’s wildlife park has delayed its opening this week to roll out precautions to protect its bird collection from catching avian flu. Some species will be taken out of view entirely after a case of H5NI was found on the island last week. The Ballaugh park is due to reopen on Saturday with measures including disinfectant foot baths in place. A spokeswoman said some birds would remain on restricted view but added “animal welfare must come first”. She confirmed all birds at the park, which features species such as pelicans, macaws and kookaburras, are currently healthy.
Urban rewilding: The Londoners attracting wildlife to the capital through conservation projects
In 2019, the UN said the resilience of cities, where most people will live by 2050, will “certainly depend on the level of greenness and clean air, and overall human well-being”. Rewilding is the practice of restoring our ecosystems to the point where nature is allowed to take care of itself, according to the group Rewilding Britain. It seeks to reinstate natural processes and missing species, allowing them to shape the landscape and habitats within. The issue of rewilding is high on the agenda at the COP26 summit in Glasgow. Saturday will focus on nature and how not only governments and businesses, but also local communities, are shifting towards more sustainable use of land and water, through protecting and restoring nature.
Small gardens as vital as big ones for conserving bees, says study
Small gardens are as important as big gardens for conserving bees and other pollinators in UK cities, a study has found. Worldwide, bee populations are declining. Habitat destruction, pesticide use, and climate change have led to the disappearance of some pollinators, but researchers found that small urban gardens are some of the most pollinator-friendly places.
New Meet the Model
The Magpie
The Magpie ( Pica pica ) Words and pictures by Peter Hanscomb The Eurasian Magpie , more commonly known as just the Magpie ( Pica pica ) is a member of the crow family and undoubtedly one of the most intelligent and curious of all birds likely to visit our gardens. Magpies are deeply embedded…
THE MOLE
The Mole , Talpa euopaea Moles are a regular visitor at the Meadow Hide , we have never seen one which is normal but the evident there , with their distinctive mole hills periodically appearing in the grass path to the hide. The mole is a small mammal that spends most of it’s life underground…
SLOW WORM
Slow worm , Anguis fragilis With long, smooth, shiny, grey or brown bodies, slow worms look very similar to a small snakes and can grow up to 50cm long. In fact the Slow worm is a legless lizard , and are quite harmless to humans. Slow worms like humid conditions and emerge from their hiding…
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