Breeding Birds, Garden Birds and Wetland Birds

On Friday 24th March 2012 I attended the Stone group of Staffordshire Wildlife Trust to hear a very interesting talk by Gerald Gittens of the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO).  I found out about this talk via twitter, as I follow @bitofstone.  The event attracted an audience of about 40.

Gerald told us about the work of the BTO which focuses on scientific surveys and complements the work of other organisations such as the RSPB and the JNCC.  Such work, carried out largely by volunteers, is of interest not only to the bird watching public but also to wildlife and conservation groups and government.  Gerald described three core types of survey the BTO carries out; the breeding bird survey, the garden bird watch and the wetland bird survey.

The breeding bird survey involves many randomly defined 1km by 1km squares each allocated to a volunteer.  The volunteer will perform bird counts along each 200m of a walk along two defined 1km stretches within their square.  These counts are carried out in the early morning during the spring.  The numbers of different species seen or heard within certain distances from the route or flying overhead are recorded.

The garden bird watch is carried out by other volunteers who, every week all year round, note the maximum number of each species observed in their gardens.

The wetland bird survey involves volunteers counting species at many specific locations clustered around the coast, estuaries and other wetland areas.

All the data are statistically analysed and reports are produced of the results.  Gerald showed us examples of the tables and graphs produced, which as a scientist kept me very happy.  Plus maps, I’m very fond of maps too.

The graphs showed how garden birds are observed in larger numbers during the winter months and smaller numbers during the summer, so graphs over many years showed spikes but an overall trend on top of that.  Some examples given included buzzards, the numbers of which have risen tremendously over the last 15 years, cuckoos which have markedly decreased, sparrows which are also on the decline and goldfinches which are on the rise.  A drop in goldcrest numbers was also reported.  I can only assume numbers started very high as I encounter large numbers of them in many locations when I’m out walking, difficult to see but distinctive by their high pitched call.  As well as trends, the prevalence of various bird species was also shown.  For example in garden bird watching, blackbirds are seen in almost all gardens but some species such as yellowhammers are very rare.  This matches my experience, I have never seen a yellowhammer in my garden.  I know where to find them though in the countryside to the West of Stone and Trentham, along with very many other species as well.

The BTO are able to accurately report on bird numbers and locations because of having a large number of well distributed areas from which to extrapolate.  Comparisons can also be made with similar surveys in other parts of the world.  For example in other parts of Europe the cuckoo is not decreasing, in some areas it is increasing.  It seems that it is tending not to stop off in Britain on its migratory route.  Finding reasons for the observed trends is rather more difficult than measuring them and subject to a bit more guesswork.  The increase in buzzards for example could be attributed to less use of pesticides allowing greater availability of their food chain, but a decrease in kestrels is not easy to explain.  Garden bird numbers can be affected by disease actually spread due to visits to bird tables.  This serves as a reminder to us all to keep our bird feeders clean to avoid an adverse effect on the very wildlife we are trying to encourage and enjoy watching.

Gerald told us that the wetland bird surveys were most popular amongst volunteers and the breeding bird surveys were the hardest to find volunteers for.  That surprised me a little.  Garden birds I think have a greater cuteness factor than water birds.  But perhaps I think this way because of living in Staffordshire.  I expect if I lived on the coast I would be much more interested in the water birds around me.  The survey that sounded to me the most interesting to do is the breeding bird survey, because it allows you to get to know an area near you very well.  Also, it combines looking for birds with a walk, albeit a very short one.

I would like to thank all concerned for putting on a very good event.

I am no expert on birds, I’m just an ordinary person with a good deal of interest in most things around me.  I have the usual garden birds; blackbirds, great tits, blue tits, robins, sparrows, a woodpigeon or two, the odd magpie and recently the occasional chaffinch.  But my interest has been enhanced since I got a seed feeder and more recently a niger seed feeder, pretty much by ‘accident’ as I dislike shopping and happened across them rather than set out to buy them.  I hoped the niger feeder, purchased at the Wolseley centre, might encourage goldfinches which are pretty in colours and song, but I was prepared for maybe having to wait many months to see them.  As it was redpolls appeared within a week, I have never seen these so close up before.  The male doesn’t visit as often as the two females, which appear daily.  I thought it doesn’t matter if I never get goldfinches because the redpolls are so nice anyway.  But then two goldfinches appeared on Friday morning.  One flapped around nervously and didn’t stay very long but the other stayed a good while.  I have not seen them since but they know where my feeder is now so I think they will return again sometime.  That’s new redpolls and goldfinches into my garden within two weeks of buying the niger feeder.  I’m very pleased.

Relevant on twitter: @Nicky_Davis_ @StaffsWildlife @_BTO @Natures_Voice @bitofstone

Gove the Bully

We are seeing a transformation of schools, for the worse in my personal opinion, from local community schools to academies controlled by central government.  Tragically both the previous Labour government and the current Conservative government are imposing this on us, there has been little choice for the electorate as the two major parties both promote it.  Democracy is eroded in academies because in many cases parent and staff representation on governing bodies is minimal. 

I would like to see parents, staff and communities protest if they do not wish their school to become an academy and resist coercion along a path they do not want.  They should make their decision, not Gove’s decision.

There are some truly shameful cases where academy status is being forced on schools against their will.  Such an example is Coleraine Park Primary School in Haringey, London.  Their press release says it all.  The governing body says it was treated with contempt by Mr Gove, they refer to 

"the lack of consideration and respect shown to the committed group of volunteers who comprise the Governing Body, in addition to the wider school community of staff, parents and, most importantly, students".

They say that if they had not accepted the DfE imposition

"the Governing Body would have been swiftly replaced by an unelected and unaccountable Interim Executive Board. (I.E.B.)".

Clearly the DfE should want to improve education, but academies are not the answer, especially accompanied by such awful treatment of all the people involved.  Clearly the school staff will want to improve education too!  I honestly can’t see how bullying the governing body and disrespecting those concerned is going to help.

Closer to home in Stoke-on-Trent, Holden Lane High School Specialist Sports College, according to a statement from Stoke-on-Trent City Council, has had it’s governing body removed.  The Labour local authority claims it is “supporting” the school by “replacing the governing body with an Interim Executive Board”.  What makes this board superior over governors elected by those they represent?  If that’s their idea of support I’d dread to think what their idea of opposition would be!

Back in Haringey, the Coleraine Park Primary School governors call the procedure a farce and conclude that Gove

"bullied them into a decision in a way that nobody wants".

Do we really think this is the way to behave in a so-called civilised country?  Would we think it acceptable for our children in these schools to behave that way to one another?  What an awful example to be setting to our young people.

I think the Haringey example is the small tip of a very big iceberg and our school system is in grave danger of being sunk by it.

Gove – Shame on you!

Some ‘Highlights’ From The Education Act 2011

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2011/21/notes/contents

This act completed its passage through parliament by receiving royal assent on15^th November 2011.  It makes for some grim reading in places.  I have picked just a few selected areas to comment on, from my personal point of view.

Section 2 gives school staff the power to search students if there are reasonable grounds to suspect they have weapons, illegal drugs and alcohol or stolen property.  Action would be needed on these things but it is the role of the police to deal with criminal offences, I would think it unlikely that staff would want to get involved in this way.

Section 5 removes the right of parents to 24 hours notice of detention of a student outside school hours.  This is not a good idea.  It may cause disruptions to other members of the family, including other children, and could cause transport problems and undue worry to parents.  Parents are blamed for poor parenting but it doesn’t help if they are not given the information or control they need relating to their child.  If they know about the detention beforehand they have the opportunity to add their own discussion with their child and reprimand.  Of course schools can still choose to give advanced notice despite the act.

Section 13 imposes reporting restrictions on allegations of teacher misconduct until this has been investigated.  This seems fair under an initial presumption of innocence.

Section 20 requires community, voluntary and foundation schools to participate in surveys.  This is daft as it does not include academies and free schools, especially given that it is clear that Michael Gove is undertaking a massacre of the other types of schools anyway.  Perhaps that‘s why he puts the requirements in, to find further excuses to academise these schools against their will.

Section 25 abolishes the Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency.  I can’t say I’ll miss it but that is not to say I have any confidence whatsoever in the way curriculum might be developed in its place.

Section 29 requires maintained schools to secure impartial careers guidance for students about all 16-18 education and training opportunities.  This is a good idea in principle but sources of such advice could be difficult to find. Again, why exclude academies and free schools from this?  Don’t those students have the same right to an informed choice?  Or will they be channelled down a route not necessarily chosen by them?

Section 31 repeals the key stage 4 diploma entitlement.  Good, this was a crazy, cumbersome and largely useless system the previous Labour government was imposing, business led with hardly a consideration of students and teachers. 

Section 35 on school meals is good in the sense that it does not allow maintained schools to profit from school meals.  But why leave academies and free schools able to overcharge for meals?  But it allows different charges to different pupils for the same meal, which is just obviously unfair.

Section 37 demands that any new school proposed by a local authority must be an academy.  For those of us who believe that academies do not allow proper democratic involvement by parents and teachers in their governance, as well as giving a poorer guarantee of a broad and fair education, this is obviously not a good thing, but unsurprising given that both the previous Labour government and the current Conservative government have forced this route.  Decent education is in decline under all these politicians.

Section 46 allows far too much meddling by the Secretary of State in local authorities’ financial provisions for the schools it maintains.

Section 55 seems to be the one being used by Michael Gove to force academies on schools deemed to require intervention.  This is despite the fact that there is no evidence that this will improve performance.  And what about underperforming academies?  What is to be done with them?  He is just a bully who does not care a jot about what local families using the school think.  How can he imagine such a horrible tactic will encourage a school to flourish?  More on that one to come I think.

Section 74 requires under the Conservatives, as it did under Labour, that compulsory education or training will be extended to age 18.  I don’t agree with this.  I am a strong believer in the value of post-16 education but I would not like it to be compulsory.  If a young person wishes to start work at 16 instead, I don’t see why they shouldn’t.  Not that there are many jobs to go to at present.  This reduction in choice can only be a bad thing, for the young people ending up in more education when they don’t want to be there and for the other young people and teachers they may be causing disruption to.

Section 76 allows in higher education higher interest rates for student loans, plunging students into even more debt, disgraceful!  If the state wants the young to be educated then it, we the taxpayers, should pay for this and not burden these young people with huge debt they will still be saddled with much later in life.

Well there are good points in this act, but they are few and far between.  It does look like some bureaucracy is removed but at the expense of democratic rights, particularly of local communities, the students and their families.  There is rampant academisation under the Tories, as there was under Labour.  The future education for our young people looks very bleak indeed.