Species focus: Gadwall

Winter is a time when hundreds of thousands of wildfowl from other countries appear in the UK. The huge flocks of swans, geese and ducks, with some males showing brightly coloured plumage, means less assuming birds are easily overlooked. One such species is the gadwall. At first glance it might appear that other birds, such as the humble mallard, are considerably more attractive, but it is the detailed plumage of the gadwall that make this species full of undervalued beauty.

The male gadwall does not display bright colours like other wildfowl species, such as teal, but instead has a brown-grey head and an apparent grey body. Some would say it sounds a rather dull bird, but if you look closely at the male’s ‘grey’ plumage you can see an interwoven pattern of barred white and black, which looks somewhat like the intricate trail of a worm under the sand. The black eye and dark bill give its soft, patterned, brown face a delicate appearance, with the warming croaking sound it makes being utterly charming. It’s white belly, black rear and yellow legs are further endearing features.

Thoughts from the air

I recently found myself elevated into the clouds on a journey I was taking over the UK. As much as being on the ground is a great assessment of habitat, the ability to see the florets of broccoli shaped trees amongst the patchwork of farm fields really gives you an understanding of what is meant by the phrase ‘the classic English countryside’.

Why Attenborough Documentaries will always be needed

For nature lovers Attenborough documentaries are the pinnacle of conservation inspiration. They are however much more than that as they create a time when discussing wildlife and nature becomes the ‘hot’ topic and those who are in the minority for their love of the environment are now at the forefront of the discussion. Shouting about how amazing nature is suddenly becomes ‘cool’.

More than one non-native crayfish species in the UK

Signal crayfish, Pacifastacus leniusculus. Image GGNNSS.

The threat of the North American signal crayfish to the native white-clawed crayfish is well-known but what about the other non-native crayfish species in the UK? What are they and do they pose a threat to the white-clawed crayfish?

How garden bird feeders affect bird behaviour and migration

People putting out food on bird tables and artificial feeders is a common occurrence in the UK. It gives us a chance to engage with the natural world and see garden birds up close. The food however is not just being eaten by our beloved garden birds, it is also affecting their behaviour.

Where have the greenfinches gone?

Amongst the hustle of a garden feeding station the flash of olive green would alert you to the presence of a greenfinch, perching on the hanging bird feeder, using its specially designed bill to exploit the available seed. However the abundance of greenfinches has declined in many areas, certainly noticeably in gardens where I live as they have not been present now for some years. The reason though, may have in fact been linked to the garden feeding stations that they so favoured.

Breaking the birdwatching stereotype – Anyone of any age

For a long time the image of a birdwatcher or naturalist has been stereotyped as an older gentleman, who wears one of those green waistcoats with an abundance of pockets (who really has that much stuff to put in all those pockets anyway?), jumping out of bushes in an artistic fashion and chasing after the latest rarity. And what about the women? Television programs have portrayed birdwatchers as rather ‘out there’ people with strange habits, especially depicted this way in murder mysteries for some reason.

UK mammals back from the brink

Following on from last week’s article about UK birds this piece looks at mammals in the UK which were once extinct or close to it in many UK counties and are now making a comeback, although they still may be threatened.

UK birds back from the brink

Throughout centuries human interference has had a substantial effect on bird populations. Many species became extinct in the UK before important schemes were put in place to bring them back from the brink, but now various populations are thriving.

Is habitat in Scotland too fragmented for lynx reintroduction?

Reintroducing keystone species is currently a well debated conservation topic, with the reintroduction of lynx to the United Kingdom being at the forefront. With human infrastructure, especially roads, and remaining forest located in patches, is suitable habitat in Scotland simply too fragmented to support a viable population of lynx?