Survey: Breeding Waders of Wet Meadows 2021 - volunteers needed!
It’s not too late to sign up!
This survey, last performed in 2002, aims to assess existing and new wet grassland and other breeding wader habitats. There are 24 Herts sites that have yet to be allocated to surveyors.
Go to Breeding Waders of Wet Meadows 2021 to view list of available sites, full details of the survey and how to sign up.
Hertfordshire Rookeries 2021
Rookeries have been surveyed in Hertfordshire for many years, and in 2021 the Bird Club has received records of over 4000 nests from more than 200 rookeries. This year a new interactive map
has been produced to show the sites and nest counts, as well as known sites that have not yet been checked, and sites previously used but found to be abandoned this year.
It is not too late to contribute by checking the outstanding rookeries or submitting details of other unrecorded sites via the records submission page. Please include a nest count and grid reference where possible
The map can be found here
Any feedback or errors with the map can be sent to Graham Knight: gpk593@gmail.com
April Garden Bird Challenge 2021
April 2020 proved beyond doubt what a huge variety of birds visit and fly over our Hertfordshire gardens with 123 species being recorded from 113 gardens. While lockdown restrictions are easing and many will seek birds further afield, there remains the opportunity to continue recording what we see and hear from our garden this April.
We are therefore encouraging everyone to add their sightings to the Spring Herts Garden Watch Googlesheet during April – spending as much or as little time birding from your garden as you like. There’s lots of potential with Spring migrants arriving and, for the more intrepid, the possibility of “nocmig” records of birds migrating at night. Please email for any issues using the Googlesheet.
To add a further challenge, we are planning a 48-hr garden bird race on the weekend of 17th/18th April with bonus points and prizes up for grabs!
As with previous garden bird counts, any birds seen or heard from your garden or house can be counted. The only rule is that you must be present – so records from a recording device are not permitted. We’ll be posting a weekly “Garden Bird Report” to the website with highlights of each week’s sightings.
Surveys and projects
Please visit the Surveys and projects page for details and how to take part in all ongoing and planned surveys including three for 2021 : Breeding Waders, Turtle Doves and Urban Gulls.
And go to BBS-WBBS to find vacant squares in Herts for the ongoing Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) and Waterways Breeding Birds Survey (WBBS).
Why not join in with these incredibly important surveys this spring? They are the main source of population trend information about the UK's widespread breeding birds, an important indicator of the health of the countryside.
Taking part if easy: just visit a local square twice during the breeding season and record all birds you see or hear.
Publication of records during Covid-19 UPDATE 29-Mar.21
Following the end of lockdown on 29th March, the Herts Bird Club is resuming the publication of most records of scarce and rare birds. We will however exercise our discretion not to publish records for locations where it would be difficult to follow Government rules on social distancing, and will not publish records from closed nature reserves. Please follow guidelines in relation to social distancing at all times.
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HNHS News
Optimow 2024 – citizen science to help garden pollinators
Scientists are inviting gardeners interested in helping bees, butterflies and other pollinators to take part in a study to discover how grass mowing can be timed to maximise their impact.
Participants in the Optimow 2024 project, organised by the Brown Lab at Royal Holloway, University of London will be asked to follow a mowing frequency plan, while submitting weekly counts of the key pollinators sighted in their gardens.
Conference highlights varying fortunes of wildfowl and wetland birds in Herts
The 2024 Hertfordshire Bird Conference drew a capacity audience at Affinity Water’s headquarters in Hatfield on Sat 2nd March 2024. The theme was wetlands and especially gravel pits with talks by Graham White on the fortunes of waterbirds on the restored gravel pits of the Colne Valley and a talk by Herts. Bird Club Chair, Rupert Evershed, on the birds of Stanborough Gravel Pits.
This report includes links to videos allowing those who missed the conference to catch-up with the main presentations.
Lecturer explains how beavers can bring benefits for wildlife and humans
Bringing Eurasian Beavers to an estate in Essex has delivered improvements in biodiversity while helping prevent flooding in a nearby village.
The positive consequences of reintroducing a species that became extinct in Britain in the late 18th century were described by Sarah Brockless, ecologist at the Spains Hall Estate, when she gave the Gerald Salisbury Memorial Lecture in Welwyn Civic Centre on Wednesday 28 February.
Photo: Eurasian Beaver at Spains Hall Estate © Russell Savory