Call for Twite monitoring volunteers!

Katie Aspin of the RSPB has asked me to post this - please get in contact wih her direct if you are intersted in helping this spring!

  

 Vo    Volunteer Role Profile

Role Title:	Twite Monitoring Volunteer.  Project Title – Twite use of trial feeding habitats
Where:	South Pennines farms near to Ripponden, Marsden, Littleborough, Walsden and Hurstwood
When:	March, April possibly into May
Commitment:	4 days minimum – each site will need to be visited at least 4 times over the monitoring period.
Why We Want You:	The twite is a 'red-listed' species whose population has declined substantially in England. To arrest this decline, trial management measures have been deployed at farms in the South Pennines to increase breeding season seed food availability. This project will collect bird and environmental data to evaluate the use of these habitats by foraging twite.
What’s In It For You:	A chance to get some practical experience of conservation monitoring work on a very rare bird, plus spectacular views of the South Pennines landscape and plenty of fresh air!
The Skills / Talents You’ll Need:	We are looking for somebody with good bird ID skills, preferably with previous experience of twite ID, both visually and on call.  Excellent observation skills and a methodical approach to data collection will be key, as will patience and persistence.  You will need to be physically fit to cope with the demands of working in the uplands.  We need someone who is comfortable working alone in remote areas, but who can communicate effectively with landholders and project staff.
Notes:	You will need to be able to travel to the farms, so your own transport is a must as most of the farms are in isolated locations. Training will be provided by RSPB staff.
For more information, contact:	Katie Aspin – Twite Project Officer Email – katrina.aspin@rspb.org.uk Phone - 07736722177

There was an old Oak--.

My previous post was about Burnley's oldest tree in a field just outside Towneley Hall.

Contrast that Oak with this one about half its age, within Towneley Hall grounds. It has had drastic limb removal, no doubt out of safety concerns and nearness to a path. But the tree is unlikely to survive and I doubt they expected it to, even though there is some desperate reactive growth.
Note the ubiquitous mown grass around the trunk.

I didn't see the Oak before work was done but one has to ask if other interventions were considered, such as a progressive crown reduction, that may have allowed this tree to survive.

The Ancient Tree Forum has plenty of advice on how to manage older trees in order to avoid outcomes such as this.

There is no shortage of new woodland being created but is anyone actually planting trees? And will future generations have ones such as the Colden Sycamore to admire? (You may expect this tree to have a Preservation Order but I will leave that for you to discover!)


                                                           200 years and then this.

 Lapsed Sycamore pollard above Colden Valley

Burnley's Oldest Tree

Many of you will have visited Towneley Park at Burnley but may not have seen this 400+ year old pollard Oak. It is not mentioned on any of the info boards or fingerposts within the Park. The only noticeboard is adjacent to the actual site and comes as a surprise.

But of all the people that pass by, I never see anyone looking at the tree. Perhaps people don't 'see' trees outside of a woodland.

This Oak perfectly illustrates the notion "You don't find Ancient Trees in Ancient Woodland". They have separate histories and keep at arms length.

My first photo was taken in June 10 years ago. The others in January 2018. Notice the long meadow grass in the earlier photo and the present sheep nibbled grass.

Maybe they will move the sheep out and let the meadow grow for the summer. I hope so---the tree will be nourished by the long grass and will keep the roots moist in a dry summer. Sheep congregate under trees and too much Nitrogen deposited via dunging can damage the essential soil-fungi/root relationship.

Seek this tree out if you are in Burnley--old trees benefit from being looked at. They get lonely otherwise.

                                                             
                                                                       June 2008

                                                                      January 2018

Tree Planting on a Grand Scale

Most people will have read the Government announcement a few days ago about the 50 million trees to be planted to create a Northern Forest. It has been published in all the newspapers, on TV and everywhere.

But it seems Huddersfield has its ear to the ground; their newspaper published the same news in March 2017. http://www.examiner.co.uk/news/west-yorkshire-news/huddersfield-included-plans-northern-forest-12772039

Fungi

This fungi was seen on dead trunk of a sycamore at end of December. Can someone suggest a name for it?

Xylella fastidiosa

I first mentioned this bacterial disease as a cause for concern, nearly 2 years ago on this blog. It has now come to the attention of our daily newspapers and the plant industry, which are all warning of the dire consequences if the disease arrives in this country.

The bacterium was confined to the Americas and Taiwan until found in Italy in 2013.

It is classed as the world's worst plant disease and affects hundreds of species, including several species of trees grown in the UK; Oak is one.

It is unusual compared to most bacteria that cause plant diseases in that it can multiply within most plant species.

It is spread by sap-suckers such as frog hoppers etc. and produces symptoms similar to drought conditions ie leaf scorching, dieback and death.

There are now 4 known sub-species of the bacterium, one previously unknown that is now raging through Southern Italy, killing thousands of Olive trees, many of which may be a thousand years old. 

Some observers say the disease is likely to arrive at any time in the UK (an imported coffee plant with the disease has already been found and destroyed). The Forestry Commission says;-

"There is a heightened risk of its being accidentally introduced since its discovery in Italy, Corsica and mainland France. We therefore urge the public, especially tree and plant professionals, to remain vigilant for signs of it, and to report suspicious trees to us. Xylella fastidiosa is a quarantine organism, so there is an obligation to report any trees suspected of being infected by it. Please report suspected cases to us with our Tree Alert on-line disease reporting form."

Proofreader needed

Hi all , I have been putting together the updated version of the Moth and Butterflies of Calderdale (including the first micro List)  . I have done all i can and now need someone to give it a read and pull out all the spelling / grammer mistake. (anyone who knows me  will know there will be many ). Any help greatly accepted .leave message below if you can help.....

Nesting instinct

I have a pair of Collared Doves at Barkisland with new nest, no eggs yet. This mild spell might induce them. It's in a big evergreen shrub, their usual site. (Update - 2 eggs at 11.30am on 23rd Dec. two is their usual clutch size, in common with most dove species; I  have seen three, but this could have been a case of  egg "dumping" by another female.)

Starlings aren't common in my garden, but a chattering coming from round the side of the house prompted me to look and there was one just coming out of the box, and his/her mate up on the troughing. This box was first used by them last summer. I'm not aware of them nesting unseasonably, but they're obviously booking their spot for later.

Not nesting but feeding, I had a Goldcrest in a large Norway Spruce in Hanson Lane yesterday, one that was probably a Christmas tree many years ago. The bird seemed out of context, among the terraced streets.

Derivation of the word "Spruce Tree"

As part of the word “spruce,” there is “Pruce”. This was an old form of the designation of the former (1525-1935) Germanic nation known as Prussia.

An expression like “das Pruce” evolved to refer to the region’s main evergreen tree (aka Prussian fir) with the preceding word “s” misinterpreted for being part of the word; thus making “spruce.”   

                                                 ----------------------------------

Well I've never heard that explanation before!

Have your say!

Just a reminder to have your say about the Brearley Fields and also Milner Royd/Copley Valley sites -  both online questionnaires need to be sent back by 31^st December 2017

Brearley Fields

Calderdale Council are undertaking a consultation as to what to do with Brearley Fields site, plans which could include a wetland habitat with reeds.

Click the link below to have your say and contribute to its future.

https://www.calderdale.gov.uk/survey/brearley-fields/

Milner Royd/Copley Valley

A major funding bid is in progress which includes Copley Valley Green Corridor, which runs along the south bank of the River Calder, and Milner Royd Nature Reserve. If successful, there will be funds to develop the biodiversity and recreational potential of these sites.

Milner Royd/Copley Valley Green Corridor Consultation

Some more Practical Conservation Work members can get involved in:

The Friends of Roils Head Tree Planting! Roils Head Moor next to Bridleway Hx 548 (at the top of Broadley Road and Rye Lane) 1.30pm – 3pm Saturday 2 December 2017 The FoRH (with Calderdale MBC Countryside Team) will be planting a Woodland Trust Tree Pack along the moor side of the Bridleway. To create a natural hedgerow and to establish more food sources for wildlife in the area. Creating a living legacy for future generations. All are welcome to come and help! Please wear appropriate clothing.

The Friends of Roils Head (FoRH) The aims of the group are to protect, conserve and enhance Roils Head Moor as a place of recreation, education and enjoyment for the long-term benefit of all sections of the local community and schools. Facebook Page / Messenger users search for @roilshead Non users https://www.facebook.com/Roilshead

Deer Farm at Todmorden, just east of the golf course.

We came across these young fawns with a female ( a Doe) sheltering from the cold wind near the road as we walked up from Cross Stone. 

A white male puzzled me for a while until it stood next to one which was obviously a Fallow Buck, from its palmate antlers and spotted coat. The white buck (white hart?) has broken antlers, but their head shape and sizes are identical, so I think they are both Fallow Deer. White Fallows are quite common; I once flushed a magnificently-antlered white buck which went leaping away in the New Forest, Hampshire. This seems an unsuitable field to keep a species that loves the deep sheltering wildwood. 

Anyone willing to identify this other group of deer in the same field as the Fallows? They were obviously bigger and heavier. I'm not sure till I get the books out.

Possible funding to "develop biodiversity and recreational potential of the area."

Karen Elliott <karen@cflandscape.co.uk>
to me, Howard.Owen, Louise

I would be grateful if you could pass the following information on to your members.

A bid for European funding has been  organised by Calderdale Council, in partnership with the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, the Environment Agency, local community groups and Genr8 Developments.  This bid is a large one, covering several sites along the River Calder, from Hebden Bridge down to Brighouse, one of which is the Milner Royd Local Nature Reserve and the Copley Valley Green Corridor.  The bid has passed the first stage of the applications, and we are now preparing the second stage.  If successful, there will be funds to develop the biodiversity and recreational potential of these sites.

For the second stage bid, the detailed proposals for Milner Royd and Copley Valley have to be submitted.  In order to determine the proposals, a community consultation exercise is taking place, with an open day on Sunday 19 November 2017 based at the PSL Group offices in Unit 2, and an online questionnaire available until 31 December 2017.  The questionnaire can be found at

https://www.calderdale.gov.uk/survey/copley-milner-green-corridor

I attach a copy of the flier for the open day (9am to 12 noon) which has been distributed to homes and businesses surrounding the site.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Many thanks.

Karen

---------------------------------------------------------------
I couldn't copy and paste the flyer Karen attached but basically it says this:  

COMMUNITY CONSULTATION
OPEN DAY
Sunday 19th November 2017
9.00am to 12.00 noon
At PLS Group Unit 2 Copley Valley Business Park

Disease Control

St. Ive's woodland at Bingley is undergoing a great change as all the Larch trees are being felled.

Many of these were planted en masse so it is leaving swathes of open areas. They are being felled because of Phytophthora ramorum disease, which was only found in the country in 2002 but since then millions of (mainly) Larch trees have had to be removed.

Beech are affected by this disease in Todmorden park and I suspect throughout the valley.

The contractor said there would be re-planting at St. Ives but didn't say with what. Let's hope there is some design to it, so that it may eventually resemble a woodland.

At the moment it is a vast improvement, as all the unthinned mature Larch were a gloomy sight. Does it need any re-planting?

Nothing changes

"It must be confessed that the English population is lacking in the primary instincts necessary for the creation  and maintenance of agreeable surroundings to a greater extent than any other nation in Western civilisation".

This was written by the "Roads Beautifying Association" in their Roadside Planting book of 1930, published by Country Life. It was said in reaction to wanton destruction of most of the trees and shrubs planted by the roadsides in the 1920's.

Stanley Baldwin, Prime Minister, said in 1927 "There ought to be an unwritten code that to defile any of these great roads, either by ugly surroundings, by hoggish behaviour along them, or by upsetting or spilling litter on them, should be a bar to a man from entering any decent club or any decent home circle".

There is a very interesting history surrounding the RBA and its precursor the Roads of Remembrance Association. They make for fascinating reading and it makes you wonder if the 1930 quote I began with, contains an element of truth.

Can you lend a hand? Moors and moths!

Calderdale Countryside Services run regular morning sessions doing practical conservation work on Norland Moor.  Next dates : 18th Oct, 15th Nov, 20th Dec, 17th Mar, 21 Mar.  Contact Robin Dalton on : 07712867619 for more details of where to meet etc.

Also, this Wednesday 11th Oct, Robin and Chris Sutcliffe are running a moth trapping night, meeting opposite the Moorcock, Norland at 7.00pm.  But please check with Robin first!