It's cold, the days are getting shorter, man-flu will soon set in for the winter and so I am on the look out for good news to lift the gloom.
Here then are 25 positive stories which have been compiled by my colleague Andy Evans who heads our Nature Recovery Unit. This reflects the fantastic work that we have done with a huge range of partners for a large number of species.
So, if you need cheering up, just sit back, start humming Louis Armstrong's "What a Wonderful World" and read some of the highlights from the RSPB's conservation efforts this year..
1) The recovery of bittern continues - this year there were 70 confirmed nests more than half of which were on RSPB reserves.
2) Worker short-haired bumblebees were found at Dungeness proving that the reintroduced queens had bred.
3) Three pairs of black-winged stilt bred in 2014. One at our new Medmerry reserve raised 4 young, less than a year after the seawall was breached!
4) As a result of mink eradication at RSPB Insh Marshes water voles have returned after an absence of 20 years.
5) This was the final year of crane school and the class of 2014 graduated with flying colours to join a flock of more than 70 now gracing the Somerset Levels.
6) The Disney Fund have given $25,000 for work on European eel. This will secure management at 3 key RSPB reserves as well as education, survey and interpretation work.
7) Corncrakes had a record breaking year: 2014 saw 1,316 calling males in GB & IoM. The highest number since our conservation programme began and the reintroduced population in England increased 3 fold.
8) The stone-curlew LIFE+ project is bearing fruit. A 3,300ha agri-environment agreement on Ministry of Defence land in Norfolk should restore essential grass-heath for nesting birds and other wildlife.
9) More than 30 spikes of Irish lady’s tresses were found at Portmore Lough. The first time they have been recorded at that reserve.
10) The cirl bunting reintroduction to Cornwall is going well. The population increased from 28 to 39 pairs, which produced over 100 fledglings.
11) In 2013 Western Isles corn buntings crashed from 76 to 49 pairs. We deployed emergency winter feeding stations and in 2014 the population recovered to 56 pairs.
12) A raft of new SPA/MPA designations in Scotland and Wales will afford much needed protection for species like gannets, the outrageously long-lived ocean quahog, the critically important lesser sandeel, shags, the black guillemot (or tystie), the harbour porpoise, kittiwakes and puffins.
13) The LIFE+ little tern project has had a fantastic first year. Increased wardening helped secure bumper productivity at 6 sites.
14) Eradication of rats on St Agnes and Gugh had immediate effect, with the first records of Manx shearwater chicks in living memory.
15) The first storm petrels bred on Lundy 10 years after RSPB led rat eradication.
16) Lapwing pairs increased on reserves for the second year running and productivity of fenced sites was (on average!) 1.2 chicks per pair. This is enough to fuel population expansion in the future.
17) The RSPB is gearing up to tackle the declines in curlew down 45% in breeding abundance between 1995 and 2011.
18) Seven pairs of Montagu’s harriers nested in England and with RSPB organised nest protection, raised 17 young.
19) There are now too many white-tailed eagles in Scotland to count! With over 80 pairs including 14 new pairs on the West coast and 4 on the East, we have moved to sample monitoring.
20) Red kites continue to soar high the latest BBS shows an increase of 805% since 1995.
21) In 2013, no hen harriers nested in England but in 2014 they returned with four nests. Serious problems remain, but we remain committed to ensuring this fabulous bird is able to fly free from harm.
22) An autumn survey in Rudong, China located 225 spoon-billed sandpipers - c.75% of the world population! Knowing where the birds are will help us address the threats
23) Plans have been drawn up for the first releases of captive bred Gyps vultures in India. We are winning the war against diclofenac and creating safe areas for the birds
24) Through the continued efforts of the Albatross Task Force mitigation measures are working around the globe with a 99% reduction in bycatch in South Africa!
25) The cat eradication on Ascension is bearing fruit with seabird populations rapidly increasing.
I hope you kept humming and enjoyed the snippets of success. These were achieved thanks to the dedication and professionalism of our staff working with our fabulous partners. Here's to even more conservation success next year.
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Photo credits
Bittern – Andy Hay (rspb-images.com)Short-haired bumblebee Nikki GammansWater-vole – Danny Green (rspb-images.com)Crane school – Nick Upton (rspb-images.com)European eel – uncredited - WikipediaSwift – Earnie Janes (rspb-images.com)Corncrake - (rspb-images.com)Stone curlew – Chris Gomersall (rspb-images.com)Irish lady’s tresses – uncredited – Wildlifeextra.comCirl bunting – Andy Hay (rspb-images.com)Corn bunting – Andy EvansGrassholm – David Wotton (rspb-images.com)Gannet – Andy Hay (rspb-images.com)Lesser sandeel –– Mark Thomas (marlin.ac.uk)Black guillemot – Chris Gomersall (rspb-images.com)Harbour porpoise - Genevieve Leaper (rspb-images.com)Little tern with eggs – Andy Hay (rspb-images.com)Little tern with chicks – Kevin SimmondsManx shearwater in flight – Genevieve Leaper (rspb-images.com)Manx shearwater chick – Isle of Scillies Seabird Recovery ProjectStorm petrel – Chris Gomersall (rspb-images.com)Lapwing adult – Andy Hay (rspb-images.com)Lapwing chick – Mike Land (rspb-images.com)Curlew – Andy Hay (rspb-images.com)Montagu’s harrier – Roger Tidman (rspb-images.com)White-tailed eagle – Peter Cairns (rspb-images.com)Red kite – Chris Gomersall (rspb-images.com)Hen harrier – Andy Hay (rspb-images.com)Albatross – Cleo SmallFrigate birds – Ian Fisher
This cheered me up on a dank November morning. It's good to think that when I visited Insh Marshes in June a water vole may have been munching away just below the reserve's fantastic look-out platform.