The RSPB magazine uncovered

Your stories: A mission to reduce health inequalities

2022-12-20T11:09:00Z

RSPB member Shahid Islam is on a mission to reduce health inequalities by bringing nature into people’s lives.

Bradford has been named City of Culture for 2025 but one of its residents, Shahid Islam, hopes to add another accolade to this: “I’d love for it to be known one day as a city of horticulture.”

Shahid works hard, through his job as an academic and as a community activist, to make Bradford a city where everyone has access to green spaces. “I engage communities in as many ways as possible to get them interested in nature for both environmental and health reasons,” he explains. Whether it’s through his work as a senior research fellow at the Bradford Institute for Health Research (BIHR), volunteering at community gardens, or finding ways to communicate the benefits of nature to deprived communities, he's dedicated to improving lives and reducing health inequalities by increasing access to green spaces and raising awareness of their benefits.

At work, Shahid has seen clear evidence that nature makes us happier and healthier. One of the many projects he’s been involved with is Born in Bradford – a study tracking the lives of over 30,000 Bradfordians to find out how the health and wellbeing of the city’s residents can be improved. The research team sent 10 key recommendations for action to the Bradford Metropolitan District Council as a result – one of which is to improve access and availability to high-quality green spaces to enhance physical and mental health.

The Born in Bradford research found a link between green spaces and a reduced risk of depression in pregnant mothers, healthier birthweight, and improved mental wellbeing in young children. But the research has also brought to light stark inequalities in access to these all-important green spaces: people living in deprived parts of Bradford have less access to them, and they’re less satisfied with the green spaces that they do have.

Across the city, there are significant health inequalities: between the most and least deprived areas of Bradford, there’s a 10-year difference in life expectancy. And it’s not just about how long people live – it’s how well they live, too. It’s Shahid and the BIHR’s mission to put this research into practice and narrow this gap by bringing the benefits of nature to those who need it the most.

In densely-populated inner-city areas where green spaces might be limited, unused sites can be given a new lease of life as community gardens – and it’s these sorts of places that Shahid champions. He frequently volunteers at local gardens such as Horton Community Farm – a once derelict dumping ground transformed into a thriving community green space – and he’s been involved in plans to transform a space within the hospital he works at into a wildlife-friendly peace garden. Shahid said, “Wherever such gardens are created, you can really sense an improvement in the way people feel about where they live and the positive effect this has on their health and wellbeing,” he observes.

Green spaces don’t have to be big to be impactful – even the smallest of back gardens can be put to good use with a little thought. The process of transforming these spaces brings a multitude of benefits for our physical and mental health, too. Physically, gardening improves our cardiovascular health and strengthens our muscles. In turn, this physical activity triggers the release of feel-good endorphins, and reduces the levels of the body’s stress hormones; even the smell of soil has anti-depressant properties. And then there’s the sense of achievement and self-esteem boost that comes with gardening – whether it's successfully growing new vegetables or seeing the seeds you’ve sown flourish into blooming flowers.

But it’s not just about creating and improving green spaces – another challenge is getting people to realise the benefits they bring. Shahid wrote a compelling article for a community magazine on the benefits of gardening – reaching 6500 homes in Little Horton, one of Bradford’s most deprived wards. Shahid was pleasantly surprised by how many people were inspired to get green-fingered in response to his article, with some even taking up gardening as a serious hobby. Beyond Bradford’s back gardens, Shahid also organised a minibus to take people from poorer parts of the city to RHS Garden Harlow Carr in Harrogate to grow people’s interest in the healing powers of nature.

As a keen academic and community activist and member of the British Pakistani community, Shahid seeks to get as many people interested in nature in as many ways as he can. Every action, whether academic or practical, is a step towards creating that city of horticulture of which he dreams.

This blog is an extended version of our 'Your Stories' feature from the autumn/winter 2022 issue of The RSPB Magazine.

On my patch: Ruislip Woods

2022-04-20T14:52:00Z

Kabir Kaul, Member of the RSPB Youth Council

It’s summer in Ruislip Woods. The groves of dappled sunlight are packed with marbled white butterflies, while sparrowhawks search for prey. Purple emperors tumble from the tree tops, soon the redstarts and spotted flycatchers will pass by on migration. Out on the lido swallows and house martins skim for insects, returning to the same nests each year, and migratory hobby’s swoop down from the trees to snatch the occasional dragonfly. Common terns search for fish to eat, goldfinches perch in the trees and, a great clamouring call, London’s famous ring-necked parakeets announce their presence.

Kabir at Ruislip Woods

My patch is Ruislip Woods, a large area of woodland, wetland and grassland in Ruislip, Northwest London. It is London’s first National Nature Reserve, a Site of Specific Scientific Interest and the largest area of continuous woodland in the capital. Straddling urban and rural areas, this place holds many surprises throughout the year; in particular, a vast array of bird species.

Ruislip Woods actually consists of four woodlands: Park Wood, a huge ancient woodland; Copse Wood; Mad Bess Wood (named after a fierce landowner!); and Bayhurst Wood Country Park, separated from the rest of the reserve by a main road. The trees making up these woodlands hornbeam, beech, wild service and oak, and these woods actually originated as wildwood – woodlands that formed after the last ice age.

Ruislip Woods, Kabir Kaul

In the heart of the area lies Ruislip Lido, a large lake that used to feed the nearby Grand Junction Canal in the 19th Century. For a number of decades the lake has been left for nature to reclaim, though on hot days the Ruislip Lido Beach attracts hundreds of people from all over London.

In recent years, the Woods have had its fair share of local rarities. Hawfinches congregated in Park and Bayhurst Woods during a nationwide influx in 2018, and a few short-eared owls spent the beginning of 2019 hunting on the edge of the woodland. Near Mad Bess Wood, a grasshopper warbler was heard reeling in April 2021. The Lido has had multiple visits from Arctic terns, and great white egrets, which are becoming increasingly common in the UK because of warmer temperatures. I’ve even seen the odd wader when the water is low – common sandpiper, little-ringed plover and even jack snipe have briefly paid a visit.

Little ringed plover, Kabir Kaul

Ruislip Woods and its habitats are a magical place, and I feel very lucky to have a place with such stunning birdlife on my doorstep. I hope to visit my patch more in the future, and am excited to discover more of the surprises that each season brings!

Home swift home: How local groups are saving swifts

2022-03-29T13:05:00Z

Alasdair McKee

Join the screaming party

The phrase “screaming party” may conjure an image of toddlers who have had too much cake and jelly, but it also perfectly describes the gatherings of swifts that hurtle through our summer streets at speeds of up to 70mph. It’s one of the most evocative sounds of the season but, sadly, one that's being heard less and less.

Ben Andrew (rspb-images.com) - Swifts, “as if the bow had flown off with the arrow” as said by poet Edward Thomas

Why swifts need our help

Swifts migrate to the UK from Africa to breed in May, but the volume of their screaming masks a worrying decline. Their population has fallen by 58% in 25 years. This is partly due to falling insect numbers but also the loss of traditional nest sites in towns and cities. As old buildings are lost and eaves closed off with soffits, these nest sites disappear.

Protecting nests, and creating new ones, is one of the best ways to help these amazing birds - and RSPB local groups are doing just that around the country.

Surveying swifts near you

RSPB local groups are our voice in the community; volunteers who help support our work for nature. Bromley Local Group is one of many working with swifts, running annual surveys and recording them via the Swiftmapper website. This online tool is available to all, so you could become a citizen scientist and help us survey swifts near you too!

Swiftmapper - Swift sightings recorded across the UK

Working for swift bricks in housing developments

Bromley group has also helped create homes for swifts by influencing local planners. Volunteer Swift Champions review planning applications for new developments and request the installation of hollow swift bricks for birds to nest in. Since starting in 2020, their work has resulted in almost 100 swift bricks being either recommended or made a condition of new developments.

rspb-images.com - Cutaway image of a swift brick

Swift streets and schools

Swift bricks are a great way to help swifts in new buildings, but on older houses, nest boxes are the best option. Lancaster local group teamed up with the local Men's Shed community project who built an amazing 60 nest boxes. Thirty of these will be in the city’s first Swift Street, where residents will create a new colony for these sociable birds. The nearby Lancaster Royal Grammar School is involved too and have installed twenty boxes to add to their existing colony.

Will Walton - The Men’s Shed community project helping make nest boxes

Aiming high

Swifts nest high up, so they like tall buildings – like churches. Our local volunteers in Bolton are working with the Catholic Diocese of Salford to install nest boxes in church towers. A pilot scheme last summer saw swifts nest and breed successfully. Now they plan to expand the project to twenty parishes – and beyond!

Gavin Thomas - St Wilfrid’s church in Longridge, Lancashire, is now home to families of swifts

Meet the swifts

Macclesfield local group work with their RSPB youth groups as ‘Swifts over Macclesfield'. As well as surveying and installing over 100 nest boxes, they are one of several groups doing brilliant work to engage people with swifts, including their local MP. They arrange walks during Swift Awareness Week in July, run art and poetry competitions, and even created Emily the Giant swift who ‘flies’ around the area to raise awareness.

RSPB Macclesfield Local Group - Swifts over Macclesfield spread the word with Emily the giant swift in the background

These are just a handful of the fantastic actions helping swifts around the country. From Bath to Belfast and Carlisle to Cardiff, from Grimsby to Glasgow and Chorleywood to Chester - our local groups and volunteers are doing amazing work.

Feeling inspired?

You can learn more about swifts and how you can help them on our swift pages, map your swift sightings on Swiftmapper, or find your RSPB Local Group to support projects near you. When we work together, we can make a big difference for nature.

RSPB Otmoor nature reserve: Saved by Alice’s meadow in the 1980s

2022-03-10T15:01:00Z

Did you know that before the RSPB bought the land that is now Otmoor nature reserve, it was nearly lost to the M40? A recent article in Nature’s Home sparked many memories of the site’s history, so we decided to take a closer look into the story.

Ben Hall (rspb-images.com)

Otmoor vs the M40

The wetland area of Otmoor became at risk in the 1980s when the then government were looking to expand the M40 motorway from Oxford to Birmingham. The proposal was to head the M40 straight through Otmoor, and to buy the land through compulsory purchase. Back in the 1830s, locals had rioted against the enclosing and draining of the same area. Yet again the local community were determined to protect Otmoor.

Teaming up together

Gathering support, the locals, environmentalists, and the Wheatley Friends of the Earth group worked together. A clever plan was formed. They found a meadow that lay directly where the proposed expansion was planned, which belonged to a local farmer. The group bought it, then split it up and sold individual plots to the locals and supporters. This meant that there were a whopping 3,500 landowners to contend with for the compulsory purchase. Going further still, many of those who owned these individual plots sold them on again. Tracking down the owners was made even more of an impossible task.

Colin Wilkinson (rspb-images.com)

Alice’s Meadow

The campaigners cleverly named the piece of land Alice’s Meadow to gain support and attention. This was a reference to Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carol, which was said to have taken some inspiration from the chessboard-like pattern of the fields of Otmoor.

A great success for nature

In the planning inquiry that followed, it was recommended that Otmoor should be avoided for the M40 expansion due to unique habitats – and the route was altered by a few miles. Otmoor nature reserve was taken on by the RSPB in 1997, less than two decades later.

Eleanor Bentall (rspb-images.com)

Otmoor today

For a peek at the beautiful wetlands and the species that live here today, take a look at the recent video from the Otmoor Appeal where Site Manager David Wilding showcases the site. It’s thanks to you, our wonderful supporters, that we’ve since been able to extend Otmoor and give more space for nature. Otmoor truly is a wildlife haven, with rare curlews, lapwings and many more calling this special place home.

Spring is springing: Signs you’ve been spotting

2022-03-03T08:39:00Z

The change of seasons can bring such joy, with spring feeling like a time of hope, renew and cheer. Thank you for sending in your stories and photos. We’ve loved sharing in the signs of spring you’ve been noticing. It reminded us that we all see the start of the season a little differently, with each of us having our own buds, blooms or awakening animals that mean spring is coming.

Here are some of our favourites. We hope you enjoy them and can take a moment to notice nature waking up near you.

Blooms bringing joy

Snowdrops are often one of the first signs of spring, and many of you agreed. They’re a hardy flower often found in woodland and along riverbanks, but they can pop up in parks, gardens, meadows and scrub too. Snowdrops don’t rely on pollinators but instead on bulb division, though bees and insects will often pay them a visit on warmer days.

“These little beauties hide amongst the ivy behind our oil tank every year, but I still know where to find them! I know we've still got a lot of wintery weather to come but they bring a smile and a feeling that spring is coming. We are so lucky in our area to have wild snowdrops growing along our roadsides, spreading that little bit of cheer.”

Sue Burt

“This is a photo of my dear grandmother’s favourite flower, cowslip, and reminds me of her every year. It’s in a pot near my back door and it’s come out very early this year, and survived the hail we had on Thursday 24^th February!”

Liz Merryfield

Getting out and about again

Spring is of course not just about the blooms. Many of you sent in some brilliant sightings of birds, insects, and all sorts of animals as they become more active. We loved this shot of kingfishers courting in spring. The ritual for kingfisher courtship involves the male approaching the female with a fish in its beak, attempting to feed it to the female. Though if unsuccessful he will eat the fish himself and try again.

“Kingfisher courtship ritual. I've been lucky enough to see this as it happened in North Lincolnshire.”

Brian Hughes

“Barns owls in their nest box. This pair successfully raised two chicks last autumn, they seem to be getting ready to breed again! Photo taken on 6 February.”

John Farnell

“Hares are becoming more active.”

Alan Gray

Keeping us on our toes

Many of you talked about the signs of spring you noticed earlier or later than we usually expect. A common theme was the snowdrops coming a little later and the daffodils a little earlier, or even at the same time. Here are a couple of things you noticed arriving early near you.

"I saw this primrose in flower while doing some volunteer work at the Scottish Wildlife Trust reserve at Woodhall Dean in East Lothian on 11th February this year. It was the only one in flower and was in a fairly sheltered part of the wooded glen, but nevertheless it seemed quite early for this part of Scotland."
Colin Shepherd

“This is the earliest we have ever had frogspawn in the pond in our garden in Liverpool. It's usually early March when the first frogspawn appears, but this photo was taken on February 21st.”

Brenda Cameron

Understanding change

You can read more about why we’re seeing some flowering species come out earlier than usual in this blog by the RSPB’s wildlife gardening expert Adrian Thomas: Bloomin' flowers!

Change does have an impact on wildlife and Adrian also explains how we can help by making our gardens and green spaces as friendly for wildlife as possible.

We may be seeing change, with nature needing some extra help, but we can see all around us that spring is persevering. In the words of American author and naturalist Hal Borland: “No winter lasts forever, no spring skips its turn.”

Nature sights: Well I wasn’t expecting that!

2022-02-25T15:19:00Z

We’ve loved hearing the stories you’ve been sending to us after reading the article in Nature’s Home by Simon Barnes about tuning into nature. It really can be a wonderful way to notice nature moments happening around you when you least expect it. We couldn’t share them all in Nature's Home but here’s a few more marvellous moments with nature!

Mistaking a peregrine and pigeon race for an RAF jet in Snowdonia

As a kid, I joined the Young Ornithologists Club (the then RSPB club for young people) and each weekend would go birdwatching. I did this until I was in my mid-teens because, let's face it, there was no daytime TV or computer games back in the early 1970s. But I have to say my encounters with birds since then have been far more interesting than all my birdwatching expeditions. Perhaps I've just been lucky because I have to say I've been blessed with some memorable moments.

As a student geologist I was doing some mapping in Snowdonia on Moel Siabod. Crouching down at a rock outcrop I heard a noise of rushing wind getting louder and louder. Expecting it to be another low-flying jet trainer from RAF Valley I stood up to have a look, whereupon a pigeon shot a few feet over my head going like the clappers and a peregrine breaking off its dive and zooming back into the sky before circling and flying off. The encounter lasted about one or two seconds. Inadvertently I had saved one lucky pigeon.

Peregrine by Katie Nethercoat (rspb-images.com)

Aerial acrobatics by a spotted flycatcher from the office window

I spent my days at work in an office in Tunbridge Wells. Thankfully, this particular office was a converted house with an incredible garden. When I spotted my first spotted flycatcher doing aerial acrobatics to catch insects, I was over the moon. Imagine my excitement to discover the flycatcher nesting outside my boss’s window! Watching the babies grow and leave the nest made for a very special year in my life of encounters with birds.

As Simon Barnes said, ‘Awake! Listen! Love’ indeed!

Spotted flycatcher by Andy Hay (rspb-images.com)

Battle of Britain: Sparrowhawk vs pigeon

I was walking towards Norbury Park in the Surrey Hills with my camera and binoculars in my backpack under the assumption that I wouldn’t see anything photo-worthy on the suburban roads that lead to the park. Big mistake!

Two pigeon-sized birds flashed across the road in front of me at eye level. It took me a moment to realise a feral pigeon was being pursued by a female sparrowhawk. The sparrowhawk caught the pigeon and had it under control on the road surface. This happened a few meters in front of me and I knew if I made a move to get my camera out, I would possibly scare the sparrowhawk.

I slowly attempted to get my mobile phone out o to film the scene, but as I did so the pigeon escaped the clutches of the sparrowhawk and flew directly at me. For a split second I wasn’t sure what to do and froze in position. The pigeon flew past my right arm arrow-straight.

The pigeon didn’t appear to be hurt and I was marvelling at his getaway when the sparrowhawk flew in pursuit a meter or two behind. I saw this drama unfolding behind me with the pigeon trying desperately to flee the clutches of the sparrowhawk by flying up and then down, like a scene from the Battle of Britain. The pair then went over a hedge, where to the best of my knowledge the prey was caught. How do I know this? The cacophony of noise coming from onlooking magpies and jackdaws suggested to me that the sparrowhawk was successful.

What struck me were the contrasting emotions that I went through during this encounter. . Exhilaration at having witnessed the pursuit. Desperation in the pigeons attempts to escape. Uneasiness at the brutality of the natural world. Plus disappointment that I didn't have my camera out. But as Simon Barnes said: ‘Birds can turn up anywhere and you have to be ready.' Lesson learned!

Sparrowhawk by Ben Hall (rspb-images.com)

Spotting common lizards while inspecting a bug hotel

A couple of years ago my wife and I visited RSPB Arne and near the entrance to the nature reserve spotted an attractive-looking bug hotel. Walking over to inspect it we found little sign of any insect occupants but then caught sight of this pair of very replete and satisfied-looking common lizards apparently taking a post-prandial nap in the spring sunshine on one of the hotel's verandas. We realised this might be linked to the lack of visible bug life!

Common lizards by Peter White

Why we need nature reserves: havens for wildlife and people

2022-02-15T12:32:00Z

Thriving with nature

There’s no doubt that nature reserves provide precious sanctuaries for wildlife. From bitterns in our wetlands to red squirrels in our woodlands, the RSPB’s 220 nature reserves are home to a remarkable 18,000 species. But it’s not just wildlife that benefits from nature reserves.

Nature reserves are good for people too. There’s a wealth of research which shows that time spent in nature can have a positive impact on our health and wellbeing. Recently the RSPB supported a trial involving GPs in Scotland prescribing connecting with nature as part of treatment. Results found that almost three-quarters of patients surveyed reported a benefit.

Wellbeing trails

The RSPB has long welcomed people to its nature reserves both as places to enjoy wildlife and to unwind. More recently, some RSPB nature reserves have developed trails specially designed to help boost wellbeing through nature.

At RSPB Old Moor in Yorkshire you can enjoy a seasonal wellbeing trail around the nature reserve. While at RSPB Lockwinnoch in Renfrewshire, a special wellness trial provides activities to help you immerse yourself in nature. You can enjoy a taster with Visitor Experience Officer Carole McFadyen here: THE WELLNESS TRAIL

The wellbeing trail has been funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and the exercises created by louiseoliverhypnotherapy.co.uk

Supportive spaces

Groups looking to improve their health and wellbeing can also benefit from time spent on nature reserves. RSPB Minsmere in Suffolk and RSPB Strumpshaw Fen in Norfolk have provided the locations for courses run by the environmental mental health charity The Greenlight Trust. The charity supports individuals of all ages, including those recovering from addiction, homeless people, ex-prisoners, veterans, and adults and children with mental health issues and special educational needs.

RSPB England Director of Operations Emma Marsh explains the benefits: “Participants who attend courses are often those in our society who are disengaged from the natural world and might not think a nature reserve is for them.

“The Green Light Trust’s inclusive programs reach out to a broader audience, reconnecting them with nature and delivering measurable benefits for mental health, general wellbeing, and recovery from addiction.”

There are hopes that the courses could be rolled out in other areas of the UK. As Emma adds: “We are in ongoing discussions with the Green Light Trust to identify further sites where we can combine our skills and resources and work together to support more people across the country.”

Eco therapy at RSPB Strumpshaw Fen nature reserve with the Green Light Trust.

A warm welcome

Nature reserves can also play a wider role in local communities. Last year RSPB Leighton Moss in Lancashire joined with Lancaster and Morecambe City of Sanctuary to welcome a group of asylum seekers and refugees. RSPB site manager Jarrod Sneyd led a tour of the nature reserve and introduced the group of families and individuals to the local wildlife, including bitterns and marsh harriers.

Jarrod explains: “It was great showing the group around the reserve; sharing stories about wetlands and all the wildlife that live in them, across countries, cultures and languages.

“Wetlands are important habitats across Europe and all the continents, not only for their wildlife but also for the role they play in people’s lives. In the UK, wetlands help with flood resilience, while in other countries they can be a vital source of food for local communities. It was a pleasure to share my passion for wetlands and wildlife with such an interested and enthusiastic group.”

The day proved so successful that the group are now looking at returning for a conservation day to help look after the reedbeds that are so vital for the bitterns and other wildlife. Welcoming people to the local wildlife in this way is a great way of helping people feel connected to their local environment. As Jarrod adds: “I love connecting people to nature and it's core to what we do at Leighton. The feedback suggests they had a great day, so we’re looking forward to welcoming the group back to RSPB Leighton Moss soon.”

The reedbed at RSPB Leighton Moss is the largest in the north west of England and home to bitterns (pictured).

Find your happy place

These are just some of the ways that nature reserves are providing a value that stretches beyond that of wildlife and shows how they play a wider role in the community. There are plenty of other ways to benefit from these spaces, from educational visits for school children, to exercise classes and even creative workshops to inspire beginner photographers or writers.

Just as nature thrives in the right habitat, nature reserves can provide a place where people flourish too. In offering a place to connect with nature, they offer an opportunity to heal, to find calm and to connect with others.

You can find out more about events on RSPB nature reserves and discover your nearest nature reserve here: rspb.org.uk/reserves-and-events

You can also volunteer to help out on a nature reserve. For the latest opportunities visit: rspb.org.uk/volunteer

Mighty birds of prey this winter: your photographs

2022-02-11T17:31:00Z

You’ve been sending in some of your excellent birds of prey photographs this winter. These agile hunters are fast-moving – so capturing them on image can sometimes be a challenge.

Here are some of our favourites, from being magnificent in mid-flight, to taking a perch whilst surveying their surroundings.

Sparrowhawk

“I took this sparrowhawk (1st winter female) at Castlemartin Corse, Pembrokeshire, on 31 December 2021. It perched on the fencepost for about 4 seconds!” Richard Ellis

“A sparrowhawk that landed on my garden hedge in November… taken in Goole East Yorkshire.” Sue Ellis

Kestrel

“A common kestrel spotted on the RSPB Arne seasonal raptor trail. This female (I believe!) was spreading her wings, fending off another rival kestrel encroaching on her hunting spot.” Matt Mears

“I was taking photos of this Kestrel and noticed a Crow approaching from just below the treetop it gave the Kestrel a fright!” Mike Earl

“Taking a walk along a path, and in the snow.” Michelle Coyle

Red kite

“In the Chiltern’s.” Barry Tindall

“I was lucky enough to photograph this beautiful red kite flying low over my garden in Ceredigion, Wales. Whilst enjoying watching the bird circling the sky above me, a brave crow tried to see off the kite resulting in the second photo (which I am very proud of!) I love how the kite is turning it’s head to look back at the crow, giving me an angle that is rather unusual. The agility of these birds in flight never fails to amaze me.” Rhiannon Webbon

Peregrine falcon

“I took this photo of a Peregrine Way up the steeple of St John’s Church, Redhill, Surrey.” Kevin Hunt

“Bedraggled peregrine drying out at Pulborough Brooks.” Jeff Barnard

Buzzard

“One of the local buzzards that can often be seen just across the road from our house.” Julian Allen

White-tailed Eagle

“This shot of a White-tailed Eagle was taken by me on Mull Scotland.” Kath Everitt

Birds of a feather: Your favourite collective nouns for birds that flock together

2022-01-28T11:16:00Z

We’ve loved hearing from you following our article about flocks in the latest issue of Nature’s Home. Many of you agreed the collective nouns we included were among your favourites. Here are some great ones that you shared with us too, plus some photographs which show how apt the group’s collective noun is for them.

My personal favourite is a real classic: a gaggle of geese. The name captures the scene of geese gathering and their unmissable calls so well, bringing it to my mind’s eye - and particularly ears – every time!

Pink-footed geese, Andy Hay (rspb-images.com)

Secretive snipe

This photograph fits the snipe’s collective name quite well, as it takes a good look to spot how many are in the shot. Snipe are skulking wading birds, and often their groups are smaller in number than other waders as they feed close together.

“Attached is a photograph I took at Lackford Lakes (Suffolk Wildlife Trust) on 30 December 2021 of what I thought was a couple of snipe. However, it turns out if you look closely there are many more and this definitely forms a wisp of snipe.” Chris Robinson

Ominous crows

“A murder of crows; so apt.” Martin Savage

We’ve got to agree Martin, the superstitions and folk tales make this one a good fit and this image does portray a more chilling gathering at dusk.

Mixed flock of corvids, Ben Andrew (rspb-images.com)

Charming goldfinches

We loved this shot captured by Andy, and it made us smile because they’re not quite living up their collective noun which is a charm of goldfinches in this photograph!

“I wanted to share a pic of goldfinches on our home feeder. My 6 year old Ted loves watching them as they take turns to fill up on seeds. But it turns out some aren't so keen to give up their slots, and so we set up a camera to capture their battles. We were very lucky to get this shot as they tried to sort out a minor disagreement!” Andy Reilly

Partying red kites

“Thank you for the interesting article about collective nouns in Nature’s Home. Do you know if there is one for red kites as I’ve never seen one? It’s been suggested a festival of kites’ would be appropriate.” Nigel

A great suggestion Nigel, we believe the most common collective nouns for a group of red kites is a wake, kettle, husk or roost. But we like your suggestion! Here they are gathered at a feeding station.

Brian Reid (rspb-images.com)

Singing skylarks

“My favourite is an exaltation of larks.” Mary Roberts

Though this image doesn’t show them as a flock, it certainly captures the skylark singing in exaltation!

Ben Andrew (rspb-images.com)

Studious waxwings

We had to share this photograph captured by Les, as although it doesn’t show a flock of waxwings in their collective, this one looks like it could be studying as in a museum of waxwings.

“There have been very few sightings in the UK this year of waxwings, so imagine my delight when this showy individual turned up just a couple of miles from home in the first week of January in the RSPB Snettisham car park! I was the only person there and as far as I know, no one else photographed it. It certainly made my day.” Les Bunyan

Your Nature’s Home is on its way: a peek at the stories soon flocking to your doorstep

2021-12-23T08:27:00Z

Here’s a first look at the winter/spring issue of Nature’s Home soon to be dropping through your letterbox. Spring may feel like it’s far away just now, but after the Winter Solstice this week, days are already starting to slowly lengthen (though it doesn’t feel like it yet!). In your magazine, you’ll find a monthly guide to wildlife, so you’ll soon have some reassuring sights to seek as nature moves through the seasons.

Here are some highlights of the stories you can look forward to!

A sneak peek at the cover of Nature’s Home Winter/Spring 2022 magazine.

Knot Flock, Ben Andrew, rspb-images.com

Flocks

Flocks are a dramatic and thrilling spectacle to behold. Find out all about where to see flocks and why they happen in this issue’s special feature.

We look at the fascinating history of Big Garden Birdwatch.

Big Garden Birdwatch backstory

We’re all starting to get excited for Big Garden Birdwatch – a highlight for the calendar in January. We uncover the story behind its birth in 1979. Plus, hear all about the journey from its launch on Blue Peter, to what it’s taught us over the years.

Blue tit on a feeder, Ben Andrew, rspb-images.com

Upskill with smartphone photography tips

With Big Garden Birdwatch in mind, we’ll be sharing top tips on making the most of your smartphone to take photos. Get your smartphone photography skills at their best in time to take great snaps of wildlife visiting your patch.

Thank you for your support this year

We hope you’ll be able to sit back and put your feet up to enjoy these stories when you receive your copy - perhaps with a leftover mince pie (or two!). Wishing you health and happiness for the festive season, and some special winter wildlife sightings. Thank you for everything you do to support us, and nature.

From bitterns to swifts: how your support helps

2021-12-02T12:45:00Z

While news of the Birds of Conservation Concern report might leave you feeling deflated, it’s important to acknowledge that this isn’t a hopeless situation. Thanks to coordinated conservation work over the decades, some birds have bounced back.

Bitterns, nightjars, woodlarks, stone-curlews, red kites and ospreys are just some of the birds that featured on the Red List in previous Birds of Conservation Concern editions. But, thanks to your support and the efforts of conservationists and organisations, whether through creating and managing suitable habitat, running reintroductions projects or campaigning for better policies and laws to provide protection, they have all been moved to the Amber List as their populations have recovered.

Bittern

This secretive heron is a perfect example of conservation action done well. Bitterns completely disappeared from Britain in the 1870s. Although these shy birds with booming voices made a comeback in the 20th century, they were back at the brink of extinction by 1997 when numbers dropped to just 11 males.

Thanks to funding and intensive conservation efforts that have protected the birds’ preferred habitat of dense, wet reedbeds, bittern numbers have been revived. In addition to managing existing reedbeds for bitterns, the RSPB has been actively working to restore reedbeds and create new ones.

In the 2015 Birds of Conservation Concern report, bitterns moved from the Red List down to Amber. In 2019, the RSPB celebrated the bitterns’ best year since records began, with more than 100 male booming bitterns recorded on the charity’s reserves for the first time and almost 200 across the UK.

White-tailed eagle

In the latest report, the UKs largest bird of prey, the white-tailed eagle, moves from the Red to the Amber List as a result of decades of conservation work, including reintroductions and increased protection for this spectacular species.

White-tailed eagles became extinct in the UK as a result of extensive habitat change combined, particularly in the 19th century, with persecution. Before their reintroduction, the birds last bred in England and Wales in the 1830s, in Ireland in 1898 and in Scotland in 1916.

A reintroduction programme by the Nature Conservancy Council (now NatureScot) and the RSPB started in 1975. In the following ten years, 82 young eagles from Norway were released on the Isle of Rum in the Inner Hebrides.

The first successful breeding took place on Mull in 1985, and since then a growing number of pairs have nested successfully every year. Whilst their population remains at a fraction of their historical numbers, the project is now able to support new reintroduction projects in England through the donation of chicks.

Swift and house martin

Identifying the problems facing a bird which travels through so many countries can often be difficult. While the causes of population decline for both swifts and house martins are not fully understood, two factors are highly likely to be playing a part, at least in some regions of the UK.

As our houses are renovated and old buildings demolished, swifts find themselves shut out of the nooks and crannies they make their homes in. In addition, habitat loss, pesticide use and other factors may well have affected their insect prey, potentially making it harder for swifts to find enough food to breed successfully.

Put simply, without the food and nest sites they need to successfully raise chicks, swifts are likely to keep declining. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

How you can help

You can provide replacement homes, whether it’s a home-made swift nest box attached to the side of your house, replacing a brick with a specially designed ‘swift brick’ or fitting artificial house martin nests under your eaves.

Where new developments are taking place, existing buildings are being renovated or buildings must be demolished and replaced , remind your local authority planning department of their obligations to protect and promote biodiversity in the built environment. Check planning applications on your local authority website and write to ask that they take swifts into consideration.

As house martins and swifts feed entirely on insects caught in flight, they cannot be attracted by providing food. However, using fewer pesticides, growing plants for insects and digging a pond will help insects thrive in your garden and ultimately provide the essentials for these birds. A muddy pool or puddle where house martins can collect nesting material is helpful, especially during a dry spring.

How the RSPB is helping

The RSPB works with developers, councils, conservation volunteer groups, and other conservation partner organisations, to encourage the use of suitable nest boxes or alternative nesting opportunities for swifts and other birds during the design and construction of buildings.

We are also running a number of Swift City projects across the UK to raise awareness of the plight of swifts and create new homes for these birds.

Changes in the food supply of both species may have played a part in their declines, as both depend on flying insects. Declines of house martins have been greater in the more intensively managed and drought-prone south and east (England and Wales). It has been suggested that insect populations have been harder hit in those areas of the UK due to greater land-use intensification and a warming, drying climate.

As well as actively campaigning for climate change prevention and more sustainable land use policies, the RSPB is working to boost insect populations in our cities, gardens and countryside, which will not just benefit swifts and house martins, but a whole range of other species too.

Hope for the future

There’s no one size fits all solution when it comes to actions to protect and restore populations of these vulnerable species, as the threats they face are many and varied. But there are some critical opportunities coming up over the following year.

In England, the ground-breaking Westminster Environment Act sets a legal target to halt wildlife declines by 2030. This is a global first for nature and we now need to see its equal in the other countries of the UK. However, setting a target is just the first step, bold policies, such as reforming our agricultural system, are needed to ensure ongoing species declines, like that of the house sparrow, are halted and reversed.

On the global scale, there is also hope. Countries around the world are developing a new international plan to recover nature (the Convention on Biological Diversity’s post-2020 Global Framework), which will be finalised at the UN Biodiversity conference, COP 15, in spring 2022.

As part of the new set of global biodiversity targets under the Convention on Biological Diversity, the RSPB and BirdLife International are advocating for strong outcomes for species. An ambitious global goal that not only looks at preventing extinctions and recovering our rarest species, but commits countries globally to bend the curve of population abundance loss by 2030.

A joy of robins: your photos and stories

2021-11-25T09:49:00Z

The robin has long held a special place in the heart of the nation. Although especially treasured at Christmas, a robin’s cheerful, friendly presence can be appreciated all-year round. The RSPB is pleased to be a partner of the latest Aardman/Netflix film collaboration, Robin Robin, released earlier this week. You can now watch the heart-warming tale about a robin brought up by a family of mice that sneak around searching for food.

Join a Robin Robin adventure on RSPB nature reserves

You and your family can join in with the special Robin Robin themed trails and activities on many of our RSPB reserves. Pick up an activity pack and follow an audio trail, with special messages from the star of the film (Robin!).

Your stories and photos

Thank you to everyone who sent in robin pictures. It’s been such a treat to share in some of your sightings. Your stories are a reminder that robins can give us all a reassuring presence as a regular visitor to our gardens or local areas. Whether singing its delightful song, striking a curious pose, sneaking food before it’s even made it to the feeder - a robin always bring us joy every time they stop by.

Here’s a selection of your favourite robin friends:

Chris Weston - “My mum loved to see a robin, as many people do (me included). She developed dementia and eventually had to go into a care home and was not allowed out for safety reasons so I would take the robins to her - in picture form... Eventually, she couldn't tell a robin from a wren but would recognise that it was a picture of something she liked.”

Cassie Nesling – “This is my son at RSPB Minsmere on a bench we now call ‘Robin Bench’ on the way to the Wildlife Lookout hide.”

Jacqui Banfield-Taylor – “This is one of my favourite photos of a robin I took at dusk in my garden one autumn evening. He had just filled his little belly with food from our bird table and I like to think he was thanking us as he sang for many minutes!”

Why do robins sing?

Robins are such early risers, delighting us with their singing all day and late into the evening, almost throughout year. In fact, the only time they don’t sing is when they’re moulting during midsummer (July – August). They are strongly territorial and will protect their patch robustly, which is one of the reasons they sing so persistently!

Ann Tucker – “So looking forward to the new Robin Robin film. Love this photo of ‘our’ robin which our son took. He is a regular visitor, and gives us such enjoyment!”

Shirley Appleby – “We have several robins in our garden including one who helps with the gardening. This cheeky fellow thought he would help himself whilst I topped the feeders up!”

Food to bring robins to your patch

Favourite foods for robins include worms, seeds, fruits, insects, spiders and mealworms. And they probably won’t turn up their beaks to some kitchen scraps either, like cheese or suet. They like to eat from the ground or a bird table, rather than a feeder. Sometimes, like this one, they’ll dive straight in!

Geoff Bell – “This is my favourite image of a Robin. It was taken some years ago at springtime in our local Bourne Wood whilst walking my dog.”

Jon Summers - A quizzical pose, perhaps this robin had just spotted some food?

Trevor Lunn – “My little helper.”

Paula Urwin – “This baby hatched in a pot by my kitchen window and we were good friends for three years. Today what I think is the second generation offspring of this robin greets me every morning as I open the door to feed the birds.”

Our curious companions

There’s no doubt these appealing little birds have an affinity with us humans. They are happy to hang around and follow you, particularly if they see you as a potential source of food. Next time you are doing a spot of gardening, start turning over some soil and take a look around. Chances are you’ll see a quizzical red-breasted friend staring at you from nearby!

Jan Stojak – “I have so many photos, it’s so difficult to choose., For me they are all favourites. Photos which portray the fragility of a fantastic songbird, the beauty in their innocent curiosity, their comical poses. Robins can bring such pleasure even in our very gardens. Their morning song can be such a delight.”

Thank you for delighting us!

We wish we could include every amazing image sent in, but finally we’ll leave you with this fantastic shot by Adam. Sometimes our abilities are better than we realise – but a posing robin is often a good place to start!

Adam Williams – “Still very much an absolute beginner at photography, this handsome chap posed beautifully for me at RSPB Sandwell Valley and made me feel a little better about my utter lack of ability.”

Marsh harriers, 50 years on

2021-11-04T14:14:00Z

How have marsh harriers, scarce in the 1970s, bounced back over the last 50 years?

One of our supporters, Judith McDonald, kindly posted us some old issues of Bird Life, the quarterly magazine for the RSPB’s junior branch from 1965 to 2000.

I was fascinated to find an article on marsh harriers by Minsmere’s pioneering warden Bert Axell in the October – December 1971 edition.

Bert wrote: “Of the three harrier species which breed in Britain, the marsh harrier is by far the rarest. If you have visited the RSPB reserve at Minsmere, Suffolk, in recent years and seen the two or three pairs which breed there, you will, in fact, have been looking at rather more than half of this country's population of these magnificent raptors.”

Fifty years later, you have a much greater chance of seeing a marsh harrier. Over 600 pairs now nest in the UK and many more now spend the winter here rather than flying south.

The other harrier species Bert refers to are the hen harrier and Montagu’s harrier. Hen harriers are still a long way from establishing a stable population. The government’s own study, published in 2019, found persecution to be the main factor limiting their recovery in the UK. And in 2021 no Montagu’s harriers bred here. So it’s safe to say that if you’re in the UK, watching a harrier over a large reedbed, it’s the marsh harrier you’re most likely to be looking at.

Return of the marsh harrier

So how has this bird made such an incredible comeback?

In 1971, Bert reported that the threats facing marsh harriers were loss of habitat, human disturbance, and pesticides. Draining of wetlands was a historical problem and already many of our reedbeds and marshes had gone. Persecution would have been an issue too: all raptors have been heavily persecuted.

In East Anglia around that time there would also have been large numbers of coypu (like the one picture below) munching their way through reeds. These huge rodents had escaped from fur farms and built up significant populations in the area, destroying what was left of the harriers’ reedbed home. By the end of the 1980s, these had been eradicated. But Bert mentions that even when the numbers of coypu were going down, the numbers of harriers still weren’t really going up.

Pesticides were a bigger problem, building up in the birds’ bodies from their small prey. This caused the eggshells of birds of preys to thin, reducing the chances of the chicks surviving. The banning of the insecticide DDT in the 1980s helped with the recovery of several species of birds of prey, including marsh harrier.

Perhaps the biggest change for the UK’s marsh harriers since Bert was warden at Minsmere has been the creation and restoration of many reedbeds across the UK. For example down the road from Minsmere, at Lakenheath Fen, we’ve created 400 hectares of wetland habitat, including reedbeds, on former carrot fields. We’re making one of the UK’s biggest freshwater reedbeds at Ouse Fen in Cambridgeshire in partnership with Hanson UK; by 2030 there will be 460 hectares of reedbed, part of a 700-hectare wetland wildlife haven.

Marsh harriers and bitterns

Bert also describes the complex relationship marsh harriers have with bitterns, their reedbed neighbours. I’ve often seen a bittern fluffed up like a bottle brush (as in the photo below) to appear larger when a harrier is passing overhead. But what I hadn’t considered is that like most herons, bitterns will happily gobble up anything they find moving on the ground, including marsh harrier chicks.

“Once a family of four bitterns, an adult and three smaller ones, all leapt out of the reeds together to attack a male harrier diving on them to defend its own nest – a spectacular sight that boded ill,” Bert writes.“When, a few days later it was plain that the harriers had deserted their nest, I inspected it to see what had happened. The nest contained one broken infertile egg and the mangled remains of a young harrier about three weeks old. Only six yards away I found a bittern’s nest which had evidently been recently occupied by young. How had a harrier come to invite disaster by nesting so close to the already-established nest of one of its mortal enemies?”

Perhaps now, with more reedbed space to choose from, both species can thrive without such disastrous disputes.

Marsh harriers today

Today, you’re most likely to see marsh harriers in eastern and south-east England, with some in the north-west, south-west and Scotland. You’ll find them in places like the nature reserves in East Anglia mentioned above, and at other RSPB nature reserves elsewhere in the country that contain reedbeds such as Cors Ddyga and Leighton Moss.

Back at Minsmere between eight and 12 pairs of marsh harriers now nest each summer: hopefully Bert would be proud.

Minsmere celebrates its 75^th anniversary next year and alongside avocets, bearded tits, bitterns and stone-curlews, marsh harriers remain one of Minsmere’s ‘Big Five’. However, this special site is currently threatened by plans for Sizewell C, a development which could have a negative impact on marsh harriers and many other species. Find out more on our Love Minsmere page.

More about the historical decline of birds of prey

Images

Marsh harrier at RSPB Titchwell Marsh - Les Bunyan (rspb-images.com)
Copies of Bird Life magazine - Jamie Wyver
Marsh harrier at RSPB Titchwell Marsh - Les Bunyan (rspb-images.com)
Coypu - Dale Sutton (rspb-images.com)
Fluffed-up bittern at RSPB Minsmere - Kevin Sawford (rspb-images.com)
Marsh harrier at RSPB Minsmere - Ben Andrew (rspb-images.com)
Reedbed at RSPB Minsmere - Kelly Thomas (rspb-images.com)

What's in a name?

2021-10-27T13:11:00Z

Stephen Moss

Bird names may be a frequent part of our daily language, but we often give little thought as to what they mean or how they originated. That’s partly because, over the centuries, changes in the English language have obscured their original sense. It’s necessary to turn linguistic detective to learn more about our birds’ often puzzling names.

The majority of bird names fall into one of six categories: sound, appearance, habits, habitat, area of origin and eponyms – birds named after people. Many of our oldest bird names are onomatopoeic: derived from the sound the bird makes. Classic examples include the cuckoo, chiffchaff and kittiwake – the name is a rough approximation of the bird’s song or call. But there are many other species whose names fit in this category.

Take the crow family. The names ‘crow’, ‘rook’ and ‘raven’ all come from the birds’ harsh calls; as does ‘chough’ – though at some point in history the pronunciation switched from ‘chow’ (the sound made by this charismatic corvid) to ‘chuff’.

Carrion crow drinking from a small pool of water – Ben Andrew (rspb-images.com)

The reason so many early bird names relate to their sound is simply that it was the easiest way for our ancestors to identify any birds they came across.

Names based on a bird’s appearance were also created early on in our history. Most warblers are tricky to identify, but two are more distinctive: the blackcap and the whitethroat. Like those names based on sound, these would have been coined by ordinary people; they are essentially ‘folk names’, later adopted as the official name.

The third category – birds named after their habits and behaviour – are also ancient in origin and were made up by ordinary people. As well as woodpecker, these include treecreeper and nuthatch (‘hatch’ deriving from the bird’s habit of hacking at nuts with its powerful bill).

People and Places

A major shift in the naming of birds occurred from the 18th century onwards, when the discipline of ornithology began. Men such as Thomas Pennant and George Montagu began to formalise bird names, in an effort to solve the problem of the same species having many different names (such as peewit, pyewipe and lapwing); or different species having the same name – blackcap, for example, was used for great and marsh tits as well as for the warbler that bears the name today.

These professionals began to coin names referring to a bird’s habitat, such as reed, sedge and marsh warblers, and also created many of the more complex, compound names we still use today: including black-tailed godwit, white-fronted goose and red-breasted merganser.

Black tailed godwit feeding at RSPB Frampton Marsh – Ben Andrew (rspb-images.com)

The 18th and 19th centuries saw a major trend towards ‘eponyms’: naming birds after people. Sometimes the person honoured was the actual person to discover the species: George Montagu was the first to realise that his eponymous raptor, Montagu’s harrier, was different from the similar-looking hen harrier. But Thomas Bewick had nothing to do with the swan that bears his name; while Gilbert White would never even have seen White’s thrush, a rare UK visitor from Asia that was first recorded in the UK 40 years after his death.

Recently, especially in North America, birders have started to question some of these eponyms, and the people commemorated in them. “When a bird is named after a person it is burdened with the history and social context of that individual. Naming is an act of claiming, and such names celebrate the achievements of the individual, ignoring the natural beauty of the bird,”⁣ says Flock Together – a birding collective for people of colour, which has been drawing on the work of US ornithologists Gabriel Foley and Jordan Rutter in scrutinsing bird names – in a November 2020 Instagram takeover with the RSPB.

“Many of these names come from the time of slavery and empire. Even birds named after scientists and abolitionists from this era can throw up problematic links to colonialism, white cultural supremacy and an outdated relationship with the natural world.” Edward Blyth for example, who named Blyth’s reed warbler, captured and traded wild animals to make his living.

Redstart perched on a fence post – Ben Andrew (rspb-images.com)

Lost in Time

Some very familiar bird names do not, at first sight, appear to fit any of these categories. Names such as wheatear, redstart and yellowhammer appear rather puzzling – we might struggle to find the connection between wheatears and arable crops, or wonder if redstarts are especially jumpy, or yellowhammers have a hammer-like song. In fact, these are what my old French teacher used to call ‘faux amis’: words that appear to mean one thing, but actually have a very different origin.

All these names go back well before the Norman Conquest, to Anglo-Saxon times, when the language – known as Old English – was very different from the one we speak today. Thus wheatear derives from a phrase meaning ‘white ***’, a reference to the bird’s prominent white rump; redstart means ‘red tail’; and yellowhammer comes from the word ‘ammer’, meaning bunting, still used in German today.

Over time, though, some unsuitable names have been changed. Look at an old bird book, and you might be puzzled by references to the ‘golden-crested wren’ or ‘willow wren’ – both now renamed, as goldcrest and willow warbler. In the 1950s Max Nicholson persuaded the powers-that-be to change ‘hedge sparrow’ to the older name of dunnock, to avoid confusion with unrelated house and tree sparrows. Today, new bird names are still being coined; not from new species being discovered (though a handful are each year), but because hundreds are ‘split’, as ornithologists realise that what they thought was a single species is, in fact, two or more.

Goldcrest perched in conifer tree – Ben Andrew (rspb-images.com)

Arguably the oddest aspect of bird names is that some of our commonest birds have names for which we often still don’t know the origin such as sparrow and wren. These names are so ancient that we have no idea how they came about. The paradox is that more obscure species, discovered more recently, have easier names to trace.

We do know the origin of the name of the UK’s favourite bird, the robin. During the Middle Ages, the original Old English word ruddock (meaning red bird) gradually fell into disuse, replaced by ‘redbreast’. Then, like Jenny wren and Tom tit, the species gained a nickname: ‘Robin redbreast’; the diminutive for Robert. Over time, this was shortened to ‘robin’ – still used today.

In this short video, Stephen Moss and Jamie Wyver discuss the origins of familiar bird names.

https://youtu.be/Nv8lXHqbxcY

The article above originally appeared in the Summer/Autumn 2021 issue of Nature's Home, the magazine for RSPB members. It was suggested by Nature's Home reader Elizabeth Jeffery. Following publication of the article, another reader, Rebecca Gindin-Clarke got in touch with some more fascinating facts she'd found in The Oxford Book of British Bird Names. These include:

Goose is probably the most ancient bird name in our vocabulary
Gull originated from the term 'wailer' - reflecting the wailing sound made by species like the herring gull
Swallow may have come from a Germanic word meaning cleft stick, describing the bird's forked tail.

Thank you Rebecca for sending those in!

Subscribe to this blog: If you enjoy reading the latest news and updates from Nature's Home Magazine Uncovered - click on 'subscribe by email' on the right.  

Guardians of nature and global action

2021-10-22T08:08:00Z

A crucial time for the climate

The natural world is the beating heart of all our lives and our planet, and we – the RSPB and you, its supporters – have been campaigning to maintain and improve the health of that ‘heart’ for over 130 years.

The beating heart of the organisation is its membership, without which we couldn’t take part in this vital, ongoing healing process. We are so grateful for all your energetic and inspiring support.

Little egrets, once hunted for their plumage, are protected thanks to the RSPB's early campaigning work - image by Paul Chesterfield (rspb-images.com)

This tireless loyalty has amazed and humbled us for decades and now, as we approach the last few months of the year, we enter a crucial period in the journey towards setting in motion positive change for nature and the environment. The politicians are gathering in Glasgow for COP26, a summit that has been billed as the most significant global climate event for years, and it’s on our home ground. Decisions will be made that will affect all our lives and the environment for many years to come. We plan to show up and make sure our collective voice is heard, urging change and action over rhetoric and reports.

One way we will show up is by joining others on the Global Day of Action for Climate Justice on Saturday 6 November. It will feel empowering to march in the footsteps of our founding members, including Emily Williamson, Etta Lemon, Eliza Phillips and Winifred Cavendish-Bentinck. Their campaigning ensured that 100 years ago, in 1921, the Plumage Act was passed, achieving the first legislative success for the society. And here we are now, still pushing to protect nature and the world around us.

Emily Williamson created the Society for the Protection of Birds in 1889

Be part of something big

On that first Saturday in November, co-ordinated mass mobilisations will gather people from organisations across the world and demonstrations will take place in many large and small cities throughout the UK. The RSPB will be well represented with members joining events in Birmingham, Cardiff, Belfast and Glasgow and more. You can get involved in the Global Day of Action here.

If you don’t want to wave a banner, that’s fine, because every action, big or small, will contribute to our resounding clarion call to the politicians. Perhaps there aren’t any events near you, you can’t travel, or in the current climate you’re not comfortable being with groups of people. If this is the case, join a ‘digital’ march. Sign up at worldclimatemarch.org, an event that the RSPB hasn’t organised but is supporting. March 1.5km to represent the 1.5°C temperature rise limit for global warning. Go with friends, family, or on your own and post a video or picture of your participation online. Whatever you choose to do, make your voice heard on 6 November.

Doing this will make a difference – we can be sure of that, because it has so many times in the past. Your loyal membership, every visit to a reserve, participation in an event, caring connection with nature, nurturing of fowl, flora or fauna, has been essential to us, and this is evidenced by many successful past campaigns.

Long-time Nature’s Home columnist and author Nicola Chester reminds us of her strong connection to protesting: “Inspired by the Peace Women protesting against the Nuclear Missiles where I grew up, right through my teens, I went on to protest road building in the 1990s, including Newbury Bypass where I witnessed an extinction of nightingales. I brought my children up through the RSPB and they have gone on to make their own protests with me,” she comments. “It is always worth protesting a wrong, however you feel comfortable. If you love nature, you have to resist its loss. When we come together to protest, we come in power, hope and joy for life on earth; and that is where change comes from.”

Nature's Home writer Nicola Chester in a tree at the Newbury Bypass protest

Campaigning successes

And so much change has happened with the help of our dedicated supporters over the years. As mentioned, 2021 is an important centenary celebration for the RSPB. Fighting and beating the ‘murderous milliners’ by securing the Plumage Act bill took our founding members just over 30 years, but they achieved the goal of preventing bird species from being wiped out by the grotesque feather trade. This resilience, patience and determination paved the way for many future achievements.

In 1931, oil companies were in the spotlight and the marine environment the area of attention. A calamitous oil spillage took place in the waters near Skokholm Island off the west coast of Wales in October 1930, and a subsequent prosecution was led by the RSPB. The following January, under the Oil and Navigable Waters Act 1922, the National Benzole Company was fined £25 plus significant costs.

By 1933, concerted lobbying resulted in the Protection of Birds Act being passed, which was revised and strengthened in 1954 to give even greater protection to wild birds, their nests and eggs. Subsequent campaigns for the preservation and protection of the broader natural world led to landmark Acts and movements, including the creation of the Department of Environment and the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. The latter is the primary legislation that protects animals, plants and habitats in the UK and still provides the foundation for the laws we have today.

Effecting these historic milestones has rightly been a source of pride for generations of RSPB members. Another piece of history-making hovers on the horizon, and it couldn’t be more important. We look forward to getting together on 6 November to enact another essential scene in this most imperative of true-life dramas.

• If you have taken part in any previous RSPB campaigns or protests, let us know and share your stories and pictures in the comments or by emailing natureshome@rspb.org.uk

Nicola Chester’s latest book is ‘On Gallows Down’.