News
We are now at the start of 2010 and the following activities, project
work and visits will be taking place on Thistley Place Meadow:
• After an extremely harsh winter (by today’s standards) it’s amazing
how all the spring bulbs are starting to sprout and the gorse is in full
bloom
• Under planting of the Hatton Picnic Area, with indigenous plug plants,
took place in late summer and additional fruit trees were also planted
in early winter
• Wildflower Meadow was finally sown, despite the appalling weather, in
Spring 2009
• Field was mown in late August 2009 and will be mown again in early
April (prior to wildflowers flowering) with a final cut in late August
2010
• The first cobnuts were see on the hazel whips, which were planted in
November 2008, during the summer/autumn 2009
• Alan Williams, of Tean Valley Nature Reserve, has been to TPM to
number, record and monitor our barn owl boxes
• Due to torrential rain, and danger to wheelchair users, the bases to
the wheelchair accessible picnic benches have been concreted
• Plaques to commemorate Official Opening and Heath Fields visit erected
• Flagpole, with Derbyshire Flag, donated and erected by Nestlé adjacent
to Station Road
• Planning permission received to site Storage Container on field and
Nestlé arranged for Alpha Construction to complete groundwork.
• The otter has been sited on numerous occasions over the summer and
weasels have been seen in the shrubberies
• On the island tawny and little owls have been spotted over the winter
roosting in the nesting boxes we have erected – with the secure gates to
the end of the island, to prevent intruders, it is hoped they will raise
their young here in 2010
• Environment Agency have been sampling and measuring fish on the river
– they use an electric prod which stuns the fish – they can then check
for growth/age and disease
• Christmas tree light up and procession held on 6th December with
procession from All Saints Church to TPM
• Findern Footpaths Group in April 2009
• Bretby Rotary Group in June 2009
• Barrow on Trent Lagoon Project was visited, in July, to offer assistance and advice
• DVCP had a stand, as part of the Hatton Parish Plan exhibition, at the Hatton Carnival in July 2009
• South Derbyshire Environmental Forum in September 2009 where the Tutbury Hydroelectric project members came along and discussed how their project on the Mill Fleam would impact upon the DVCP project
• Members of DVCP will be attending South Derbyshire Environmental Forum meetings during 2010
• Heath Fields Primary School will be visiting TPM for a fun/educational day in June 2010
PEREGRINE FALCONS
One of the major highlights at the end of 2009 and beginning of 2010 has been the unexpected arrival of a pair of Peregrine Falcons which have been roosting on the new signage on the Nestlé factory. DVCP cannot take the credit for this but it was members of the DVCP who first noticed and photographed the birds on 11th November. To begin with there were a male and female – the male is the smaller bird and called by Falconers the Tersel with the larger female being the Falcon (apparently the term ‘Tersel’ refers to the male being about ⅔ of the size of the female). The next development was that the male seemed to disappear and the female visited spasmodically. However, over the Christmas period/early January their visits were on a daily basis and they were bringing their prey back (usually black headed gulls and feral pigeons) to dine on the Nestlé sign. Ironically, their favourite roosting position is on the actual ‘nest’ sign on the factory!!
At
this point, we alerted Nestlé to their unexpected visitors. We then
contacted the Lowland Derbyshire Biodiversity Officer, based at Matlock,
who, in turn, put us in touch with Nick Brown, of Derbyshire Wildlife
Trust, and Nick Moyes, of Derby Museum, who have been closely involved
in the Derby Cathedral Project. Photographs of the birds were sent to
them and they confirmed that the female was definitely a ‘breeding’
adult – this was defined by the yellow markings on her front – juvenile
birds do not have these markings. It is hoped that the second bird is a
male although there is a slight possibility it could be young adult
which has followed her to Hatton!The next thing was a meeting between DVCP, Nestlé and a representative from DWT (Dave Budworth is involved in ringing and identifying birds for them) where the ‘way forward’ was discussed.
Peregrines naturally roost on cliffs, quarries or other inaccessible, undisturbed locations and the nest site is known as an eyrie. The nest itself is a slight scrape in earth or old debris on the nest ledge (no materials are brought in to form the nest) and the female forms the scrape using her chest and legs. The position they have chosen on the Nestlé building emulates these natural roosting conditions. Dave also told us that there are successful breeding pairs on the Coors tower and a large building in Overseal as well as the Cathedral in Derby so there appears to be a good nucleus of breeding adults in the area.
To try to encourage the Peregrines to breed at this site, Nestlé (on the advice of Dave) are having a suitable nesting platform constructed from stainless steel, with gravel infill, which the female can form into the scrape, and it also has an extended external platform which would allow any young to perch whilst they are fledging. The platform has been positioned initially on the west side of the new building but may need trial and error repositioning to ascertain the optimum nesting position for the birds. Nestlé are also hoping to install internal and external webcams to monitor any activity in and outside the nesting area.
There are obviously no guarantees that the Peregrines will remain and breed on this site but, as they have been regular visitors for a couple of months now, the signs look pretty good. If they are a young breeding pair, Dave has warned us that the first few attempts to lay clutches of eggs and rear the young can be rather ‘hit and miss’ but, thanks to Nestlé’s interest and involvement in the project we are hopefully giving them a desirable location in which to raise their young.
Should mating and breeding be successful, the female would normally lay a clutch of 3 or 4 eggs in late March or early April at 2-3 day intervals. Both birds share the incubation, which begins with the last or penultimate egg, and takes 29 – 32 days per egg. The young fledge at 35 – 42 days and are independent two or more months later – usually mid/late July.
Peregrines are afforded the highest degree of legal protection under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act of 1981 which means that it is an offence to intentionally take, injure or kill a peregrine or to take damage or destroy its nest, eggs or young. It is also an offence to intentionally or recklessly disturb the birds close to their nest during the breeding season. Violation of the law can attract fines up to £5,000 per offence and/or a prison sentence of up to six months.
However, by involving Derbyshire Wildlife Trust and, in turn, Dave Budworth, if they do breed and fledge their young, Dave is licensed to inspect their nests and ring the young. This will provide a valuable source of information and documentation, enabling birds to be tracked and monitored.
So it is just a case now of wait and see – it would be marvellous to have such regal birds on our doorstep. We shall, of course, keep everyone posted on any developments. If you want a good view of them the best vantage point is from Thistley Place Meadow.
On a smaller scale, we know that little owls and tawny owls have been seen roosting on the island so we are hoping that they will take advantages of the nesting boxes we have erected over there. There are no signs of barn owls so far, Alan Williams has been down to check the boxes but he did tell us that nearly all the barn owl boxes he has checked so far this year are in fact vacant but, hopefully, we will have some resident barn owls in them shortly.
Please remember to keep an eye on our fundraising events – we need your support!