Frampton Cotterell Nature: our red-listed birds

THE parish of Frampton Cotterell annually supports in excess of 14 species of red-listed birds.

The Birds of Conservation Concern review is split into three categories – red, amber and green.

The most threatened, on the red list, are assessed on historical decline, recent population trends, range and size, localisation and international importance, as well as global and European status.

As everywhere, a major reason for declines in our parish is the loss, fragmentation and degradation of habitat, as well as pollution, but there are many other less noticeable factors that accumulate to drive species away.

Did you know that your garden greenfinch, the singing yellowhammer of Frampton End, summer house martins and aerial swifts are all red-listed?

These species have suffered catastrophic declines, so much so that you may be reminded by this article that they have actually disappeared from your gaze.

Tidy gardens, artificial ground coverings, lack of unkempt verges containing weed-seed and insect food, weather-tight house roofs, outbuilding and barn conversions, and casual disturbance are all enough to impact on wildlife’s ability to live sustainably.

Some birds come here for our relatively mild winters. Lapwing, woodcock, fieldfare and starlings try to make a living in our fields and hedgerows, but early hedge cutting removes vital fruits such as haws, enthusiastic dogs put up lapwing that really need to rest and feed following their journey from frozen Russia and Scandinavia from the fields.

Even well-meaning nature walkers cause disturbance.

Our summer visitors don’t fare any better.

I don’t even know if the oncecommon spotted flycatcher even breeds in the parish any more. Linnet and yellowhammer do, but in precariously small numbers, and the pleasure one gets from the song and flight of the skylark in spring is soon terminated by the first cut of silage in May, when nests of chicks are destroyed by farm machinery.

We’ve all got to eat, and I’m not singling anyone out for creating less favourable conditions for wildlife, but sometimes we all need to stop and think of ways to avoid certain practices or just to reduce their impact.

Grey partridge, turtle dove, cuckoo and lesser spotted woodpecker are all ex-breeders in the parish but let’s not let other red-listed species such as starling, mistle thrush and house sparrow join them.

If we don’t stop, think and modify what we do, then they and others will be the next losses.

Frampton Cotterell Nature organises regular nature walks, surveys and practical conservation work.

If you’d like to join us and help protect our local wildlife, email framptoncotterellnature@gmail. com.

Mike Jackson