The
Summer 2016 No.185
Harrier Suffolk Ornithologists’ Group
Editorial
As well as the usual trip reports we’ve a wonderful series of articles and photographs. James Common, a Northumbrian birder, has investigated the decline of the Willow Tit, a species possibly just clinging on in west Suffolk. Dr Katrina Sharps has researched Nightjar habitat in Thetford Forest, showing through radio tracking what’s necessary for them to flourish. Chris Keeling has added to the feral vs naturalised debate with his article titled ‘The Unloved Goose’ – we fully expect letters; and just pipped to the post by Springwatch and Chris Packham’s idea for Roadkill Bingo, we have a great article from Cardiff University’s Rachel Stockwell about ‘Project Splatter’, showing what can be learned from roadkilled wildlife and asking for … contributions. Members of the public report sightings via
social media. I looked into their project after finding a Tawny Owl showing suspiciously well, although horizontally, near Wickham Market. Tragically my latest reports to them have been two of the newly-fledged Peregrines killed by traffic near the Orwell Bridge nest site. Adam Gretton reviews SOG’s own Dr Peter Dare’s ‘The Life of Buzzards’, a magnificent publication that draws its conclusions based on extensive fieldwork; and Alison Ballantyne has again kindly brought her thoughts and analysis to bear on the poem ‘The Pettichap’s Nest’ by John Clare, which, written in his native Northamptonshire dialect, is a fascinating study of the Chiffchaff’s nesting habits. Special thanks go to Eddie Marsh for compiling the Spring Birding Review despite recent personal loss. Once again my thanks go to the photographers and contributors who have provided material for this edition; it’s a pleasure to get first dibs on viewing it all. If you have an article within you, or an observation to share, please get in contact: I would love to include it in a future Little Owl edition.
T H E H AR R I ER – S um m e r 2 0 1 6
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Photo: Bill Baston
Welcome to the Summer Harrier 185, a peach of an edition even if I do say so myself. I write this after spending an enjoyable evening watching Nightjars on Ash’s trip to Blaxhall Heath. There are 11 Swifts over the house and a thunderstorm is brewing. My ornithological highlight this spring was a week away birding in Bulgaria with five SOG friends. Thirty-one lifers for me including Wallcreeper & Nutcracker, as well as a hoot of a twitch trying to get views of a Scops Owl in a park in Krumovgrad, eventually with great success.
