Young Birders

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Shelducks THE NEXT GENERATION David Tipling / Almay THINK 500 YEARS AHEAD In September last year, I was invited to speak to a group of MPs at the RSPB Summer Reception held in Westminster. The theme of my talk was putting nature at the heart of every decision and asking the politicians to think 500 years ahead and not just a political term of five years. But it’s not just the politicians that need to think like this, we all do. It’s clear that our wildlife needs help. It’s clear that it isn’t enough just to care. It’s clear that we all need to work much harder to change things. So what is important? This question gets me thinking all the time, and no more so than recently while out birding off the Mersey Estuary. We were watching a flock of more than a thousand Teal bobbing about. Mixed in with them was a Green-winged Teal, a scare visitor to the UK from North America and a stunning bird. But for all the people that came to see the scarce visitor, which is more important; the thousand or so Teal or the single Green-winged Teal? As a teenager, passionate about birds and conservation, I worry about what the world will look like in the future. I see the natural world slowly diminishing in front of our eyes and I feel more and more the need to speak out about it. In 2014, the WWF published a report stating that Earth has lost more than 50% of its wildlife in the last 40 years, so move forward another 40 and what will be left? How many more species of insect, bird, you name it, will I see disappear off the face of this earth in my lifetime? British wildlife is getting more and more vulnerable to the modern world and its apparent needs, and there are lots of cases to prove this. For example, the 2012 B-Line report states that since the 1930s, Britain has lost more than 97% of its wildflower rich grassland. This obviously impacts our insect populations, and to the scale that if something isn’t done we could lose anywhere from 40-70% of British insect species. Some 76% of UK Butterflies are already in decline. What then happens to the birds that feed on a range of insect species? You can’t just remove part of a food chain without then seeing damage spread out across that ecosystem. We are a small, developed country with many environmental issues to tackle, so why aren’t we all tackling them? Why are more and more species falling onto the Red List? Why are we not taking responsibility for our natural world? Getting people and businesses to listen is challenging but it can be done. I managed to engage and persuade Ecotricity last year to get involved with funding satellite tagging for Hen Harriers, after I told them about their plight. They really wanted to help and are now partnering the RSPB. So, I urge you to have a long, long think about all living species, and think 500 years ahead. Don’t just talk about the issues among yourselves, either, get shouting about it to organisations, MPs and let’s have some deafening joint action that can’t be ignored. Findlay Wilde, 13 10 February 2016 David Tipling / Almay TAKE PART IN THE WETLAND BIRD SURVEY (WEBS). This involves visiting a local wetland site once a month throughout the winter and counting the waterfowl there – anyone can take part, even beginners to birdwatching. Unlike many bird surveys, to carry out WeBS Counts, you don’t have to know bird songs or calls, just the ability to identify common waterbirds, so if you already know your ducks, geese and swans, but would like to get to know them even better, this is for you! VOLUNTEER ON A RESERVE There’s no better way to improve as a naturalist than to get outside with your local wildlife. Most nature reserves, whether they’re run by the RSPB, WWT, Wildlife Trusts or small local groups, are always in desperate need of help. Roll up your sleeves and get stuck in – even when the work involved is of the rather unglamorous sort (clearing drainage ditches, or thinning out scrub, for example), you’ll be doing the one absolutely essential thing for every successful birdwatcher – spending time in the field.
Nightingale TAKE PART IN ANY BTO SURVEY It’s not just wetland birds, either! Take a look at bto.org/volunteer-surveys, and you’ll see that the BTO runs a wide variety of core surveys, including some of those mentioned already, plus others focusing on species as disparate as House Martin, Peregrine, Nightingale and Woodcock. It could be the start of an obsession for you. JOIN A NATURE NETWORK A Focus On Nature (AFON) is a network for young conservationists in the UK. As well as putting like-minded young naturalists in touch with each other, giving them the opportunity to learn from each other’s experiences, it offers mentoring from professional conservationists and help with getting started in a career in the sector. But it’s also open to absolutely anyone aged between 16-30, with an interest in and passion for the natural world – there are projects to get involved with (plus funding help for youngsters running their own projects, and prizes on offer, including optical equipment). The emphasis is on a holistic approach to nature and conservation, and including imaginative as well as scientific approaches to the subjects. You can find out more, and apply to join, at afocusonnature.org Next Generation Birders is a partner organization of AFON, and as the name suggests, focuses more exclusively on birding – again members are encouraged both to get involved with bird recording and other projects. You can find out more at nextgenerationbirders.blogspot.co.uk, at the group’s Facebook page, or through @NGBirders JOIN THE BTO AS A ‘YOUNG BIRDER’ MEMBER If you’re a really young birder (aged 11-18), you can join the BTO as a Young Birder member, for just £12 a year – you’ll get all the advantages of full membership. There are also joint membership deals available, for multiple members of the same family. Find out more at bto.org/support-us/join Lisa Geoghegan / Alamy ONE TO WATCH JOSIE HEWITT, 17 BW: What first got you interested in birds and wildlife? JH: I have had an interest in the natural world for as long as I can remember, but as I’ve got older this vague interest has turned into a passion that I hope to turn into my career one day. BW: Which bird surveys/conservation projects are you involved in? JH: I started bird ringing in 2011, having been captivated by a ringing demonstration at Birdfair that August. I now have my C-permit and carry out ringing in my local area where the data I collect helps the landowners know whether their habitat management is working effectively. Last year, I also started nest recording – I’m not very good at it, as I only managed to find a couple of nests, but I hope to learn more and develop my skills in the spring when the breeding season kicks off again. As well as this, I am also a member of the Next Generation Birders (I’m Vice-chair) and A Focus on Nature. BW: What has been your most memorable birding moment? JH: My most memorable birding moment is one that I am lucky enough to get to repeat each summer. I live really close to lots of heathland, so, in my opinion, there is nothing better than heading up to the heaths on a warm summer’s evening to listen to the Nightjars churring as dusk falls. It is such an incredible experience and if you’re really lucky, you might see or hear a Woodcock, as well. BW: What would be the one piece of advice you’d give to other young birders? JH: If there’s one thing I’ve learnt from talking to other young birders/nature enthusiasts it is that nature isn’t ‘cool’. And while this stigma may mean you get teased or even feel the need to hide it from your friends and peers, don’t. Please don’t. Instead, embrace it and be proud to have an interest that is as diverse as you want it to be and that you can take with you wherever you go and into whatever career you end up in. Maybe even try and show people at school what you find so interesting, whether it be birds, moths, mammals or insects and tell them some facts about it and you never know, you might just inspire them to take a bit more of an interest in nature. BW: If you could make one change to the UK’s environmental policies, what would it be? JH: Now that’s a tricky one, because there’s so much that could be changed in order to make things better! However, although it’s not strictly an environmental policy, I would revise the national curriculum to ensure that caring for the environment, and understanding its importance to our day-to-day lives, became an integral part of teaching for all age groups. birdwatching.co.uk 11
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Young Birders

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