Rosemary Barr, who many of you will know, has recently moved away from Tring and as a result, is no longer able to continue as Membership Secretary. We would like to record our thanks to Rose for all her help over the years.
So, we are now looking for a new Membership Secretary (as well as a Chairman!). The job is not too onerous and the records are kept on a fairly simple Excel spreadsheet. The Membership Secretary is also a member of the Committee, which meets three or four times a year. We are a friendly lot, so why not have a go! If you would like to find out more - about the Membership Secretary or Chairman - please e-mail us by clicking here. Alternatively, you can call Keith Evans on 01442 822471 or write to us at Friends Of Tring Reservoirs, P.O. Box 1083, Tring, Herts, HP23 5WU. (Posted 18/12/08 Archived 18/01/09)
It is with sadness that we have to report the death of Les Edwards.
Les was a member of FoTR right from the early years, a member of our first small working party. Les helped with the construction our very first tern nesting raft on Wilstone back in 1994 and he was always glad to give a hand and give lots of encouragement to us all. He nearly always attended the AGMs, raising a hand to second a motion or support a nominee. He loved the countryside, was a keen but modest birdwatcher, but most of all he was a dedicated astronomer; he even had a telescope for a weathervane.
In 2003 he generously volunteered to set up and run our Gift Aid scheme which in the intervening years has raised over £200 a year. He did this despite ill health within his family and latterly to himself. Les died in October after a short illness and he will be sadly missed.
We are investigating the purchase of a new tern raft and if this goes ahead, we have decided to dedicate it to Les in memory of his dedicated contribution to FoTR. (Posted 13/12/08 Archived 18/01/09)
During the week of 6 October work was carried out to improve the reed bed at Marsworth. For more information and some photographs of the work under way, see the Marsworth Reedbed page here (Posted 09/10/08 Updated 17/10/08 Archived 18/01/09)
The Bittern Roost watch, which is co-ordinated across the whole of Hertfordshire, will take place on Sunday 11 January. Please join us on the causeway between Startopsend and Marsworth Reservoirs. We will meet initially at 3.00 pm at Startops Car Park, but if you can't get there by then, just walk along the causeway and meet us there. We ainm to finish around 4.30 pm, so wrap up warm! (Posted 29/12/08 Archived 11/01/09)
Tim Hill from HMWT reported that this winter's first Bittern was seen on Sunday 16 November at Amwell over in the Lee Valley. Since then others have also been seen in the Lea Valley Park, at Seventy Acres and North Met Pit; and at WWT's London Wetlands Centre at Barn Elms.
On Saturday 6 December, a Bittern was reported closer still, at Weston Turville Reservoir, so have a good look at Marsworth and Wilstone too.
And a Bittern has now been seen at Marsworth too.It was seen sat low down in the reeds, roosting not far into the reedbed near the closest channel, that has been cut through the reeds. And please don't forget to tell us if you see it. (Posted 17/11/08 Updated 10/12/08, 20/12/08 Archived 01/01/09)
College Lake closed on 6 October and will re-open on 1 January 2009. The existing entrance and car parking bays are to be re-landscaped and capacity increased to allow for higher numbers of visitors on sunny summer days and when special events are happening. In addition, a new hide is to be built giving much improved views over the marshy wetland and the circular walks around the lake, now flooded as a result of the rising water table, will be re-routed to open up access once again. (Posted 25/09/08, Updated 09/10/08 Archived 01/01/09)
If you haven't seen them already, then go to Marsworth Reservoir, aiming to get there before around 3:45 pm. Stand on the causeway between Marsworth and Startopsend reservoirs and watch one of nature's most spectacular aerial displays, as over 1,500 Starlings gather into one huge group, wheeling and dancing in the sky, like a swarm of gnats or swirling smoke, before diving down into the reed-bed to roost. It's guaranteed to cheer up even the coldest winter day. (Posted 20/11/08 Archived 07/12/08)
Those who saw the last Grebe will have seen the great article by Lee Evans, who looked back on his 40 years of birding locally - and further afield. Lee is well known to many of us and is a dedicated recorder of everything he sees - not simply the rarities - which gives us a valuable set of baseline information for teasing out trends etc. Lee has developed his own website which looks at not only the reservoirs, but also other local sites, including Ivinghoe and the surrounding hills. The site is at: birdingtringreservoirs.blogspot.com and is well worth taking a regular look at. (Posted 14/10/08 Archived 04/12/08)
An update provided by Roy Hargreaves: We have all enjoyed the recent low water levels at Wilstone and bemoaned the fact that it is now rising again. However, in talking to the new BW guy on the 13th I gleaned some useful information.
At present the BW are only able to take water from Wilstone for the canal, but this might change if the algae in Wilstone is the wrong sort etc. BW want the level to remain as it is as they are seeking permission to cut down the trees growing through the concrete and apply a chemical to the tree roots etc to stop them re-growing.
The other interesting fact is that they are actively lowering the level on Marsworth by about 18 inches (50cm for those too young to remember inches), so that they can repair the emergency overflow, which is leaking. I am not sure whether or not that will expose mud by the reedbed but if it does that could prove interesting. The last time I saw decent mud at Marsworth a number of Common Snipe and a Jack Snipe took up residence. Also Spotted Crake may be a possibility. What he did say though is as soon as the work is complete they would allow the water level to rise naturally so the window of opportunity may not last long. (Posted 14/09/08 Archived 04/12/08)
From Monday 6 October until Friday morning (the 10th) work will take place to improve the reedbed at Marsworth. As reported in the latest Grebe, the aim is to increase the feeding opportunities for Bitterns by cutting a number of channels and pools into the reedbed, using an amphibious reed-cutting machine called a ‘Truxor’. The channels and pools will encourage fish to enter the reedbed from the open water of the reservoir where they will then be accessible to Bitterns, feeding in the increased length of reed-to-water interface and as a by-product, the channels will also help us to see further into the reedbed. Each of the channels or rides will be around 50m long by around 5m wide. British Waterways have discussed the position of the rides with FoTR and the Tring Ringing Group as well as the Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust and they will avoid disturbing the area near the causeway that is favoured by the corn bunting roost. Let us hope that these improvements will, over the next few years, encourage our over-wintering Bitterns to stay to breed. (Posted 30/9/08 Archived 09/10/08)
Sadly the wader walk has had to be cancelled, however, keep an eye on the website for the rescheduled date (Posted 03/10/08 Archived 05/10/08)
This year's Bucks Wildlife Day will take place at the County Museum in Church Street, Aylesbury, from 11.00 am to 4.00 pm. We will be there, so please come along. (Posted 16/09/08 Archived 05/10/08)
The Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust, in collaboration with the Herts Natural History Society and the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority, is
running a series of 22 ‘Learn About Wildlife’ workshops with the aim of getting more people involved in wildlife conservation.
The workshops aim to introduce participants to new subjects and wildlife, increase their awareness and knowledge of wildlife and conservation, develop their skills in species identification and introduce them to species recording. Topics and species covered range from grasses and wild flowers
to bats and water voles and are open to anyone over the age of 12.
The full programme - covering the period from April through to February 2009 - can be found at http://www.wildlifetrust.org.uk/herts or you can email jennifer.gilbert@hmwt.org to ask for a copy of the ‘Learning About Wildlife’ brochure. (Posted 20/03/08 Archived 05/10/08)
With effect from 1 April, British Waterways (BW) took over the fishing and shooting rights at the Reservoirs. The BW press release can be viewed by clicking here. BW has announced that no more shooting over the water will take place. The fishing on Wilstone, Marsworth and Startopsend Reservoirs is now managed by BW in partnership with the Tring Anglers and the trout fishery at Tringford remains essentially as it was.
(Posted 23/04/08 Archived 05/10/08)
'Wild About Wood' - From 10am to 3pm on Sunday 28 September BBOWT will host an event at College Lake in conjunction with Royal Forestry Society, supported by the Ernest Cook Trust. Go along and find out everything you ever wanted to know about wood! Learn how to make things from wood, how wood helps combat climate change and discover woodland wildlife. (Posted 25/09/08 Archived 28/9/08)
On Wed 3 September, a Cetti's Warbler was found inside the hide and was having difficulty in getting out. While it was nice to see a Cetti's so close up, it just shows the need to put flaps back up when leaving a hide. While I'm not suggesting it was one of our members, can you all please make sure the flaps are closed when you leave - even if they were open when you arrived! Thanks. (Posted 03/09/08 Archived 16/09/08)
Tring Anglers have informed us that this week-end there has been a 'Bogus bailiff' demanding money with menaces from kids on the canal (not actually at the Reservoirs) just in case anyone has seen see anything suspicious. All the genuine Water Bailiffs carry identity cards which show a passport style photo and are endorsed by either British Waterways or Tring Anglers. The incident was in Buckinghamshire and the Police have been notified, but please keep your eyes open and report anything amiss. What is the World coming to when even our kids aren't safe! (Posted 31/08/08 Archived 16/09/08)
I'm sorry to report that the car break-ins continue throughout the area, not just at the Reservoirs, but also at College Lake, Pitstone Hill and elsewhere. We reported problems earlier in August at the Wilstone car parks, but they have not gone away. We have heard that a bunch of rogues are probably responsible and most recently have been seen driving a dark blue 4-wheel drive Toyota pickup and a black 05 plate Volkswagon Golf Diesel. So please keep your eyes open and take extra care to make sure nothing valuable is left in your cars while you are out and about enjoying the reservoirs or wider afield. (Posted 12/08/08; updated 28/08/08 Archived 16/09/08)
FoTR was set up in October 1993 and the first edition of the Grebe newsletter went out in the autumn of that year.
To commemorate the anniversary, we would like to make the September issue of the Grebe a little bit special, so I am asking for contributions from any of our members by way of short articles or letters or photographs - anything you would like to contribute. You can tell us what makes Tring Reservoirs a special place for you, or provide a memory of some noteable moment, or give us your reflections on how things have changed - or indeed anything. It is you members that makes FoTR such a successful organisation and even if you don't normally write anything, now is the opportunity for you to make the next Grebe a bit different.
Please help with whatever you can. The deadline is the weekend of 30-31 August, but you can let me have your notes and thoughts earlier if you wish. E-mails are fine, but you can add Word or PDF attachments if you wish and photographs in JPEG or pretty well any format would be good too; you can e-mail me by clicking here. Alternatively, handwritten or printed pages would also be welcome; please send them to me, Keith Evans at FoTR, PO Box 1083, Tring, Herts, HP23 5WU; or you can call me on 01442 822471 to discuss your thoughts. Although we would like to include your names, I will consider withholding names if you wish, provided of course the piece isn't too controversial or political!
Please, please help with this special anniversary. Thank you all.
(Posted 16/07/08 Archived 03/09/08)
As part of 'Tring Sports Taster Day' Tring Anglers have extended an invite to all our members to come and have a go at fishing or just say hello. The event takes place at the Reservoir pound near Startop's End (Startops car park.) (Posted 21/08/08)
Our annual walk with the North Bucks Bat Group takes place a little nearer its ususl time this year. We hope to find some of the many bat species found at Marsworth and Startopsend Reservoirs as well as looking for birds before it gets dark. Meet at Startops car park at 8.30 pm and bring a torch! (Posted 12/08/08; Archived 24/08/08)
A rare sight indeed. This bird stayed for just about 36 hours or so and attracted many birders, hoping to catch a glance. Unusually, it was first discovered just as an FoTR group passed the bushes it was singing from on our Moth Morning walk on Sunday 15 June. Mike Wallen managed to capture a photograph of the bird, in tricky lighting, which you can see by clicking here.
(Posted 19/06/08 Archived 16/7/08)
This year's Spring migration seems to have produced a bumper year for Black Terns at the Reservoirs and Lee Evans has kindly provided this note from his records of their appeareance over the years:
The record number of Black Terns at any given time has been of 125 birds in May (in the 1960's), but a total of 53 at Wilstone on Tuesday 6 May is one of the highest day-counts in the last 30 years.
1985 - 12 in total
1986 - 11 in total
1987 - 15 in total
1988 - 47 in total including 29 on 8th May
1989 - 35 in total inc 16 on 9th May
1990 - 27 on 1st May
1991 - 47 in total inc 12 on 27th May
1992 - 15 in total
1993 - 62 in total inc 27 on 12th May
1994 - 49 in total inc 38 on 23rd April
1995 - just 2 in total !
1996 - 18 in total
1997 - 25 in total
1998 - 31 in total
1999 - 13 in total
2000 - 11 in total
2001 - 29 in total
2002 - just 5 in total
2003 - 9 in total
2004 - just 6 in total
2005 - just 8 in total
2006 - 22 in total
Thanks to Lee for the information.
For some great ictures of the Black Terns, taken by Mike Wallen, click here.
(Posted 11/05/08 Updated 15/05/08 Archived 16/07/08)
Wendover Arm Trust’s annual festival, including our FoTR stand. With family entertainment such as Clowns, Punch & Judy, Circus Skills, Fun Fair, Birds of Prey, Steam Traction Engines, and an Animal Petting Corner, plus Craft Fair, Trade and Charity Stands, Real Ale Bar, Live Music and visiting canal boats. Entrance to the Festival is from Icknield Way, Tring (the B488) or by foot only from a temporary bridge over the Wendover Arm west of Heygates Mill. You will be able to talk to one of the Committee and buy a copy of the new Water Supply to the Reservoirs booklet. See you there. (Posted 22/05/08 Archived 26/05/08)
Buckinghamshire County Council have arraged a Junior Spring Watch themed day at the Quarrendon and Meadowcroft Community Centre in Aylesbury - you can find a map here. Many of the area's wildlife and conservation groups will be there and we will be there too. We plan to have our usual display and plan to have some owl pellets for dissection, plus some colouring and sticking to give an idea of habitats and wildlife at the reservoirs. Please come and join us. If any of you would like to help - and it doesn't have to be for the whole event - please call Keith Evans on 01442 822471, or just turn up on the day. (Posted 29/04/08 Archived 11/05/08)
See Wilstone reservoir in the late Spring. Join us for our spring walk at Wilstone Reservoir, where we hope to see the returning hobbies.
Meet at Meads Farm Shop, where we have arranged parking space – why not get there a little early and enjoy some refreshments at the coffee shop. (Posted 29/04/08 Archived 11/05/08)
Most of you will already know that as an organisation, Friends of Tring Reservoirs are not equipped to deal with sick or injured wild birds or animals.
If you do see or find an injured bird or animal that needs help, please call St Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital on 01844 292292, who operate a 24-hour emergency telephone line. If a swan is involved, you can call Swan Lifeline on 01753 859397.
One member has suggested we all add these numbers to our mobile phones, so that they are to hand in case we might need one, which we think is a very good idea. If you want to see their websites click the following links : St Tiggywinkles or Swan Lifeline
Under the Law, any individual is permitted to take in and keep most injured wild birds and animals for the purpose of looking after them and releasing them as soon as they are fit, or in order to pass them on to someone properly qualified to look after them. However, the Wildlife and Countryside Act prohibits anyone from keeping certain species, which includes all of our rare breeding species, unless they are specifically registerd to do so - the above rescue organisations are registered. If you do decide to get involved yourself, please take great care and make sure you do not put yourself at risk of injury - if in any doubt watch and wait for the experts to arrive. (Posted 04/03/08 Updated 06/03/08 Archived 29/04/08 - replaced by permanent link)
You should by now have received membership renewal forms (for 2008) through the post, which we would ask you to complete and return, with your subscription, as soon as you can please. If you're not a current member, or if for some reason you don't receive a renewal form, you can complete and print off a membership form by clicking here, and send it to the address shown on the form. If your membership is a renewal and you use this online form, please add a note that yours is a renewal in the Any Other Comments box. Thank you all. (Posted 21/01/08 Archived 29/04/08)
In my quest to find copies of the earliest issues of the Grebe for our archives, another member has managed to locate issue number 2, meaning I now have numbers 1, 2, 5 and 8. So I now only need issues 3, 4, 6 and 7 for a full set! Issues 3 and 4 are from 1994/95 and 6 and 7 are from 1995/96.
PLEASE, PLEASE have a good look for these outstanding issues - there must be some clutterbugs out there (other than me!)
If you have any of them, please send me an e-mail
Alternatively, you can telephone me on 01442 822471
Or you can write (or even sent them!) to me, Keith Evans at PO Box 1083, Tring, Herts, HP23 5WU. I won't take the copies off you (unless you want me to!) but will copy them for our archive and return your originals to you. (Posted 08/10/07, Updated 26/11/07, 02/01/08 & 03/02/08 Archived 29/04/08))
At Waterworks Nature Reserve, Lammas Road (off Lea Bridge Road) Leyton. (Between the A406 North Circular and the A12)
Join Simon King and Chris Packham at this free event with something for all age groups and for all interests. The weekend includes specialist lectures, tailored guided walks, informal workshops, wildlife information and exhibitors, natural crafts, bird ringing and children's activities. For more information visit www.leevalleypark.org.uk or telephone 01992 702200 (Posted 19/04/08 Archived 29/04/08)
We have just heard that British Waterways have announced that with effect from 1 April, they will take over the fishing and shooting rights at the Reservoirs. Shooting will cease altogether and the fishing will be managed in partnership with the Tring Anglers. At this stage we know nothing more, as British Waterways did not inform us of the change. They have however, put out a press release, which can be viewed by clicking here.
(Posted 21/03/08 Archived 23/04/08)
STOP PRESS: British Waterways have just confirmed that Hannah Graves, Environmental Advisor to South East Waterways will join us at our AGM to provide more information on their recent purchase of the shooting and fishing rights. So come along to hear the latest news.
Our 2008 Annual General Meeting will take place at 7.30 pm on Tuesday 22 April 2008 at Marsworth Millennium Hall, (on the corner of the B489 Lower Icknield Way & Vicarage Road).
Following the AGM, at around 8.00 pm, Dr Robert Prys-Jones, from the Natural History Museum at Tring will give a talk entitled ‘The Bird Collection, the Fraud and the FBI; Unmasking the Ornithological Legacy of Richard Meinertzhagen’ He was one of the truly bizarre figures of history, an influential man with a legendary military reputation, but in the field of birds, questions on his integrity have made him a controversial character. It should be a fascinating talk.
Cheese and nibbles, wine and soft drinks will be available at the end of the AGM, prior to the talk.
Entry to the AGM is free to all, but only fully paid-up Members of FoTR may vote. The Committee, of up to nine members, including officers, is elected at the AGM. Julian Dawson (Minutes Secretary) and Myrna Beardsworth (Treasurer) have recently resigned and Peter Hearn retired as Chairman at last year’s AGM, but has remained on the Committee as an ordinary member. The remaining members are prepared to stand for re-election. These are: Rose Barr, Warren Claydon, Les Edwards, Keith Evans, Peter Hearn, Lynne Lambert and Johne Taylor.
So we now have at least TWO vacancies on the Committee. Anyone with an interest in the Reservoirs would be welcomed and our work is not onerous. We meet three or four times a year and you can do as much or as little as you wish. Please help to keep FoTR alive!
Members wishing to nominate candidates for election to the Committee, as members or officers, should do so in writing, at least 14 days prior to the date of the Meeting, to the Membership Secretary, Friends Of Tring Reservoirs, P.O. Box 1083, Tring, Herts HP23 5WU. A similar notice is required for Propositions or Amendments to the Constitution, which should also be sent to this address. Alternatively, you can e-mail your nominations to me here (Posted 27/04/08 Updated 05/04/08 Archived 23/04/08)Having been closed since 26 February, the footpath along the dry canal, between the two footpaths that lead down to Wilstone Reservoir - the path that completes the circuit around Wilstone - has now been re-opened.(Posted 26/02/08, updated 04/03/08 and 09/03/08 Archived 05/04/08)
The Countryside Management Service is hosting this walk, to look at the Willows and Black Poplars of Wilstone village and Wilstone Reservoir and to see what birds might be about at the reservoir. The walk will be around three miles in length and is open to all. FoTR will be there too, so come and learn something about these special trees and the local habitat in which they seem to flourish. Just turn up at Wilstone Village Hall by 10.30 am. See you there. (Posted 17/03/08 Archived 01/04/08)
You will recall that we carried out a Bittern Roost Watch at Marsworth on 6 January. This was a simple watch and report study, which was co-ordinated with the other known Bittern roosting sites in Hertfordshire; we counted one Bittern at this watch. As part of the continuing study, all of the Hertfordshire sites took a much closer look during the weekend of 1st to the 4th February. In carrying out this study, we tried to flush out any Bitterns that might have been using the reedbed, but we were seriously hampered by the very high water levels, which made it impossible to enter the reedbed safely. Nevertheless, Mick A'Court did disturb one Bittern in the Wilstone reedbed on the 2nd, but we did not see one at Marsworth during the survey period, although one Bittern was flushed on 27th January. All in all, this is a pretty exciting result given the conditions and we would like to thank Mick for his work. (I have added these to the sightings). (Posted 03/02/08 Archived 24/02/08)
Please join us for a bit of gardening – to replace the last one cancelled for bad weather! We need your help to maintain the scrape at our Water Treatment Works Lagoon site (which is between the Water Treatment Works and Marsworth Reservoir). Bring some gardening tools (we have some available) and gloves and wear stout footwear. Biscuits and refreshments available. Please help if you can spare an hour or two. Meet at the gate to the Water Treatment Works or at FoTR’s Lagoon hide at 11.30 am. (Archived 03/02/08)
This week is the last chance to catch this year's Shell Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition at the Tring Natural History Museum in Akeman Street Tring. The exhibition runs until next Sunday, 13 January. Admission is free and the Museum is open every day 10am to 5pm, except Sunday, when it opens 2pm to 5pm. See their website here (Posted 6/1/08 Archived 14/01/08)
As part of Hertfordshire's work in monitoring the county's Bittern numbers, a watch of their roost sites is to be carried out simultaneously at each of the known roosting sites in the county, at Amwell, Rye Meads, Lee Valley Park - and Tring. We will take part by keeping a lookout over the reedbed at Marsworth. The watch will be carried out from the embankment between Marsworth and Startopsend Reservoirs, where we can get a good view of the whole of the reedbed.
If you are interested in helping, or are just interested, please join us anytime between 2.00 pm and 4.00 pm. There is no need to book a place. Park ar Startops Car Park at Marsworth and walk through the gate at the end of the car park, around the edge of Startopsend Reservoir and turn righ along the embankment between the reservoirs - you will see us there. Don't forget to wear some warm clothing, as standing around for a couple of hours could be cold! (Posted 30/12/07; Archived 6/1/08)
Sightings records from Lee Evans of the British Birding Association (see 20 Nov) alerted me to something I didn't know about our Cormorants, which I thought worth sharing (with apologies to all you serious birders, who probably know this anyway).
We all know, and will have seen the two species of cormorant we get in our part of Europe – the Great Cormorant, which we usually simply call the Cormorant, and the Shag. However, what I didn't know, is that there are two subspecies or races of the Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo in Europe. One of these, is the P. carbo carbo, is primarily a coastal bird, which nests on cliffs and offshore islands, although we do sometimes see these inland during the winter. The other is P. carbo sinensis. This subspecies or race differs from the coastal birds in preferring inland breeding sites, usually trees. But, they are very difficult to tell apart in the field and even experts can find this difficult (sinensis birds are a bit smaller and have a different shapedpad of skin at the base of the bill. To make life even more difficult, populations of both subspecies or races have become established at inland lakes and reservoirs around Britain. (Information from www.cormorants.info) (Posted 04/12/07; Archived 6/1/08
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