Latest news with #bittern
BBC News
3 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Blooming, booming bitterns heard across Yorkshire
Record numbers of bittern booming calls have been heard in Yorkshire during the bird's breeding season, the RSPB has of the rarest breeding birds in the UK, the bittern is also Britain's loudest bird due to the sound males make in the bird was once extinct in the UK but returned in the 20th Century, although by 1997 there were only 11 males recorded in the RSPB said a record seven boomers had been heard at RSPB St Aidan's near Leeds, two at RSPB Fairburn Ings near Castleford, four at RSPB Blacktoft Sands in East Yorkshire, and in South Yorkshire's Dearne Valley reserves five had been recorded. The Yorkshire figures come on the back of the national annual bittern survey results announced in March, which showed 283 booming males were recorded in the latest results from the RSPB and Natural Barnard, Yorkshire area manager for the RSPB, said the results for the county were a "testament to the huge conservation efforts" made."At our three flagship wetland nature reserves in the region our teams have worked tirelessly to create and crucially maintain the reedbeds in tip-top condition for the bitterns to thrive."Most of our UK population can now be found in inland reedbeds, which means they are safe from coastal flooding." Bitterns are a secretive and rare bird and are dependent on reedbed habitats, seeking out fish, insects and amphibians on the water's is the male's far-carrying booming sound, made in spring and summer to establish territories and attract mates, which can help give conservationists an indication of how well the species is and draining of their wetland habitat saw the bittern extinct in the UK by the 1880s. They returned in the early 20th Century but were in danger of extinction in the UK again by the late prompted a wide-scale, targeted conservation effort led by the RSPB and Natural England to slow the decline and encourage numbers to increase. Emma Tuckey, from RSPB Old Moor near Barnsley, said it was "amazing to think that back in the 1990s we only had 11 booming bitterns left in the whole country"."It just goes to show, if you build it, they will come, and we've created acres of reedbeds across Yorkshire so that these amazing birds can thrive, not to mention delight our visitors with their booming calls."A minimum of five bitterns had fledged from the Dearne Valley so far this RSPB Blacktoft Sands, at least six young have fledged from two reserve manager Pete Short said seeing bitterns doing well was a "dream come true"."The excitement of hearing Britain's loudest bird is difficult to put into words."Thirty or 40 years ago you wouldn't have a chance of hearing bitterns in Yorkshire but now you can hear them here as well as right across the county, the Aire Valley and Dearne Valley."Their sound carries for miles when they are booming. You just have to hear a bittern boom and see one to really understand why we should save them." Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
Scoop
30-05-2025
- General
- Scoop
Environment Court Confirms 19 Outstanding Water Bodies In Hawke's Bay
The Environment Court has confirmed that 19 of Hawke's Bay's water bodies meet the high threshold to be classified as 'outstanding', following appeals on Proposed Plan Change 7 (Outstanding Water Bodies) to the Hawke's Bay Regional Resource Management Plan. This outcome concludes the plan change process and ensures that the region's most exceptional water bodies – including aquifers, lakes, wetlands, rivers and estuaries – will receive the highest level of protection moving forward. A water body that is classified as 'outstanding' holds a cultural, spiritual, recreational, landscape, natural form and character, or ecological values that are conspicuous, eminent, or remarkable within Hawke's Bay. Hawke's Bay Regional Council Group Manager Policy & Regulation Katrina Brunton says, 'These are exceptional places. They stand out as the best of the best, and this decision confirms they'll be recognised and safeguarded for future generations with the health and wellbeing of these water bodies prioritised.' 'While not every water body has been classified as outstanding, many others are highly valued by local communities and tāngata whenua. We remain committed to improving the health and mauri of all water bodies across Hawke's Bay.' List of Outstanding Water Bodies in Hawke's Bay Outstanding water body Outstanding values Heretaunga Plains Aquifer System Cultural or spiritual values (whakapapa o te wai, wāhi taonga, wairua, mauri) Lake Poukawa and Pekapeka Swamp Cultural or spiritual values; Ecology (habitat for aquatic native birds) Lakes Rotoroa and Rototuna (the Kaweka Lakes) Natural character (Lake Rotoroa and Lake Rototuna) Habitat for indigenous aquatic plant community (Lake Rototuna); Habitat for native fish community (Lake Rotoroa) Lake Tūtira (including Lake Waikōpiro) Cultural or spiritual values Lake Waikaremoana Ecology, specifically habitat for aquatic native plant communities; Landscape (wild and scenic) values; Natural character; Recreation (central focus of a Great Walk) Lake Whakakī – Te Paeroa Lagoon – Wairau Lagoon and Wetlands Ecology (habitat for high natural diversity of aquatic native birds) Lake Whatumā Cultural or spiritual values; Ecology (habitat for aquatic native birds, particularly Australasian bittern) Mangahouanga Stream Geology (presence of dinosaur fossils) The Mohaka River upstream of Willow Flat Natural character; Landscape (wild and scenic) values; Recreation, including trout angling, kayaking and rafting; Trout fishery (Mohaka River mainstem and in the tributaries upstream of State Highway 5 bridge) Ngamatea East Swamp Natural character; Ecology (habitat for indigenous plant populations Ngaruroro River & Waitangi Estuary Upstream of the Whanawhana cableway Natural character; Landscape (wild and scenic) values; Rainbow trout habitat; Recreation (trout angling, whitewater rafting, kayaking); Habitat for native aquatic birds (particularly whio) Downstream of the Whanawhana cableway Habitat for native aquatic birds (including banded dotterel, black fronted dotterel) Downstream of the Whanawhana cableway to Fernhill Natural form and character (braided river) Waitangi Estuary Cultural or spiritual values including wāhi taonga, mauri Ruataniwha Plains Aquifer System Cultural or spiritual values (including whakapapa o te wai) Taruarau River Natural character, especially the gorge; Recreation (whitewater rafting and kayaking) Pōrangahau River and Estuary downstream of the Beach Road Bridge Cultural or spiritual values; Ecology (habitat for native aquatic birds) Te Hoe River Landscape (wild and scenic) values; Habitat for aquatic native birds (particularly whio) Te Karamū River Cultural or spiritual values including wāhi taonga, whakapapa o te wai, nohoanga/pāhi Te Whanganui-a-Orotū (Ahuriri Estuary) Cultural or spiritual values including wāhi taonga; Aquatic bird habitat; Native fish habitat Tukituki River downstream of SH50 bridge to the sea, including the estuary Cultural or spiritual values including wāhi taonga for the estuary Ecology (habitat for native aquatic birds, particularly in the lower river) Mainstem of the Tūtaekurī River upstream of the SH50 Bridge Cultural or spiritual values More Information
