Talk:LatestNews

Mobile phone access problems (February 2018)

Just wondering what the situation is, as I know I am not the only person now having great difficulty accessing latest news from my mobile since recent changes. Many thanks (R.Kaye).

Me too. I cannot open the files for the day and they are not posted until the following day on my Android mobile (John Edwards).

Us also (Roger Morton and Bernie Whiskin).

I have no problems accessing the latest news on my iPhone. Could it be an Android problem (Ian Grant).

No, it isn't an Android phone problem. I have no trouble accessing latest news on my Sony phone (Neil Batten).

I also have the same problem with my iPhone, it is not an issue with clicking the arrows, it is a problem of only getting access to up to yesterday's news (Jon Agar).

I have no problem on Android either, on a Samsung S8. For those for whom it doesn't work, is there a little downwards arrow to the right of each data? If so, click on it and it should expand the day's sightings (Oscar Dewhurst).

Try different browser, that arrow wasn't expanding page on my usual one (Dan Pinkham).

I found that if you click the edit/pencil and then go back it appears again (Arjun). I

am on iPhone and had same issue. I use the same solution as Arjun. It's tedious (George).

Arjun Dutta's solution works for me too (thanks, Arjun), but it shouldn't be necessary and I've never had this problem before with my iPhone (Andrew Haynes).

Same problem on iPhone, no news coming up at all under each day (Paul Collins).

I fiddled about and tried the above suggestions before my initial post above, but to no avail. Presumably the architect of the recent changes can enlighten us? (R.Kaye)

Nothing to do with me, could be due to updates on the phone's browser software - appears to be a caching issue in which the phone returns the page it had before rather than going onto the internet to get the latest view so would be worth trying to refresh the page (Administrator).

The method I use is to change to desktop view on my phone's internet browser for this site. Makes the text smaller of course but one can zoom in (Reuben Braddock).

Works OK on Windows PC (Dave Burt).

Going into edit then back again works for me, but intriguingly the Croydon Birders website uses the same WIKIA base and displays up to date info without having to go into edit first! (John Birkett).

On smart phone the latest news does not show till the next day this only started when you change the format so each day had it's own page and had to be clicked to be opened (Michael Mac)

House Sparrow (June 2017)

Some 'experts' think loss of sparrows is more than just habitat loss? Nearby Phoenix Community Gardens had sparrows till few years ago, they have also recently built a new center there and could have included some sparrow boxes or cavities in the walls for them to nest - but no one thought of that one! I have contacted various people about House Sparrow declines and have met with a variety of opinions as to why, but no one is taking action to reverse it in London. Perhaps because there is such a conflict of views as to the real reason and no one wants to stick their neck out. The main reason is loss of nest sites, why is it in Brockwell Park (nr Brixton) sparrows still feed round the tables at the café yet in all other Central London Parks they are never seen? Could it be that on the house were the café is there are nest holes - which have all been filled at places like Regent's Park and Hyde Park etc (Michael Mac).

Maybe the LNHS should initiate a campaign to promote the London-wide provision of nest sites for spuggies (Andrew Haynes).

I doubt nesting is the main issue. Sparrows disappeared suddenly from Golders Hill Park area in 2000 despite no change in nest site availability. The presence of sparrows around Covent Garden and Fleet Street is now a regular joy for me (maybe for a year). There is a pub in Kemble Street with seed feeders as well as ivy that has them most of the time. I would not be surprised if this is a disease resistant group, or a group that has learnt some new trick of food usage. I think there must be quite a number of birds in the area (Jo Edwards).

House Sparrows are a colonial species. They communicate constantly to keep in contact with their immediate neighbours. They are also a sedentary species, so don't migrate distances out of habit. Here's my reason(s) for the decline of House Sparrows in urban areas. (1) Low breeding success due to pollution affecting the availability of the insects they need to feed their young. (2) Loss of nest sites to some extent. However, the main reason is that House Sparrows won't cross a space unless it can hear another House Sparrow. In New Zealand, the House Sparrows I studied, spread themselves out, but kept connected to each via sight and sound. One only had to throw some food out to see how the network functioned. Where gaps in the population appear due to (1) & (2). The remaining birds become ever more isolated in pockets. You will note this yourself no doubt. The great mass of birds subsequently become groups, then a few birds and finally just one. (Richard Francis).

Bird Watchers Needed (March 2015)

Hi there,

I work for a production company in London and I am currently looking for some people to take part in some films we are making for NatWest.

We are looking for ornithologists/bird watchers (50+) to take part in a very simple piece of content for us, where we follow them as they part take in some bird watching in a countryside in London/Greater London in mid-May. The point of the piece is to show that online banking can be done anywhere in light of potential branches closing down.

Is there a way that I can get a message across to your members to enquire as to whether they'd be interested in taking part? Ideally they’d be NatWest Customers too. If you are interested email me - Marcus@Greenrock.tv

Thanks and all the best.

Marcus

Trent Park Mandarin Ducks (March 2015)

I noted the recent report of Mandarin Ducks at the ponds in Trent Park. I am from Virginia and while visitng my son and his family last week I made a venture out for a morning of birding to Trent Park. There were a number of Mandarin Ducks at a small pond near the picnic grounds. They, together with the Mallards seemed tame as they all came over looking for handouts. My question is whether these Mandarin Ducks at Trent are part of a collection housed there or are they considered wild (they certainly were not skittish). I have only found references to wild Mandarin Ducks at Trent on the internet, but never to Mandarin Ducks at this location (only the larger ponds). Thank you for any help/explanation. I also saw a number of Red-crested Pochards at Finsbury Park. I assume the Shovelers there were wild, but have wondered if Finsbury maintains a collection of waterfowl. Thanks again.

173.72.206.32 12:21, March 10, 2015 (UTC)Jim Goehring, Fredericksburg, Virginia, USA

Data entry problem (May 2014)

+++This site is far far to complicated to enter a sighting I have been trying for over an hour,complete nonsense,it wont accept pass words[that were right ,give you other ones that are unrememberable!! especially if you are out on site as I was earlier.I observed,at Springwell lake one goldeneye female with one duckling ,that was diving all the time at 19.40 this evening,The other week I recorded a female with 7 ducklings.

I really dont have the time to enter this stuff anymore will use other sites. — Sanderson Topham (talk) 20:26, May 22, 2014 (UTC)Sanderson Topham

Entering sightings on theis wiki is simple and straighforward. If Sanderson Topsham has a problem then it lies elsewhere. If anyone knows Sanderson, can they please persuade him to try again, and give some guidance of necessary (Andrew Haynes)

Reporting common species (April 2014)

All news should be welcome on this community (ie not subscribed rarity email service) noticeboard. All levels of birders should be allowed to participate, and should be encouraged by others. Birding is not just ticking off rarities. (M Bournat)

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Also, some common birds at certain sites can generate interest. Take a duck pond, for example, that hasn't had Moorhens present for 20 years. Then one day a Moorhen shows up out of nowhere and takes up residence. Hey presto, you have an interesting common bird. (Katy M.)

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I agree with all the comments on here and I found the comment under Robert's posting on 10th January particularly insulting. I do not know Robert personally but know that he has contributed thousands of valuable bird records to the LNHS since the 1980's - this includes many common birds and a good number of rarities, not forgetting a superb first for London in 2005.

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This is an interesting debate and I hope more people will contribute to it. for my part I mainly agree with the comments above but surely if you see a Moorhen at a site where there has been none for 20 years then this is indeed newsworthy and therefore requires an explanatory note. Otherwise if you have news about Wrens and Blue Tits then please put the Firecrests in bold.(Derek Turner)

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Hi all, as the moderator of this site I have posted some general guidance about what type of news should be posted on latest news so I don't propose to repeat myself. However I'm not the one who leaves unnecessary (and occasionally snide) comments when people have posted news that doesn't meet this criteria. This is a community website and I would like to see people treated as adults. Sometimes 'common birds' are unusual or even rare at a particular site but people should make this clear in their posting. Records such as "one Blue Tit in my garden" are not what this site is for - even the LNHS do not collect such trivial information. Andrewself 15:13, January 24, 2012 (UTC)

22/04/2014 Had a very interesting Willow Warbler Chiffchaff song switcher today,I thought I was going mad ! I witnessed what I assumed to be a Willow Warbler singing classic Willow Warbler song from the top of a tree only to sing Chiffchaff notes at the end of the phrase. I've done some research and it seems this is not that unusual...has anyone else heard/witnessed this ? Apparently if a true Chiffchaff is nearby ,a Willow warbler can mimic it to deter it entering it's territory thus competing for food nesting sites etc...fascinating!(David Martens}--Snetram (talk) 21:42, April 22, 2014 (UTC) Ps Also see : http://deanar.org.uk/general/articles/wwmixedsong.htm

Question to Neil Anderson about Cuckoo (February 2014)

Hi this is a question for Neil Anderson about the cuckoo,

My husband and I took our 9 year old to hear two nightingales singing last night around Fishers Green (have heard them there for the past 3 years) but we didn't hear the cuckoo.  Can I ask if you've heard it in the evening or morning as we'd love our daughter to hear one. Many thanks. —   JayneT (talk) 08:23, May 5, 2013 (UTC)JayneT Jayne, if you post a general question on the Wild About Britain web site, you might get some advice on this, possibly from Neil himself. — 109.155.2.27 11:00, February 8, 2014 (UTC) Deb Jackson

Campaigns (December 2012)

I get the impression that there is a conflict of opinion when people post about the latest campaigns within the "Latest News" section. Nige, if you are reading this, is this the case?

I have no idea how this Wiki works. Andrew, is it possible to rename "Latest News" to "Latest Sightings" and add a new page for the campaigns, concerns, etc, called something like "Latest News", "Conservation Concerns" or simply "Get Involved"? 

Having visited Lake Farm CP in the summer, I was pleasantly surprised by the number of "other birds". The Red-backed Shrike was very memorable, but equally so, for myself, a novice birdwatcher, was a close-up view of a Skylark on the path, rivalling the view of a pair that I once saw at Titchwell. All this in an atrocious downpour. The sound of Skylarks on a summers day there must be fantastic. I can imagine how strongly people must feel about trying to protect this site. I wish the campaigners luck, and will sign the petition. 

Deb Jackson

Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers (December 2012)

Hi 

I am visiting London from Scotland this week, staying in the Harrow area and wondered if there is anywhere in the London area where it would be likely to see Lessre Spotted Woodpeckers? Any advice would be much appreciated.

David McNee92.25.207.124 18:29, December 31, 2012 (UTC)

david.mcnee@gmail.com

Gallions Reach (April 2012)

I was wondering if any of the birders frequenting Gallions Reach could help me out. I visit the area quite a lot, and have never seen the number of waders often on the Latest News page. I wondered if I was visiting the wrong place (though can't find anywhere else), or simply at the wrong time of day? I watch from the viewpoint at the end of Atlantis Avenue, and occasionally walk upriver to woolwich. I usually visit around midday.

Thanks

BirdBoyBen 18:37, April 4, 2012 (UTC)

Kensington Gardens (April 2012)

I'm starting a new blog about the birds of Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park in an effort to partly replace Des McKenzie's defunct blog. I can't match Des's expertise and it's an amateur effort, but I'm hoping that comments from visitors will make it worth reading.

Ralph Hancock

2.27.75.64 18:55, April 7, 2012 (UTC)