Island’s Birds Thriving Decade After Railway Project
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
This is the sub-heading.
An island transformed into a nature haven thanks to excavations from a major engineering project is thriving with record numbers of birds.
These two paragraphs add detail to the story.
RSPB Wallasea Island, a 740-hectare reserve at Rochford in Essex, was created using more than three million tonnes of earth, brought by boat from the tunnels and shafts created by the Crossrail scheme.
Before work began more than a decade ago there were just a small number of birds present – but almost 40,000 arrived last winter.
This Google Map shows the location of Wallasea Island.
Note.
- Wallasea Island is indicated by the red arrow.
- Southend-on-Sea is in the South-West corner of the map.
- To the East of Wallasea Island is Foulness Island, which at one time was to be the location for London’s third airport.
- In the Summer, there is a ferry to Wallasea Island from Burnham-on-Crouch, where there is a railway station.
- The distance between the quay and the station loooks to be about five hundred metres.
I will make a trip.
UK Offshore Wind Farm Now Equipped With Scour Protection Doubling As Marine Life Habitat
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on offshoreWIND.biz.
This is the sub-heading.
RWE has installed around 75,000 reef cubes developed by the nature-inclusive technology designer ARC marine at the Rampion offshore wind farm in the UK, in what the Rampion owner says is a “global first”. The cubes are a specially eco-engineered scour protection solution for wind turbine foundations, and this represents their first full-scale deployment at an offshore wind farm.
These four paragraphs add more details.
The solution is designed to protect the energy infrastructure from strong currents in the subsea environment, while creating new and extending existing living marine habitats, RWE says.
The reef cubes, ranging in size from 15 to 35 centimetres, were installed over the last few days at the base of one of the Rampion turbines by the project’s contractor Rohde Nielsen. It is the first real-world deployment of ARC marine’s patented Reef cubes as scour protection at an operational wind farm, according to RWE.
The developer says that at just one of the Rampion turbines, the reef cubes are providing a habitat surface area of 25,000 square metres.
The deployment is part of the Reef Enhancement for Scour Protection (RESP) pilot that RWE and ARC marine announced in July this year.
ARC marine’s reef cubes have their own comprehensive web site, which show all aspects of this fascinating technology.
Beware Beaver At Work!
Some years ago, I went on a wildlife tour of Sweden, called Sweden’s Mammals.
The company; Wild Sweden, have just sent me this YouTube video.
Enjoy!
Simon Reeve’s South America
I am just watching episode two of this television series on BBC2.
It is definitely a must-watch. You can watch it here.
Interestingly, the program was giving a similar message about the rain forest, that I talked about in The Enforcer From The World Bank.
Solar Farms And Biodiversity
I have an old farmer friend, who told me this tale.
His neighbour put up a few acres of solar panels on a field, that adjoins one of his fields, where it generally grows cereal crops.
He told me that he felt he was seeing more hares on his land and wrote to me asking if it could be the solar panels.
I searched the Internet and couldn’t find anything at the time.
But, it should be remembered, that hares have an unusual way of bringing up their leverets, where the mothers generally abandon them during the day and feed them in the evening.
We did wonder, if the solar panels offered protection to the leverets from aerial predators. And the mothers were learning that solar panels were a safer place.
This morning someone made a comment about solar panels on a page in The Times and I searched again.
I found this article on the Solar Power Portal, which is entitled Solar Farms And Biodiversity and thoroughly read it.
It doesn’t say much about hares, but it puts a strong case, that solar panels can increase biodiversity.
Railway Engineers Build Beaver Pass On Highland Line
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
This is the introductory paragraph.
Railway engineers have built what they believe is Scotland’s first ever ‘beaver pass’, to allow the animals to go under the Highland mainline.
Let’s hope the remedial action works, as otherwise, there’ll be increasing train delays caused by beavers, as their numbers and dams proliferate.
The Scottish NFU is also against the reintroduction of beavers, as this article on the Scottish Farmer, which is entitled Don’t Protect The Beaver illustrates.
I can see trouble ahead!
Crossrail-Spoil Wetland Provides Haven For Wildlife
The title of this post is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
This is the first two paragraphs.
A £70m project to create a wetland twice the size of the City of London is nearly finished with wildlife thriving in new lagoons, marsh and fields.
New wetland on Wallasea Island, off the Essex coast, was created from tunnel spoil from London’s Crossrail project.
Wallasea Island shows that large construction projects don’t have to be all about steel and concrete.
Will Sir David Teach Trump A Lesson?
The Times has an article today, which is entitled Attenborough Brings About A Sea Change.
One statement stands out.
The political impact of Blue Planet II is undeniable..
The article also says.
- Dozens of MPs have signed a motion congratulating Sir David for highlighting the issue of plastic pollution in the oceans.
- Michael Gove says he is haunted by the footage and pledged action.
- The UN has announced plans for a task-force.
But surely, the most important thing the article says is that Blue Planet II will premiere in the US on January 10 on five networks.
Will Trump watch?
Probably not! It’s all fake news to him anyway!
But a large proportion of the around three hundred million , who live in the USA, will find it compulsive viewing!
Out of curiosity, I wondered if Sir David had any views on Donald Trump. Google found this article in The Independent, which is entitled Sir David Attenborough on Donald Trump: ‘We could shoot him. It’s not a bad idea’.
This is said.
Until now, Sir David Attenborough was one of the few individuals in the public eye not to have broached the ever-present, all-pervasive topic of Donald Trump. However, the naturalist and beloved broadcaster has now given his assessment of the situation and suggested a way to counter the Republican’s ascent to power which, believe it or not, involves a gun.
In an interview with the Radio Times, the nonagenarian was probed about how we solve a problem like Mr Trump and quipped: “We could shoot him”.
Obviously, he was only joking. But Trump does live in the Land of Guns!
A Visit To Woodberry Wetlands
This morning, I visited Woodberry Wetlands.
It was crowded, as would be expected on the first day.
I’ve Now Got A Back Garden!
On BBC Breakfast this morning, the weather is coming from Woodberry Wetlands, which is London’s newest Nature Reserve, that opens to the public today, after being opened by Sir David Attenborough yesterday.
This Google Map shows the area.
Woodberry Wetlands
One entrance is on the road between the two reservoirs and I think there is a second one by the Castle.
To get there, I just walk across the road by my house and get a 141 bus to the castle. It takes me about ten minutes.
How many readers of this blog realised that North London had such an impressive castle?
It was built to keep Tottenham and Arsenal supporters apart. Tottenham is to the North-East and Arsenal is to the South-West.
This morning, I visited Woodberry Wetlands.
I walked across from where the 141 bus dropped me by the Castle along the New River Walk.
It was crowded, as would be expected on the first day.
One thing that surprised me was that I saw a fox in broad daylight, strutting about as cool as you like.
I think it will turn out to be a popular attraction, but I think that transport bus, bicycle and walking access should be improved.
- Probably the easiest way to go is to walk from Manor House station. Some signs showing the shortest walking route would help.
- The maps on the web site need updating with buses from both entrances.
- Bicycles were everywhere and there needs to be better storage.
- A bus running between the reservoirs would certainly help.
It is the sort of attraction, that would benefit from some Boris bike stations.
- Manor House station
- Finsbury Park station
- The Castle
- The entrances to the attraction.
The first two would also serve Finsbury Park.
The Anonymous Widower 