Another milestone! 2001 marks the publication of the 50th edition of the newsletter.
The SNS newsletter first appeared in 1983, an occasional production which became a regular publication in 1987. Designed to complement the Transactions it is the vehicle which carries the Society’s calendar of events, field meeting reports and other news, including that from the SBRC. Equally important, it also provides the opportunity for every member of the Society to contribute something of interest - field observations, letters, requests for information, book reviews, survey updates, drawings, indeed anything relating to the natural history of Suffolk.
Regular features of the newsletter today include ‘Biodiversity Action Plans’ and ‘A Sicklesmere Garden’. My thanks to Rob Parker and Stan Dumican respectively. Rob also deserves special mention for his excellent report on the Society’s conference, produced in record time on the day following the event!.
As ever, thanks to Anne Beaufoy for her drawings and to all our other contributors for their support.
2001 also marks the publication of The Millennium Atlas of Suffolk Butterflies, the fifth in the series of SNS natural history atlases. Congratulations to author and regular contributor to White Admiral Richard Stewart. Richard’s attractive book will be on sale at our members’ evening in December,
For the editor, 2001 has brought other commitments. Unavoidably, this means that I can no longer give the newsletter the time and attention it deserves. It is time, therefore to move aside and let ‘new blood’ take up the editorial reins. No doubt it will not be too long before ‘new blood’ is found. In the meantime items for newsletter 51 should be sent to reach the present incumbent no later than February 1st 2002.
Contributors are reminded that, wherever possible, material should be submitted on computer disk accompanied by printed copy. Files should be sent in Word or Wordperfect (please indicate the programme used). Alternatively, files may be sent in ASCII or Rich Text (RTF).
Photographs to accompany articles we always gratefully received. These can be transparencies, prints or stored on CD.
The harsh ‘chak-chak-chak’ of magpies disturbed the peace on October 3rd as I surveyed the hedgerow bordering the marsh that lies at the southern end of Bentley. Several of the distinctive black and white birds launched themselves from a dead tree and alighted a short distance away in a clump of old oaks. I counted six: “One for sorrow, two for joy …. six for hell”. Magpie numbers seem to have doubled in the parish following mild winters and good springs.
Until the mid-19th century magpies were very common in Britain and were popular with farmers because their diet includes harmful insects and rodents. But from then until the First World War persecution by gamekeepers caused their numbers to decline drastically. A steady recovery followed and since 1970 magpie numbers have at least tripled, according to the RSPB.
Magpies are well-known scavengers, which in summer rely for food mainly on insects and other invertebrates from the ground. They will also eat fruits and seeds, though these are taken mostly in the winter. During the breeding season they will take the eggs and young of other birds. Carrion is eaten throughout the year. When food is abundant, magpies hoard the surplus to eat later. Such varied diet and the ability to cache its food for future need contributes considerably to the bird’s success.
The effect of magpies on songbirds has been debated at length. Nevertheless, recent research undertaken by the BTO and the University of Sheffield, which concentrated on rural areas, indicates that there is no evidence that increasing populations of these scavengers were having any effect on songbird populations in the areas studied.
However, the effect of magpies on at least one invertebrate, the stag beetle (Lucanus cervus), is considerable. Once the birds find the insect’s emergence site they will return to it again and again to kill and eat the soft fleshy parts of the adult beetles. At one emergence location the remains of 55 beetles were observed to be the result of predation by magpies. Data collected during the 1998 national stag beetle survey provide further evidence that magpies play a major role as a predator of these insects.
It is worth noting here that a cull of magpies made in Bentley in 1991 had a significant positive effect on the survival of local stag beetle populations.
Further research is undoubtedly required to determine more precisely the impact that magpies have on this nationally scarce biodiversity action plan beetle.
Editor
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