AGM followed by a Talk
Birds, climate and habitat in a changing world
Speaker: Alan Perry (HNHS Committee member and Emeritus President of Sussex Ornithological Society)
In the UK global warming is affecting birds, butterflies, moths and plants which are known to be moving northwards from areas that are too warm for them to thrive.
Species moving north: Golden Plover, Dunlin, Ptarmigan, Dotterel, Ring Ouzel and Curlew. Puffin, Kittiwake and Storm Petrel are affected by decrease of Sand Eels and Asian Bird ‘Flu has affected Gannets and Skua.
As regards bird populations in Sussex the picture is depressing. There are no Spotted Flycatcher or Wood Warbler; Willow Warbler numbers are very low; so too Swallow, each needing 850 insects a day even before the young hatch.
However, there have been gains: Little Egret, Great White Egret and Spoonbill. Cattle Egret, Common Crane have appeared; introduced Storks, Great Bustard, Ring-necked Parakeet and White–tailed Eagle are increasing; as are Buzzard, Red Kite and Ravens.