#lowcarbonsoundrecording
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mark-banni.bsky.social
Wrote an article for the latest WSRS magazine on identification of individual bittern in local clay pits using sound recording and the vulnerability of this population to climate change. Some snippets:
#lowcarbonbirding
#lowcarbonsoundrecording
Front cover of WSRS magazine for Spring 2025 showing a singing skylark Picture of sound recording dish strapped to bicycle while sound recording bittern in a local clay pit. The study looks at the main threats to both bittern and waterfowl populations in the Barton to New Holland clay pits. It shows data that suggests that, after the well-known sensitivity to good reedbed conditions vis habitat management, the main risk to bittern in the clay pits is climate change. Showing sonograms of the boom-train of four different bittern overlaid on a map showing movements of booming birds. One boom-train is very short, indicating, perhaps, a non-breeding bird. A call for action The effects of climate change are not an abstract theory that can still be conveniently ignored. Our current trajectory is for +2deg over pre-industrial temperatures by as early as 2045 [23], even if we achieve the government’s utterly inadequate ‘net zero 2050’ target, which incredibly does not align with any temperature target. Yet it all still remains a choice. We already have the technology necessary to make the necessary changes and along with behavioural changes mainly by the rich only, we can still limit temperatures to below +2deg. We cannot ignore our own personal impact on the climate crisis. This is my second ‘low carbon’ study undertaken by bicycle in an effort to reduce my own carbon emissions. For the avoidance of doubt, these efforts are simply to not add to my already far-too-large historic carbon emissions. There are many who have always birdwatched locally, such as those following the Patchwork Challenge and I raise my hat to them. I very much fall into the better-late-than-never camp, but on the other hand, that’s many of us, right? To end on a brighter note, rather than the sacrifice I expected, I have found pursuing more local projects to be just as fulfilling, perhaps more so, than flying to the other side of the world for my birdwatching and taking up sound recording has magnified that even more. There are, in fact, several-lifetimes-worth of projects and interest in my garden and local area alone.
May 25, 2025 at 3:48 PM