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South Wales Argus
31 minutes ago
- South Wales Argus
Wild-born chough fledges and thrives in Kent for first time in 200 years
The successful fledging of the chick from a nest at Dover Castle comes just three years after the launch of a reintroduction programme led by Wildwood Trust, Kent Wildlife Trust and Paradise Park to restore the species into the region. The red-billed chough has strong cultural links with Kent and its history, appearing on pub signs, the coat of arms of Canterbury and in the legend of martyred Thomas Becket, whose blood was said to have stained the bird's red beak and legs. A rare chough chick has successfully fledged from a nest in the wild in Kent (Liz Corry/Wildwood Trust/PA) But the bird, a member of the crow family, vanished from the county more than 200 years ago, as a result of habitat loss and persecution, conservationists said. The rare birds, which forage on grassland and heath with short vegetation near their cliffside nests, are found only on the western fringes of Britain, the Isle of Man and the island of Ireland. A reintroduction programme to rear and release chicks aims to introduce up to 50 birds in the South East over five years, with the first cohort of released birds taking to the skies in 2022. And long-term efforts to restore and manage chalk grass land habitat, including through conservation grazing, has created the conditions for choughs to forage and breed, the team behind the project said. Chalk grassland supports a wide array of wildflowers and invertebrates, with the insects and larvae found in dung from grazing animals a crucial food source for choughs during the breeding season. Conservationists say the successful fledging of a wild-born chough is a landmark moment for the bird's return to the county. It follows a breeding attempt last year which ended when the chick went missing at the fledging stage during severe weather, but this year the youngster seems to be thriving, the team said. Liz Corry, chough release supervisor at Wildwood Trust, said: 'This is a moment we've all been hoping for. 'To see a wild chick not only hatch but fledge and take to the skies is a major step forward. 'It confirms that the birds are finding suitable nesting habitat, and pairing up to raise young – exactly what we've been working towards.' Conservationists say the successful fledging is a major step forward (Wildwood Trust/PA) Paul Hadaway, director of conservation and engagement at Kent Wildlife Trust, said: 'This project shows what's possible when long-term habitat restoration meets ambitious species recovery. 'A thriving chough population in Kent not only revives a lost species – it also proves the value of restoring rare habitats like chalk grassland, which are vital for a huge range of wildlife.'
The Independent
31 minutes ago
- The Independent
Thousands face travel chaos after emergency landing shuts runway at Birmingham airport
Flights in and out of Birmingham were suspended for more than five hours on Wednesday after a light aircraft was forced to make an emergency landing. Police, fire and ambulance crews all went to the runway as the emergency developed. Three people on board the aircraft were treated at the scene, one suffering minor injuries, West Midlands Police said. Passengers faced hours of delays, even after the runway reopened, including many in Europe trying to fly back to Birmingham. Airport bosses announced at around 2.40pm on Wednesday that the runway was temporarily closed. It reopened shortly before 8pm. The light aircraft was heading for Belfast International Airport when it developed landing gear problems. Footage and photographs appeared to show a small white turboprop plane, understood to be a Beechcraft B200 Super King Air, lying flat on the airport tarmac. The same type of aircraft was also involved in a crash at London Southend Airport in July, which killed four people. The Air Accidents Investigations Branch (AAIB) said it had started an investigation, with a team including 'inspectors with expertise in aircraft operations, engineering and recorded data' sent to the scene. Airport chiefs apologised for the disruption. Flights originally scheduled to depart as far back as 2.10pm were taking off after the runway re-opened, but others faced delays as late as 12.10am on Thursday, according to Birmingham Airport 's website. Woodgate Aviation, the owner of the plane, said: 'The aircraft returned to Birmingham and made an emergency landing and the main under-carriage collapsed on touch-down.' Diana Celella, an interior designer from Sutton Coldfield, was due to return from Lisbon on a Ryanair flight departing at 8.20pm after a holiday, but saw online that the flight was delayed by nearly three hours. She said: 'My husband and I have had a lovely holiday, so it's a real shame to end it with this delay. 'The atmosphere among fellow passengers is mostly resigned - everyone we've spoken to recognises that it's out of Ryanair's control.' West Midlands Ambulance Service said in a statement: 'We were called at 1.45pm to an incident involving a light aircraft at Birmingham Airport. 'Hazardous Area Response Team (Hart) paramedics and three paramedic officers were sent to the scene. 'Upon arrival we found three patients from the aircraft, all of whom were assessed and discharged at the scene.'
Glasgow Times
31 minutes ago
- Glasgow Times
Wild-born chough fledges and thrives in Kent for first time in 200 years
The successful fledging of the chick from a nest at Dover Castle comes just three years after the launch of a reintroduction programme led by Wildwood Trust, Kent Wildlife Trust and Paradise Park to restore the species into the region. The red-billed chough has strong cultural links with Kent and its history, appearing on pub signs, the coat of arms of Canterbury and in the legend of martyred Thomas Becket, whose blood was said to have stained the bird's red beak and legs. A rare chough chick has successfully fledged from a nest in the wild in Kent (Liz Corry/Wildwood Trust/PA) But the bird, a member of the crow family, vanished from the county more than 200 years ago, as a result of habitat loss and persecution, conservationists said. The rare birds, which forage on grassland and heath with short vegetation near their cliffside nests, are found only on the western fringes of Britain, the Isle of Man and the island of Ireland. A reintroduction programme to rear and release chicks aims to introduce up to 50 birds in the South East over five years, with the first cohort of released birds taking to the skies in 2022. And long-term efforts to restore and manage chalk grass land habitat, including through conservation grazing, has created the conditions for choughs to forage and breed, the team behind the project said. Chalk grassland supports a wide array of wildflowers and invertebrates, with the insects and larvae found in dung from grazing animals a crucial food source for choughs during the breeding season. Conservationists say the successful fledging of a wild-born chough is a landmark moment for the bird's return to the county. It follows a breeding attempt last year which ended when the chick went missing at the fledging stage during severe weather, but this year the youngster seems to be thriving, the team said. Liz Corry, chough release supervisor at Wildwood Trust, said: 'This is a moment we've all been hoping for. 'To see a wild chick not only hatch but fledge and take to the skies is a major step forward. 'It confirms that the birds are finding suitable nesting habitat, and pairing up to raise young – exactly what we've been working towards.' Conservationists say the successful fledging is a major step forward (Wildwood Trust/PA) Paul Hadaway, director of conservation and engagement at Kent Wildlife Trust, said: 'This project shows what's possible when long-term habitat restoration meets ambitious species recovery. 'A thriving chough population in Kent not only revives a lost species – it also proves the value of restoring rare habitats like chalk grassland, which are vital for a huge range of wildlife.'
