Unseasonable warmth provides cause for concern
The recent warm and sunny spell is cause for concern, the RSPB has warned. In the last few days record-breaking temperatures – including new February highs across Britain and Ireland, as well as the first time that 20°C has been reached during the British winter months – have made it hard to believe that, this time last year, the 'Beast From the East' was getting underway.
Should another cold snap hit during the coming weeks then many early migrants and breeders will be in big trouble. As it stands, the forecasts suggest mild conditions to continue for another week with unsettled, wet and windy weather to return after that. Over the past few days, an almost unprecedented arrival of hirundines has taken place across Britain – along with the first Little Ringed Plovers and Northern Wheatears of the year – but should the weather turn, many of these will be in great danger. Furthermore, plenty of resident species are beginning to nest far earlier than normal, various species of butterflies have already emerged and mammals (such as hedgehogs) and reptiles are coming out of hibernation too soon.
A cold snap in March could spell disaster for the large numbers of early returning, insectivorous migrants, which have included many Swallows (Jamie MacArthur).
On top of these immediate threats, we're presented with the unavoidable reality that our climate is changing before our eyes. Martin Harper, the RSPB's Director of Global Conservation, said: "While the warm weather, bright sunshine and abundant sights and sounds of nature undoubtedly make us all feel better, they should also ring alarm bells.
"The early signs of spring are likely down to climate change, which is bad news for us all. As we expect the weather to return to temperatures more traditionally associated with this time of year – as they are forecast to – then there could be a real crisis for our birds, insects and other wildlife."
The RSPB has received many calls from people reporting early nesting attempts and, in some cases, even early young, with ducklings being spotted across the country. As has been reported on the BirdGuides sightings page during the last 10 days or so, several summer migrants have been recorded weeks before they normally arrive. Travelling ahead of the 'Saharan plume', what was initially thought to be a couple of novel spring pioneers has turned out to be a fairly significant movement, at least one month earlier than usual.
Charlotte Ambrose of the RSPB's Wildlife Team, said: "Because of the extremely mild weather, some birds and other wildlife are starting early. This is not necessarily a bad thing as it may allow some birds to have an extra brood before the main breeding season starts, but if the weather changes back to more normal conditions, the birds may get caught out and struggle to find enough food for themselves and their young.
"If invertebrates emerge early they will be here when the early nesting birds and their chicks need them, but again a cold snap could mean they don’t survive. Any sudden bad weather can kill off early flowering plants, which are a source of nectar for insects, meaning they will struggle to find enough food."
Climate change is one of the biggest factors impacting nature in Britain. The average temperature in the country during summer has increased by nearly 1°C since the 1980s, with 17 of the 18 warmest years on record occurring since the year 2001. Many negative impacts of a rapidly changing climate on British wildlife have already been documented, including trophic mismatches (different response rates to a changing climate between consumers and their resources, such as insectivorous bird species and their prey), which in turn affect breeding success, as well as range declines in cold-weather species, such as Eurasian Dotterel and Snow Bunting. Should warming continue, such impacts are only likely to be exacerbated.
