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| Fielding the questions - Mike Clarke (left) and Martin Harper |
It came at the charity's annual members' weekend where there was an opportunity to quiz directors, including chief executive Mike Clarke and conservation director Martin Harper.
In response to a question about displacement and collision risk to birds and bats, Dr Clarke described the turbine as "probably the most monitored" turbine in the UK.
His colleague noted that, in May and October, the turbine is switched off at sunrise and sunset in the interests of the noctule and pipistrelle bats that forage at the site, especially when wind speeds are low.
Searches of the ground under the turbine for mortalities had given rise to no cause for concern.
Further asked if the turbine might be deterring nightjars from nesting on nearby heathland, Mr Harper said this was unlikely because this area was not located close to the turbine.
The weekend, held at the East Midlands Conference Centre in Nottingham, was sponsored by the turbine's operator, Ecotricity, which has a long standing financial partnership with the charity.
One of the speakers at the event was the company's principal ecologist, Simon Pickering, whose theme was the significance of green energy in "helping to save nature".
The directors also fielded a range of other questions - for instance, how it was seeking to recruit more involvement of young people and the potential impacts on the societyand on the countryside after Brexit.
One questioner was disappointed that, following a breakthrough with Barratt, more progress had not been made in encouraging more large housebuilders to incorporate swiftboxes and other wildlife-friendly initiatives into their development.
Dr Clarke was optimistic that progress would be made, but housebuilders would want to establish whether such initiatives would work to their advantage.
"We're still at toe-in-the-water stage,"he observed.
There was also a query on why the RSPB was not at the forefront of the campaign to crack down on raptor persecution on grouse moors.
The chief executive agreed there were abuses which was why it favoured a licensing system for grouse moors.
But he cautioned that the society could only look at the subject "through a nature conservation prism" and it would be unwise to involve itself with the wider agenda adopted by some campaigners.
He added that there were also risks that the society could "undermine" legal processes if it spoke out too vociferously in advance of court cases.
The event - the last of its kind - was attended by about 350 members who enjoyed the range of excellent presentations, the various stands and the high-quality food and accommodation.
Along with other wildlife organisations, the RSPB is a key player in a campaign known as Back From The Brink.
In an entertaining presentation, its communications manager, James Harding-Morris, described how it was working to save 20 species from extinction and to improve habitat for another 92.
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| James Harding-Morris - saving endangered species |
It is hoped the various initiatives will also have a positive spin-off for at least 112 others.
Included in the 19 are Cornish path moss, the pheasant's eye flower, the chequered skipper (which is due shortly to be introduced to Rockingham Forest in Northamptonshire), the narrow-head ant, the beetle fungus lichen and the grey long-eared bat.
In South Yorkshire, it has high hopes of increasing numbers of the willow tit - an endemic sub-species found nowhere else outside the UK.
James' colleague from Buglife, Dr Sarah Henshall spoke on the importance of wood pastures - a form of habitat whose best known representatives include long-established deer parks such as Blenheim Park, Sherwood Forest and Windsor Park.
The hundreds of trees, many hundreds of years old, invariably contain much decaying wood which is precious for woodpeckers, some 200 species of insect and all 17 UK bat species.
"For an oak, life begins at 300 or 400 years' old," she said. "Decay is part of the ageing process - like hair turning grey or middle-aged spread. But these trees often have plenty of life left in them."
Dr Henshall said decaying trees suffered from an image problem which often resulted in them being felled unnecessarily.
"Sometimes we are too keen to try to tidy up Nature."
Her observations struck a chord with the RSPB's chairman of council, Kevin Cox, who quoted Oliver Rackham's line about "the vandal hand of tidiness".
Earlier, Kendrew Colhoun, RSPB's only conservation scientist in Northern Ireland, amused his audience with a witty talk about how he was monitoring the foraging behaviour of swifts through use of a tiny tracking device attached to the backs of chosen individuals.
"It's a fiddly job,"he joked. "I wish I had surgeon's fingers, but mine are short and stubby."
Some Belfast nesters make a daily 60-mile round trip to feed on black flies emerging from the waters of Lough Neagh.
But the research has also thrown up invaluable insights on the habitats favoured by the species in Africa.
Still with migration, Dr Martin Fowie focused on the precarious fate of the turtle dove whose UK population plummeted by 94 per cent between 1995 and 2015 and continues to fall.
It is known to be a target species for hunters in France, Spain and North Africa, but it has also been hit by loss of habitat - for instance, the sort of trees where it likes to perch, in its African wintering grounds.
The RSPB is doing its best to reverse the decline of this much-loved species.
In her talk on women in conservation, Dr Jen Smart reminded her audience of the pioneering role of such figures as Eliza Phillips and Emily Williamson whose involvement with campaigning organisations such as the Plumage League and the Fur and Feather League led to the founding of the RSPB.
Currently, 55 per cent of staff at the charity are women, but only 45 per cent hold management positions.
She noted that women who left work because of motherhood found themselves at a disadvantage to men when it came to resuming their career path, especially if they wanted it to be upwards.
She also noted that research articles in scientific publications have overwhelmingly been written by men.
Jen, who is an expert on waders, specifically redshank, revealed that she started her own career as a nurse, but it was a job which she seldom enjoyed.
However, her life changed when she enrolled in a course on countryside management and, for the past 11 years, she has worked for the RSPB, latterly as principal conservation scientist.
A word, too, for casework officer James Dawkins who led a tip-top interactive seminar on how to respond effectively to planning applications which threaten birds and Nature.
Others who contributed to a great event included: Rory Crawford,, Mary Davies, Rob Farrington, Lesley Fletcher, Rebekah Flynn, Ashley Grover, Louise Hughes, Jo Judge, John Kelly, Kate Lewthwaite, John Mallard, Chris McKenna-ell, Cheryl Nicholson, Louise Parr-Morley, Jack Plumb, Adam Rowlands,Lee Schofield, David Sexton, Cleo Small, Giselle Sterry, Shaun Thomas, Nicky Thomas, Mark Ward, Rob Whyatt and many other RSPB staff who worked tirelessly over the three days.
Pictured below: More scenes from the well-attended event
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| The Orchard Hotel where many of the attendees stayed |
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| Senior policy officer Simon Wightman who spoke on the RSPB's partnership working with water companies |
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| Hands up if you're joining the birdwatching walk |
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| Stand staff were never less than friendly and helpful |
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| Happy to help - one of the holiday trade stand representatives |
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| Brisk trade at the binoculars sales stand |
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| Always eager to find a home for Nature |
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| An endless stream of inquiries kept RSPB staff busy |
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| Capturing the action was this RSPB photographer |
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| A good time was evidently had by all - including these two members |
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| This trio of students did a great job flying the flag for the RSPB in Northern Ireland |
http://thewryneck.blogspot.co.uk/2018/04/martin-flies-flag-for-bird-friendly.html
and:
http://thewryneck.blogspot.co.uk/2018/04/anger-as-rspb-axes-annual-members.html
See also:
http://thewryneck.blogspot.co.uk/2017/10/treasurers-alert-on-financial-pressures.html
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