The Committee Against Bird Slaughter (CABS) and Friends of the Earth (FoE) Cyprus have now released the report on their bird protection camp during the peak of bird migration in autumn 2011. In just over one week, two CABS teams located 3,817 limesticks, 23 mist nets and 32 electronic decoys in the main Trapping hotspot […]
Harsh Winter Drives Birds South
The first half of February this year was unusually cold in northern Europe. Temperatures down to minus 20 degrees Celsius forced many bird species to move southwards. This year I noticed a large influx of both Bramblings and Siskins into our tiny alpine village. The Eurasian Siskin (Carduelis spinus) has an unusual migration pattern as […]
Mandarin and friends
There are many feral ducks of captive origin in the Calderdale area, including fancy domestic varieties and farmyard x Mallard hybrids. We also have a feral population of Mandarin that are suspected breeding in the area. Two males and a female have been appearing somewhat erratically at this pool, and on nearby canals and reservoirs. […]
First ASBO for wildlife crimes
Serial egg collector Matthew Gonshaw, of Bow, has become the first person in England to receive an ASBO (Anti-Social Behaviour Award) for crimes against nature. He is also believed to be the first person to be receive an ASBO restricting him from visiting Scotland. The ASBO was imposed because of the damage Gonshaw, who was […]
Birds of Peru – the Marvelous Spatuletail
Part 10/11 of Glenn Bartley’s 3-month trip around Peru – After Bosque Unchog it was back down to Lima and then on northwards. Most people probably don’t realize this – but the Peruvian coast is a complete desert. Traveling back to Lima and then 800km up the coast was a long, long drive. But it […]
Bird Bins and Bullets Part 4 – BM Press Call, Bird Rehab and a Selection of Dirty Deeds
“Birds, Bins and Bullets” follows a group of birdwatchers from the north of England as they work alongside the Malta Police Force and Birdlife Malta volunteers in their fight against illegal hunting. Birds, Bins and Bullets received the “Honorable Mention for Conservation Message” in the 32nd International Wildlife Film Festival, Missoula, Montana USA in 2009. […]
Roe (and other deer) Hazards
People, cars, and deer—put them together and you’ve got trouble. A rapidly urbanizing planet is transforming wild lands into habitat for humanity, and the non-human species living in these previously undeveloped areas must either adapt to the new landscape, find someplace else to live (not an easy task), or be erased from the biological census. […]
The Rise & Rise of House Crow in Saudi Arabia
The House Crow (Corvus splendens), as it name suggests is a member of the crow family and is approximately 42–44 cm long (body and tail) and weighs 250–350 grams. Their plumage is glossy black, except for the nape, sides of the head, upper back and breast, which are grey and not glossy. Their bills, legs […]