Green

Following the birds in Israel last 2 years this must represent the westermost record yet of the Asian form ‘vociferus’. Been around for a month or so in Turkey. Seems the first to clock these as Asian birds was Birding … Continue reading →

How to identify swallows, swifts and martins #green

Eggs and nests of protected raptors destroyed to protect pheasant shoot, according to FoI documents. A government agency has licensed the secret destruction of the eggs and nests of buzzards to protect a pheasant shoot, according to documents released under the Freedom of Information Act. Raptors gained legal protection decades ago. This is the first time since that action has been licensed against any bird of prey to protect game shoots. Photograph: Ben Hall/RSPB The action sets a historic precedent, being the first time such action has been licensed against any bird of prey to protect game shoots since raptors gained legal protection decades ago. Buzzards are recovering from near extinction and now number 40,000 breeding pairs, while 35m pheasants are bred each year for shoots. It is also less than a year after the wildlife minister, Richard Benyon, abandoned related plans citing “public concerns”. Benyon, whose family estate in Berkshire runs shoots, cancelled plans to spend £375,000 on testing control measures for buzzards around pheasant shoots after a public outcry in May 2012. “I will collaborate with all the organisations that have an interest in this issue and will bring forward new proposals,” he said at the time. The destruction of the nests, which took place in the last few weeks, was only revealed after the event through a freedom of information request by the RSPB. A man holds a dead pheasant shot during a pheasant hunt in Lewknor, England. Photograph: Eddie Keogh/Reuters “We were proceeding collaboratively and that is why we are so angry now,” said Martin Harper, the RSPB’s conservation director. “Most people would prefer to see buzzards soaring in the sky. They are big, majestic creatures in the wild and we don’t have many of them in the UK: they are England’s eagle. The fact the licence process takes place without public scrutiny is wrong.” The licences were issued by the government’s licensing body, Natural England (NE) and permitted destruction of up to four nests and the eggs they held. “The law allows action to be taken against protected species to protect livestock, which includes any animal kept for the provision or improvement of shooting,” said a spokesman for NE. “We rigorously assessed the application [and] were satisfied the case met the criteria.” The locations of the destroyed nests were not made public. NE stated the issue was “emotive and sensitive” and cited “public safety”. NE issued the licences despite its own expert reviewer stating: “There is no body of published evidence demonstrating that the presence of buzzards is likely to result in serious damage to a game shoot.” A related application to kill sparrowhawks was rejected. The National Gamekeepers Organisation (NGO) was closely involved in winning the licences and had threatened NE with judicial review if they were not granted. “We believe the long-standing licensing process was correctly used in this case,” said a spokesman. “A few buzzards had been consistently killing a large number of pheasants. Most birds of prey are now at or near record levels in the UK, so conflicts with game management and farming are bound to occur from time to time.” Pheasants are not native to the UK and were introduced to stock shoots, but the biomass of the population makes it now the single biggest bird species in the countryside. The growing popularity of shoots in the Victorian era saw buzzards poisoned, shot and trapped until just 1,000 pairs were left, but protection in recent decades has led to a partial recovery. Jeff Knott, the RSPB’s bird of prey expert, said: “The buzzard has full legal protection, so why are we undermining this when all the available evidence shows they are not a significant source of loss of pheasant chicks.” An independent study commissioned by the British Association for Shooting and Conservation found that, on average, 1-2% of pheasant poults released were taken by all birds of prey,

And all meet in singing, which braids together the different knowings into a wide and subtle music, the music of living. ~ Alison CroggonListen to the Male Cardinal's Beautiful Music - HERE

When young peregrines fly for the first time they’re specially equipped for their big adventure. Like many raptors, peregrines’ tail feathers are longer in juvenile plumage than in adults.  In peregrines it averages more than a centimeter.  In red-tailed hawks the difference is even greater but the effect is the same.  Longer tails give the birds more lift “by improving airflow over the wings, especially at slow speeds, and by reducing turbulence as air passes over the body.” (1) The added lift makes the juveniles’ flight more buoyant than their parents’ and is a great help as they learn to fly and hunt. By the time they molt into adult plumage a year later, young peregrines have mastered the skills they need and are ready for speed.  In the meantime they have special gear to help them fly. Think of their tails as “training wheels.” (photo by Collette Ross.  Today’s Tenth Page is inspired by and quoted from page 131 of Ornithology by Frank B. Gill. (1))

The period between May and September offer the best potential for an assortment of pelagic species (species which live most of their lives far from land) off the Atlantic coast of Florida. The Friends of the Marine Science Center sponsor several pelagic trips every year out of Ponce de Leon Inlet to explore the deep ocean waters around the Gulfstream in search of many of these pelagic species. Birds, like this Great Shearwater, are attracted to the chum slick set out by the ship’s crew For those willing to wake up early (the boat leaves the inlet at 3:00AM) and with a spirit of exploration, these trips offer the birder a good chance to see many species which they would otherwise never see from land such as Cory’s Shearwater, Great Shearwater, Pomarine Jaeger, Wilson’s Storm-Petrel, and many more. Furthermore, rarer species such as Black-capped Petrel (which has been recorded on every May trip) and White-tailed Tropicbird (nearly annual on the handful of pelagic trips that go out of Ponce de Leon Inlet) are species recorded frequently on these trips. Finally, since Florida’s pelagic waters are relatively unexplored, there is always a high potential to see a state first such as a Trinidade Petrel – one can always hope! Cory’s Shearwater is regular in Florida’s pelagic waters For those who have been on pelagic trips in places such as California, Chile, or Australia, keep in mind that pelagic trips in Florida almost always feature long birdless stretches interspersed with brief spurts of activity. Days are long (3:00AM to 9:00PM) with the trip involving over 100 miles of travel off the coast to the east wall of the Gulfstream. However, the birds that are seen such as the petrels and possibly the aforementioned tropicbirds are truly special, and these pelagic trips always include sightings of other incredible denizens of the open ocean such as dolphins, seaturtles, and sunfish (mola mola). One of many Leatherback Sea Turtles seen on a pelagic trip out of Ponce de Leon Inlet For those who are interested in participating in one of these special trips, please contact Michael Brothers at mbrothers@volusia.org. The next pelagic trip of 2013 will be on Sunday, July 21st.

Many people still believe the Tasmanian tiger (Thylacinus cynocephalus) survives in the wilds of Tasmania, even though the species was declared extinct over eighty years ago. Sightings and reports of the elusive carnivorous marsupial, which was the top predator on the island, pop-up almost as frequently as those of Bigfoot in North America, but to [...]

Red-headed WoodpeckerCardinalyoung Little Blue Heronturning Blue with ageBlue JayReds- Whites- and Blues . . with a heaping helping of Gratitude & Thank Yous ~ May your cup runneth over with cherished moments & savory foodsHappy weekend to you & yours ~;)

Last spring I was very fortunate to find a Willet's Nest. As a new spring emerges and a holiday weekend approaches, I plan on returning to the same nesting area. Last year, as I arrived at the location I would be scouting, it seemed that there were signs all around me (I know, bad pun! ;-)) I approached a location where I had seen Willets for several years. The location in my opinion was perfect. Salt flats, sea grass and rocks along the road to shelter the nests. The only skepticism I had was the knowledge that this location floods a lot and the chances of chicks surviving here are slim given the recent flooding. But I have seen Willets here for several years now during June and July so as I said at the start, I had a hunch. As I approached the area I planned to observe, I found several Willets calling. I parked the car across the road, rolled down the window and waited with my camera on a bean bag pointing out the window. After about an hour, I saw my first chick. Just as quickly as it had jumped up on the rocks, it jumped back down before I could make a click. Unfortunately I didn't see another one! But I was thrilled to see my first Willet chick even though I didn't get to photograph it. Images captured with Nikon D3x w/600mm f/4 and TC14-EIII on Lexar digital film.

Steve Creek Outdoors - Wildlife And Nature Photography By Steve CreekWhile hiking one of the back roads at the Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma, I came across this Turkey Vulture standing over this dead Alligator Gar. Most of the time as soon as a Vulture sees you it will fly off and come back when you leave. This Vulture did not want to leave and allowed me to get close. It would walk a little ways from the dead Gar but then it would come right back. I just grabbed a couple of photos and then left it to enjoy its meal in peace. A Turkey Vulture Standing Over An Alligator Gar At The Sequoyah National Wilflife Refuge In Oklahoma. The post Turkey Vulture With An Alligator Gar appeared first on Steve Creek Outdoors.