« March 2007 | Main | May 2007 »
April 27, 2007
Watch the Derby Peregrines on-line
Peregrine Falcons first began nesting on Derby Cathedral in 2006, and raised three chicks there. Four thousand people came to watch them from Cathedral Green. Now they are nesting again.
Two Peregrine Falcon web cameras were recently installed on Derby Cathedral, and you can now watch the nesting birds at any time, day or night. At the moment they are incubating four eggs, laid over the Easter weekend.
Follow these links to the cameras:
http://www.streamdays.com/camera/view/derby-peregrine-falcons1.
http://www.streamdays.com/camera/view/derby-peregrine-falcons2.
You can also find out more about what's happening and see recent video clips of the courting couple by following this separate link to the Peregrine Project Diary, or blog http://derbyperegrines.blogspot.com/.
The project partners - Derby Cathedral, Derbyshire Wildlife Trust and Derby City Council’s Museum Service - have worked closely together to bring live pictures of the Peregrine Falcons. Two cameras and a microphone were installed in mid-February, and recording equipment was loaned by the BBC "East Midlands Today" team in early March. The webcam service is hosted by Streamdays.com http://www.streamdays.com .
The birds can now be seen on most days from the rear of the Cathedral at Cathedral Green by Full Street. Whilst the female is usually out of sight on the nest, the male is often on guard on one of the gargoyles above.
Watching Peregrines in Derby
There will be at least two Peregrine Watch weeks on Derby’s Cathedral Green during 2007, organised by Derbyshire Wildlife Trust. Telescopes and binoculars will be available for everyone to use, with helpers on hand to talk about why the world's fastest animal lives in Derby. Details will be announced soon.
Birdwatchers can come to Cathedral Green on Full Street at any time to watch the peregrines, from now onwards. Egg laying began in early April, so chicks should hatch around 8th to 13th May, with fledging around 10-17 June 2007. Look for birds on the east face of the tower where the nest platform is located, or high up on gargoyles near the top. The female is considerably larger than the male peregrine, but either may be seen on the platform. During incubation the female will rarely be seen as she will be out of sight on her nest, on the left hand side of the wooden platform.
For your safety: please be aware of fast traffic on Full Street. Do not leave cameras, binoculars or telescopes unattended.
Other nearby birdwatching opportunities include the nearby River Derwent footpath, going either upstream to Darley Park or downstream past the Council House and on to Pride Park. Just 200m from Cathedral Green, a Park-and-Ride bus from Derby Council House takes you to The Sanctuary a new bird reserve next to Pride Park Football Stadium where many unusual birds can be observed, and where the peregrines sometimes hunt.
Posted by Surfbirds at 7:47 PM | Comments (0)
April 26, 2007
Next U.S. Species to go Extinct May be Two Hawaiian Birds
Global Warming Heightens Threat to Their Survival
(Washington, D.C. – April 25, 2007) A dramatic drop in sightings of the Akekee and the Akikiki, two very rare birds on the Hawaiian Island of Kauai, is raising concern that these species may be on the brink of extinction. Beginning this month the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources will conduct population surveys of forest birds on Kauai to see if the suspected decline is taking place.
“The strongest available measures such as captive-breeding, fencing out and removing invasive species, and emergency listing under the Endangered Species Act, are all necessary due to the recent history of Hawaiian birds in similar circumstances going extinct,” said George Fenwick, President of American Bird Conservancy (ABC).
The Akekee possesses an unusual bill in which the lower mandible is bent to one side allowing the birds to open up leaf and flower buds in search of bugs. Photo by Jim Denny kauaibirds.com
Hawaii leads the U.S. in the total number of endangered and threatened species with 329, and in extinctions – with over 1,000 plants and animals having disappeared since humans colonized the islands. When Captain Cook landed on the islands in 1778, there were at least 71 endemic bird species. Since then, 26 of those species have gone extinct, and 32 more are now listed under the Endangered Species Act as threatened or endangered. Several Hawaiian bird species, the Poouli and the Ou are assumed to have recently gone extinct before captive-breeding or other protection measures could be implemented.
Fewer than 1,500 Akikiki remain in the wild and its population continues to decline. Photo by Jim Denny kauaibirds.com
David Kuhn, Doug Pratt, and Alvaro Jararillo, who lead birding tours on Kauai, recently alerted scientists, state officials, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to their concerns about the drop in sightings of the once relatively abundant Akekee.
“I and others paying attention to Kauai’s endangered endemics have supposed that the Akikiki would be the next species to disappear – now it is more like a race to the finish,” said David Kuhn a birdwatching tour guide and observer of bird populations on Kauai. “While the Akikiki de-population and range contraction has been linear and relatively slow, Akekee is suddenly crashing. At this point both species can still be found with assiduous listening and searching—how long this might be is anyone’s guess.”
“Disappointing birding along the Alakai Swamp trails. No sightings, and heard only a couple of possible calls of the Akekee,” said Doug Pratt describing a tour he led in March. “This bird was common when I was last here in fall of 2004, and has apparently crashed drastically in the last three years.”
The Akikiki, a small bi-colored bird that lives in wet montane forests in central Kauai, has less than 1,500 remaining individuals and now occupies less than 10% of its former range. Surveys indicate that the population declined 64% in its core area in the Alakai Swamp from 1970 to 2000 due to habitat loss and alteration, the introduction of invasive species, mosquito-born diseases such as avian malaria and pox, and the impacts of hurricanes. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced in 2005 that the Akikiki should be officially designated an endangered species, but declined to move forward with the listing for budgetary reasons.
The Akekee, a small yellow and green bird that lives in the high-elevation rainforests of Kauai, was until recently thought to have a stable population, estimated at 20,000 individuals. Like the Akikiki, the Akekee is threatened by habitat loss, invasive species and disease.
Of particular concern is evidence that rising average temperatures could allow mosquitoes to survive at higher-elevations, exposing the birds to deadly diseases. Researchers for the U.S. Geological Survey have concluded that even a small increase in temperatures in Hawaii’s forests will eliminate much of the mosquito-free safe zone that once existed for Kauai’s birds.
“American Bird Conservancy’s research has shown how effective concerted endangered species conservation can be. The Pacific nation of New Zealand has taken the decision to invest in protecting its unique species, and has been succeeding while the U.S. has stood by and watched as species after species has disappeared from Hawaii,” said Mike Parr American Bird Conservancy’s Vice President. “It is time to stand up and fully support and expand the excellent conservation programs already underway in Hawaii so these great birds are around for our children and grandchildren to enjoy.”
Posted by Surfbirds at 6:58 AM | Comments (0)
April 24, 2007
WWF captures extraordinary video of rare Borneo rhino
A video “camera trap” positioned inside the jungle has captured rare footage of an elusive Borneo rhino, WWF and Malaysia’s Sabah Wildlife Department announced today.
The two-minute video – showing the animal eating, walking to the camera and sniffing the equipment – is the first-ever footage of observing the behaviour in the wild of one of the world’s rarest rhinos.
Scientists estimate there are only between 25 and 50 rhinos left on the island of Borneo. These last survivors of the Bornean subspecies of Sumatran rhinos are believed to remain only in the interior forests of Sabah, Malaysia – an area known as the “Heart of Borneo.” The rhinos are so secretive that the first-ever still photo of one was captured last year.
“These are very shy animals that are almost never seen by people,” said Mahedi Andau, director of the Sabah Wildlife Department. “This video gives us an amazing opportunity to spy on the rhino’s behaviour.”
The rhinos in Sabah spend their lives in dense jungle where they are rarely seen, which accounts for the lack of any previous photographs of them in the wild.
The video camera trap that captured the rhino footage was developed by Stephen Hogg, Head of Audio Visual at WWF-Malaysia. After successfully testing the newly developed camera trap on Malayan tigers in Peninsula Malaysia, it was set up in Sabah to capture the Sumatran rhino. Photos and video footage can determine the condition of rhinos, help identify individual animals and show how they behave in the wild.
“We did a pilot test with two of my video cameras in an area that the field team had determined was used by rhinos. The first time we checked them, after four weeks, there were these fantastic images,” Hogg said. “This is further proof that these video cameras do work and are of value to our conservation work. This footage is awesome and could not have been better.”
On Borneo, there have been no confirmed reports of rhinos apart from those in Sabah for almost 20 years, leading experts to fear that the species may now be extinct on the rest of the island. Major threats include poaching, illegal encroachment into key rhino habitats, and the fact that the remaining rhinos are so isolated that they may rarely or never meet to breed.
“The photos and video footage will be used to determine the condition of the rhinos in the wild,” said Raymond Alfred, project manager for WWF’s Asian Rhino and Elephant Action Strategy (AREAS). “But we have to realize that these rhinos could face extinction in the next ten years if their habitat continues to be disturbed and enforcement is not in place.”
Recently, the ministers of the three Bornean governments – Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia and Malaysia – signed an historic Declaration to conserve and sustainably manage the Heart of Borneo. This has put the area on the global stage of conservation priorities.
The video, along with new still images of the rhinos, can be viewed at http://www.panda.org/borneorhino.
The rhinos found on Borneo are regarded as a subspecies of the Sumatran rhinos, which means they have different physical characteristics to rhinos found in Sumatra (Indonesia) and Peninsular Malaysia. The Sumatran rhino is one of the world's most critically endangered species, with small numbers found only in Sumatra (Indonesia), Sabah (on the northern end of Borneo) and Peninsular Malaysia. See WWF’s Asian rhino factsheet at http://www.panda.org/news_facts/publications/index.cfm?uNewsID=62840
Conservationists hope that the population is viable and will be able to reproduce if protected from poaching. However, a high proportion of females have reproductive problems. Many of the remaining rhinos are old and possibly beyond reproductive age. The death rate may be exceeding birth rate.
Sabah and the forests of the "Heart of Borneo" still hold huge tracts of continuous natural forests, which are some of the most biologically diverse habitats on Earth, with high numbers of unique animal and plant species. It is one of only two places in the world – Indonesia's Sumatra island is the other – where orang-utans, elephants and rhinos still co-exist and where forests are currently large enough to maintain viable populations.
Posted by Surfbirds at 6:45 AM | Comments (0)
April 17, 2007
The birds and the bees
The Bumblebee Conservation Trust has teamed up with the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) to help discover more about Britain’s bumblebees. By enlisting the help of the BTO’s army of 16,000 Garden BirdWatchers, researchers at the Bumblebee Conservation Trust hope to track the changing fortunes of these endearing creatures.
Although the sight and sound of bumblebees, droning methodically from flower to flower, is a quintessential part of a summer’s day, many of our bumblebee species appear to be in decline, their distributions contracting rapidly. At the same time, a number of species (including one recent coloniser from France) are expanding and researchers are keen to find out the extent of such changes.
Bumblebee © Kip Loades
Despite the fact that these are familiar insects, there are surprisingly few bumblebee recorders and so our knowledge is lacking in some areas. In order to overcome this problem, the Bumblebee Conservation Trust has enlisted the help of the 16,000 participants in the BTO/CJ Garden BirdWatch. These observers spend time each week primarily recording the birds that use their gardens. However, they have more recently started contributing records of other animals, like mammals, amphibians and butterflies; so why not bumblebees!
Adding bumblebees to the list of species that they cover has been very well received, not least because their interests often cover all sorts of wildlife, and not just birds. To help Garden BirdWatchers identify the 14 species of bumblebee most likely to occur in gardens, the two organisations have, with the help of illustrator Tony Hopkins, produced an identification chart.
As Mike Toms, Garden BirdWatch Organiser, notes “We are delighted to be able to help with this work. Gardens are an important habitat for wildlife and, on average, provide far more flowers than agricultural land. This makes them ideal places in which to monitor the changing fortunes of our more widespread bumblebees.”
Professor David Goulson, co-founder of the Bumblebee Conservation Trust, added “We are very pleased to be working with the BTO and enlisting the help of the thousands of members of Garden BirdWatch to find out more about the distributions of our bumblebees. Many bumblebees now rely heavily on gardens which provide them with an abundance of flowers through the season, something that is often lacking in the surrounding countryside. By raising awareness of bumblebees in gardens, we also hope to encourage more bee-friendly gardening.”
If you want to find out more about how you can help with this survey, please send off for a free information pack. This is available from Garden Bumblebee Pack (BTO), FREEPOST IH2784, Norfolk, IP24 2BR. Alternatively, send your name and address details to gbw@bto.org or telephone 01842-750050.
The Bumblebee Conservation Trust was founded with the aim of protecting bumblebees and their associated habitats through conservation and education. The Trust aims to prevent further declines, and to raise awareness of the problems bumblebees face.For more information on the Bumblebee Conservation Trust please visit http://www.bumblebeeconservationtrust.co.uk/
There are 25 native species of bumblebee in Britain and Ireland. Three species have already become nationally extinct and five others are now designated as UK Biodiversity Action Plan species, in recognition of their precarious status; four others are scheduled for inclusion.
Click here to identify your garden bumblebee
Posted by Surfbirds at 12:56 PM | Comments (0)
French expedition finds Hampshire surprise in Senegal
Amazingly, two warblers ringed on the same day (21 August 2005) at Titchfield Haven, Hampshire, were recently caught at the same site in Djoudj National Park, Senegal, within a week of each other! These birds, a Sedge Warbler and a Grasshopper Warbler, are both long-distance migrants, commuting between the UK and West Africa every year.
A recent expedition by French bird ringers to Senegal has turned up some rather interesting Hampshire birds. The expedition earlier this winter found birds from several sites along the south coast, showing how important a network of protected feeding sites is for migrating birds.
Grasshopper Warbler © Darren Robson
The real prize catch was a Grasshopper Warbler, as in over 95 years of ringing in Britain & Ireland, this is only the second time a Grasshopper Warbler ringed in this country has been found south of the Sahara. The first was a bird ringed in neighbouring Sussex in August 1992, recaught by ringers in Djoudj National Park in January 1993. Two birds have made the return journey though, both of which were coincidentally ringed in Djoudj National Park, being found within 40km of each other in Cumbria and Dumfries in 1993!
Also caught on the recent expedition were other Sedge Warblers from Walberswick, Suffolk; Ballycotton, Co Cork; Bardsey, Gwynedd and Icklesham, Sussex.
Mark Grantham of the BTO’s Ringing Unit commented, “This really shows how much there is still to learn about migration. Everyone can contribute as well, so Hampshire residents should double check any birds that the cat brings in or birds that hit the window! You never know, it might be another visitor from Senegal!” Anyone finding a ringed bird is urged to report it online at www.ring.ac
Barry Duffin, site manager at Hampshire County Council's Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve, ringed both of these birds and added, “It’s great to know that all of our efforts locally are worthwhile, and this really does show how our protected habitats in Hampshire have a vital role to play in migration.”
Posted by Surfbirds at 12:47 PM | Comments (0)
April 16, 2007
World Bank challenged to fund the energy revolution and halt forest destruction
Greenpeace International has accused the World Bank of hypocrisy and challenged the Bank at its spring meeting to put their money where its mouth is and stop funding projects that exacerbate climate change. Despite acknowledgment from the World Bank’s President, Paul Wolfowitz, that climate change is a serious issue, the Bank continues to fund fossil fuel projects and fails to prevent forest destruction - the very causes of the problem.
The World Bank’s current spending on fossil fuels continues to dwarf its comparatively miniscule investments in sustainable renewable energy - a mere USD153 million in 2006. In its recently published report, “Energy [R]evolution”, Greenpeace proves that with proper investment – equivalent to current fossil fuel subsidies of around USD 300 billion a year - renewable energy along with energy efficiency would deliver the 50% reduction of global emissions by 2050 needed to avert the potentially apocalyptic scenarios presented by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change last week.
Greenpeace also launched a new report ‘Carving up the Congo’ on the logging sector in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) this week. The report calls for the Bank, the largest funder of the DRC Government, to urgently act to stop the expansion of the logging industry in the country, as logging is a key driver of deforestation, which causes climate change.
Wolfowitz recently stated that climate change needs action and pledged that the Bank would “climate-proof “ its own projects. Wolfowitz also warned, that climate change will hit the poorest hardest, stating that “if you are living on the edge, climate change can push you over”.
Daniel Mittler, a Greenpeace International political advisor on the World Bank comments: “The World Bank talks the talk on climate change, but continues to fund fossil fuels that bind developing countries into a climate-damaging future – in effect, the World Bank is pushing poor people over the edge! If the Bank is serious about climate change, it must fund an energy revolution based on the massive expansion of renewable energies. The time for fossil fuel projects is over.”
Greenpeace also stressed the importance of Congo forests in regulating the global climate. Filip Verbelen, Greenpeace International’s Africa forest campaigner said: “Tropical forests are a first line of defence against climate change. Yet in the DRC, millions of hectares of rainforest are being sold off to the logging industry under the illusion that industrial logging will alleviate poverty. If the World Bank is serious about tackling climate change, it must act to contain the logging industry in DRC and to initiate large scale protection of the country’s rainforests”.
Greenpeace asked those Governments supporting the World Bank’s energy portfolio not to provide any further funds until the Bank agrees to support an energy revolution. “Donor governments such as Britain and Germany claim to be leaders on climate change. If that is more than empty rhetoric, they must ensure that the Bank invests their taxpayers’ money wisely – in renewable energies and energy efficiency, in the energy revolution we need to avoid dangerous climate change”, Mittler concluded.
Posted by Surfbirds at 8:24 PM | Comments (0)
April 12, 2007
Better late than never for Loch Garten ospreys
RSPB Scotland staff at the Loch Garten Osprey Centre breathed a sigh of relief and are thrilled to announce the return of the ospreys to Scotland's most famous osprey nest site.
At 4.55 pm on Wednesday 4 April, the regular female osprey - known as EJ on account of the leg ring she bears with those letters, arrived at the nest ten days later than last year.
Osprey, Speyside © Steve Round
EJ usually arrives in the last week of March, so it has been an anxious time awaiting her return', said Richard Thaxton, RSPB Scotland Site Manager at Loch Garten.
He added, 'She kept us waiting this year, it's been a tense time for the staff and volunteers guarding the site, waiting and wondering if she would return. No sooner had she arrived on site, than she was re-arranging sticks, before heading out to fish. She'll be hungry after her 300 mile migration from West Africa, where she has spent the winter.'
She was joined at the nest at 9.30 am today (5 April) by a male osprey, also ringed and referred to as Orange VS. He is an old flame and they have bred together once before elsewhere in Scotland.
Richard added, 'VS been a bit of a trouble-maker in recent seasons, making moves on EJ before Henry, her regular mate, has returned. So we are hoping that Henry will arrive very soon, displace his love-rival yet again and settle down at Loch Garten with EJ. They bred successfully together in 2004 and 2006. We'll just have to wait and see what saga unfolds this year.'
This is EJ's fifth season at Loch Garten, she's a 9 year old osprey and in her prime. Henry too is 9 year old, whereas Orange VS is a veteran at 16 years.
'It was wonderful to see them back at the nest and visitors are already flocking to the Osprey Centre to see the latest nest action. We're expecting a busy time over Easter, especially with this great weather, and I'm just relieved that visitors will actually be able to see some ospreys!'
Posted by Surfbirds at 1:04 PM | Comments (0)
Greenpeace exposes that logging in the Congo rainforest is out of control
A damning new report launched by Greenpeace today exposes that international logging companies operating in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are causing social chaos and wreaking environmental havoc. 'Carving up the Congo' uncovers endemic corruption and impunity in the DRC's logging sector at a time when key decisions that will determine the future of these forests are about to be made.
Published as the World Bank board is set to meet in Washington, the report concludes that efforts by the Bank to control the logging industry are failing while the rainforest is being sold off under the illusion that logging alleviates poverty.
The Congo rainforest is the world's second largest tropical forest after the Amazon and one of the planet's essential defences against global climate change. Global emissions from tropical deforestation alone contributes up to 25% of total annual human-induced CO2 emissions to the atmosphere.
The DRC rainforest contains 8% of global carbon stores. It is estimated that forest clearance in the DRC will release up to 34.4 billion tonnes of CO2 by 2050, roughly equivalent to the UK's CO2 emissions over the last sixty years.
"It's crunch time for the DRC's rainforests. The international logging industry operating in the country is out of control. Unless the World Bank helps the DRC to stop the sell off of these rainforests, they'll soon be under the chainsaws," said Greenpeace International Africa Forest Campaign Co-ordinator, Stephan van Praet.
In spite of a national moratorium on logging titles since 2002, 100 logging contracts covering 15 million hectares of rainforest have been issued to the logging industry, an area five times the size of Belgium. Much of the rainforest already allocated for logging is critical for conservation and for the survival of our closest animal relatives, the bonobo and chimpanzee.
40 million people depend on the DRC's rainforest. Few benefit from logging. The World Bank admits that in the last three years, none of the forest area taxes paid by companies have reached forest communities. Greenpeace has obtained contracts between logging companies and communities, some offering gifts such as bags of salt and bottles of beer, worth less than $100 in exchange for logging rights worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.
People reported that promises to build schools or hospitals are rarely fulfilled and that intimidation tactics are used when they try to protest against the companies.
"These contracts are a shameful relic of colonial times. Millions of hectares of the Congo rainforest have been traded away by local communities to the logging industry for gifts like salt, machetes and crates of beer while logging companies and their taxes do next to nothing for local development," concluded van Praet.
Greenpeace is calling for the cancellation of all logging titles issued since May 2002 and for the moratorium on new logging titles to be extended and enforced until the logging sector is cleaned up and controlled and a land-use plan that includes the participation of local communities is fully in place.
Posted by Surfbirds at 12:57 PM | Comments (0)
April 11, 2007
Natural wonders feel the heat, warns WWF
From the Amazon to the Himalayas, ten of the world’s greatest natural wonders face destruction if the climate continues to warm at the current rate, warns WWF.
In its latest briefing, Saving the world's natural wonders from climate change, the global conservation organization reports on how the devastating impacts of global warming are damaging the world’s greatest natural wonders.
Green Turtle, Western Australia, Ningaloo Reef off Coral Bay May 2006 © Brian Egan
Released ahead of the International Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC’s) Second Working Group Report, the WWF briefing also details the work being undertaken in each of the ten regions to build defenses against the damaging impacts of climate change.
“While we continue to pressure governments to make meaningful cuts in heat trapping greenhouse gas emissions, we are also working on adaptation strategies to offer protection to some of the world’s natural wonders as well as the livelihoods of the people who live there,” says Dr Lara Hansen, Chief Scientist of WWF’s Global Climate Change Programme. “We are trying to buy people and nature time, as actions to stop the root cause of climate change are taken.”
The Great Barrier Reef is threatened by warming waters causing coral bleaching. The Yangtse River is facing water shortages as glaciers continue to retreat. In response to the crisis facing China’s Yangtse River, WWF is assessing the situation and setting up pilot projects which will show government and local communities how best to adapt to climate change impacts.
Meanwhile, increased incidence of forest fires could spell the end of one of the world’s greatest forests. The Valdivian forests in Chile and Argentina include trees up to 3,000 years old. WWF and local partners are fighting for conservation area protection status for all areas of resistant forests.
“From turtles to tigers – from the desert of Chihuahua to the great Amazon – all these wonders of nature are at risk from warming temperatures,” says Lara Hansen. “While adaptation to changing climate can save some, only drastic action by governments to reduce emissions can hope to stop their complete destruction.”
Posted by Surfbirds at 9:47 AM | Comments (0)
European outrage as Malta’s spring hunting season begins
On the same day Malta’s spring hunting season for birds begins, bird conservation organisations across Europe have united in protest against the Maltese government for allowing the practice to continue, despite ongoing legal and political action taken by the European Commission. The European Partnership of BirdLife International -consisting of 42 separate national conservation organisations- have together urged the Maltese Prime Minister Dr Lawrence Gonzi to end spring hunting and “clamp down” on poaching.
The conservation groups argue that, since joining the EU in 2004, Malta has breached the European Birds Directive by allowing spring hunting of Turtle Dove and Quail. Spring hunting is prohibited by the Birds Directive in order to protect wild birds during their migration from Africa to breeding grounds in Europe.
Turtle Dove, copyright Steve Arlow
This is the fourth consecutive breach of the EU law since Malta joined the Union in 2004. Legal action by the European Commission against Malta began in June 2006, with a European Court case expected to start later this year. On 15 March 2007 the European Parliament adopted a strong resolution calling on Malta to end spring hunting and trapping of birds immediately.
Speaking on behalf of the BirdLife European Partnership, Konstantin Kreiser, EU Policy Manager at BirdLife International in Brussels said:
“Malta is a vital stepping-stone for these birds on their exhausting journey northwards, hence this is not an issue just for Malta – it affects all European nations”
“Conservationists, citizens, organisations and governments across Europe have invested significant amounts of time and resources in protecting wild birds in their own countries. The fact that the Maltese government allows these birds to be killed during their journey to the breeding grounds is deeply shocking – particularly as this decision ignores the law and all scientific evidence and instead seems heavily influenced by upcoming elections.”
“The Maltese hunters may not want to live up to their common responsibility as Europeans but the Maltese government should.” said Kreiser.
Starting today, Malta’s spring hunting season will end on the 20 May. During the hunting period significant numbers of Turtle Dove and Quail will be killed and trapped. Protected species like birds of prey are also known to be killed illegally during the hunting season.
This year –before the official opening of the season- the BirdLife Partner in Malta has already received reports of illegal shooting:
“Declining or endangered species continue to be shot illegally on a regular basis. Only last week a Pallid Harrier and a Purple Heron were found shot” said Joseph Mangion, President of BirdLife Malta. “With the European population of Pallid Harriers down to only a handful of birds, the actions of a single Maltese hunter could impact dramatically on the future of this species. This scenario is repeated for a wide range of threatened birds that are shot illegally on a regular basis here in Malta.”
“BirdLife Malta and the whole European network of BirdLife International will continue to press Malta to stop spring hunting and to clamp down on poaching, otherwise the country risks not only a heavy fine from the European Court of Justice but also a further deterioration of its public reputation in the EU.” added Konstantin Kreiser.
Posted by Surfbirds at 9:41 AM | Comments (0)
April 6, 2007
Spectacular Courtship Display of Rare Hummingbird Filmed For First Time
Washington DC, 5 April 2007. American Bird Conservancy (ABC) today released the first ever film of the spectacular courtship display of the Marvelous Spatuletail, a highly endangered hummingbird that lives in the mountains of northern Peru. The video was shot by wildlife filmmaker Greg Homel of Natural Elements Productions. To view a segment of this extremely rare footage, please click on the graphic below:
The Marvelous Spatuletail is unique among hummingbirds in that it has only four tail feathers. The tail of the adult male is more than twice as long as its body and ends in two great spoon-shaped ‘spatules’ that radiate a metallic purplish gloss. The males compete for females by whirling their long tails around their bodies in an amazing courtship display, which had previously only been witnessed by a few ornithologists, and had never been filmed. This display is considered to be one of the most bizarre in the bird world - the males repeatedly attack each other in the air, contorting their bodies and tails into strange shapes at incredible speed.
“The Marvelous Spatuletail is the ultimate hummingbird for most birdwatchers because of its rarity, spectacular tail, and vibrant plumage,” said Mike Parr, Vice President of American Bird Conservancy. “It is also the focus of conservation efforts in an area that is rapidly becoming one of the birding hotspots in South America.”
ABC is working with its Peruvian partner group Asociación Ecosistemas Andinos (ECOAN) to protect the spatuletail, which is considered to be one of the world’s most endangered hummingbirds. The groups have set up a new protected area under a conservation easement, are developing a nature tourism program to benefit local communities, and conducting reforestation programs in the area.
“Conservation is not the role of single individuals but of our entire society. When you see communities that understand such challenges and sign such commitments as this conservation easement, you see progress and feel there is hope,” said Constantino Aucca Chutas, President of ECOAN.
To support the conservation of the spatuletail, visit https://www.abcbirds.org/membership/donate_spt.cfm
The Spatuletail is also becoming a flagship species for tourism in the area. It has been declared the “Regional Bird” for Peru’s Amazonas region, and is featured in the Commission for the Promotion of Peru’s tourism brochures and the Northern Peru Birding Route (www.perubirdingroutes.com).
Birdwatchers wishing to search for the spatuletail should contact Hugo Arnal at American Bird Conservancy, abc@abcbirds.org
Posted by Surfbirds at 3:59 AM | Comments (0)
April 5, 2007
Help monitor migrating birds on the Strait of Gibralter
WHAT IS THE MIGRES PROGRAM?
The purpose of the Migres Program is to monitor the evolution of the soaring birds (raptors and storks) populations, both in Spain and in the rest of Western Europe, and to contribute with this to the conservation of the habitat of these species. The special characteristics of the Strait of Gibraltar are used by hundreds of thousands of birds on their travel from Europe to Africa and between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. The most important point in this study is the observations made by the volunteers, who develop their work under technician supervision. This makes the Strait a suitable place to study the migration phenomenon.
White Stork, copyright Dr Steve Young
WHO CAN APPLY?
To participate in the Migres Program it is necessary to be older than 18 years old. People from any country are welcomed but it is necessary to speak Spanish or English. We need people who have some knowledge on bird identification, although people without experience can come and acquire it here.
WHERE AND WHEN TO APPLY?
Before May 31st, with priority to those applications received before.
To: voluntariado@fundaciomigres.org Also you can send an ordinary mail to: PROGRAMA MIGRES Huerta Grande, CN-340 Km. 96 Pelayo11390 Algeciras, Cádiz , Spain. As well, the application forms can be registered at: www.juntadeandalucia.es/medioambiente The minimum stay will be a complete turn, but if there would be a vacancy the volunteers can ask for staying more than one turn. Volunteers in the program will be given with:
•Free maintenance
•Free accommodation in shared rooms with other volunteers.
•Medical insurance.
•Program clothes.
•Migres Program participation certificate.
•Migres Program annual report.
Chosen volunteers have to pay 50 euros on deposit. We will give instructions for the payment to the foreign volunteers. This deposit will be returned to the owner at the end of each turn.
Dates:
July 23rd-August 7th
August 6th-21st
August 20th-September 4th
September 3th-18th15 days
September 17th-October 2nd
October 14th-21st
October 21st-28th
October 28th-November 4th
November 4th-11th
November 12th-18th
Posted by Surfbirds at 1:36 PM | Comments (0)
April 2, 2007
Indonesia's first “Restoration Forest” gives hope to last rainforests in Sumatra
Following a major change in forestry law in Indonesia, a ground-breaking initiative to protect and restore an area of Sumatra’s remaining dry lowland rainforest has now been made possible.
The initiative, planned and pursued for over five years by the coalition of Burung Indonesia, the RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, UK) and BirdLife International, with support from BirdLife Partners, will establish Indonesia’s first “forest ecosystem restoration concession” for the conservation and regeneration of a 101,000 hectares forest block in the lowlands of the island of Sumatra.
Storm's Stork, Harapan Rainforest's most threatened bird copyright Rob Hutchinson
The newly named Harapan Rainforest is in an area that was likely to be felled and replaced by plantations for timber or oil palm production. Such plantations clearly have less biodiversity value and extremely limited ecosystem services compared to natural forests.
The forest is called ‘Harapan Rainforest’ after the Indonesian word for ‘hope’.
The BirdLife International Partnership will put the life back in an area that was previously exploited for timber. They will restore and conserve the native trees, plants and wildlife that remain, and plant many more trees to restore the forest to prime condition.
Sukianto Lusli, Executive Director of Burung Indonesia, said: “We expect big dividends for wildlife as well as for local communities. Sumatra’s lowland forest is already a hotspot for rare wildlife. The restoration of the forest will help prevent forest fires which have been badly affecting local communities as well as the entire region.”
The forest is home to the Critically Endangered Sumatran Tiger, of which only 100-300 remain in the wild. Around 20 tigers live in Harapan Rainforest. The area is also home to at least 267 bird species, of which 71 are threatened with extinction. Surveys show evidence of Asian Elephants, Malayan Tapir, Sun Bear and two species of gibbon. Many of these species rely on large tracts of undisturbed forest to survive and maintain only a fragile toehold in the remaining forest.
Central Sumatra is home to indigenous people known as the Batin Sembilan people. Many of these people still follow a semi-nomadic lifestyle, harvesting fruits, rattan and honey from the forest. “Now these people have a choice for their future,” Mr Lusli said. “With intact forest remaining, they will have the choice of maintaining their traditional lifestyles. They will also have the option of becoming wildlife monitors or forest wardens, as will other people in the local area. The Harapan Rainforest management will also work with the local government to improve rural livelihood.”
The change in Indonesian law that allows production forest to be allocated for conservation and restoration comes just in time and paves the way for many more of these rehabilitation concessions to be established. Forests in the country have suffered dramatically from forest fires, illegal logging and conversion of natural forests.
Without this effort to secure Harapan Rainforest, the area would almost certainly have been cleared, burned and converted to timber plantations, like surrounding forest lands. Once BirdLife International’s conservation efforts are well underway, the Partnership will protect the forest from illegal logging and allow the trees to regenerate naturally, as well as planting new ones.
Graham Wynne, Chief Executive of the RSPB, said: “It is difficult to express just how significant this breakthrough is. There have been many times in the last five years when our hopes of saving Harapan Rainforest had all but ebbed away.”
“Every part of Harapan Rainforest has been logged to some extent in the last 60 years and some of its species have been staring extinction in the face. But all of the forest can still recover and every single species it hosts now has a toehold on survival.”
Marco Lambertini, Director of Network and Programmes for BirdLife International, said: “Indonesia suffers from some notoriety for its rapid deforestation. However the Harapan Rainforest initiative, and the Indonesian government’s support for it, could mark a turning point for the country’s forests, a new hope for their conservation. Their biodiversity, their role in the mitigation of global warming as well as regulating local climate and preventing floods, make their protection relevant for both the local as well as the global community. We will work towards every success in this initiative, and hope that others follow.”
For more information, contact:
PR contact, Burung Indonesia, telephone +62 251 357222 email hutanharapan@burung.org (GMT + 7 hours)
Jules Howard, BirdLife International, telephone +44(0)1223 279813, mobile: 07971069098, email jules.howard@birdlife.org
Posted by Surfbirds at 9:40 AM | Comments (0)