Surfbirds News

June 28, 2009

Scientists ask for help as moths change and move on

Scientists are appealing for public help in their efforts to understand how human impact is affecting two important moths.

One of these is the beautiful day-flying Scarlet Tiger, which until recently was rarely found outside South West England and South Wales. Now it is increasingly seen further afield, almost certainly as a result of climate change. Scientists want to know how far it has spread in order to assess the impact of climate change on our wildlife.

Peppered Moth © Dean Stables, from the surfbirds galleries

The other is the Peppered Moth, which evolved in areas of heavy industrial pollution from being white with small black speckles to being almost black. The change made it less obvious to predators against backgrounds of grime and soot. It is regarded as a classic example of natural selection and consequently it is often referred to as “Darwin’s moth”. Now in post-industrial Britain, 200 years after Darwin’s birth the Peppered Moth appears to be reverting to its original appearance, but how far has this change gone?

Scientists are asking people to search their gardens and local parks for both the Scarlet Tiger and the two different types of Peppered Moth over the coming nine days (20-28 June) and to log their sightings as part of Garden Moths Count 2009.

Garden Moths Count is the annual event that raises interest in the moths found in UK gardens. It is part of the national Moths Count project, established after research indicated massive declines in moth numbers, especially in the southern half of Britain. Peppered Moth numbers are down by almost two thirds compared with 40 years ago.

Some people are put off moths by the myth that they all eat clothes. In reality only half a dozen of Britain’s 2,500 moth species do so – and they prefer dirty items that are hidden away in the dark in places where they are not disturbed. Meanwhile, moths are a vital part of nature’s food chain. Blue Tit chicks, for instance, each consume around 100 caterpillars a day.

Moths Count project manager Richard Fox said: “Moths are important indicators and observing them can tell us a lot. They are an essential food source for many birds and they are important pollinators in the garden. Some are very beautiful and, despite their recent decline, there are still very colourful moths to be seen in all of our gardens”.

Sightings of moths seen by day or at night can be logged at the Garden Moths Count website www.mothscount.org . This also explains how to attract moths in simple fun ways, including using a torch or fizzy drink. Full details, including images of moths to look out for as well as details of when they are likely to be seen, can also be found on the website.

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:48 AM | Comments (0)

June 20, 2009

Large Blue Butterflies back in Britain

Conservationists are celebrating the recovery of a highly endangered species of British butterfly.

Despite over 50 years of effort to halt its decline, the Large Blue butterfly was pronounced extinct in Britain in 1979. A team of dedicated lepidopterists have worked tirelessly since to bring the butterfly back to our countryside. This week marks the 25th anniversary of the large blue butterfly reintroduction.

Large Blue Butterfly, Somerset © James Packer, from the surfbirds galleries

Professor Lord May of Oxford, recent President of The Royal Society and former Chief Scientific Adviser to the UK Government, said: "The recovery of the large blue butterfly is the world's largest-scale, longest-running successful conservation project involving an insect. It illustrates perfectly how the application of sound science can be used to solve some of the apparently intractable problems that face conservationists worldwide today."

The Large Blue is one of the worlds most threatened species. The British reintroduction was based on major scientific breakthroughs, and the development of a pioneering model for conservation which is now being used to restore rare butterfly species across Europe.

Professor Jeremy Thomas, a Fellow at the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (CEH) led the reintroduction programme with colleague David Simcox. Professor Thomas said: "The success of this project is testimony to what large scale collaboration between scientists, conservationists and volunteers can achieve. Its greatest legacy is that it demonstrates that we can reverse the decline of globally-threatened insect species once we understand the driving factors."

The large blue has an unusual life-cycle, which made its conservation difficult. When the caterpillar is three weeks old it tricks red ants into believing it is one of their own grubs and is taken underground to be placed with the ant brood. The caterpillar spends the next ten months feeding on the grubs before pupating in the nest the following year and then emerging to crawl above ground as a butterfly.

The reintroduction in 1984 was based on the discovery that large blue caterpillars can only survive in the nest of one particular species of red ant, Myrmica sabuleti. Changes in countryside management were found to be responsible for the extinction. Alterations in grazing coupled with myxomatosis in rabbits left grassland too tall and shady for the heat-loving Myrmica sabuleti.

Today suitable habitat has been restored to more than 50 former sites, and the butterfly can be found on 33 of them in the south-west of England. Other rare species of plants, insects and birds now benefit from the same conservation work as the large blues because they had suffered from the same changes in agricultural practices.

Posted by Surfbirds at 8:02 AM | Comments (0)

Iconic bird breeds in Northumberland for first time in over two centuries

The Kielder Partnership can reveal that for the first time in at least 200 years ospreys are nesting and are believed to have had chicks in Northumberland.

A long-term project to encourage the iconic species to return to the region has struck gold with a pair of birds nesting on a platform specially erected for the purpose in 62,000-hectare (155,000-acre) Kielder Water & Forest Park.

The development is being hailed as a major breakthrough by conservationists.

Osprey © Steve Round, from the surfbirds galleries

Kielder Water & Forest Park boasts England’s largest woodland on the Forestry Commission estate and Europe’s biggest man-made lake, managed by Northumbrian Water, making it ideal territory for ospreys, which feed on fish and build their nests, or eyries, high in the tree tops.

Now the magical mix of forest and water, together the erection of four wooden artificial nesting platforms by tree climbing wildlife rangers from the Forestry Commission, has lured the ospreys to join the forest park’s vibrant wildlife.

Elisabeth Rowark, Director of the Kielder Partnership, said:

“It’s hard to overstate the significance of this development. Seeing ospreys nesting in Kielder Water & Forest Park is absolutely thrilling. Now its fingers’ crossed that the nest is a success and a brood of healthy chicks take to the wing next month.”

The ospreys are being constantly monitored by ornithologists and wildlife rangers.

Experts believe that a change in the behaviour of the adult birds in recent days signals that eggs have hatched. The female was spending long periods on the nest, presumably incubating eggs, but now she is much more active. Frequent swoops are also being made by the male over Kielder Water to hunt for plentiful brown and rainbow trout before taking food to the nest to feed both mother and offspring.

If the ospreys do successfully rear chicks, they will almost certainly return next year, potentially helping to establish a population in Kielder Water & Forest Park. Tom Dearnley, Forestry Commission Ecologist, said:

“Kielder Water & Forest Park has been on the flight path of migrating ospreys for some time. But in recent years birds have been seen more frequently, prompting us to erect the nesting platforms. Our chief goal now is to help the birds rear their family as they are probably first time parents. Many factors are outside our control, such as the weather, and the ospreys' parenting skills. But it is crucial we do all in our power to prevent disturbance and monitor their progress, especially during this critical early period. It will be a tremendous feeling if the young ospreys make it – the first born in Northumberland for centuries.”

Northumbrian Water's Leisure Manager, Kevin Hudson, added:

"Breeding ospreys have been the missing piece in the natural history jigsaw of northern Europe's largest man-made lake. The wide expanse of Kielder Water's 2,400 acres and 200,000 million litres is ideal territory for the ospreys which are the expert fishers of the bird world. There is a natural population of native brown trout in the reservoir and our additional regular stockings of rainbow trout throughout the fishing season, which coincides with the ospreys breeding season, has persuaded the birds to stay. I'm sure our anglers are delighted to share the plentiful supply of trout with these majestic fish hawks."

Public Viewing

The osprey is one of the stars of the animal kingdom, so public interest in the birds will be high. Therefore the Kielder Partnership in association with Northumberland Wildlife Trust and the RSPB has set up a viewing point at the Mounces Forestry Commission car park, off the C200 just west of Leaplish Waterside Park, open daily from Friday 12 June. However, to protect the ospreys, the vantage point has been established two miles distance from the nest - binoculars will be needed to pin-point the general area. But please note, close up views will not be possible.

At weekends and other times volunteers will be on hand to explain more about this magnificent bird. They will also bring along powerful telescopes, provided by Northumbrian Water, to provide better views of the nesting site. For further information please go to www.visitkielder.com or check times with the RSPB on 0191 2568200.

To avoid congestion at weekends, people are asked to park at Leaplish Waterside Park and take the guided Osprey shuttle bus to and from the viewing point.

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:56 AM | Comments (0)

June 5, 2009

The short-haired bumblebee reintroduction

The short-haired bumblebee (Bombus subterraneus), or SubT, was once widespread across the south of the UK. It was last recorded in Dungeness, Kent in 1988, driven back by agricultural intensification. However, over 100 years ago four species of bumblebee were taken out to New Zealand from the UK. Read more about the fascinating history behind this project by clicking the link on the left.

Thanks to bee-friendly management schemes, land around Dungeness is once again starting to look promising and we hope to bring it back.

Now it might seem like a low priority to bring back an extinct species while others in the UK are struggling. However, there are two very good reasons. Firstly, the European flowers on which B. subterraneus depends are becoming unwelcome in New Zealand, threatening its existence out there. Secondly, by improving habitats to maximise the chances of a successful reintroduction we will be helping many other threatened bumblebee species in the area.

Short-haired bumblebee © Nikki Gammans
Follow Nikki's blog at: http://www.bumblebeeconservation.org/nikkis_blog.html

This project is a partnership between the Bumblebee Conservation Trust, Hymettus, Natural England and the RSPB. We aim to work with farmers, land managers and conservation bodies in Kent (the Dungeness area) in order to provide ideal habitats. Agri-environment schemes allow for the subsidised planting of pollen and nectar mixes on which bumblebees thrive. Other species too will benefit from sympathetic management, including other nationally scarce species.

Once everything is in place here in the UK, queen short-haired bumblebees will be collected from New Zealand and flown back to the UK. If all goes well we hope to release the first bees into the wild in June 2010. If you’re local to this area and would like to help then please do get in touch!

For more information visit: http://www.bumblebeeconservation.org/subt_project.html

Posted by Surfbirds at 6:57 AM | Comments (0)

May 31, 2009

Millions of Painted Lady butterflies are now arriving in Britain, after an amazing 1000 mile migration from North Africa

Butterfly Conservation (http://www.butterfly-conservation.org/) has been receiving reports since the start of the Bank Holiday weekend of sightings of large numbers of these butterflies. People throughout Britain have seen these fast-flying butterflies moving overhead for hours on end, setting the scene for what could be one of the largest Painted Lady migrations in decades.

The first indication of their arrival in Britain came last Thursday (May 21) when Butterfly Conservation members first reported seeing large numbers off Portland Bill in Dorset. Since then, thousands have been seen flying north at locations across southern England, from Cornwall to East Anglia.

Painted Lady © Dean Stables, from the surfbirds galleries

The fine Bank Holiday weekend weather brought hundreds of new sightings from as far north as Dumfries and Galloway in Scotland. There were even sightings of hundreds in central London. An estimated 18,000 were spotted flying past Scolts Head Island on the Norfolk coast yesterday and were passing at 50 a minute over a 400m front today.

Scientists have been predicting an unusually large migration since late winter. The butterflies originate from the Atlas Mountains of Morocco, where heavy winter rains allowed good germination of the caterpillar food-plants. A Spanish researcher, Constanti Stefanescu had reported seeing hundreds of thousands emerging in mid February and beginning their long flight north. They were seen in large numbers in Spain during April and a few weeks later in France.

Butterfly Conservation is asking for the public's help to track the migration by logging any sightings online. Take part in the Painted Lady Count by spending a couple of hours monitoring butterflies in your garden or a nearby field.

Download instructions for collecting and submitting your sightings (http://www.butterfly-conservation.org/). Visit the migrantwatch survey pages to find out more about contributing to this nationwide survey.

Richard Fox, Surveys Manager at Butterfly Conservation, said: "There are literally millions of Painted Lady butterflies arriving right across Britain. This is a spectacular phenomenon".

Posted by Surfbirds at 8:00 PM | Comments (0)

May 12, 2009

UK Butterfly numbers plunge to new low

Butterfly numbers have fallen to a new low, according to data from the UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme.

British butterflies have been declining steadily for years. The new statistics show that recent wet summers have accelerated these declines. Heavy rain makes it hard for butterflies to survive - they can't fly in the rain and that means they can't reach the nectar they feed on. Rain also reduces breeding success.

The relative absence of breeding during the dire summer of 2007, the wettest on record, impacted seriously on butterfly numbers last year.

Orange Tip © Damian Money, from the surfbirds galleries

The statistics confirm conservationists' fears that 2008 was the poorest summer for butterfly numbers for more than 25 years.

For 12 species 2008 was their worst year since records began in the mid 1970s.

The list includes several once familiar garden visitors whose numbers have dwindled in recent years, for example, the Orange-tip, a beautiful spring butterfly, and the Small Tortoiseshell, which has declined drastically over the last decade.

The figures also show that some butterflies are rapidly becoming extinct in parts of the country.

Species causing concern include one of our rarest butterflies, the High Brown Fritillary. Dr Tom Brereton, Head of Monitoring with Butterfly Conservation, said: "There are now fewer than 50 High Brown Fritillary colonies in the entire country, many of them small. The recent bad weather has pushed an alarming number of these to the brink of extinction".

Other threatened butterflies with worryingly low numbers include the Pearl-bordered Fritillary and the Wood White.

There is also great concern over several formerly common butterflies that have declined dramatically in recent decades, including the Small Heath, Small Copper and Wall.

Butterflies are important as indicators, alerting us to underlying problems with the environment. If butterfly numbers are falling, inevitably other wildlife is also suffering and in decline.

The main factors causing the long term decline of many butterfly species include the loss of crucial habitats such as flower rich grassland and the intensification of farming methods. A lack of management is also causing problems in habitats such as woodlands.

Butterfly Conservation is working with landowners and other conservation organisations to help reverse declines as a matter of great urgency.

Dr Brereton said: "We just hope that this year we don't have another dire summer and that butterfly numbers are able to recover."

The UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme is operated by Butterfly Conservation and the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (CEH). Each year it collates data collected by thousands of volunteers. Dr Marc Botham, a butterfly ecologist at CEH who analysed the 2008 results commented "The results show the enormous value of long running datasets in identifying environmental problems. We are enormously grateful to the 1,500 volunteers who contribute each year, making the UKBMS one of the world's most important resources for understanding insect populations"

Posted by Surfbirds at 9:48 AM | Comments (0)

April 17, 2009

Elusive bird in the spotlight

Experts in South Yorkshire are bidding to shed light on the secret world of the woodcock – quite literally!

The nocturnal bird which nests on the ground and has superb camouflage has been under threat in recent years due to a loss of habitat.

But at Wharncliffe Wood, between Sheffield and Barnsley, it has established a stronghold, helped by a Forestry Commission project to broaden wildlife havens in the 480-hectare (1,200-acre) beauty spot. Now forest chiefs have joined forces with the Sorby Breck Ringing Group to catch and ring the bird for the first time in wood in a bid to keep tabs on its welfare.

Woodcock © Jeff Higgott, from the surfbirds galleries

Dave Jones, Forestry Commission Wildlife Ranger, explained:

“Because it is active at night it's a really tough bird to study and consequently we know surprisingly little about the species. However, Wharncliffe is one of the best sites in the region for the bird, so it’s a good place to start filling gaps in our knowledge.”

The woodcock is a bulky wading bird with short legs and a long straight bill. To track it down experts will use a powerful spotlight that picks out the glint in its eyes as it feeds on the floor, temporarily dazzling it. A harmless landing net will then be used to capture the bird and fit a ring carrying key details such as date and location. Dave Jones adds:

“Specimens will be weighed, sexed and a note made of their condition. If the same bird is caught again it will allow ringers to compare notes. However, we are racing against time as once the bird lays eggs from the end of March we’ll leave them in peace.”

There are up to 13,700 breeding pairs of woodcock in the UK. At Wharncliffe a blueprint is being implemented which will see more open spaces created, boosting the bird’s preferred habitat. Data collected from the study will be fed into the British Trust for Ornithology’s National Database, which contains 35 million bird records.

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:16 AM | Comments (0)

March 26, 2009

Osprey volunteers wanted

The Tweed Valley Osprey Project is on the look out for more volunteers to help with this year’s season.

Busy behind the scenes preparations for viewing equipment and organising volunteers to run the twin visitor’s centers at Glentress Forest and Kailzie Gardens are now underway.

The centres are run by Forestry Commission Scotland and RSPB Scotland and will be featuring live camera links to the famous osprey nest and a number of other local species such as herons and garden birds.

Osprey © Sue Tranter, from the surfbirds galleries.

Emma Rawling, the project’s Osprey Centre Officer, is very keen to attract more volunteers to help out this year and is running a special Osprey Introduction event early in April.

She said:

“The Tweed Valley Osprey Project has been a great success and much of this is down to the volunteers who help out each year. We want to get more people involved in this important conservation and tourism project so would encourage anyone with an interest to come to the Osprey Introduction day to find out more.

“We are a diverse group of people, all passionate about nature, who devote time to bring ospreys and other wildlife to the public. The training is comprehensive and there’s a lot of support given- a very warm welcome is guaranteed.”

The Osprey Introduction event is being planned on 4th April at the Peebles Drill Hall from 1pm – 3.30pm. The session will offer not only basic information about ospreys but also give an insight into the volunteer’s role and how they can help with all the project’s events and social activities. The two centres will be open to the public from 6 April.

The Tweed Valley Osprey Project is a partnership involving Forestry Commission Scotland, Kailzie Gardens, RSPB Scotland, and is funded in part by Scottish Natural Heritage.

For more information and booking please contact Emma Rawling, Osprey Centre Officer, on 07530310376 or email tweedvalleyospreys@yahoo.co.uk

Posted by Surfbirds at 11:04 PM | Comments (0)

Red Squirrel Strongholds to add new line of defence

A major new front is to be opened up in the battle to save Scotland’s red squirrels with the creation of 18 ‘stronghold areas’ across the country.

The Forestry Commission Scotland initiative, which is to be carried out in partnership with landowners and managers, will see around 100,000 ha of the best forest sites managed as refuges for red squirrels.

Red Squirrel © Steve Round, from the surfbirds galleries.

The stronghold habitats - large forest networks possessing an existing red squirrel population - will be managed to create environments that are favoured by red squirrels but shunned by greys.

Launching a consultation on the project, Environment Minister, Roseanna Cunningham said:

“Strongholds are an important additional safeguard for the long-term survival of red squirrels in Scotland.

“A lot of work is being done to prevent the spread of grey squirrels and the squirrel pox virus they carry, but it is equally important that we find and manage habitats in such a way that will give red squirrels a competitive advantage and the opportunity to thrive.

“Over time these sites will become increasingly welcoming habitats for red squirrels, but will remain of little interest to greys.

“It is encouraging and welcome that this initiative has won the backing and support of private landowners. Their co-operation and participation is vital if we are to ensure the success of this long term conservation opportunity.”

Key to the management of these sites will be the development of consistent food supplies for red squirrels. Retaining older, cone-bearing conifers and diversifying conifer species will increase the food available to red squirrels. Restricting food sources preferred by greys - large seeded broadleaves such as oak, beech, chestnut and hazel - will discourage greys from moving into the stronghold areas. Trapping greys will help to protect the red squirrels if greys are found to be making significant incursions into the site.

The stronghold sites – each at least 2000 hectares in size and including significant areas of conifer - are:

Ordiequish/Whiteash/Ben Aigan, Eredine, Culbin Forest, Inverliever, Kilmichael, Glentochty, Black Isle, South Rannoch, Glen Glass, Fleet Basin, Morangie Forest, Daviot Loch Moy, Inshriach and Glenfeshie, Leanachan, Balmoral to Inver, Eskdalemuir, Glenbranter, Abernethy, Nethy Bridge

Apart from certain restrictions on tree species choice and modifications to felling patterns, other activities – such as recreation or timber production – will not be curtailed.

Posted by Surfbirds at 10:56 PM | Comments (0)

March 23, 2009

Highland Bird Race 2009

The Badaguish Outdoor Centre, Aviemore in association with the Bird Watching and Wildlife Club is organizing the first Highland Bird Race on the weekend of 16-17 May 2009.

In aid of the Speyside Trust Charity, who provide 24 hours care and outdoor holidays for people with disabilities, teams of 4 will compete to record as many bird species as possible over a 24 hour period, commencing on midnight Friday May 15.

Teams are now wanted for this year's BirdRace.

With breeding Capercaillie to be found in the ancient Caledonian pine forest, Slavonian Grebes and Red and Black-throated Divers showing off their stunning summer plumage on inshore lochs, and the high tops of the Cairngorms massif itself playing host to Golden Eagle, Ptarmigan and Dotterel, it's hard to imagine a better place for a race like this.

Crested Tit, Abernathy © Steve Round, from the surfbirds galleries

Accommodation at a highly discounted rate is being offered by the Grant Arms Hotel, home of the Bird Watching and Wildlife Club, where the event will also be rounded off with a talk by birding legend Roy Dennis at lunchtime on Sunday 17 May.

For more details on the event please contact either Toby Virgo, Programme Director of the Bird Watching and Wildlife Club (01479 872526 or toby@bwwc.co.uk) or Andrew MacKenzie of Badaguish Outdoor Centre (01479 861285).

Posted by Surfbirds at 2:47 PM | Comments (0)

March 14, 2009

Goshawks on the flight path for launch of Kielder wildlife season!

A campaign to celebrate stunning wildlife gets off to a flying start as experts bid to track down the magnificent goshawk in Kielder Water & Forest Park.

The formidable bird of prey, which became extinct in the 19th century, but which has since clawed its way back after being reintroduced 50 years ago, has made the 62,000-hectare (155,000-acre) Northumberland wilderness a key stronghold.

Now the Forestry Commission is offering a rare chance to see the creature engage in its astonishing courtship ritual, when males strain every sinew to win over females with an acrobatic “sky dance”.

A trek is being staged on 29 March as part of Wild about Kielder season, which is being co-ordinated by the Kielder Partnership. Scores of other events are also planned, offering a glimpse into the privates lives of animals and to nurture a passion for conservation in young and old alike.

Leading the goshawk safaris will be Martin Davison, who for over 20 years has striven to keep tabs on the species for the Forestry Commission. Every spring he dons his helmet and protective gloves to ring steely-eyed chicks, hopeful that they will mature to perform their own `coming-of-age’ sky dance in future years.

Goshawk © Bill Baston, from the surfbirds galleries

Tom Dearnley, Forestry Commission Ecologist, said: “You can travel far and wide before you see something as thrilling a male goshawk trying to woo a mate. It’s salutary to think that this spectacle was missing from the British countryside for decades after numbers collapsed due to persecution. But today the news is much better and Kielder is a haven, with a good stable population of about 20 pairs.”

Walkers will be taken to prime spots to maximise their chances of seeing the bird in flight – a bright breezy day is perfect.

For further details visit www.forestry.gov.uk/northeastengland

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:30 PM | Comments (0)

March 7, 2009

Conservation and Ecotourism Agreement brings new hope for globally threatened wildlife on Waigeo

Papua Expeditions/cv.Ekonexion and customary landowners on Waigeo Island in the fabled Raja Ampat archipelago of eastern Indonesia proudly announced that, as of January 1, 2009, they have entered into an ambitious and innovative five-year pilot agreement to preserve for future generations, the entire Orobiai River catchment in Waigeo's eastern half: 92 square kilometers of virtually untouched primary forest, set in visually stunning topography, and teeming with spectacular yet globally threatened wildlife.

Bruijn's Brush-Turkey, Papua, Indonesia, Mt Danai, Waigeo 3 April 2007 © Charles Davies and Papua Expeditions/cv.Ekonexion from the Surfbirds Galleries

Click here to read the full story at Papua Expeditions

Posted by Surfbirds at 5:57 PM | Comments (0)

January 31, 2009

Greenpeace condemns Iceland's new whaling quota as a "shameless stunt"

If the new interim Icelandic government allows the new whaling quota introduced by the outgoing Fisheries Minister to stand, it will mean dire consequences for legitimate trade and tourism that is needed to help Iceland's economy. Whaling tarnishes the image of Iceland internationally, and is worthless from an economic point of view.

Over 90% of the meat to be produced by the increased quota would come from endangered fin whales, which are not eaten by Icelanders, only exported. But the export market to Japan is weak; a 60-tonne trial shipment of fin whale meat, which languished in customs for four months before being given import permission, remains only partly sold, and Japan already has thousands of tonnes of unsold whale meat in frozen storage.

Fin Whale © Franck Dupraz, from the surfbirds galleries

Iceland's government should look to tourism, and in particular whale watching, as a means to rebuilding the economy.

Even a small increase in tourists going to Iceland to watch whales will create and secure more jobs and more money than whaling ever will. In 2008, about 115,000 people went whale watching in Iceland. Over 20% of them stated that whale watching was as an important reason for visiting Iceland, and they spent millions of US dollars in revenue in the process. A further 115,000 people have signed a pledge that they will consider visiting Iceland if the country ceases whaling - which could generate US$ 117million in tourism revenue, compared with only US$ 4million generated at the peak of Iceland's whaling activities.

"The outgoing Icelandic government's whaling quota increase is a shameless stunt that has nothing to do with use of natural resources, and everything to do with politics," said Greenpeace International Whales Campaign coordinator Sara Holden. "Greenpeace joins the Icelandic tourism industry in urging that the new interim government reverses the quota increase and instead focuses on real solutions that promote the beauty of Iceland's environment - such as tourism and whale watching."

Notes: On 27 January 2009 the Icelandic Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture announced that it would resume whaling, with quotas of 100 minke whales and 150 fin whales annually for the next five years, based on advice from Iceland's Marine Research Institute.

Posted by Surfbirds at 6:56 PM | Comments (0)

October 25, 2008

Wetar Ground-dove rediscovered in Indonesia

Scientists working for the UK-based conservation charity Columbidae Conservation have
rediscovered the endangered Wetar Ground-dove (Gallicolumba hoedtii), one of the world’s least known birds, on the island after which it is named. There have been no official records of the species on Wetar Island for 100 years.

These initial observations on Wetar are therefore very good news for the species’ future conservation as apart from Wetar, an island located in eastern Indonesia, the species only occurs on one other island, the neighbouring island of Timor (Indonesia / Timor-Leste).

For the full story and images click here

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:06 AM | Comments (0)

October 6, 2008

The ultimate in digiscoping?

The unveiling of a new combined spotting scope and digital camera heralds a new era in digiscoping, according to Zeiss. Their latest technological innovation certainly removes many of the problems faced by digiscopers.

The Zeiss PhotoScope™ 85 T* FL is a logical next step for this top optical company, combining their optical and camera expertise in one new product.

Digiscoping may provide some great opportunities for photographing distant birds and rarities, but the constant postioning of either a hand-held camera or slotting of an adapter onto an eyepiece is far from quick or easy.

With this new product Zeiss has done away with this by combining a spotting scope, complete with a 15-45 zoom lens and an 85mm objective lens, with a digital camera that takes 7 megapixel images. The combination is equivalent to a 600-1800mm camera lens.

Best of all the camera is triggered by a remote control, removing all possibility of camera shake from this action, and there is no shutter or mirror so that birds can be watched and photographed at the same time. Like any camera it requires a battery and SD memory card.

The market launch of the Zeiss Photoscope™ is due for spring/summer 2009. See product details.

See a video demonstration of the Zeiss Photoscope™ below:

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:27 AM | Comments (0)

August 14, 2008

Humpback whale on road to recovery, reveals IUCN Red List

Some large whale species, including the humpback, are now less threatened with extinction, according to the cetacean update of the 2008 IUCN Red List. Most small coastal and freshwater cetaceans, however, are moving closer to extinction.

The humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) has moved from Vulnerable to Least Concern, meaning it is at low risk of extinction, although two subpopulations are Endangered. The southern right whale (Eubalaena australis) has also moved to Least Concern.

Humpback Whale © Marc Guyt / AGAMI, from the surfbirds galleries

“Humpbacks and southern right whales are making a comeback in much of their range mainly because they have been protected from commercial hunting,” says Randall Reeves, Chair of the Cetacean Specialist Group of the IUCN Species Survival Commission, who led the IUCN Red List assessment. “This is a great conservation success and clearly shows what needs to be done to ensure these ocean giants survive.”

Despite the improvement in status of these two species, the assessment revealed deterioration in the status of others. Overall, nearly a quarter of cetacean species are considered threatened, and of those, more than 10% (nine species) are listed as Endangered or Critically Endangered, the highest categories of threat. In addition, two subspecies and 12 subpopulations are listed as Critically Endangered.

The real situation could be much worse as more than half of the cetacean species (44 species) are classed as Data Deficient, meaning future research needs to be a priority. With better information, more species could well prove to be in danger. The blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus), fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) and sei whale (Balaenoptera borealis) all remain listed as Endangered, pending more evidence of recovery.

Whales are under threat in many areas from ship strikes, entanglement in fishing gear, habitat deterioration, declining prey and noise disturbance.

Small coastal cetaceans, such as the Irrawaddy dolphin (Orcaella brevirostris), the finless porpoise (Neophocaena phocaenoides) and the South American franciscana (Pontoporia blainvillei), are now all listed as Vulnerable, meaning they are threatened with extinction.

“Too many of these small coastal cetaceans end up as bycatch in fisheries. This remains the main threat to them and it is only going to get worse,” says Reeves.

The vaquita (Phocoena sinus), a porpoise in the Gulf of California, Mexico, will most likely be the next cetacean species to go extinct. Already listed as Critically Endangered, an estimated 15% of its dwindling population is killed in gillnets every year, leaving only about 150 alive in the wild. The Yangtze River dolphin or baiji (Lipotes vexillifer) was classified as Critically Endangered, Possibly Extinct on last year’s IUCN Red List and it is feared that the vaquita will follow the same path.

“River dolphins are one of the most threatened cetacean categories, mainly because they are locked in competition with humans for dwindling freshwater resources,” says Jean-Christophe Vié, Deputy Head of IUCN’s Species Programme.

With less whale hunting over the last few decades, accidental killing in fishing gear has become the main threat to cetaceans. Besides the vaquita, the Black Sea harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena relicta), which moved from Vulnerable to Endangered, the North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) and the western gray whale (Eschrichtius robustus), already listed as Endangered and Critically Endangered respectively, are among the cetaceans most at risk from this threat.

“Disentanglement programmes to release whales captured in fishing gear, already carried out in the United States, New Zealand and Australia, help some individuals survive,” says Bill Perrin, Chair of the IUCN Cetacean Red List Authority. “However, areas of critical habitat need to be closed to certain types of fishing, at least seasonally, to ensure the survival of some species.”

Military sonar is another threat that particularly affects deep-diving beaked whales and other cetaceans like the melon-headed whale. Mass strandings of these species have occurred more often in the last 30 years.

“Large parts of the oceans are now filled with human-generated noise, not only from military sonar but also from seismic surveys and shipping. This noise undoubtedly affects many cetaceans, in some cases leading to their death,” says Jan Schipper, Conservation International and IUCN Global Mammal Assessment Director. “It may not always kill whales and dolphins, but it affects their ability to communicate and it can drive them away, at least temporarily, from their feeding grounds.”

Climate change is also starting to affect whales. The distribution of many species is changing, with the potential for a cascade of effects such as exposure to new diseases, inter-species competition and changes in prey populations. The Antarctic great whales, for example, depend on krill for food. As water temperatures rise, krill populations may decline, leaving such whales short of food.

Posted by Surfbirds at 1:53 PM | Comments (0)

August 1, 2008

Puffin population plummets

A survey of the numbers of Puffins on one of their main breeding colonies has revealed a dramatic decline over the last five years, says the National Trust.

The largest colony of Puffins in England, on the Farne Islands in Northumberland, was counted this year for the first time since 2003. The results show that numbers have dropped dramatically, from 55,674 breeding pairs in 2003 to just 36,500 this year.

Puffins, Farne Islands, July 2008 © Glynn Sellors, from the surfbirds galleries

Eight islands in the group were surveyed and Puffins had declined on all of them, some had even halved their populations. A similar survey on the Isle of May, in the Firth of Forth, Scotland showed a decline from 69,300 to 41,000 pairs.

The National Trust’s head warden on the Farne Islands, David Steel, said: "The results from this survey have completely surprised us as we were predicting another rise in the numbers of breeding pairs. Stocks of sandeels, the staple food of puffins in the summer, are in good supply around the Islands and there is a lack of ground predators creating a good environment for puffins to breed.

"Extensive monitoring work shows that good numbers of young puffins are successfully fledging each year but it would appear they're just not coming back to the Islands the following years. Presumably fewer birds are surviving overwinter than are needed to maintain current numbers.”

Scientists say they urgently need to know more about what happens to Puffins when they are out at sea during the winter months, especially which factors are vital for their survival. Whether climate change is involved, or over-fishing, is not clear.

Source: Birdwatch magazine

Posted by Surfbirds at 1:10 PM | Comments (0)

July 25, 2008

Hundreds of penguins dead

Biologists are puzzled by the hundreds of young penguins that have been washing up along the Brazilian coastline since late June.

The Magellanic Penguins have been found dead or barely alive, along beaches all over south-eastern Brazil. The mainly young birds will have come from colonies about 2,500 miles south in Argentina. Penguins regularly move north into the waters off southern Brazil in search of food. While occasional birds are found washed up, the number of birds being found recently have rung alarm bells.

"The penguin population is intimately linked to their supplies of food, so this suggests something is happening to the population of fish they eat," said biologist Marcelo Bertellotti. "It appears the penguins are not finding fish where they normally do, and one reason could be that warming waters and climate change have impacted the fish population."

There have also been suggestions that overfishing could be the cause, or that a recent oil spill off the coast of Uruguay might have damaged fish populations. Perhaps melting ice in Antarctica could have strengthened the northbound Malvinas ocean current this year, bringing younger, more vulnerable penguins north.

Some of the young birds have been found covered in oil, and one weighed less than half of its normal body weight. About half of the rescued birds have not survived being taken to a rehabilitation centre.

source: Birdwatch magazine

Posted by Surfbirds at 6:33 AM | Comments (0)

Cattle Egrets breed in Somerset

A new British breeding species has been added to the list, and might herald colonisation, says the Somerset Ornithological Society.

Following the unprecedented influx of Cattle Egrets into Britain in late 2007 and early 2008, a pair established themselves at a site in Somerset and has successfully bred for the first time, raising one young. The event is all the more remarkable as the species is still an official rarity in Britain.

Cattle Egret, Somerset, July 2007 © Jeff Hazell, from the surfbirds galleries

Their arrival into south-west England began when about 15 birds were seen in November 2007, climbing to 50 by Christmas. In January 2008 numbers had grown to about 85 in January and stayed at about 75 until May when only 55 were seen.

Breeding has long been predicted as the species is renowned for its dispersal and colonisation. Originally found in Spain and Portugal in Europe, as well as tropical Africa and Asia, it arrived in South America in 1877, breeding there in the 1930s. North America records began in 1941, with first breeding there in 1953.

Britain’s first accepted record was in 1805, in Devon, with the next not until 1917 in Norfolk. With only five more records in the next 50 years, it started to be seen with greater regularity from the late 1960s. Since 1979 records have been almost annual with at least 20 seen in 1992. By 2000 there had been just less than 100 records in Britain. Between 2002 and 2004 there were only a handful of records, with double figures in 2005 and 2006.

Brian Hill of the Somerset Ornithological Society, said: “We are pleased to report that a pair of Cattle Egrets bred at a site in the county, rearing at least one young. As far as is known, this is the first time this species has been recorded breeding in the United Kingdom and, it is hoped, the event will prove a prelude to colonisation.”

Posted by Surfbirds at 6:26 AM | Comments (0)

July 17, 2008

Seawatch SW survey starts

This year’s Seawatch SW survey has begun, with observers watching from the Gwennap Head watchpoint (near Porthgwarra, Cornwall) until mid-October.

Once again the survey will be concentrating on sightings of Balearic Shearwater, a Critically Endangered species which seems to be increasing using British waters. As well as monitoring them past the watchpoint, the survey is also collecting all records from around the coast of Britain and Ireland.

Balearic Shearwater © Ben Lascelles, from the surfbirds galleries

If you want to help out at the watchpoint, which is manned from 15 July to 15 October, there are still some opportunities for both seabird and marine wildlife observers - details can be found at www.seawatch-sw.org

Also, if you see a Balearic Shearwater anywhere around our coastline then send in details of the record to www.seawatch-sw.org, using the online form, or send it to Birdguides.

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:01 AM | Comments (0)

July 2, 2008

Ten More Days Custody Without Charge for Greenpeace Japan Activists

A court in Aomori, Japan has ruled that two Greenpeace peaceful protestors who exposed a major scandal around the embezzlement of whale meat from the Japanese government-sponsored Southern Ocean whaling programme will spend the maximum time in custody without charge permissible under Japanese law - 23 days.

Junichi Sato and Toru Suzuki were arrested on June 20th after exposing the scandal, despite offering to cooperate with any police investigation and having already submitted, under their own initiative, written statements about the undercover investigation, which revealed large-scale theft of meat from the tax-payer funded so-called scientific whaling programme.

"With this additional custody order, Junichi and Toru are to spend twenty three days in detention without charge, despite having given the police all the information they need. This is much longer than the time spent by the Tokyo District Prosecutor investigating the evidence presented by Greenpeace of an embezzlement ring within the so-called scientific whaling fleet," commented Greenpeace International Executive Director, Gerd Leipold. "The authorities in Japan must, as a matter of urgency, refocus their energy on investigating the crimes covered up by the whaling industry and sectors of the Government, not the method of exposing the evidence."

Since their arrest, nearly 190,000 people have sent letters to the Japanese Government calling for the release of Junichi and Toru and further demanding a full investigation into the whale meat embezzlement scandal. Protests have been held outside Japanese embassies in 33 cities across 29 countries.

In a message to supporters, sent via their lawyers, Junichi and Toru welcomed the support they have had from people all over the world, adding: "We still need your help. We have been ordered to remain in custody for ten more days without charge. Please encourage your friends to send an email to the Japanese government, if they have not already. Keep watching for news from Greenpeace of more actions you can take and make sure that the global demand to investigate the whale meat scandal we exposed is heard loud and clear here in Japan."

The "Stolen Japanese Whale Meat Scandal" dossier is available to download at:
http://www.greenpeace.org/whale-meat-scandal

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:07 AM | Comments (0)

June 6, 2008

Malta - one of the top birding destinations in Europe

Hadoram Shirihai is fresh off a boat trip to photograph Mediterranean Storm-petrels here in Malta and he is excited. “We had a pod of common dolphins, twenty-five of them, circling close to us and fishing with the shearwaters. The birds were feeding among the dolphins and picking off the fish they missed. We could have watched them all day, they were so close….. but we had to go on to find the storm-petrels”.

When a man like Hadoram Shirihai is excited about birding in Malta, you know it’s serious. Shirihai is a heavy-weight ornithologist from Israel, widely acknowledged as the foremost middle-eastern authority on birds. His published works include The Birds of Israel which was awarded 'Best Bird Book of the Year' by British Birds and Birdwatch. He also won awards for A Complete Guide to Antarctic Wildlife, while The Macmillan Birder's Guide to European and Middle Eastern Birds is a summary of 30 years of field research. Amongst these achievements, he recently rediscovered Beck’s Petrel which had been believed to be extinct for around 80 years. Last week, he flew to Malta specifically to meet John J. Borg of Heritage Malta and the EU LIFE Yelkouan Shearwater Project so that John could show him the very special storm-petrels that breed on Filfla.

Storm Petrel © Joe Cockram, from the surfbirds galleries

His enthusiasm for the seabird populations here in the islands was infectious. “What a trip!” he enthused. “We left port at 4.30am and headed straight out beyond Filfla. John has a secret recipe which he puts into the water to tempt the birds in and we spent a lot of time bobbing on the sea with the birds just out of range of the camera. The Cory’s and Yelkouan Shearwaters came close to the boat, but the storm-petrels were more wary.” John confirms, “Every time we swung round to get close, they backed away, ‘running’ on the waves before take off, as if they were teasing us. These birds are a little camera shy which is why getting a good photo of them at sea is such a prize.”

Having seen just a little bit of what Malta has to offer, Shirihai feels that the islands have the potential to be one of the top birding destinations in Europe in terms of migration. “I can see the parallels in Malta with the birding situation in Eilat in Israel in the 1970s,” he says. At that time, birding tourism was just about to start its meteoric rise up the economic agenda. Bird-watching in Malta now seems set to see a similar explosion in popularity in the coming years.

Shirihai is already planning his next trip to Malta, hoping to arrive in June to finally snap those elusive storm-petrels so that they can feature in his current work, a handbook on seabirds which is still a work in progress. And with his eye for a great birding destination, where Shirihai goes, it’s worth other birders following – so pack your binos; we’ll see you in Malta!

The Yelkouan Shearwater Project is a partnership initiative of 4 government authorities (Heritage Malta, Malta Martime Authority, Malta Centre for Fisheries Sciences and the Armed Forces of Malta) and 3 conservation organisations (BirdLife Malta, SPEA – BirdLife Portugal and RSPB – BirdLife UK). It is part funded by the EU and receives financial contributions from HSBC and MEPA. To find out more visit www.lifeshearwaterproject.org.mt

Posted by Surfbirds at 6:36 AM | Comments (0)

June 3, 2008

UN joins environmental calls for Russia to move Olympic site

Greenpeace warns Olympic Village threatens rare and endangered species.

Greenpeace welcomes the United Nations Environment Programme’s criticism of plans to build 2014 Winter Olympics facilities on a site critical to rare and endangered species.

The site, Grushevy Ridge, is a conservation border area, legally protected from being built on because of its importance to wildlife and nature. Greenpeace Russia is calling on the Sochi-2014 organising committee, state corporation Olympstroy, which is in charge of constructing the venues and related infrastructure, and the International Olympic Committee to build the Games’ Olympic Village and luge-bobsleigh route in an area not under threat.

In its ‘Sochi 2014 – UNEP Mission Report’, released today, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) announced it “encourage[s] the partners in the Russian Federation and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to look into the suitability of alternative locations. Our view is that the currently planned location may compromise other efforts to ensure the Games are environmentally friendly.”

The Grushevy Ridge is important for a number of rare and endangered species, among which are the West Caucasian chamois and West Caucasian tur, listed as endangered on the 2007 International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species. The site borders the Western Caucasus UNESCO World Heritage Site, including the Caucasus State Biosphere Nature Reserve.

“It is crucial the Russian authorities and IOC recognise the need to protect Russia’s precious wild habitat and move the Winter Olympics away from the Grushevy Ridge. We are eager to help the Olympic authorities find a site that will not threaten wildlife and promote environmentalism for the Olympic Games in 2014,” Andrey Petrov, Greenpeace Russia World Heritage Program Coordinator says.

Greenpeace Russia, WWF-Russia and Transparent World, a non-commercial partnership, have proposed 16 alternative sites for the Olympic Village and luge-bobsleigh route. All conform to the International Luge and International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federations’ requirements, and would not damage the environment.

Despite sending details of alternative sites to the Sochi-2014 Organising Committee on 22 February, the Committee failed to forward them to the respective sporting federations and IOC. This is despite an agreement to do so following a round table meeting in January. Greenpeace Russia met the IOC in Sochi on 23 April, and submitted the list of alternative sites directly.

During an IOC Coordinating Commission visit to Sochi in April, the Russian authorities declared no venue would be changed. Greenpeace hopes the UN Environmental Programme’s recommendations will change this decision and encourage the International Olympic Committee to consider alternative sites that take environmental impact into account.

See http://www.iucnredlist.org/info/introduction for the International Union for
Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species.

Posted by Surfbirds at 6:20 AM | Comments (0)

April 17, 2008

Sea eagle watchpoint opens

A new hide for watching White-tailed Eagles has just been opened in the best location for viewing the birds in their Scottish home, announced the Forestry Commission.

The island of Mull, off the west coast of Scotland, is the only location in Britain where White-tailed Eagles can be viewed from a hide specially designed for viewing them.

White-tailed Eagle © Mike Watson/Birdquest, from the surfbirds galleries

The state-of-the-art bird hide is mobile and can be moved into different positions each year, depending on where the eagles nest. Recently purchased by Forestry Commission Scotland it overlooks Loch Frisa and has a glass front for viewing, canvas interpretation panels and two TV screens featuring live footage of the birds which is beamed into the hide from CCTV cameras placed close to the nest.

The hide is the result of a partnership between Forestry Commission Scotland, RSPB Scotland, Scottish Natural Heritage, Mull & Iona Community Trust, Strathclyde Police and volunteers. Its aim is to protect the birds and provide a unique viewing experience while increasing the social and local economic benefits.

Elaine Jamieson, for Forestry Commission Scotland said: "These are magnificent birds all the more impressive for being seen in the beautiful Mull landscape. We are all extremely proud of this partnership and the hope to see lots of visitors enjoying the experience this year."

A pair of sea eagles have been nesting on the shores of Loch Frisa on Forestry Commission Scotland land since 1998. Trips to the hide are taking place until 25 July and booking is essential. Tickets cost £2 for a child, £4 for adults and £10 for a family. To book, contact 01688 302038. For more information visit www.forestry.gov.uk/mullseaeagles

Posted by Surfbirds at 9:37 AM | Comments (0)

March 27, 2008

Handbook of Western Palearctic Birds (HWPB)

The first volume (passerines) of the long-awaited book by Hadoram Shirihai & Lars Svensson, the Photographic Handbook of the Birds of the Western Palearctic, is now being readied for publication. It will be the most up-to-date work regarding identification, plumage variation, racial identification and taxonomy of the region.

Black Bush Robin Cercotrichas podobe, Israel. From the forthcoming Handbook of
Western Palearctic Birds, A&C Black. © Hadoram Shirihai

The Handbook team has established a Western Palearctic Photo Collection of almost all the bird species, races and plumage variations that occur in the region. More than 100 photographers have already contributed to the collection, including many of the most experienced and talented in Europe. However, they are still seeking to improve the collection and to find good images of a few of the missing species, subspecies and plumages. Thus, they are inviting contributions from photographers with high-quality or useful (for identification or ageing/sexing purposes) photographs taken in the field.

Click here for a list of gaps in the collection. Suggested photos for submission should be sent as low-resolution jpegs or a similar format. Please send these direct to the photographic editor of the project René Pop. Note that they are also interested in high-quality images of more common species that do not appear on this list.

For information and guidelines on how to submit photographs please click here.

Krüper's Nuthatch Sitta krueperi, Greece. From the forthcoming Handbook of Western
Palearctic Birds, A&C Black. © René Pop

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:10 AM | Comments (0)

March 20, 2008

Join the Shetland Migration

The Shetland Islands, one of Europe's best wildlife spots, are now within easy reach of Southern England.

The archipelago, described by many as 'a magnet for birders and twitchers alike' is once again to benefit from a direct service from Stansted.

Shetland is also able to boast that it is officially one of the best unspoilt island destinations on the planet, having achieved third place in an in-depth review by National Geographic Traveler magazine. The 522 experts concluding the islands 'have got everything with bells on'!

Atlantic Puffin, Shetland Islands, © Rebecca Nason, from the surfbirds galleries

The Atlantic Airways flights will be twice weekly (Fridays and Mondays) and run from May 23 to August 29.

Shetland is famous for its spectacular birdlife. With more than 100 islands, it boasts an extensive coastline festooned with puffins, guillemots, razorbills, gannets, fulmars and shags. Shetland is also home to more great skuas than anywhere else in the world and these ferocious birds, along with their Arctic cousins, patrol the islands' skies.

Breeding populations and passage migrants are also complemented by numerous rarities. 164 of the 250 species listed on the Online Guide to Rarer British Birds have been spotted on Shetland.

As well as birds there are also many other wildlife attractions amidst the rugged scenery. The islands are frequented by dolphins, porpoises and other whales while orcas are regular visitors, coming to hunt seals off the coast.

Otters are also abundant and Shetland is one of the rare places where these elusive creatures can be spotted with some ease.

The numerous walking routes all across the islands are popular as they provide contact with wildlife and spectacular views to a degree unprecedented in much of Britain.

Until Atlantic Airways started providing the direct service from Stansted, the Shetland Islands were not easily accessible from southern England or the midlands. This is the only scheduled service to Shetland from anywhere in England.

Magni Arge, CEO of Atlantic Airways, said: "Thousands of people travel to Shetland every year to see the spectacular wildlife and experience the friendly welcome of the islanders. With this service we are opening up this magnificent destination for millions more."

Notes:

1) Atlantic Airways was founded in 1987 and began operating scheduled flights in 1988. The 2007 schedule includes Copenhagen, Aalborg, Billund, Stavanger, Oslo, Reykjavik, London Stansted, Aberdeen and Shetland.

2) Services between Shetland (Sumburgh), and London (Stansted) operate twice weekly from May 23 to August 29. www.flyshetland.com

3) Atlantic Airways operates a modern all-jet fleet of BAe RJ/146. The four-engined aircraft seat from 84 to 95 passengers.

4) Atlantic Airways' busiest route is its service from the Faroe Islands to Copenhagen, which operates up to five times daily.

5) Atlantic Airways also operates local helicopter services within the 18 Faroe Islands, as well as holding the contract to provide air-sea and other rescue services.

6) Atlantic Airways also provides direct services between London Stansted and
The Faroe Islands. www.flyfaroe.com

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:28 AM | Comments (0)

November 4, 2007

Fair Isle Bird Report 2006 - now available

Less than ten months after the end of the year, the 2006 Fair Isle Bird Observatory Report landed on my desk this week - one of only a few 2006 bird reports thus far published.

Once again, it is a bumper edition, at 160 pages long. A total of 204 species were recorded on the 'Magic Isle' in 2006 including one addition - North American Black Duck, whilst other highlights included Eurasian Scops Owl and Blyth's Pipit. As ever, the daily log recorded the numbers and dates of all migrants, continuing the island's invaluable 60 year database. The Fair Isle seabirds had a much better year than of late, with a record population of Great Skuas as well as more than 800 pairs of Arctic Terns.

Scop's Owl, Fair Isle, Shetland. 16th May 2006. The second record
for Fair Isle © Rebecca Nason, from the surfbirds galleries

Mark Warren and Deryk Shaw provide a very detailed monthly summary of sightings on pages 37-51 and this is followed by the First and Last Dates for Summer Migrants 2006 and a typically detailed and highly informative Systematic List (pages 53-101). As usual, this is enhanced by the inclusion of some wonderful full colour plates, featuring the impressive works of Rebecca Nason, Paul Baxter and Deryk Shaw. Highlights include the October White-rumped Sandpiper (4th record), May Scops Owl, September Woodchat Shrike, a page-full of rare pipits including Pechora, Olive-backed and Blyth's, September Aquatic Warbler, August Melodious and Greenish Warblers, Lanceolated Warbler, October Scandinavian Arctic Redpoll, May Ortolan Bunting and April Hawfinch.

The Ringing Report by Paul Baxter provides details of the 6,599 birds of 112 species trapped and ringed on the island during 2006 including a 26 year old Fulmar, a 21 year old Shag, 17 year old Storm Petrel, 15 year old Arctic Skua, 29 year old Guillemot, 27 year old Razorbill and a Swedish 'Northern' Bullfinch that had moved 1,283 kms in 26 days.

At the back of the report, there are scientific papers on the Fair Isle Starling and Wren populations, along with the fully detailed Lepidoptera report (pages 133-142), Mammal Report (143-145) and complete checklist.

This latest report can be obtained (priced GBP 7.00 including p & p) from Deryk Shaw at

Fair Isle Bird Observatory
Fair Isle
Shetland ZE2 9JU

See also - _http://www.fairislebirdobs.co.uk/index.htm_
(http://www.fairislebirdobs.co.uk/index.htm)

Lee G R Evans

Posted by Surfbirds at 8:02 PM | Comments (0)

October 13, 2007

Video World Birding Center, Texas

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:34 PM | Comments (0)

August 30, 2007

Red kite found shot dead in Wicklow - from the Irish Times website

Efforts to revive Ireland's once extinct red kite population have been dealt a blow after a bird released in the Wicklow mountains was found shot dead, it was revealed today.

The bird, set free six weeks ago with 29 other kites, had been hit with shotgun pellets and was found on farmland north of Arklow yesterday.

Garda are investigating the killing which is believed to have happened between Sunday and yesterday.

Kites are protected under the Wildlife Act and have also been awarded the highest level of protection under European law.

Red Kite © Steve Round

The Golden Eagle Trust (GET), which is managing the project with the National Parks and Wildlife Service and the Welsh Kite Trust, said the loss was a major blow.

"Obviously, after all the hard work and support for the project in Wicklow, nationally and in Wales, it is very worrying to recover a shot kite so soon after they have been released," GET project manager Damian Clarke said. "But I must stress that the level of support from all the local farmers, landowners and local gun clubs and shooting syndicates has been excellent."

Red kites were driven to extinction in Ireland from shooting, trapping and poisoning even though they pose no threat to either game birds or livestock. Kites have a wingspan of up to 1.8m but with weak beaks and claws they are not powerful predators and feed mostly on carrion in the winter and small mammals, crows, insects and worms.

"We hope that all landowners can advise people shooting on their property that red kites must be left unmolested. These species are fully protected by the law and it is illegal to shoot red kites, by mistake or otherwise," Mr Clarke said. "It is very unfortunate that we should recover a shot kite during National Heritage week - it once again highlights the importance that everyone needs to play a role in protecting Ireland's natural and cultural Heritage."

The red kite programme is one of three schemes to return previously extinct birds of prey to the Irish skies. Pairs of golden eagles have been released in Donegal and one set have bred successfully while in Co Kerry sea eagles have been returned to parkland around Killarney.

Posted by Surfbirds at 9:47 AM | Comments (0)

Greenish Warbler deluge - by Lee Evans

Last week's GREENISH WARBLER deluge involved a minimum 33 individuals, the vast majority of them in Norfolk. All had been displaced by fresh ENE winds and were grounded by heavy rain or overcast skies.

The first appeared on Fair Isle (Shetland) on 20th August, followed shortly by a wonderfully confiding individual at Skaw, Unst (Shetland) on 21st-22nd. That same day, a further juvenile reached the Farne Islands, showing well on Inner Farne (Northumberland) throughout the 21st.

Greenish Warbler, Shetland, Skaw, Unst 22/08/07 © Dougie Preston

The first to make landfall in Norfolk was on Blakeney Point, where before darkness fell on 21st, some FIVE birds had been located (with singles at Far Point, the Plantation and 3 in the vicinity of the Watch House). All five remained in attrocious conditions on 22nd, with none showing for more than a few seconds in the near gale force northerly winds. In fact, there was no real improvement in the weather until the Saturday, so it was not surprising to find that all 5 birds were still being located on 24th, with three congregating and occasionally showing well in the Plantation and an additional bird being seen at The Hood, with two remaining in sueda by the Watch House. In all, an absolute bare minimum of 6 birds occurred on the Point between 21st and 25th.

On 22nd August, one was discovered midway along the Straight Lonnen on Holy Island (Northumberland), whilst in better weather conditions on 23rd, a further three were discovered in Norfolk: at the west end of Holkham Pines, trapped and ringed in Martin Preston's garden at Denmark House, Weybourne and in the vicinity of the middle track at Warham Greens.

Further discoveries were made on 24th August, with singles in Norfolk at Wells Woods Drinking Pool, Holme NWT, Stiffkey Fen, Thornham Point at Titchwell, Sidestrand Hall School and Castle Farm at Sea Palling. Further south, one reached East Kent, visiting a clifftop garden at Cliff House, Kingsdown, whilst another showed intermittently at Warrenhouse Wood, Gunton (Suffolk). Further north, one was identified near Old Fall Hedgerow at Flamborough Head (East Yorkshire).

By far the most obliging individual was that in the bushes at Thornham Point, 800 yards west of Titchwell boardwalk. This bird performed at regular intervals for upwards of 450 visitors in the warm sunshine of 25th and was still present at dusk. Much more elusive were the 16 other birds located along the Norfolk coast that day, including 'new' birds at Stiffkey Campsite Wood, Horsey Bramble Hill, near California Campsite, Happisburgh, Cley Marshes NWT car park, Walsey Hills NOA, Muckleburgh Hill, Caister-on-Sea Second Avenue and Waxham Pipe Dump and remaining birds at Stiffkey Fen, Warham Greens (with an additional bird), Holme NWT and at least 3 on Blakeney Point.


Greenish Warbler, Blakeney Point, Norfolk, August 2007 © Glyn Sellors

With clear, calm and moonlit skies overnight on 25th, just two birds remained in Norfolk on 26th - singles at Walsey Hills NOA and in the hedgerow north of Second Avenue, Caister. Both birds showed occasionally throughout the day.

The final bird of the influx to be found was that at Rockland Broad (Norfolk) on 27th August, showing in scrub beyond the first gate until 0805 hours only. The Walsey Hills bird remained in Sallows at the SW end of the reserve until 27th, interestingly one of four birds during the influx to partake in subsinging.

Of 33 birds, just 7 were discovered outside of Norfolk!

Lee G R Evans
British Birding Association
UK400 Club, Rare Birds Magazine, Ornithological Consultant and Conservationist Discussion Forum/Email Group: _http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UK400Club/_
(http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UK400Club/)
Email Address: LGREUK400@aol.com
Website Address: _www.uk400clubonline.co.uk_
(http://www.uk400clubonline.co.uk/)

Posted by Surfbirds at 9:37 AM | Comments (0)

August 23, 2007

Royal Mail Endangered Bird Stamps issue and Bletchley Park First Day cover

The tiny post office at Bletchley Park is usually associated with the undercover mail of World War Two code breakers. But for the Royal Mail “Birds” stamp issue on 4th September it is issuing a limited edition first day cover. Only 250 will be released.

The cover design by Clare Pollitt provides a beautiful backdrop to the ten Royal Mail stamps featuring endangered species. The raptor on the cover is also a link to when coded messages where sent by pigeon. Special enemy falconry units were formed to capture them. A new exhibit at Bletchley Park tells that and other stories of “pigeon post”.

The first day cover can be previewed and ordered through the web site at www.bletchleycovers.com
or by contacting:

Bletchley Park Post Office,
The Mansion,
Bletchley Park,
Milton Keynes,
MK3 6EB.

Tel: 01908 631797/272690.

Issue price is £12.50 plus £1.50 post and packing.

Posted by Surfbirds at 10:02 PM | Comments (0)

July 31, 2007

Fact or Fiction? Birds abandon their young at the slightest human touch

By Robynne Boyd (for Scientific American.com)

It's a familiar summer scenario: a nest rests in the low crook of a crab apple tree. Inside, a baby oriole stretches its wings, attempting to trill. A little girl's face looms overhead. She reaches out her colossal finger to stroke the still-wet feathers. Just before contact, her father's voice booms: "Don't touch that bird!"

According to folklore, birds will reject their eggs and young if humans have so much as laid a finger on them. This prevalent belief, however, is for the birds: it denies animal parents' innate drive to nurture their broods and ignores a bird's basic biology.

No matter how flighty birds appear, they do not readily abandon their young, especially not in response to human touch, says Frank B. Gill, former president of the American Ornithologists' Union. "If a bird's nest is disturbed by a potential predator during the nesting or egg-laying stage," he says, "there's a possibility that [it] will desert and re-nest. However, once the young are hatched and feeding, [their parents are] by and large pretty tenacious."

The myth derives from the belief that birds can detect human scent. Actually, birds have relatively small and simple olfactory nerves, which limit their sense of smell. There are very few birds with extraordinary olfaction and these represent specialized adaptations. For example, turkey vultures are attracted to methyl mercaptan, a gas produced by decaying organic matter (and added to natural gas to make it smell bad), while starlings can detect insecticidal compounds in vegetation, which they utilize to keep their nests bug-free. Yet no bird's sense of smell is cued to human scent.

Still, there's good reason not to go fiddling around in an occupied nest. "The fact is, birds don't abandon their young in response to touch, [but] they will abandon [their offspring and their nest] in response to disturbance," explains biologist Thomas E. Martin of the University of Montana and the U.S. Geological Survey, who has handled birds from Venezuela to Tasmania without instigating abandonment. "They are likely responding to disturbance in relation to risk of harm to young."

In other words, birds, like economists, make cost-benefit decisions. If a bird has invested a lot of time and energy in hatching and rearing its young, that bird is more likely to, if possible, relocate its offspring to a new nesting site, rather than abandon them altogether when a potential predator has discovered the babies. Birds that live longer, like hawks, are more averse to risk (and more sensitive to disturbance) than short-lived birds, like robins and other songbirds. The former might abandon its young, while the latter is much less likely to do so.

The same logic applies to most animals. "In general, wild animals bond with their young and do not quickly abandon them," explains Laura Simon, field director for the Urban Wildlife Program at the Humane Society of the United States.

In fact, most creatures find extraordinary ways to ensure the survival of their young. Killdeer and ducks will feign a broken wing to lure a predator away from their babies, and raccoons and tree squirrels will speedily relocate their progeny to more protected pastures when a potential threat is skulking about.

Wild rabbits are the exception to this rule. "These animals seem to be the most sensitive to human and other smells. They're a flighty, high-stress species," Simon says. "Wild rabbits will sometimes abandon their nest when it's been very disturbed as when a lawnmower [runs it over or a] cat gets into it."

If you suspect that a rabbit's nest has been abandoned, the Humane Society recommends making an "X" out of yarn or string over the nest and checking approximately 10 hours later to see if it has been moved. If the X has been pushed aside but the nest is still covered, that's a good indication that the mother has returned, nursed her young, and then re-covered them. If the X stays in place for 12 hours after the traumatic event, it's likely that the young rabbits have been deserted.

Of course, wild animals should be left undisturbed as much as possible. The general rule for finding a baby bird or any animal infant on the ground is simply to leave them alone. Most often, the parents are watching from a distance. But if a baby bird is found on the ground without its fledgling feathers and the nest is easily within reach, it can be returned without harm. The parents will welcome it back with open wings.

Posted by Surfbirds at 10:22 AM | Comments (0)

June 27, 2007

Mediterranean countries fail again to protect bluefin tuna

La Valletta (Malta), June 21st 2007 - The Greenpeace ship Rainbow Warrior
arrived this morning to the port of La Valetta (Malta) after five weeks
documenting and reporting the activities of bluefin tuna fishing fleets in the
central Mediterranean. Greenpeace has found evidence of widespread illegal
activities in contravention of the regulations of the International Commission
for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) (1).

"This is yet another year of a fishery out of control,” said Sebastian Losada,
Greenpeace Spain oceans campaigner. “It is a mockery that the new management
rules agreed by the international community to halt illegal fishing have only
entered into force two weeks before the fishing season comes to an end. But it
is even worse that we have demonstrated that they are not even being
respected.”

In addition to the Rainbow Warrior’s presence in the Mediterranean fishing
ground, Greenpeace has been monitoring several ports and airports in the
region. Greenpeace has documented the activity of Tunisian, Italian and French
fishing vessels operating in the area, as well as a multinational fleet of
vessels such as tug boats and support vessels taking part in operations linked
to the bluefin tuna farming industry.

Last week, Greenpeace showed that the use of spotter planes to find tuna schools
is still common in the area, despite being banned under the new bluefin tuna
recovery plan agreed by ICCAT. The Rainbow Warrior documented the fishing
activities of three Italian purse seine fishing vessels surrounded by spotter
planes during their entire fishing operation (2).

Greenpeace also found several Tunisian purse seiners operating without a
license. These vessels are not included in the ICCAT register of vessels
authorised to fish for tuna species in the region (3).

Transhipment activities (transfer of cargo for shipment) also seem to be common
in the area, despite the fact that they are one of the main ways in which
illegal catches are laundered (4). On June 11 Greenpeace observed the
transhipment at sea of bluefin tuna between the Italian fishing vessel Vergine
del Rosario and the refrigerated cargo vessel Daniela, flagged to Panama. On
June 12 the French vessel Jean Marie VI transferred its cargo to the Panamanian
flagged reefer Astraea 102. These transhipments took place just a few hours
before the new ICCAT management plan entered into force (5).

Yesterday, June 20, Greenpeace found the Panama flagged reefer Daniela in the
middle of the fishing ground, showing that reefers continue to carry out at sea
operations despite the current ban on transhipments.

“The plan agreed by ICCAT countries allocates quotas at twice the level
recommended by their own scientists. It simply does not deserve the name
‘recovery plan’,” said François Provost, Greenpeace France oceans campaigner
onboard the Rainbow Warrior. “Greenpeace is demanding the immediate closure of
the bluefin tuna fishery, a management plan that is in line with scientific
advice, and the creation of a network of fully protected marine reserves to
protect the Mediterranean Sea”.

Greenpeace is campaigning for a global network of fully protected marine
reserves covering 40% of our oceans as an essential way to protect the full
range of marine life and restore the health of fish stocks.

Greenpeace is an independent campaigning organisation that uses non-violent
creative confrontation to expose global environmental problems to drive
solutions that are essential to a green and peaceful future.

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:11 AM | Comments (0)

June 24, 2007

Another Night Parrot Corpse Gives Hope of Its Existence

THE park ranger Robert "Shorty" Cupitt was repairing a section of track in a remote part of Diamantina National Park, Queensland, when the blade of his grader exposed the headless corpse of a bird he could not immediately identify.

The yellow-bellied bird, which appeared to have flown into a nearby barbed-wire fence and had been decapitated, was eventually passed to experts at Queensland Museum. They identified it as a juvenile night parrot. The ultimate, real-life dead parrot.

Click Here for The Brisbane Times Article

Posted by Surfbirds at 5:12 AM | Comments (0)

June 12, 2007

Join Raptor Camp Malta and participate in Illegal Hunting Surveillance and Raptor Migration Monitoring

What is Raptor Camp Malta about?

BirdLife Malta, since the late 1990s, has organised a camp during the annual autumn raptor migration period. Both local and international volunteers join this camp to curtail illegal hunting activity and collect data on bird migration, in particular raptors. This is no bird watching holiday, but a serious conservation effort!

Eleonora's Falcon, copyright Marc Thibault

What’s in it for you?

This is an excellent chance to make a genuine contribution to wildlife conservation and experience life in another country. You will be given the opportunity to get involved in serious conservation work and, more importantly, play a part in Malta’s fight to stop the illegal hunting of protected species.

What does the camp consist of?

Illegal hunting surveillance and raptor migration monitoring are the two main elements forming the camp. These are carried out every day during the morning and afternoon. As well as monitoring raptor migration, participants will also record migration of a range of other species, including herons, bee-eaters, orioles, thrushes and doves.

When not working on the main Raptor Camp objectives, participants are free to choose from a variety of planned and non-planned activities. These include both birding-related activities and other leisure activities such as cultural visits to historic sites, trips to the other islands, swimming and other social activities. In the evening work shops, discussions and films will be organized for the participants.

Illegal Hunting Surveillance and Raptor Migration Monitoring

Groups of volunteers numbering between 5 and 10 people will be dispatched to areas of Malta which are known for illegal hunting activities and raptor migration. The volunteers will be given tasks relating to either illegal hunting surveillance or raptor migration monitoring.

Illegal hunting surveillance

Volunteers will look out for hunters and watch for illegal hunting activities. Illegal activities will be immediately communicated to base camp and the police will be informed. Volunteers will effectively be working as ‘look-out posts’ to inform police of illegal hunting activities and their whereabouts, as well as trying to gather evidence through cameras and video cameras. At times, in the absence of police, volunteers’ presence is used to curtail illegal hunting activities through a cautionary approach. Past experience shows that the mere presence of birdwatchers who will report infringements to the police is an active deterrent. For the safety of camp participants, security will be provided for each mobile team.

Raptor Migration Monitoring

Volunteers will look out for raptors, identify the species and record basic data. The most common migrants at this time of year are Marsh Harrier, Honey Buzzard, European Hobby and Common Kestrel, while other migrants include Osprey, Montagu’s Harrier, Eleonora’s Falcon and Lesser Kestrel. Other, rarer, species, including Pallid Harrier, Short-toed and Lesser Spotted Eagles are recorded annually. Data recorded includes species, age and sex (where possible), location, time of sighting, and information about illegal hunting activities such as number of shots heard and whether or not the raptors were targeted.

What skills do you need to join Raptor Camp Malta?

All one really needs is enthusiasm and motivation to fight against illegal hunting of protected species. However, a number of volunteers are required to have basic raptor identification skills. For those without raptor identification skills, a crash course in raptor ID will be provided at the beginning of the camp. All volunteers will be required to participate in chores to look after the camp.

What about accommodation, food and transport while in Malta?

BirdLife Malta organizes group accommodation in a small family run hotel. Accommodation, food, transport (to and from airport and during the camp) will also be organized for the group.

How long does the camp last?

The camp starts on the 8th September and lasts for just over 2 weeks ending on the 23rd September. Volunteers may come for any number of days during this period. Most volunteers spend either one or two weeks depending on their availability and the flight schedule.

How much does the cost?

A small contribution is required to cater for food and accommodation. At EURO 20 (£14 Stg) per person per night or Euro 140 (£98 Stg) for seven nights, the camp includes:

Accommodation in a small family run hotel in the form of two or three bedroom apartments booked specifically for the camp (double rooms also available)
Breakfast, packed lunch and dinner (catering also for vegetarians)
Transfers on arrival and departure from the airport to the camp
Lectures/presentations/workshops by local experts ornithologists
All transport during working activities and also leisure activities*
* does not include tickets for boat trips to other islands and entrance tickets during cultural visits. These activities are optional.

For more information and to participate simply send an email to raptorcamp@birdlifemalta.org outlining what information you need.

Posted by Surfbirds at 9:10 PM | Comments (0)

June 1, 2007

Calling America: can you hear

Your attention please. Thank you for choosing earth as your planetary vehicle. We hope you enjoy the many wonderful features of this planet......

The most important video on the planet

Posted by Surfbirds at 2:33 PM | Comments (0)

May 17, 2007

Go eye to eye with a Blue Whale

If you had assumed you would never to get to see a blue whale, think again. Now you can experience the magnitude of the world’s biggest animal just by sitting at your desk, thanks to an interactive banner from the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society.

The charity was donated the banner, which features the giant eye of the computer-generated blue whale, by German advertising agency Jung von Matt. Double-clicking on the advert loads a new window where visitors can navigate around a life-size image of the whale scrolling across their screens.

Nicolas Entrup, a spokesman for WDCS, said: “We want the banner to demonstrate to people how amazing these animals are and how important it is that we do everything in our power to protect them. We hope that this life size blue whale in the Net becomes the ambassador for large whales in the wild.”

For more information about the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society visit www.wdcs.org

Posted by Surfbirds at 8:05 PM | Comments (0)

May 10, 2007

Rare Birds Yearbook 2008

Bird photographers - enter a novel photo competition and win high-quality Minox prizes!

The Rare Birds Yearbook invites you to submit your photos of the world’s 189 Critically endangered birds. Rare Birds Yearbook is a new, annual publication which will appear in October 2007 for the first time. It is published in association with global conservation organisation BirdLife International and £4 of each sold book will be donated straight to conservation.

In association with high-quality optics company Minox and BirdLife International the publishers are offering a range of prizes. Visit www.rarebirdsyearbook.com to find a list of the species, the prizes, the rules, the jury members and more about the book. The competition runs until 15th July 2007.

Rare Birds Yearbook

Published by MagDig Media Ltd in association with BirdLife International. 274 pages in colour. Paperback.

Objectives

To publish an annually recurring book that summarises the status and facts of the world’s c.190 Critically Endangered (CR) birds in an appealing, modern, educational and readable way. It will consist of a directory section of the 190 species, sections on statistics and lists, a directory of regional organisations and commercial bird tour companies arranging travel to see CR species of birds. Each yearbook will have a number of specially written feature articles on issues related to threatened birds such as migration, rare bird sites and taxonomy. The directory section will also be updated each year with the latest information on the plight of the world’s most threatened species. GBP 4 per sold book will be donated to BirdLife International in order to enhance their funds for conservation work.

Posted by Surfbirds at 6:25 AM | Comments (0)

May 9, 2007

Greenpeace calls for end to tropical forest destruction

Greenpeace activists today abseiled from the top of the Crowne Plaza hotel in downtown Port Moresby, Papua Nwe Guinea, where delegates were gathering for the start of the 42nd International Tropical Timber Organization’s (ITTO) committee meeting, and unfurled a banner which read “ITTO Stop Forest Destruction”.

Dutch climber Erik Birkhoff said, “Greenpeace wants the ITTO to do more to stop forest destruction in the world’s tropical forests.”

Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise, Papua New Guinea © Tamás Zalai

The protection of large expanses of rainforest has become a global issue and was identified by the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) last week as one of the most cost-effective ways to mitigate against climate change.

Greenpeace is highlighting the issue of tropical forest destruction as representatives from governments meet at the 42nd ITTO meeting in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, a country with serious illegal and destructive logging issues, to challenge the ITTO's members to protect rather than trade away the planet's last ancient forests.

A diagnostic report on PNG by the ITTO concluded that the PNG Forest Authority (PNGFA) is doing nothing on ensuring sustainable forest management and is focussed “almost exclusively on exploitation of the forest resource for the primary financial benefit of the national government.”

“Greenpeace wants the ITTO to do more to stop forest destruction in PNG,” said Sam Moko, Greenpeace PNG forest campaigner and climber. “Our Government has done nothing to protect our forests. They and the forest industry are more interested in short term financial gain rather than thinking about the future for our children.”

The ITTO was formed to find a balance between tropical forest conservation and sustainable management, use and trade of tropical forest resources. However the world’s tropical forests, including the Amazon, Congo and the Paradise Forests of Asia Pacific continue to be logged at alarming rates.

In 1990, the ITTO set a goal, “Objective 2000”, to ensure that the trade in tropical timber comes from sustainably managed forests by 2000. As of June 2006, according to the ITTO’s own assessment, less than 5 per cent of tropical forests were under sustainable management.

“By its own admission the ITTO is failing, in the 20 years it has been operating forest degradation and loss due to logging has accelerated in ITTO member countries rather than being brought under control,” said Greenpeace New Zealand Forest Campaigner Grant Rosoman. “This is a spectacular failure and points to the underlying aim of the ITTO members – the continued exploitation of forests for the trade in tropical timber.”

Tropical forests are some of the most bio-diverse ecosystems on the planet and are home to millions of people who rely on them for their subsistence and survival. They are also an essential carbon reservoir and their continued destruction is contributing to climate change. Up to 25% of greenhouse gas emissions come from tropical forest clearance.

Since the ITTO announced its “Objective 2000” the world’s tropical forests have come under increased pressure from illegal and destructive logging as well as massive clearance for agricultural crops such as soya and oil palm.

Sixty per cent of PNG's large intact ancient forests have already been destroyed and Greenpeace estimates that over 90 per cent of logging in PNG is illegal. Between August 2000 and August 2005 the Amazon lost 12.8 million hectares of forest. Indonesia was last week confirmed as a Guinness World Record holder for destroying its forests at the fastest rate and the Democratic Republic of Congo risks losing up to 40 per cent of its forests by 2050.

“Unless something is done now to stop wholesale forest destruction there may be nothing left to save. Instead of more talk the ITTO’s members need to take action to protect the world’s last ancient forests,” said Mr Rosoman. “We are calling on governments of forest countries to immediately implement moratoria on the expansion of industrial logging and set up a network of protected forest areas. Governments of market countries must implement legislation to ensure that their markets are not trading in illegal and destructive timber products.”

Posted by Surfbirds at 6:52 AM | Comments (0)

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 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

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 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)

March 26, 2007

6th European Ornithologist's Union Conference

The sixth European Ornithologist's Union Conference will take place from 24 - 29 August 2007 in Vienna, Austria.

The Conference will cover all aspects of Ornithology with participants from all over Europe. Registration and submission of abstracts for Oral Contributions and posters is open.

Snowfinch, alpine speciality, Austria, copyright Margaret Breaks

Plenary speakers include:

1. Prof. Tim Birkhead, University of Sheffield, UK Post-copulatory sexual selection in birds: sperm and eggs .

2. Prof. Hanna Kokko, University of Helsinki, Finland Make love and war: the evolutionary ecology of simultaneous competition for mates and breeding sites.

3. Prof. Alex Roulin, University of Lausanne, Switzerland Communication and the maintenance of genetic variation in colour polymorphic birds.

4. Dr. Irene Tieleman, University of Groningen, The Netherlands Physiological dynamics of birds in desert, tropical and temperate environments.

The following is a provisional list of symposia:

Nightlife of diurnal birds
Health of arctic and antarctic populations
Postcopulatory sexual selection in birds
Avian influenza risk assessment: the contribution of ornithology Heterogeneity in bird populations, causing biased samples, as a challenge for ecological field studies
Ornithology past, present and future
Dispersal behaviour: causes and consequences
Palearctic migrants threatened by environmental change in the Sahel
Should we feed birds?
Extra-pair paternity: male or female driven?
Edge effect on avian nest predation in Europe
Radar ornithology - past experiences and future challenges
Conservation

Details on the EOU website http://www.eou.at

Posted by Surfbirds at 9:23 AM | Comments (0)

January 6, 2007

Paul Coopmans Passes Away

Announcement from Birdquest Regarding Paul Coopmans – 5th January 2007

It is with great sadness and regret that we must inform you of the tragic and untimely death of Paul Coopmans, who died on the night of the 1st of January following a brave battle with cancer. Paul moved to the Galapagos after graduating from Zoology in Antwerp, Belgium, and, having been awe-struck by the biodiversity of Ecuador, set up home in Quito, where in recent years he lived with his wife Syama and son Nicolas. He then very rapidly became an authority on the birds of Ecuador, and soon gained an unsurpassed knowledge of bird vocalizations there. He spread his wings further, travelling extensively in much of the Neotropics, and soon became a respected authority in much of the region. Paul’s almost superhuman ability to hear and recognize bird vocalizations was not only envied amongst his fellow birders, but also led to the discovery of at least two new species to science. Paul put his enormous talents to good use. He was a major contributor to the groundbreaking Birds of Ecuador fieldguide, co-published many CDs of Ecuadorian bird sounds, and led more than 70 tours for Birdquest to many parts of the Neotropics, where he was able to share his knowledge and humour with countless other birders. Paul will be sorely missed by all of us that ever knew him. Our thoughts at this time are with his family.

Pete Morris
(Deputy Manger, Birdquest)

Editors note: We were saddened to hear this news at Surfbirds. In addition to meeting Paul, he was also a regular contributor to Surfbirds.

Posted by Surfbirds at 5:56 AM | Comments (0)

December 8, 2006

Birdwatch 2007 calendar features Digital Photography Award winners

This summer Birdwatch magazine, in association with optical company Kowa, challenged its readers to produce their very best digital bird images in its first Digital Photography Awards. Professional and amateur photographers both submitted images, and while many entries were taken with digital SLRs and telephoto lenses, the judges (leading bird photographers and experts David Hosking, Steve Young, Dominic Mitchell, Stephen Moss and Chris Harbard) were delighted that the new technique of digiscoping was well represented.

The very best of these images have been specially selected for the new full-colour A4 Birdwatch 2007 calendar, which is available FREE with the December 2006 issue of Birdwatch, on sale now.

See some of the photos here

Posted by Surfbirds at 5:06 AM | Comments (0)

October 21, 2006

Have you found 6,000 lost parakeets?

The forthcoming BBC One wildlife series the Nature of Britain sent a crew to Esher Rugby Club last week, only to find that the roost - numbering up to 6,000 birds - had vanished into thin air!

Ring-necked Parakeet © Steve Blain

If you know where the birds have gone, or have any large, accessible roosts near you where we might be able to film the birds, we'd be delighted to hear from you. Please contact Stephen Moss at stephen.moss@bbc.co.uk or call 0117 974 6846."

Posted by Surfbirds at 5:29 AM | Comments (0)

September 30, 2006

Vagrant bird dies and birdwatchers blamed for bird's death

A juvenile Rose-coloured Starling that is normally found in Asia and eastern Europe but recently appeared in gardens in Winterton, Norfolk, UK has sparked widespread media coverage after a neighbour reported on a BBC news programme that birdwatchers were the cause of its death. Carol Barnes had told the BBC that birdwatchers had pursued the starling from garden to garden after it turned up in the coastal town last weekend. The RSPB has said that it does not plan to launch an inquiry but the birding community has reacted strongly calling the allegations misinformed and very damaging.

Lee Evans who runs a popular British birding club said that the bird at the centre of the story was suffering two heavily bloated ticks on its head, one just behind the eye and another below the eye. "As soon as I set eyes on it last Saturday, I realised it was in distress and made every attempt to capture it but failed."

Juvenile Rose-coloured Starling showing one of the bloated ticks that caused its death from the Surfbirds galleries © William Bowell 24th Sept 06

"This was affecting its health in a serious manner. The reason the bird died was because of the two ticks draining its life blood and nothing to do whatsoever with birders scrambling to see it. Such parasites have had similar affects to a wide range of bird species throughout the ages. It was however feeding well and was taking Cranefly after Cranefly from the protected lawn inside the Wireless Station compound in Winterton village. It was ridiculously lethargic and struggling to fly far but fed to within a few feet of observers. Birders surrounded it but certainly did not hound it in any way nor was it 'chased' from pillar to post as suggested in the newspaper articles. Due to a Pallid Harrier in the vicinity, it was obviously visited by perhaps over 500 different observers over the weekend but as far as I know, it was certainly not 'hounded to death'.

Juvenile Rose-coloured Starling, Norfolk from the Surfbirds galleries © Murray S. Smith 23rd Sept 06

Juvenile Rose-coloured Starling, Norfolk from the Surfbirds galleries © James Hanlon 24th Sept 06

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:06 PM | Comments (0)

September 28, 2006

Evidence Suggesting that Ivory-billed Woodpeckers (Campephilus principalis) Exist in Florida

On 21 May 2005, researchers detected a bird that they identified as an Ivory-billed Woodpecker in the mature swamp forest along the Choctawhatchee River in the panhandle of Florida. During a subsequent year of research, members of their small search team observed birds that were identified as Ivory-billed Woodpeckers on 14 occasions. They heard sounds that matched descriptions of Ivory-billed Woodpecker acoustic signals on 41 occasions and they recorded 99 putative double knocks and 210 putative kent calls. They also located cavities in the size range reported for Ivory-billed Woodpeckers and larger than those of Pileated Woodpeckers (Dryocopus pileatus) that have been reported in the literature or that we measured in Alabama.

Read the full article here

Posted by Surfbirds at 4:28 AM | Comments (0)

August 31, 2006

Evoke the Spirit of Nature - The Society of Wildlife Artists Annual Exhibition

With almost 500 paintings, sculptures, prints and drawings on display, the Society of Wildlife Artists forthcoming Annual Exhibition is the key place to view and buy the very cream of contemporary wildlife art by internationally renowned artists. The exhibition takes place at the Mall Galleries in central London (near Trafalgar Square) from 27th September to 8th October.

Redwings by Esther Tyson

"One of the many distinctive attributes of the SWLA is the number of excellent printmakers within our ranks. This year we are making a special effort to display the varied and diverse styles of original printmaking that evoke the spirit of the natural world'. says Andrew Stock, President of the Society."

Thus, this year's exhibition sees the inclusion of a dedicated print wall, providing a fantastic opportunity for visitors to purchase stunning, original works of art at affordable prices. Guest artist Colin See-Paynton RE will exhibit 6 of his beautifully designed and intricate wood engravings, whilst members have been encouraged to submit linocuts, etchings, mono-prints and screenprints, so it promises to be the most dynamic collection of wildlife prints to date.

Private View and Prize-giving
2 - 8pm. Tuesday 26th September 2006 - official opening by Ben Fogle 3pm The Mall Galleries, The Mall, London SW1

Open to the Public
Wednesday 27th September - Sunday 8th October 2006
The Mall Galleries, The Mall London SW1 (Near Trafalgar Square)
Open 10am-5pm daily, including weekends

Exhibition Admission Fee
£2.50 (£1.50 concessions)

Public Enquiries
Tel: 020 7930 6844, info@mallgalleries.com, www.mallgalleries.org.uk, www.swla.co.uk

Press and Media Enquiries
For more information or images, please contact the Mall Galleries Press Office on tel: 020 7930 6844 or email press@mallgalleries.com

About the SWLA: Founded in 1962 the SWLA is a registered charity to foster and encourage all forms of wildlife art. For more information, visit www.swla.co.uk

Posted by Surfbirds at 9:23 PM | Comments (0)

August 25, 2006

Ton-up for White-tailed Eagles in Denmark

From the Copenhagen Post - 15 August 2006

Congratulations, it's an eaglet!

The nation's population of eagles is on its way to re-establishing itself after being absent for over a century.

Ornithologists are hopeful that the white-tailed sea eagle's return to Denmark has been cemented after the raptors have their best breeding season since its return to the country.

Eagles and other birds of prey had been absent from Denmark since the beginning of the 20th century, due to over hunting and habitat encroachment.

The first white-tailed sea eagles, northern Europe's largest raptor, returned in 1995, and in 1996, the country could claim its first breeding pair. Since then, some 112 eaglets have been successfully reared in the wild.

Ornithologists report that this summer has been the white-tailed sea eagle's best breeding season since its return, with 11 of the 16 nesting pairs giving birth to 24 eaglets in all.

'It's been a nice surprise to see how fertile Denmark's white-tailed sea eagles are,' said Lennart Pedersen, the head of the Danish Ornithological Society's Project Eagle. 'We think it is realistic to believe that within a few decades, we could see as many as 75 mating pairs. Geographically, there's room for probably as many as 150.'

The society began Project Eagle as a way to protect and gather information about the eagle after it began to return to Denmark from Germany and Sweden.

The group has already learned a number of new things about the eagle's settling patterns.

'It appears that eagles can establish themselves when they are as young as four. That's earlier than we previously believed,' Pedersen said.

Currently, the majority of the eagles nest in south-eastern Denmark. Migration patterns mean that the region will continue to house the largest population of eagles, but Pedersen expects them to become a common sight throughout the country.

Even Copenhagen residents could be welcoming the eagle as their neighbour in the near future.

'One of the 16 pairs of white-tailed sea eagles occupy territory only 30 km from the capital.'

The Copenhagen Post

Posted by Surfbirds at 5:41 AM | Comments (0)

July 17, 2006

Scottish Ospreys head for Spain

Scottish ospreys are set to check in for a flight to Spain, as part of a reintroduction project organised by the Andalucian Government and the Highland Foundation for Wildlife.

Osprey, Highland, Speyside May 2004. © Steve Round

Five chicks are being collected from locations in Moray, Badenoch and Strathspey and Inverness. The last two will be take from a secret Forestry Commission Scotland forest near Fort Augustus on Thursday, July 13, and taken to join the other three, before being flown by BA Connect to Spain on the early Inverness flight on Friday, July 14.

The reintroduction is part of a combined international conservation partnership between Spain, with donations of young ospreys from Scotland (which is sending five young), Finland (which is sending four young), and Germany (which is sending 12 young). This is the fourth year of the project and already a pair of ospreys has been encouraged to breed near the release area in Andalucia (southern Spain) and they are rearing two young this year. This is the first breeding pair in 60 years on mainland Spain.

Claire Martin, Forestry Commission Scotland Press Office, tel: 0131 314 6507 or email claire.martin@forestry.gsi.gov.uk

Posted by Surfbirds at 10:17 AM | Comments (0)

June 27, 2006

Delight as Red Kite chicks hatch in north-east England

Published by BBC News - 16th June 2006 - Red Kite chicks have hatched in the north-east of England for the first time in almost 200 years.

The Northern Kites project was started in 2004 to restore a breeding population of the birds to the region.

The project team confirmed there are at least two chicks in a nest in Gateshead's Derwent Valley.

The adult red kites - named Flag and Red Philip - were moved from nests in Stokenchurch in the Chilterns to the Derwent Valley two years ago.

English Nature regional director Martyn Howat said: "Today is a red letter day for the Northern Kites project and an historic event for north-east England.

"It marks the opening of an exciting new chapter in the extraordinary story of these magnificent birds in the region."

Public viewpoint

He added: "We are confident that from this historic first nest a thriving population of kites will soon become established so providing further opportunities for people to enjoy the spectacle of kites flying over the North East."

A public viewpoint has been set up on the Nine Arches Viaduct, near Winlaton Mill.

Red kites were formerly widespread and common in the UK, but human persecution led to their extinction in England and Scotland by the end of the 19th century.

A few survived in Wales, though even they came perilously close to dying out, and at one point it was thought that only a single female of breeding age existed in the whole of the UK.

In 1989 the decision was made to try to re-introduce the birds into England and Scotland and pairs were brought from Spain and Sweden to Oxfordshire, the Chilterns and Inverness.

This was extended when it proved to be successful.

The re-introduction project is now complete, with colonies also existing in the Rockingham Forest area of the Midlands, around Harrogate in North Yorkshire, Central Scotland and Dumfries and Galloway.

Posted by Surfbirds at 3:44 PM | Comments (0)

June 26, 2006

The Eagle Flies Again

Shot out of our skies, the massive sea eagle is making a spectacular comeback - and it could soon be seen in a harbour near you. Peter Marren reports from The Independent web site: Published 22 June 2006

Imagine a great bird the size of a tall bookcase casting shadows as it soars over the marshes. Better still, think of it following your boat, like a gannet, its long, banana-yellow bill casting this way and that as it scans the ocean for fishy titbits. Or perhaps you see it perched on a rock by the harbour with outstretched wings, rather like one of the copper liver birds overlooking Liverpool's waterfront. Could this be the highlight of a wildlife tour of tropical Africa or the Amazon? No, it is a possible glimpse of East Anglia a few years from now. It could even be a scene from the Thames Gateway.

The bird is the sea eagle, the fourth-largest eagle in the world and the biggest bird of prey in northern Europe. Its story has been one of the unlikeliest conservation successes of recent times. Pushed to extinction in Britain by sheep farmers and sporting interests in the early years of the 20th century, the return of the sea eagle became a conservation sensation three generations later.

Young birds taken from their nests in Norway were reared and then released into the wild. There are now some 33 breeding pairs of the great bird, all of them in Scotland. And their number is steadily increasing at 12 per cent a year, a sign that the population is already "self-sustaining". In other words, barring some unforeseen catastrophe, the sea eagle is back and here to stay.

Here to stay but, for most of us, a long distance away. In much of the country, it is quicker and cheaper to fly to Majorca than make the journey to sea eagle country on Scotland's remote north-west coast. But there are plans to reintroduce the eagle to more populous parts of Britain. Last December, English Nature even approved a scheme to release them in East Anglia, where the Suffolk coast has been earmarked as the most eagle-friendly area. There are similar plans to rear and release sea eagles in lowland Scotland and in north Wales. The East Anglian project may begin as early as next year.

Has the conservation world gone eagle-crazy? Can you imagine the world's fourth-largest eagle making a living over the rooftops of Ipswich? Or gliding along the Menai Straits, fixing Brunel's railway bridge with its glassy yellow stare? Well, yes, say the eagle's human promoters; believe it or not, they can.

This is not the shy, aloof golden eagle, forever destined to flee from ever-encroaching human habitation. The sea eagle gets on with people quite well - that is, as long as we are not persecuting them. In other parts of the world, they hang around fishing harbours and nest close to villages.

In behaviour, sea eagles are more like their close relative, the American bald eagle (the world's third-largest eagle). This American icon routinely nests on the outskirts of major cities, like Vancouver, even, on occasion, in big trees in parks and gardens.

Professor Ian Newton, a world authority on birds of prey, points out that sea eagles could once be found all around the British coast. "Many parts of the coast still present suitable habitats for these magnificent birds, and, if undisturbed, they could nest in fairly close proximity to people. We can expect them to build their nests in trees and cliffs and to hunt mainly over the shallower estuaries and inland reservoirs."

Often thought of as the most sterile agricultural plain in Britain, East Anglia in fact holds a plentiful year-round food supply for sea eagles.

The marshes and muddy estuaries of Suffolk and Essex are well-stocked with waterfowl and fish, while rabbits are frequent along the drier parts of the coast.

Moreover, the eagle can take its pick of inland lakes, from the Broads to the big reservoirs of the East Midlands; a hundred-mile round flight is nothing to a sea eagle. In Scotland they regularly visit the headwaters of highland rivers to feast on dead and dying salmon. They also appear from nowhere like vultures after a ghillie has "gralloched" (that is, disembowelled) a deer, before carrying it off the hill.

But how will the good folk of East Anglia take to the idea of an eight-foot, flesh-eating bird swooping over their neighbourhood? If Scotland is any guide, they will love it. The B&B establishments of Mull have never had it so good. Eagle watching has become a thriving business in the isles, generating around £1.5m a year. In England, the reintroduction project is estimated to cost between £120,000 and £150,000 a year. So, in business terms, this project could quickly turn a profit.

Sea eagle enthusiasts also point to the popularity of reintroduced red kites and ospreys. And if you think ospreys are impressive, just wait until you spot a sea eagle out on a fishing trip.

In truth, it's all about spectacle and spin. Sea eagles are among the world's least-threatened large birds of prey. Their numbers have quadrupled in Sweden, and they have recolonised Denmark. They are pleased with Poland and having fun in Finland. Introducing them to Suffolk isn't going to make much difference to sea eagle conservation. It is doing very nicely on its own, thank you very much.

But, as English Nature recognises, there's more to this than meets the eye. Messing around with sea eagles, says English Nature, "represents a major opportunity to lead a high profile 'flagship species' project that will highlight the organisation at the forefront of a major biodiversity delivery initiative." In other words, sea eagles get the column inches denied to smaller fry. They star in Springwatch and attract crowds of admirers. They "deliver benefits to people and nature", say English Nature.

And that is what 21st-century style, ultra-democratic nature conservation has to be about. Government-funded heritage bodies are terrified at being seen to be elitist and remote from popular expectations. There's nothing that links people and nature better than a big fierce bird, especially one that is unlikely to cause much serious concern to farmers and game interests.

And there's nothing like an eagle to sum up what it means to be wild and free. Perhaps people will feel soon be feeling a little wilder and freer themselves as they wander the muddy banks of Essex and a vast bird floats by with a flicker of its barn-door wings. Modern Britain may sometimes feel like a land of suburbs and grain prairies. But if the world's fourth-largest eagle can make itself at home here, then may be our environment can't be all that bad.

Numbers:

The European population is about 6,000 pairs, mostly in Scandinavia and Russia. Norway has the most with about 2,000 pairs. In the remote past, Britain may have had almost as many.

Where to see them now:

Sea-eagle spotting is a major attraction for visitors to the isle of Mull. Mid-morning is a good time to catch a glimpse. A customised hide run by the RSPB (bookings can be made by calling 01688 302 038) and three wildlife tour operators on the island improve your chance of a good view.

Posted by Surfbirds at 10:53 PM | Comments (0)

April 6, 2006

Birdwatchers could be at risk of deadly european virus

Birdwatching enthusiasts visiting central and eastern Europe in 2006 are being warned about a potentially life-threatening disease.

The 'Tick Alert' campaign is warning about Tick Borne Encephalitis (TBE), a viral disease contracted via the bite of an infected tick. It can lead to meningitis and in serious cases result in paralysis and death, with about one in 30 cases proving fatal.

The warning identifies 16 European countries where the TBE infected tick population is officially endemic and therefore poses a high risk to visitors who have not been immunised or taken bite prevention precautions.

These include Estonia, which holds records for bird spotting, Poland, and its Biebrza Marshes and Hungary, with some of the finest and yet most undisturbed birdwatching in Europe today.

At-risk groups include all visitors to rural areas of endemic countries, particularly those participating in outdoor activities such as fishing, hiking and camping.

A number of measures can be taken to reduce the risk of infection: these include using an insect repellent, wearing trousers and long-sleeved clothing to cover all areas of exposed skin, regularly inspecting for tick bites and carefully removing any found. The disease can also be transmitted by the ingestion of unpasteurised milk which should be avoided.

Tick diseases are not only found abroad. Families planning camping and activity holidays in rural areas of the UK are being urged to protect themselves against home-grown tick diseases. It is estimated the number of UK cases of Lyme disease could be as high as 2,000 a year.

However, the Foreign Office advises that visitors to TBE endemic regions seek inoculation advice from their local surgery or clinic - well before travelling.

Immunisation against TBE is available from specialist travel health clinics and at GP surgeries and healthcare centres.

Further information on the endemic regions of Europe and latest advice for travellers is available at www.masta.org/tickalert.

Birdwatching in the UK may also expose the risk from ticks carrying Lyme disease. Infected ticks are found throughout the UK, in particular Exmoor, the New Forest, the South Downs, parts of Wiltshire and Berkshire, Thetford Forest, the Lake District, the Yorkshire moors and the Scottish Highlands. It is estimated the number of UK cases of Lyme disease could be as high as 2,000 a year.

Posted by Surfbirds at 12:58 PM | Comments (0)

March 16, 2006

Iraq marshes exhibition in Norfolk

Over the past two years BirdLife International has been helping train Iraqi biologists to carry out bird and other wildlife surveys of the internationally important Mesopotamian Marshes.

The Ornithological Society of the Middle East (OSME) contributed £1000 from its Conservation and Research Fund towards this training.

Part of the Canada-Iraq Marshland Initiative (CIMI) - and funded by the Canadian Government - the training has, for reasons of security, been carried out in Syria and Jordan. The Iraqi team are from a new NGO, Nature Iraq, and already one summer and two winter surveys have been undertaken. Whilst only a shadow of their former self, due to drainage during the Saddam Hussein regime, the marshes of southern Iraq are still hugely important for their breeding and wintering bird populations. They hold 18 globally threatened species as well as three endemics (Iraq Babbler, Basra Reed Warbler and Grey Hypocolius (near-endemic)). Now that a re-flooding and rehabilitation programme has started there is great optimism for their future.

During these surveys Iraqi biologists took photos of the marshlands depicting their moods and the way of life of the Marsh Arabs. These are to be featured in an exhibition hosted by BirdLife International and the new BIRDscapes Gallery in Glandford, near Cley in North Norfolk. It will run from 22 April to 2 May 2006 and all are welcome.

Anyone wanting further details should contact Steve or Liz Harris at BIRDscapes (01263 741742)

For further information on the BirdLife International project please contact Richard Porter (email: richardporter@dialstart.net)

OSME Contact details

Dawn Balmer, 39 Station Road, Thetford, Norfolk, IP24 2PU.
Tel: 01842 766734.
E-mail: dawn.balmer@bto.org

Posted by Surfbirds at 5:19 PM | Comments (0)

February 10, 2006

Decline of UK House Sparrow Better Understood?

The Independent newspaper highlighted the plight of the British House Sparrow back in 2000 with the offer of a £5,000 prize for the first properly accepted scientific answer.

Many suggestions have been put forth. Magpies, cats, pesticides, peanuts, climate change and home improvements are among the myriad cited for the sparrow's startling disappearance from London and other towns and cities.

The prize has never been claimed.

Kate Vincent, a postgraduate researcher at De Montfort University, Leicester, has for the past five years been closely examining house sparrow breeding success for her PhD thesis.

Her research appears to point to one of the theories for the birds' decline - a similar decline in the numbers of the insects and other invertebrates that sparrow chicks need for the first few days of their lives. In their first week of life, the chicks need animal protein in the shape of small grubs, flies, aphids and spiders.

Over three years, Vincent put up more than 600 nestboxes on houses in Leicester and the city's suburbs and her finding was that, in the summer, considerable numbers of sparrow chicks were starving to death in the nest.

The chicks that were dying were largely in the sparrows' second brood of the year, providing an explanation for the population decline as a whole. As many young sparrows do not survive their first winter, every year the species needs two or three broods (of four chicks each) to keep the population at least level. If the second brood is failing, the population will start to fall.

Vincent found an 80 per cent success rate in the first brood, but only a 65 per cent success rate in the second.

The strong implication is that insects and other invertebrates are becoming much scarcer in Britain in summer - which, although Vincent's research does not specifically prove this, is suspected by wildlife researchers.

Posted by Surfbirds at 4:09 AM | Comments (0)

February 8, 2006

Many New Species Discovered in New Guinea

An international team of scientists, exploring the Foja Mountains in New Guinea have unearthed a new species of honeyeater and rediscovered a bird of paradise amongst many other startling avian, animal and insect discoveries.

The researchers also located of the home of Berlepsch's six-wired bird of paradise. On the second day of the team's expedition, the stunned scientists watched as a male Berlepsch's bird of paradise performed a mating dance for an attending female in the field camp. It was the first time a live male of the species had been observed by Western scientists, and proved that the Foja Mountains was the species' true home. "This bird had been filed away and forgotten; it had been lost. To rediscover it was, for me, in some ways, more exciting than finding the honeyeater. I spent 20 years working on birds of paradise; they're pretty darn sexy beasts," Dr Beehler enthused

The team also recorded a golden-mantled tree kangaroo, which was previously thought to have been hunted to near-extinction.

A summary of the team's main discoveries:

A new species of honeyeater, the first new bird species discovered on the island of New Guinea since 1939

The formerly unknown breeding grounds of a "lost" bird of paradise - the six-wired bird of paradise (Parotia berlepschi

First photographs of the golden-fronted bowerbird displaying at its bower.

A new large mammal for Indonesia, the golden-mantled tree kangaroo (Dendrolagus pulcherrimus.

More than 20 new species of frogs, including a tiny microhylid frog less than 14mm long

A series of previously undescribed plant species, including five new species of palms

A remarkable white-flowered rhododendron with flower about 15cm across

Four new butterfly species.

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:05 AM | Comments (0)

Prominent Bird Expert Casts Doubt On Ivory-billed Woodpecker

Writing in the ornithology journal The Auk (January 2006), Florida Gulf Coast University ornithologist Jerome A. Jackson criticized the “evidence” used to support the conclusion that the Woodpecker wasn’t extinct after all. This includes a four-second video of an alleged sighting which garnered widespread media attention; several other anecdotal sightings; and acoustic signals purported to be vocalization and raps from the Woodpecker.

Download The Paper Here

News of the alleged Woodpecker sighting caught on video was first released in late-April 2005 and spread rapidly through the birding community and in to the mainstream media.

“While the world rejoiced, my elation turned to disbelief,” wrote Jackson. “I had seen the ‘confirming’ video in the news releases and recognized its poor quality, but I had believed [anyway],” he continued.

“Then I saw [a still image] and seriously doubted that this evidence was confirmation of an Ivory-billed Woodpecker. Even a cursory comparison of this figure with [photographs and illustrations of real Ivory-billed Woodpeckers] shows that the white on the wing of the bird… is too extensive to be that of an Ivory-billed Woodpecker,” Jackson wrote.

Jackson is also dismayed at the diversion of federal funds away from threatened species protection towards the Ivory-billed Woodpecker recovery effort.

Birders all over the world are still waiting for undisputable evidence for the Ivory-billed's existence to be put forth.

Posted by Surfbirds at 6:56 AM | Comments (0)

Wattled Crane Recovery Programme

With the backing of the Johannesburg Zoo, a Wattled Crane recovery programme is underway and set to expand dramatically over the next 5 years. The South African Wattled Crane may be genetically unique from all other Wattled Cranes in Africa, making the success of a captive breeding program ever more urgent to prevent local extinction of this species. This coupled with the fact that Wattled Cranes have the lowest reproductive success of all the crane species, makes the Wattled Crane Recovery Programme one of South Africa’s most crucial and challenging conservation projects.

Wattled Crane, Ethiopia, Bale Mountains November 2005 © János Oláh Jr. from the Surfbirds Galleries

The Wattled Crane (Bugeranus carunculatus) is one of only three crane species indigenous to South Africa and is the most critically endangered crane species on the African continent. Due to habitat loss and poor reproductive success there has been a 35% decline in the South African Wattled Crane population over the last two decades. The current in situ population in South Africa consists of approximately 235 (Crane census 2004) birds.

Concern over the continuing decline of the small in situ population and low fertility in situ and ex situ, led to a Population and Habitat Viability Assessment (PHVA) workshop held in July 2000. One outcome of the PHVA was to recognize the need for a captive propagation and release program to insure species survival by creating a viable genetic reservoir.

WATTLED CRANE RECOVERY PROGRAMME:

AIM:

To reverse the trend towards local extinction of the Wattled Crane in South Africa.

OBJECTIVE

To build up a viable captive flock of Wattled Cranes (40 individuals) as quickly as possible in order to:

1) Serve as a genetic reservoir in the case of catastrophic extinction of birds in the wild.

2) Supplement the wild population through the raising of chicks for reintroduction.

CURRENT CHALLENGES:

Currently, the program faces the following challenges:

o The Wattled Crane has the lowest reproductive rate (in situ and ex situ) of all the crane species.

o The sex ratio of the current breeding population is 1: 2.5 (males to females). Multiple pairing is not possible due to the monogamous nature of Wattled Cranes.

o The overall reproductive success of the breeding flock has not been sufficient enough to create a reservoir of birds for release.

o Worldwide, the fertility in captive Wattled Cranes is extremely low.

o Standard artificial insemination techniques have not proven to be as successful in Wattled Cranes as compared to other crane species.

o Dietary and breeding requirements for this species have not been fully established.

o The lack of a central facility for the breeding flock has resulted in inconsistent husbandry and reproductive practices.

o The lack of a dedicated chick rearing facility has resulted in sub optimal survival.

o The program relies heavily volunteer participation, as there is no full time staff.

Posted by Surfbirds at 6:39 AM | Comments (0)

January 22, 2006

Northern Bottlenose Whale Loses Fight

The Northern Bottlenose Whale that generated massive media coverage and captured British hearts has died.

The 18ft (5m) northern bottle-nosed whale had been placed in a special barge after it became stranded near London's Battersea Bridge.

Northern Bottlenose Whale, Greater London, River Thames, Battersea 21 January 2006 © Jeff Higgott See The Surfbirds Mammals Gallery

"A story without a happy ending - the whale died on its way to the open sea on board a barge. Undoubtedly the biggest UK wildlife twitch ever (an estimated 4000+ people watching it at midday today alone) thanks to its location in the heart of London and massive coverage in all the media." J. Higgott

The plan was to set it free in deep waters but as the tide receeded, the animal's condition worsened and rescuers aimed for a release into the Thames estuary. However, the whale finally died at about 1900 GMT en route to the Kent coast.

The story began on Friday after it was spotted moving up the Thames in central London on. It was even seen swimming past the Houses of Parliament.

River police, whale experts and teams of divers rushed to the scene. Tugs shadowed the creature on the water in an effort to persuade the whale, one of two that had been spotted yesterday in the Thames estuary 58 kms east of the capital, while airborne TV crews filmed it from above.

Posted by Surfbirds at 10:12 PM | Comments (0)

January 19, 2006

Three New Zealand storm-petrels captured in the Hauraki Gulf

Last week, a research mission led by Wrybill Birding Tours was able to successfully capture three birds and take full measurements, DNA samples and attach radio transmitters. New Zealand storm-petrel was, up until a few years ago, thought to be extinct.

New Zealand Storm-Petrel, New Zealand, Hauraki Gulf 8th Nov 2005 © Ray Wilson from Surfbirds Galleries

After being presumed extinct for over 150 years, the New Zealand Storm-petrel was rediscovered off the Coromandel Peninsula, on the North Island of New Zealand, on 25th January 2003 by Saville and Stephenson. More sightings followed and in November 2005 a petrel flew in to the cabin of a boat enabling DNA samples to be taken. In early January 2006, a research vessel went in search of more captures and after much effort, birds were caught and radio transmitters attached. The full story can be read here:
http://www.wrybill-tours.com/nzsp.htm

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:25 AM | Comments (0)

November 18, 2005

Sea Turtles Killed by HI Tuna Fleet Triples in 1 Year

Forest Knolls, California – Despite a tripling in the number of critically endangered leatherback sea turtles killed by the Hawai'ian tuna longline industry in just one year, the US government continues to exempt the industry from using controversial new circle hooks and time and area closures in the Pacific. Environmentalists are calling for expanding the ban on longlines along the west coast of the US to the rest of the US Pacific as well as the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico.

According to a recent NOAA Fisheries report "NMFS [National Marine Fisheries Service] should continue to develop and test circle hooks suitable for use in deep-set longline gear." (1)

However, NOAA has already studied circle hooks in longline fishing for both swordfish and tuna for more than 3 years. As a result of these studies, the swordfish fishery was reopened around Hawaii and in the Northwest Atlantic. The swordfish fishery was required to use the controversial new circle hook but the tuna fishery was not required to use any.

This exemption has been deadly for sea turtles. The tuna fishery exceeded the limit on the number of turtles it could catch and NOAA Fisheries was required to re-evaluate the fishery and issue a new report. However, the new report, which appeared in October, does not require any conservation measures be applied to tuna longlining.

"NOAA refused to require circle hooks for the tuna fishery and the turtles have suffered. If these hooks work so well that NOAA could re-open the fishery, and that’s a BIG if, why aren't they being required for tuna longlining?," asked Robert Ovetz, PhD, Save the Leatherback Campaign Coordinator with the US based Sea Turtle Restoration Project.

In just one year, from 2003 to 2004, the most recent years for which complete observer data is available, the number of leatherback sea turtles, which scientists warn could go extinct in the next 5-30 years, caught by tuna longlines tripled from about 4 to 12. At the same time, the number of olive ridleys quadrupled from about 12 to 52. During these two years nearly all of the sea turtles caught were killed. As a result of this increase, NOAA was required by the Endangered Species Act to reinitiate consultation and to issue the report.

Ovetz added that "According to NOAA, the circle hooks work equally as well for both swordfish and tuna longlining, yet they are not be required on tuna vessels.. This points to the tuna longliners using their political connections to get the Bush administration to once again ignore the scientific evidence and let the tuna fishers off the hook."

Although the report recommends that the US encourage other longline fishing nations to implement conservation measures to prevent the critically endangered leatherback sea turtle from going extinct the US refuses to require closures and the controversial circle hook for its tuna fleet.

"How is the rest of the world going to take the US seriously when it completely exempts tuna longliners?" concluded Ovetz.

The United Nations is currently considering a resolution that supports time and area closures to protect sea turtles. Currently, 1,007 international scientists from 97 countries are urging the UN to implement a moratorium on longline fishing in the Pacific Ocean to prevent the extinction of the critically endangered leatherback sea turtle. The scientists are joined by 281 non-governmental organizations from 62 countries. The list of signers includes famed primatologist Dr. Jane Goodall, Harvard biologist E.O. Wilson, oceanographer Dr. Sylvia Earle, a National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence, and former U.S. astronaut Bernard Harris, Jr. M.D.

(1) "Endangered Species Act, Section 7 Consultation, Biological Opinion and Incidental Take Statement" (October 4, 2005, p. 166).

-------------
Resources:

• For a copy of the Sea Turtle Restoration Project's new book Striplining the Pacific on the impact of longline fishing on the Pacific leatherback go to: http://www.seaturtles.org/press_release2.cfm?pressID=259

• For a copy of the scientist and NGO letters to the UN calling for a moratorium on longline fishing in the Pacific go to: http://www.seaturtles.org/press_release2.cfm?pressID=261

• For a review copy of the Sea Turtle Restoration Project's new documentary film Last Journey for the Leatherback? contact Robert Ovetz, PhD at 415 488 0370 x 106.

----------------
The Sea Turtle Restoration Project is a California-based international marine conservation organization that works to protect sea turtles and other marine species in the United States and in countries around the world. For more information about sea turtles and the Sea Turtle Restoration Project, please visit: www.seaturtles.org and www.savetheleatherback.com

Posted by Surfbirds at 6:57 AM | Comments (0)

October 15, 2005

Scrapped Taiwanese Longline Vessels a boon for Sea Turtles

Environmentalists and Scientists Urge the UN and Other Nations to Follow Suit with a Moratorium in the Pacific

The Taiwanese government has just announced that it will dismantle 120 tuna longline vessels, about 5% of its fleet. Environmentalists are praising this reduction in the largest longline fleet in the Pacific as a boon for sea turtles which are injured and killed by longlines in large numbers in the Pacific ocean.

"Longline fishing is costly, inefficient and damages tuna fisheries. There are just far too many boats chasing too few fish and killing far too many sea turtles," said Robert Ovetz, PhD, Save the Leatherback Campaign Coordinator.

It is estimated that more than 1.4 billion longline hooks are set in the world's oceans every year. Longline fishing is a technique in which thousands of baited hooks are strung on monofilament lines stretching as far as 60 miles. Taiwan has the largest number of longline vessels in the Pacific with an estimated 2,113 vessels in the Pacific alone. Japan, which has the second largest longline fleet in the Pacific, has also followed suit with reductions in recent years. This summer, The U.S. even banned fishing for Pacific bigeye tuna for the rest of the year because of overfishing.

"Fewer hooks means fewer turtles, sharks, seabirds, billfish and marine mammals will be killed. This is urgently needed if we are to turn around the descent of sea turtles and albatross seabirds into extinction," Ovetz added..

Recent scientific reports warn that the 100 million year old Pacific leatherback sea turtles, whose female nesting population has collapsed by 95% since 1980, could go extinct in the next decade. Nineteen species of seabirds, including the black-footed albatross, are also threatened with extinction by longlines. An estimated 4.4 million turtles, sharks, seabirds, billfish and marine mammals are injured and killed every year by longlines in the Pacific. Other reports have pinpointed longline fishing as causing an 87-99% decline in large pelagic fish in the Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific.

1,007 international scientists from 97 countries are urging the UN to implement a moratorium on longline fishing in the Pacific Ocean to prevent the extinction of the critically endangered leatherback sea turtle. The scientists are joined by 281 non-governmental rganizations from 62 countries. The list of signers includes famed primatologist Dr. Jane Goodall, biologist E.O. Wilson, oceanographer Dr. Sylvia Earle, a National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence, and former U.S. astronaut Bernard Harris, Jr. M.D.

"While a good first step, a moratorium is needed in order to have time to put into place further reductions in fishing capacity and other conservation measures, such as time and area closures, eductions in subsidies, 100% observer coverage and controls on illegal fishing," Ovetz said.

The Sea Turtle Restoration Project is a California-based international marine conservation organization that works to protect sea turtles and other marine species in the United States and in countries around the world. For more information about sea turtles and the Sea Turtle Restoration Project, please visit: www.seaturtles.org and www.savetheleatherback.com

SEA TURTLE RESTORATION PROJECT
POB 400/40 Montezuma Avenue =80 Forest Knolls, CA 94933 USA
Ph. +1 415 488 0370 ext. 106=80 Fax +1 415 488 0372
robert@seaturtles.org =80 www.seaturtles.org

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:33 AM | Comments (0)

September 22, 2005

Endangered Turtles Face New Threat on the West Coast

On September 20th, the Pacific Fisheries Management Council, which is responsible for managing fisheries off the coasts of California, Oregon, and Washington, will vote on a controversial proposal to gut protections for critically endangered sea turtles. Environmentalists are supporting the continuation of the existing time and area closures which have successfully reduced the risk of sea turtles being injured or killed by gillnet fishing.

"Not one sea turtle has been observed caught, injured or killed since the closures went into effect. Why should we throw out something that is working so well?," asked Robert Ovetz, PhD, Save the Leatherback Campaign Coordinator with the Sea Turtle Restoration Project.

The measure to be considered on Tuesday will be to establish a procedure to allow exemptions to rules protecting endangered species such as the leatherback sea turtle. If approved, the decision goes to NOAA Fisheries for final approval. In October and November the council will consider interim exemptions to closures protecting sea turtles from gillnets on the West Coast.

Most at risk is the critically endangered leatherback sea turtle. Estimated to be 100 million years old, scientists now warn that it could go extinct in the Pacific in the next 5-30 years unless efforts are made to reduce the threat of being injured or killed by longlines and gillnets. The number of female nesting Pacific leatherbacks has declined by 95% since 1984. The US Pacific Coast is an important migratory route and foraging area for leatherback sea turtles and other marine species frequently caught by gillnets.

"The time and area closure provides urgently needed protection for the leatherback and other marine species from being injured or killed by gillnets. Granting exemptions to a handful of vessels would sabotage these efforts to prevent the leatherback from extinction," said Ovetz.

In 2001, NOAA Fisheries also closed waters off Monterey Bay, California, and in the vicinity north to the 45° N latitude intersect with the Oregon Coast from August 15 through November 15 in response to the threat of a lawsuit. The region north of Point Conception had recently been closed during El Nino years as the result of another lawsuit in 2002 to protect loggerhead turtles, another species facing threat of extinction due to mortality caused by industrial fishing.

Known as "curtains of death" because they catch and kill everything in their path, large gillnets (also known as driftnets) were banned by the United Nations on the high seas in 1991. Along with sea turtles, gillnets also injure or kill sperm whales, humpback whales, fin whales, Steller sea lions and other threatened and endangered species. In fact, according to observer data obtained from NOAA Fisheries, 64 dolphins, whales , seals and sea lions have been killed by the gillnet fishery since 2002.

This year, 1,007 scientists from 97 countries and 281 non-governmental organizations from 62 countries delivered a letter to the United Nations urging it to implement a moratorium on industrial longline and gillnet fishing in the Pacific.

Resources:
• For a copy of the Sea Turtle Restoration Project's new book Striplining the Pacific on the impact of longline fishing on the Pacific leatherback go to: http://www.seaturtles.org/press_release2.cfm?pressID=259
• For a copy of the scientist and NGO letters to the UN go to: http://www.seaturtles..org/press_release2.cfm?pressID=261
• For information about the Pacific Fisheries Management Council meeting go to: http://www.pcouncil.org/events/2005/pfmc0905.html
• For a review copy of the Sea Turtle Restoration Project's new documentary film Last Journey for the Leatherback? contact Robert Ovetz, PhD.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––
The Sea Turtle Restoration Project is a California-based international marine conservation organization that works to protect sea turtles and other marine species in the United States and in countries around the world. For more information about sea turtles and the Sea Turtle Restoration Project, please visit: www.seaturtles.org and www.savetheleatherback.com

SEA TURTLE RESTORATION PROJECT
POB 400/40 Montezuma Avenue • Forest Knolls, CA 94933 USA
Ph. +1 415 488 0370 ext. 106• Fax +1 415 488 0372
robert@seaturtles.org • www.seaturtles.org

Posted by Surfbirds at 4:07 AM | Comments (0)

September 16, 2005

Exhibition Celebrates London's Wild Side

An exhibition by wildlife photographer and writer Iain Green opens at the London Wetland Centre on Sunday 25th September 2005. Visitors to the centre will be greeted by photography which explores the nature of the capital through the changing seasons, inhabiting ancient woodlands or living on high-rise office blocks. The exhibition is drawn from Iain’s unique new book, ‘Wild London’ (Tiger Books, October 2005).

Highlights of the exhibition include photographs of the first peregrines to fledge in central London. You can also see images of the floral anarchy in Downing Street, seals in the Thames, bee orchids, black redstarts and tranquil urban wetlands.

The exhibition represents a departure for Iain Green who is best known for his dramatic photographs of tigers. For eight years Iain documented the lives of a family of wild tigers living in central India. These tigers formed the subject of Iain’s first book ‘Wild Tigers of Bandhavgarh’ which was published in 2002 to critical acclaim.

‘Wild London’ runs until Monday 31st October 2005. Iain Green will in the gallery on Tuesday 4th October to answer questions about his work. He will also be running a photography course at the London Wetland Centre in the New Year, as well as giving a lecture about his recent work.
       
Gallery information Access to the Art Gallery is included within the admission price for the Centre (free to members) and has the same opening hours (9.30am to 5.00pm, last admissions 4.00pm)

The exhibition ‘Wild London’ runs at the London Wetland Centre from Sunday 25th September – Monday 31st October.  Iain Green will also be hosting two events at the London Wetland Centre in the new year:

Sat 21 January
Wild London

Iain Green, Author and photographer of ‘Wild London’ will give an illustrated talk about his journey of discovery through the city’s wild places. 2.30-3.30pm, included with admission

Sat 25 March
Introduction to Wildlife Photography

Led by Iain Green, author and photographer of ‘Wild London’, this course includes an introductory talk on the basics of composition, approach and equipment, followed by practical session on the reserve looking at early flora and fauna. Adults only. Maximum 12 in a group. 10am - 4.00pm. £35pp (£28pp for WWT members).  Booking essential.

To book either of these events please phone 020 8409 4400.

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:42 AM | Comments (0)

September 14, 2005

World Bank Contributing to Extinctions and Overfishing

New Report Documents Damage to the Pacific Ocean from Investments in Destructive Longline Fishing

Forest Knolls, California—Only weeks after the World Bank announced a new project to promote sustainable fishing, a new report documents how controversial bank investments in longline fishing in the Pacific are contributing to overfishing for tuna and an extinction crisis for sea turtles and seabirds.

Laysan Albatross, Hawaii, Kauai 12-04-04 © Ashley Banwell

As the World Bank prepares for its annual meeting on September 24-25th, new questions arise as to the destructive impact of investments by the World Bank and other multilateral development banks on the ocean and fisheries resources.

The report, Bankrupting the Pacific: How Multilateral Development Banks are Contributing to Overfishing and Helping Push Sea Turtles and Seabirds to the Brink of Extinction in the Pacific, released by the Sea Turtle Restoration Project today, shows how the International Finance Corporation, a member of the World Bank Group, and Asian Development Bank poured millions of dollars into destructive longline fishing in the Pacific. These investments were made in critical nesting and migratory habitats of critically endangered sea turtles and seabirds without any assessment of the impact on biodiversity of the regions where the projects took place and in direct violation of their own environmental and fisheries policies.

"Asian Development Bank and World Bank Group investments in longline fishing have helped drive the 100 million year old leatherback sea turtle to the brink of extinction in the Pacific," warns Robert Ovetz, PhD, Save the Leatherback Campaign Coordinator with the US-based NGO the Sea Turtle Restoration Project and lead author of the report.

The female nesting population of the 100 million year old Pacific leatherback sea turtle has collapsed by 95 percent since 1980. The leatherback is listed as critically endangered by the World Conservation Union and scientists warn that it could extinct in the next 5-30 years unless immediate action to remove threats to its survival such as longline fishing. The Pacific loggerhead sea turtle and the black-footed albatross are also caught primarily by longlines and considered on the precipice of extinction. Longline fishing is the main threat to albatross seabirds, 19 of the 21 of the species of which are considered threatened or endangered.

"The banks do not even follow their own weak environmental policies. Despite the fact that longlines catch or kill about 4.4 million non-target sharks, seabirds, sea turtles, billfish and marine mammals each year in the Pacific alone, in each case, the banks found that no environmental impact report was even required." noted Ovetz.

These investments have also triggered overfishing of the very resource that was supposed to contribute to long-term development. Recent reports in the scientific journals Nature and Ecology have warned that tuna, billfish and shark populations have declined by 87-99 percent in the Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific since the 1950s.

According to Ovetz, "the multi-lateral banks are directly to blame for contributing to the crash in bigeye and albacore tuna in the Pacific, a crucial source of revenue for impoverished coastal and island nations."

The report calls for the banks to cancel ongoing longline fishing projects, implement a moratorium on all future longline projects, and implement a set of reforms of their own practices to prevent further damage to the ocean ecosystem.

Resources:

• For a copy of the report Bankrupting the Pacific go to: http://www.seaturtles.org/pdf/ACF1120.pdf

• For a review copy of the Sea Turtle Restoration Project's new documentary film Last Journey for the Leatherback? contact Robert Ovetz, PhD.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––
The Sea Turtle Restoration Project is a California-based international marine conservation organization that works to protect sea turtles and other marine species in the United States and in countries around the world. For more information about sea turtles and the Sea Turtle Restoration Project, please visit: www.seaturtles.org and www.savetheleatherback.com

September 13, 2005

Contact:

Robert Ovetz, PhD, Save the Leatherback Campaign Coordinator, Sea Turtle Restoration Project, +1 415-488-0370 x106, robert@seaturtles.org

Posted by Surfbirds at 3:44 AM | Comments (0)

September 11, 2005

Richard Fitter, author and naturalist, dies aged 92

Richard Fitter, one of Britain's best-known wildlife experts, died on Saturday aged 92. For more than 50 years, his field guides made an important contribution to the education of amateur natural historians.

Richard Fitter was a prolific writer of wildlife field guides and one of the best-known British naturalists of the 20th century. His ground-breaking book published by Collins in 1952, Pocket Guide to British Birds, illustrated by R.A. Richardson was arguably the first modern British field guide. It dispensed with the traditional order and grouping together birds by size and by their habitat. Although Fitter and Richardson were criticised by traditionalists, post-war birders liked the book, and over 100,000 copies were sold.

In 1955, Fitter teamed up with David McClintock to write The Pocket Guide to Wild Flowers. Again dispensing with tradition, Fitter began with buttercups and ended with grasses in the approved order. He grouped the illustrations by colour, so that all similar-looking yellow flowers, whether they were buttercups, celandines, cinquefoils or rock-roses, appeared side-by-side. Together with its well chosen field notes and asterisks to denote rarity, the guide became a firm favourite for a generation of wild flower lovers.

At the time of his death, the ever active Fitter was working on a flora of France.

Posted by Surfbirds at 8:42 AM | Comments (0)

August 29, 2005

NM Rosyfinch Researcher killed in car crash

Ryan Beaulieu, a regular contributor to Surfbirds, was killed in a car crash near Roswell, NM when the car that he and Raymond VanBuskirk were driving in, swerved to avoid a deer. Raymond (who's condition is unknown) is in hospital. Ryan was an enthusiastic teen birder and helped to put the Sandia Crest, NM Rosyfinches on the ornithological map. Both Ryan and Raymond pioneered the Rosyfinch banding and research program. The birding world wishes to extend its sympathy to Ryan's family.

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:12 AM | Comments (2)

August 3, 2005

Endangered Turtles May Lose Protection

Endangered Turtles May Lose Protection on West Coast Fisheries Council Sub-Groups to Propose Gutting Rules Limiting Deadly Fishing Technologies

Forest Knolls, California On August 3-5, two sub-groups of the Pacific Fisheries Management Council, which is responsible for managing fisheries off the coasts of California, Oregon, and Washington, will be considering controversial proposals to gut rules to protect endangered species. Most at risk is the Pacific leatherback sea turtle, the largest turtle in the world.

Environmentalists are rallying to the defense of the existing rules which have been seen as an international model for protecting marine ecosystems. In response to lawsuits by environmentalists, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency Fisheries agency banned longline fishing on the West Coast and restricted gillnets, also known as "curtains of death," to protect endangered sea turtles and other marine species. On August 3-5, the Pacific Fishery Management Council's Highly Migratory Species Management Team and Highly Migratory Species Advisory Subpanel will be considering proposals to reverse or weaken these rules putting these species, some of which teeter on the brink of extinction, at greater risk of being injured or killed.

Most at risk is the critically endangered leatherback sea turtle. Estimated to be 100 million years old, scientists now warn that it could go extinct in the Pacific in the next 5-30 years unless efforts are made to reduce the threat of being injured or killed by longlines and gillnets. The number of female nesting Pacific leatherbacks has declined by 95% since 1984. The US Pacific Coast is an important migratory route and foraging area for leatherback sea turtles.

"These rules are crucial for protecting the leatherback and other marine species from being injured or killed by gillnets and longlines. Eliminating rather than strengthening protections for these critically endangered turtles would be a huge and possibly irreversible mistake," said Todd Steiner, Executive Director of Sea Turtle Restoration Project.

After the Hawaiian longline fishery was shut down by a federal district court in 1999 for catching too many sea turtles, about three dozen Hawai'ian longline vessels flouted a gap in federal regulations by moving their swordfish operations to California. Last March, NOAA Fisheries banned California longlining. The closure was in response to a decision by the 9th Circuit Federal Court of Appeals that the council had violated the Endangered Species Act by failing to properly evaluate the impact of longlining on these species.

According to the Pacific Fisheries Management Council's website, allowing longline vessels fishing for swordfish to use "circle hook" fishing gear would be enough to restart the fishery. The "circle hook" has been widely criticized because it is being used although the research has never been independently peer reviewed to prove that it effectively protects sea turtles and other marine species. "Allowing longline fishing in California again would reward renegades who mocked the authority of a federal court," lamented Robert Ovetz, PhD, Save the Leatherback Campaign Coordinator with the Sea Turtle Restoration Project.

In 2001, NOAA Fisheries also closed waters off Monterey Bay, California, and in the vicinity north to the 45'N latitude intersect with the Oregon Coast from August 15 through November 15 in response to the threat of a lawsuit.

The region north of Point Conception had recently was during El Nino years as the result of another lawsuit in 2002 to protect loggerhead turtles, another species facing threat of extinction due to mortality caused by industrial fishing. Known as "curtains of death" because they catch and kill everything in their path, large gillnets (also known as driftnets) were banned by the United Nations on the high seas in 1991. Along with sea turtles, gillnets also injure or kill sperm whales, humpback whales, fin whales, Steller sea lions and other threatened and endangered species.

This year, 1,007 scientists form 97 countries and 281 non-governmental organizations from 62 countries delivered a letter to the United Nations urging it to implement a moratorium on industrial longline and gillnet fishing in the Pacific.

"There is no excuse for taking a step back on restricting the use of gillnets or longlines. The first ones to pay the price for allowing more of these curtains of death will be sea turtles and other endangered marine wildlife," added Ovetz.

Resources:

For a copy of the Sea Turtle Restoration Project's new book Striplining the Pacific on the impact of longline fishing on the Pacific leatherback go to: http://www.seaturtles.org/press_release2.cfm?pressID=3D259

For a copy of the scientist and NGO letters to the UN go to:
http://www.seaturtles.org/press_release2.cfm?pressID=3D261

For information about the Pacific Fisheries Management Council meeting go to: http://www.pcouncil.org/events/2005/hmsmtap0705.html

For a review copy of the Sea Turtle Restoration Project's new documentary film Last Journey for the Leatherback? contact Robert Ovetz, PhD at 415 488 0370 x 106.

The Sea Turtle Restoration Project is a California-based international marine conservation organization that works to protect sea turtles and other marine species in the United States and in countries around the world. For more information about sea turtles and the Sea Turtle Restoration Project, please visit: www.seaturtles.org and www.savetheleatherback.com

SEA TURTLE RESTORATION PROJECT
POB 400/40 Montezuma Avenue =80 Forest Knolls, CA 94933 USA
Ph. +1 415 488 0370 ext. 106=80 Fax +1 415 488 0372
robert@seaturtles.org =80 www.seaturtles.org

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:16 AM | Comments (0)

July 8, 2005

Proposed legislation to tear apart US endangered species act

Legislation that would tear apart protections for our endangered wildlife may be on the verge of being introduced by Representative
Richard Pombo (R-CA), Chair of the House Resources Committee. Defenders got a hold of the proposed bill, and it is scary.

In the words of Jamie Rappaport Clark, former Director of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and now Executive Vice President of Defenders, the draft bill "takes a wrecking ball to the whole Endangered Species Act" by changing its mission, disabling enforcement tools, and providing extensive loopholes for corporate special interests.

Please take action today to stop this bill in its tracks!

This is the moment you've helped us prepare for. We've put our allies in Congress on alert we've started mobilizing grassroots in target districts we've placed public service announcements to educate Americans about the importance of saving our wildlife and we've reached out to diverse groups that understand the importance of saving our wolves, sea otters, bald eagles, manatees, and so many more creatures from extinction.

The time has come for an all-out effort to stop this disastrous bill and protect our wildlife from extinction! You have sustained us this far. We need your help again today. Please send a fax today to tell your Representative that Rep. Richard Pombo's (R-CA) draft legislation is unacceptable:

Please take action today to stop this bill in its tracks!

Once you've taken action, we need your help to spread the word. PLEASE pass this on to at least three of your friends!

How bad is this legislation? It's even worse than we feared. All of the gains we've made since the Endangered Species Act was passed in 1973 are at stake and accelerating extinctions would be certain. We've conducted an analysis of the draft bill prepared by Rep. Richard Pombo (R-CA). Our concerns include:

. The draft bill abandons the national commitment to bringing declining species back from the brink of extinction and recovering them to the point where they no longer need the Act's protection.

. It opens a giant loophole that allows legal appeals during every step of the endangered species conservation process. Irresponsible developers, timber and mining interests and other resource exploiters would be able to tie the process into knots and avoid any meaningful implementation and enforcement.

. It allows federal agencies to ignore their responsibility to protect threatened and endangered species.

. It includes an onerous "takings" provision which requires the federal government to pay landowners for the costs of complying with the law, a terrible precedent to set with regard to environmental protections.

. The proposed bill sets the year 2015 as the expiration date for the Endangered Species Act, setting a timetable for ending protection of our endangered species!

Don't let this happen. Send your representative a fax now at:

http://www.saveesa.org/action.html

Posted by Surfbirds at 11:43 AM | Comments (0)

June 14, 2005

Dr James F Clements 1927-2005

Dr James Franklin Clements, author of Birds of the World, A Check List passed away on June 9, 2005, at Tri-City Hospital in Oceanside, California from complications associated with acute myloid leukemia.

The following obituary is by his brother.

Dr James Franklin Clements: brother, husband, father, naturalist, entrepreneur, adventurer, diplomat, leader, and friend, was born October 31, 1927 in New York. He passed away on June 9, 2005, at
Tri-City Hospital in Oceanside, California from complications associated with acute myloid leukemia.

Jim spent most of his early years in the Graham School Orphanage in Hastings-on-Hudson. He joined the Merchant Marine at age 15, and shifted to the navy when he was of age seeing service on the Philippine Sea aircraft carrier.

He started his post secondary education at Beloit College in Wisconsin, married Mary Norton, and completed his undergraduate education at the University of Minnesota. He served his country again during the Korean conflict, this time in the United Stated Air Force. His family, which now included two sons, moved to California in 1952 where he eventually became a partner in the successful printing firm of George Rice & Sons. He received his PhD from California Western University in 1975. His thesis became the first edition of his Birds of the World, A Check List, which has since sold five editions and is used by tens of thousands of bird watchers internationally. The Smithsonian Institute recently contacted Dr. Clements to use his list in their plan to classify each of the 9800 birds in the world.

After retiring in 1988 Jim founded Ibis Publishing Company, and subsequently produced a number of books, including: A Natural History of the Waterfowl, by Frank Todd, California Birds, by Arnold Small, A Field Guide to the Birds of Yap Island, Ornamental Trees of San Diego, A Field Guide to the Birds of Peru, Clements and Shany, Birds and Mammals of Antarctica, by Frank Todd.

In his role as an accomplished naturalist he has funded several enterprises in Ecuador, Peru, Baja California. In 1989 he raised money for the Schreiber Hall of Birds at the Los Angeles Natural History Museum by viewing a record number of bird species seen in a calendar year and donating funds pledged by individuals and organizations to the museum. Recently Jim received the high honor of having a bird named after him, The Iquitos Gnatcatcher, Polioptila clementsi. In 1986 Dr. Kamuzu Bonda, President of the Republic of Malawi, appointed Dr. Clements as Honorary Consul General for the State of California. He was past president of many civic organizations including the San Diego
Museum of Natural History and the Explorer's Clubs of Los Angeles and San Diego.

Dr.Clements is survived by his wife, Karen of Temecula, CA., a brother Robert of San Francisco, step son Dave of Murietta, step son Tim of Temecula, son Bob of Salt Lake City, son Dan of Everett, WA., and eight grand children.

Posted by Surfbirds at 4:00 PM | Comments (0)

June 5, 2005

UN Marine Protected Areas Proposed to Save Turtles

(New York)—Recognizing that industrial fishing threats to sea turtles also harm seabirds, billfish, and marine mammals, a number of scientists and animal welfare, environmental and recreational fishing groups have put aside former differences to lobby the United Nations to implement sustainable use high seas Marine Protected Areas in the Pacific. The UN is currently holding its Law of the Sea meeting to address the impacts of unsustainable fishing.

The Sea Turtle Restoration Project and the International Game Fish Association are two of the 281 non-governmental organizations from 62 countries joining 1,007 scientists from 97 nations calling for the moratorium on longline fishing in the Pacific as an interim measure until such time as permanent marine protected areas can be put into place.

“Leatherback sea turtles urgently need the help of the United Nations,” said Dr. Jim Spotila, whose 2000 article in the scientific journal Nature alerted the world to the threat of extinction of the leatherback.. “A network of sustainable use high seas marine protected areas is key to saving the turtles.”

The call for MPAs is driven by the need to address the crisis of industrial longline fishing in the Pacific, which annually catches or kills as many as 4.4 million billfish, sharks, sea turtles, seabirds, and marine mammals each year. Recent scientific reports warn that the population of adult female nesting Pacific leatherback sea turtles have declined by 95% since 1980 and the species could go extinct in the next 5-30 years if the threat of longlines are not reduced significantly.

“Longlining is an unsustainable type of fishing that indiscriminately kills sea turtles, marine mammals and billfish so it makes good sense for those working to protect these species to work together,” explained Jason Schratwieser, Fishing and Science Director of the International Game Fish Association.

“For so many years, ocean protection groups have been working in isolation. The current crisis has united us around the solution of sustainable use high seas MPAs,” concludes Robert Ovetz, PhD, Save the Leatherback Campaign Coordinator with the Sea Turtle Restoration Project.

A recent study published in the scientific journal Ecology has found that the population of large predatory fish such as billfish, sharks and tuna have declined by as much as 87% since the 1950s.

Jason Schratwieser, Fishing and Science Director of the International Game Fishing Association, warns that this rapid decline is threatening lucrative recreational fishing and tourism whose revenues far exceed that of industrial longline fishing. “In Hawai’i, for example, the value of recreational fishing far exceeds that of longline fishing. If billfish, sharks and other large game fish continue to be killed, it will have significant economic repercussions for many coastal nations that attract lucrative recreational fishing tourism.”

Posted by Surfbirds at 10:20 PM | Comments (0)

Oklahomans Propose Better Use for Lake Atoka Forest

Muskogee, OK, June 4, 2005 – The Indian Nations Audubon Society of Muskogee, OK and the Caddo Nation of Binger, OK have submitted a joint proposal to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service in an effort to protect the Lake Atoka forest from logging by the Lake Atoka Reservoir Association.  This proposal asserts that the logging would cause catastrophic environmental damage at the Lake Atoka watershed.

The proposal states: The Lake Atoka Forest has better and higher uses than logging.  We therefore propose such a use:  That the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service explore the introduction and management at the Lake Atoka watershed of:
·       A nesting population of threatened Bald Eagles
·       A resident nesting colony of endangered Red Cockaded Woodpeckers
The Lake Atoka forest is suitable habitat for both of these species and within their traditional range.  This proposal provides many long-term benefits, including:
·       Preservation of this forest, which is a remaining fragment of the Ancient Cross Timbers Forest ecotone.
·       Conservation of threatened Bald Eagles and endangered Red Cockaded Woodpeckers.

Bald Eagle from Surfbirds Galleries by Tim Avery
 
The Lake Atoka Reservoir Association on March 25, 2005 approved to begin accepting logging bids at the Lake Atoka watershed.  Lake Atoka is in southeastern Oklahoma, south of McAlester, and is owned by the City of Oklahoma City.  The Lake Atoka Forest is a remaining fragment of the Ancient Cross Timbers Forest ecosystem, which originally spanned three states (Kansas, Oklahoma, & Texas).  In addition, this remaining fragment is a rare example of mixed pine & oak within the Ancient Cross Timbers Forest.
 
Jim Harman, President of Indian Nations Audubon Society, summarized, "To damage a natural feature without regard to future generations of Oklahomans is not wise.  To destroy the last example of a major forest type that once named a region that crossed three states goes far beyond lack of foresight.  Harvesting the commercial timber from the old-growth pine/oak of the Cross Timbers Forest is not the highest and best use of this area.  Replacing this resource, if possible, would take several lifetimes."
 
"I've seen numerous forest areas harvested, and I understand the need for lumber.  But, I've never seen a cut over forest that was a better place than it was before harvest.  We should think about the result before we act because it won't be rebuilt in our lifetime,” stated Donald G. Varner, Ph.D., also with Indian Nations Audubon Society.
 
Both the Indian Nations Audubon Society and the Caddo Nation believe logging is not an acceptable long-term use of this watershed.  Logging at the Lake Atoka watershed does not take into consideration Native American rights, future generations of Oklahomans, or the current bird and wildlife inhabitants.  Habitat conservation and management does address the long-term use of the Lake Atoka Forest effectively.
 
About Indian Nations Audubon Society
 
Jim Harman is a retired U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service manager and a well known naturalist in Oklahoma.  Dr. Donald Varner is actively involved in Oklahoma ornithology and bird studies.  Both are members of the Oklahoma Ornithological Society.  A mission of Indian Nations Audubon Society is to protect bird and wildlife habitat and species that are listed as threatened or endangered by Federal law.
 
About the Caddo Nation of Oklahoma
 
The Caddo Nation are the indigenous people of the Lake Atoka forest.  Chairwoman LaRue Parker asserts that Lake Atoka and its watershed are lands of unsettled land claims and also the Traditional Cultural Property of the Caddo Nation by Federal law.  Robert Cast is the Tribal Historic Preservation Officer and is concerned with the archaeological destruction that will occur as a result of logging at Lake Atoka.  The Caddo Nation wants to protect the heritage, history, and habitat at Lake Atoka.
 
About Save Lake Atoka
 
Save Lake Atoka supporters include the National Park Trust, Concerned Citizens of Coal & Atoka Counties, Indian Nations Audubon Society, the Caddo Nation of Oklahoma, the Little Old Ladies in Tennis Shoes, scientists, and other citizens.  Save Lake Atoka friends and supporters will be holding a meeting on Saturday, June 25, at 12:00 p.m. at Lake Atoka.  Further information about Save Lake Atoka and the meeting is available at www.SaveLakeAtoka.com
 
Contacts and Further Information
 
Jim Harman, President, Indian Nations Audubon Society, 918-478-3920
Robert Cast; Tribal Historic Preservation Officer, Caddo Nation; 405-656-2344, hpd@netride.net
David Dyer, Vice President, Indian Nations Audubon Society, 918-688-1601, mtndd@hotmail.com
Save Lake Atoka website: www.SaveLakeAtoka.com

Posted by Surfbirds at 10:17 PM | Comments (0)

June 2, 2005

London Wetland Centre Launches New "Wetland Worlds, Wetland Secrets" Discovery Centre

The London Wetland Centre has launched an exciting new discovery centre ‘Wetland World, Wetland Secrets’ which opened to the public on Saturday 28 May 2005. Launched to coincide with the Centre’s fifth anniversary, ‘Wetland World, Wetland Secrets’ enables children to discover the secrets of wetlands through pumping, moving, squirting and firing water in a series of interactive displays.

 
The new exhibits teach children about the importance of wetlands to people and wildlife, and have been made possible with support from Rediscover (a joint venture between the Millennium Commission, the Wellcome Trust and the Wolfson Foundation) and SITA Environmental Trust, which distributes funding through the Landfill Tax Credit Scheme.
 
Exhibits include ‘Where does all the water go?’ requiring children to pump water into a huge globe which then empties to show how much of the world’s water is in the seas, frozen in ice caps, or as freshwater for sustaining life.
 
In ‘Going with the flow’ children must decide where to build a village and manage the water in a valley with mountain, river, floodplain and reservoir. There is only a matter of minutes to decide before the rain pours down the mountain and the floodwaters begin to rise.
 
Mike O'Connor CBE, Director of the Millennium Commission said, "The Millennium Commission is proud to have supported the London Wetland Centre with a Lottery grant of just over £100,000. 
 
The Centre is a fine example of how the Lottery is making a real difference to people's lives.  It is a wonderful project that raises awareness about preserving our natural environment and particularly conserving wetlands and their biodiversity”.
                       
A grant of £100,000 was given by the Wellcome Trust and £65,000 from the SITA Environmental Trust.
 
John Leaver, Chairman of SITA Environmental Trust, said: “We are delighted to have awarded £65,000 to this project.  The London Wetland Centre brings incredible biodiversity to the capital and we hope this type of project will inspire people to conserve and recreate wetlands in the future.” 
 
London Wetland Centre Manager, Stephanie Fudge, said of the new exhibits: “Wetland Worlds, Wetland Secrets offers a great hands-on way for children to engage with wetlands, discovering the wildlife they support, how they function and their importance in protecting our homes from flooding – in a fun exhibit that has a fairground atmosphere. They can then step outside and see one of the best wetlands in the country and the amazing wildlife it supports, right here in our capital city!”

Posted by Surfbirds at 4:05 AM | Comments (0)

May 26, 2005

National Waterway Wildlife Survey

This summer British Waterways, which cares for 2,000 miles of canals and rivers nationwide, is asking people to visit their local waterway and report back on the wildlife they see for the 2005 National Waterway Wildlife Survey.

The information gathered will be added to British Waterways’ species database which records biodiversity on the inland waterways and is used to help plan the management of its canals and rivers and the protection of their rich array of wildlife.

Kate Humble, ecologist and TV presenter, explains: “Britain’s canals, rivers and lakes are havens for wildlife, from birds, fish and mammals to insects, reptiles and amphibians. People can help protect waterway species by taking part in this summer’s National Waterway Wildlife Survey. Visit your local canal, river or lake in June, July or August and tell British Waterways what you see. Summer is a great time to spot all sorts of waterway wildlife including herons, kingfishers, swans, coots, moorhens, mallards, dragonflies, frogs, toads and newts. You may also be lucky enough to see some of the rarer and shier species including otters, bats and water voles.”

Last year, over 1,100 sightings were recorded by the public across Britain’s waterways, with 60 different species spotted. British Waterways ecologist, Jonathan Brickland, explains: “Over half the population lives within five miles of one of our canals or rivers and a waterway trip is a fun, free and healthy activity for families at weekends, during school holidays or in the long summer evenings.

“It’s important to monitor the wildlife that lives on our canals and rivers. We need to know what’s there so that we can protect and look after our waterway creatures, for example installing bat bricks, bird boxes, otter holts and soft banks for water voles.”

To find out more, people can visit British Waterways’ online guide to waterway wildlife at www.waterscape.com/wildlife and download a reporting form, together with information about places to visit on the waterways. Once they’ve completed their forms, visitors should enter the data on the website. Alternatively, people can take part by filling in a freepost reply form, part of a special wildlife guide for families visiting the waterways, downloadable from Waterscape.com or available by calling British Waterways Customer Service Centre on 01923 201120.

Notes:

British Waterways cares for a 2,000-mile network of canals and navigable rivers throughout Britain, working to provide a sustainable future for the inland waterways and generate maximum benefit and enjoyment to all from this unique environmental and leisure resource. We work with a broad range of public, private and voluntary sector partners to unlock the potential of the inland waterways and generate income for reinvestment in the waterways for the benefit of the millions who visit and care for the waterways every year. www.britishwaterways.co.uk

Canals and rivers are now among the country's most important environmental assets. They provide an ideal habitat and feeding ground for a diverse range of flora and fauna. They reach into the heart of most of Britain’s larger towns and cities and often bring a unique cross-section of the countryside right to urban door-steps for all to enjoy. This wide range of habitats and species, giving canals and rivers a unique biodiversity. Habitats range from the grassland and scrub of cuttings and embankments, boundary hedgerows and towpath verges, to the reedy fringes and the water channel. Waterways are also especially important for wetland species.

There are hundreds of miles of almost uninterrupted hedgerow along the canal network, populated by birds such as sparrows, blackbirds and buntings. The sloping off-side bank of waterways also provides an ideal nesting habitat for moorhens, coots and mute swans, while visiting birds like kingfishers and herons are attracted to the wealth of fish in the canals. There is a great variety of invertebrate life in and along the waterways, including insects, molluscs, and even freshwater sponges. The waterways themselves are rich in fish, such as roach, bream and gudgeon, and each year British Waterways invests in fish re-stocking programmes. The canal environment is visited by, or is home to, a number of protected mammals, whose populations nationally are seriously depleted. These include badgers, otters and bats as well as the increasingly rare water vole, whose habitats received legal protection from April 1998.

Many canals and their surroundings have been designated as wildlife sites, important at international, national or local levels. A number have been identified by the EU as important protection areas for breeding birds (SPAs); others are proposed Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) under the Habitats Directive. In addition there are over 60 Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) and well over a thousand locally designated Wildlife Sites.

Posted by Surfbirds at 2:48 PM | Comments (0)

Migratory Songbirds Have a Night-vision Brain

Durham, N.C. -- Neurobiologists have discovered a specialized night-vision brain area in night-migratory songbirds. They believe the area might enable the birds to navigate by the stars, and to visually detect the earth's magnetic field through photoreceptor molecules, whose light-sensitivity is modulated by the field.

The full article can be found at the following link here

Posted by Surfbirds at 3:29 AM | Comments (0)

May 15, 2005

Longline Fishing Pillaging the Pacific Says New Book

Echoes Speech By Canadian Prime Minister to End “Systemic Pillage” and “Rape” of the Ocean

Forest Knolls, CA –On Monday, June 6th, the new book Striplining the Pacific: The Case for A United Nations Moratorium on High Seas Industrial Longline Fishing will be released at the United Nations Law of the Sea meeting June 6-10th. The new book echoes the sentiment of Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin’s call on May 1st to end the “pillage” and “rape” of the ocean at an international fisheries conference this week.

Prime Minister Martin said in his address to the international conference on The Governance of High Seas Fisheries and the UN Fish Agreement – Moving from Words to Action.: “Canada joins other nations in looking for concerted action against the systemic pillage of our oceans and their resources. We — and by “we”, I mean the global community — need to see concrete results in a short period of time.”

At the end of his talk, the Prime Minister also added: “Tonight, I’m asking you to build on this global consensus. I’m asking you to seize this historic occasion, and begin the process to stop the rape of our fisheries and oceans, once and for all. ”

“Prime Minister Martin’s call to end the “systemic pillage” and “rape” of the ocean echoes the mounting international call on the UN to end the pillaging of the Pacific by longline fishing,” said Robert Ovetz, PhD, Coordinator of the Save the Leatherback Campaign. “When this conference wraps up tomorrow, we hope Canada will support this effort as well move from words to action.”

The new book Striplining the Pacific outlines how high seas industrial longline fishing is rapidly pillaging the Pacific of both targeted fish and non-targeted marine wildlife. A rash of recent scientific reports have documented not only the decline of large predatory fish such as tuna, shark and billfish by as much as 87% since the 1950s but also warn of the extinction of the leatherback sea turtle in the next 5-30 years and the extinction of the loggerhead sea turtle and black-footed albatross seabird. Longlining is considered by scientists one of the biggest threats to these species.

In response to this crisis, Costa Rica has submitted a recommended plan of action that will be considered at UN Law of the Sea meeting that calls for a moratorium on high seas longline fishing until such time that these species are no longer threatened with extinction and that sustainable use Marine Protected Areas can be set up on the high seas. The Costa Rican Plan is an outgrowth of the 850 scientists from 83 countries and 300 non-governmental organizations from 54 countries that have signed a letter to Secretary General Kofi Annan asking the UN to implement a moratorium on industrial longlining in the Pacific.

PM Martin’s address can be found at:

http://www.pm.gc.ca/eng/news.asp?id=476

Leatherback Resources:

∑ A pre-release copy of the new book Striplining the Pacific can be downloaded at:
∑ http://www.seaturtles.org/pdf/Striplining.final.2.pdf
∑ Review copy of the documentary film Last Journey for the Leatherback? is available upon request
∑ B-roll video footage is available upon request
∑ Interviews with leading scientists are available
∑ The scientist petition is available at:
click here
∑ The NGO petition is available at:
click here
∑ Press packet is available upon request

The Sea Turtle Restoration Project is a California-based marine conservation organization that works to protect sea turtles and other marine species in the United States and in countries around the world. For more information about sea turtles and the Sea Turtle Restoration Project, please visit: www.seaturtles.org and www.savetheleatherback.com

Posted by Surfbirds at 2:36 PM | Comments (0)

April 19, 2005

International Migratory Bird Day 2005

International Migratory Bird Day, organized by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, will be held on May 14 this year, with the theme of "Bird Collisions."

Organizers will promote awareness of the large-scale avian mortality at buildings, communication towers, and other human-made obstacles during migration. Events and festivals will be held, and education materials made available through IMBD’s Website: www.birdday.org. This year’s IMBD artwork (below) is by noted author and artist David Sibley.

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:50 AM | Comments (0)

April 15, 2005

Peta and Petco Announce Agreement

PETA to End Campaign Against PETCO as Company Ends Sale of Large Birds. San Diego, CA, April 14, 2005 - People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and PETCO Animal Supplies, Inc. announced an agreement that will advance animal welfare across the country. PETA will end its campaign against the national pet food and supply retailer and PETCO will end the sale of large birds in its stores. Under terms of the agreement:

* PETCO will end the sale of large birds in the company's stores. Upon completion of the sale of the limited number currently in stock and those previously purchased from suppliers, PETCO will no longer offer large birds. The company will continue to work with its shelter partners to help those groups adopt not only dogs and cats, but to adopt homeless birds of all sizes as part of PETCO's established "Think Adoption First" program. Think Adoption First encourages anyone who is considering adding a companion animal to his or her family to consider adoption first before making a purchase. PETA intends to assist PETCO in enlisting accredited bird rescue groups to work with the company in its in-store adoption program. PETCO will also recommend and promote flight cages for all birds. The company recognizes that birds-like all animals-need exercise, and mental and psychological stimulation to be healthy and happy.

* PETA will end its boycott of PETCO and its protests at the company's stores. In agreeing to end its campaign against PETCO, PETA will take down its "PETCOCruelty" website, remove all references to "PETNO" on all sites affiliated with the organization, and withdraw its support of the use of the "PETNO" logo by other groups.

"We believe that all birds should have the freedom to fly and be with others of their own kind, but large birds are exceptionally hard hit by captivity, and we commend PETCO for deciding to help discourage their lifetime confinement," said Ingrid Newkirk, PETA's President. "We hope other responsible retailers follow PETCO's lead in this regard."

"We welcome the opportunity to work with PETA as we announce ending the sale of large birds as one of several progressive steps we are taking in our industry-leading efforts," said Bruce C. Hall, PETCO President and Chief Operating Officer and President of the non-profit PETCO Foundation. "We recognize that most of our bird customers are what we would call 'beginning hobbyists'. Large birds are not necessarily appropriate for these individuals due to their long lifespan, size and care requirements."

About PETA

PETA, with more than 800,000 members, is the largest animal rights organization in the world. Founded in 1980, PETA is dedicated to establishing and protecting the rights of all animals. PETA operates under the simple principle that animals are not ours to eat, wear, experiment on, or use for entertainment. PETA focuses its attention on the four areas in which the largest numbers of animals suffer the most intensely for the longest periods of time: On factory farms, in laboratories, in the fur trade, and in the entertainment industry. It also works on a variety of other issues, including the cruel killing of beavers, birds and other "pests" and the abuse of backyard dogs. PETA works through public education, cruelty investigations, research, animal rescue, legislation, special events, celebrity involvement, and protest campaigns. For more information on PETA, visit www.peta.org.

About PETCO

PETCO, established in 1965, is a leading specialty retailer of premium pet food, supplies and services. PETCO's vision is to best promote, through its people, the highest level of well being for companion animals, and to support the human-animal bond. PETCO generated net sales of more than $1.8 billion in fiscal 2004. It operates over 730 stores in 47 states and the District of Columbia, and is a leading destination for on-line pet food and supplies at www.petco.com. Since its inception in 1999, the PETCO Foundation, PETCO's non-profit organization, has raised more than $22 million in support of more than 2,600 non-profit grassroots animal welfare organizations around the nation.

Posted by Surfbirds at 3:55 AM | Comments (0)

April 1, 2005

First condor chick hatched in the wild in 80 years is found dead

GRAND CANYON, Ariz. Biologists have located the dead body of the first condor chick hatched in the wild in Arizona in more than 80 years.

On Saturday, March 26, the chick's body was found inside Grand Canyon National Park.

The chick was just under two years old, having hatched on May 3, 2003 in a nest cave near the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park. The bird had been doing well since it fledged, or began flying, on November 5, 2003.

© Andrew Birch

Data indicate the chick had been extensively moving around until March 17 or 18, including two trips to the Vermilion Cliffs site where captive condors are released into the wild. The bird was detected in the area between Yavapai Point and Yaki Point in the Grand Canyon on March 18, 19 and 20. Then biologists noted that a transmitter attached to the chick had switched into a mortality mode, meaning the condor's transmitter stopped moving, sometime Sunday evening, March 20. Although biologists hoped the transmitter had simply fallen off, that hope began to fade when the satellite-GPS transmitter indicated no movement over Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of last week.

In cooperation with the Arizona Game and Fish Department, The Peregrine Fund, and National Park Service an investigation and recovery effort was started on Friday, March 25. Recovery efforts on Friday were delayed due to poor weather; however, biologists were able to recover the carcass on Saturday. The carcass was discovered on a slope in the Supai layer (approximately 1,200 feet below the rim) below Yavapai Point. No immediate cause of death was determined. The carcass will be shipped to the Pathology Lab at the San Diego Zoo in San Diego, California, where a necropsy will be conducted to determine the cause of death.

"As the first wild fledged chick in Arizona, this bird represented a significant step forward in the condor recovery program," stated Chad Olson, Raptor Biologist for Grand Canyon National Park. He added,
"although not critical from a population standpoint over the long-term, this bird was important symbolically to the condor reintroduction effort. I have been personally involved with the study of this bird and am truly saddened by its loss."

"This is a sad occasion for the California condor reintroduction project, but the program will move forward and hopefully see the survival of many future wild-hatched chicks," says Ron Sieg, supervisor of the Arizona Game and Fish Department's Flagstaff regional office.

The two chicks that fledged in the wild in 2004 continue to feed, interact with other condors and explore their natural areas.

California condors are the largest flying land bird in North America. They can weigh up to 26 pounds and have a wingspan of up to 9 1⁄2 feet. The species has been listed as endangered since 1967. Condors are being bred in captivity and are frequently released at the Vermilion Cliffs in Arizona.

The historic Arizona reintroduction is a joint project among The Peregrine Fund, the Arizona Game and Fish Department, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, Southern Utah's Coalition of Resources and Economics, and numerous other partners.

Posted by Surfbirds at 6:21 AM | Comments (0)

March 19, 2005

Why birds are making so many Brits twitch with excitement

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is by far the largest organisation of its type in the world, with over 1m members and has more members than the three main political parties in Britain put together.

See this article with graphics and related items at:
The Economist

Posted by Surfbirds at 4:13 AM | Comments (0)

March 16, 2005

Longline Moratorium Campaign Gaining Momentum

On the eve of a key United Nations meeting relating to the oceans, a growing number of international scientists and non-governmental organizations are actively lobbying their country delegates to address the problem of industrial longline fishing in the Pacific.

The scientists and NGOs are also joined in their efforts by members of the New Zealand, Irish and EU parliaments. The lobbying effort echoes the call of more than 800 international scientists and 230 NGOs who are also asking for a moratorium on industrial longline fishing in order to protect endangered leatherback sea turtles, albatross, sharks and other species caught and killed as bycatch by industrial longliners. The proposed moratorium, which has received the support of several countries, will protect endangered species, preserve commercial fish stocks, and save resources for small-scale coastal fishing communities.

“A wide range of organizations are suddenly realizing that immediate action needs to be taken on the longlining problem,” said Dr. Robert Ovetz, who leads the Save the Leatherback Campaign which has been organizing the effort. “Longlining is more than just a sea turtle problem. It’s a broader economic, environmental and social problem that is going unchecked. The UN is in a unique position to fix this problem.”

Twenty three NGOs as well as 34 scientists are currently lobbying their UN delegations, representing 28 countries, to ensure that the longlining issue is placed on the agenda of the June 6-10 meeting of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. Members of parliament from three countries and a former member of a scientific consultative committee of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization from Senegal have also joined in the effort. On Wednesday, March 16th, the delegates to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea will be meeting at UN headquarters in New York City to set the agenda for the June meeting.

Organizations that have contacted their representatives include Humane Society International (Australia), Environmental Protection of Asia Foundation (Philippines), Centro Mexicano de Derecho Ambiental (Mexico), Royal Forest and Bird Society (New Zealand), Pro-Natura International (Nigeria), Tethys Research Institute (Italy), Friends of the Oldman River (Canada), Croatian Natural History Museum Department of Zoology, Society for the Conservation of Sea Mammals (Denmark), Fundacion Jatun Sacha (Ecuador), Friends of the National Zoos (Ghana), Ecological Society of the Philippines, Save Our Seas Tobago, National Environment Management Authority, Brown & Associates, Environmental Investigation Agency (UK/US), Animal Protection Institute (US), and The Hawaiian-Environmental Alliance (US).

The work of these organizations has resulted in favorable responses from member countries. The government of Croatia has stated that it will support the proposal for a moratorium on high seas pelagic longlining in the Pacific while the government of Costa Rica is taking the lead to put the issue of longline fishing on the agenda. Other countries have expressed their sympathy with the solution with more expected to support the proposal.

“The problem of longlining needs to get on the UN’s agenda in order to reach a win-win solution,” added Ovetz. “If we do not begin working on a solution now, endangered species may disappear and a major protein source for the world’s poor may be irreparably diminished.”

Nesting female Pacific leatherbacks have declined by 95% since 1980. A recent study in the scientific journal Ecology Letters estimates that worldwide about 200,000 loggerheads and 50,000 leatherbacks are caught every two years by longlines. Scientists have warned that the Pacific leatherback could go extinct within the next 5-30 years unless immediate action is taken to reverse their slide into oblivion. One of those actions is to impose a Pacific wide moratorium on longline fishing. Other species are also significantly impacted as well such as billfish, marine mammals, sharks and seabirds. The black-footed albatross, also caught in large numbers by longline fishing, is also on the verge of extinction. A new study of longlining in the Pacific to be published in the scientific journal Ecology estimates that large pelagic fish populations have declined by 90% and the population of blue sharks has declined by 87% since the 1950s.

Leatherback Resources:
• Review copy of the documentary “Last Journey for the Leatherback?” is available upon request
• B-roll video footage is available upon request
• Interviews with leading scientists are available
• The scientist petition is available at:
click here
• The NGO petition is available at:
click here
• Press packet is available upon request

The Sea Turtle Restoration Project is a California-based marine conservation organization that works to protect sea turtles and other marine species in the United States and in countries around the world. For more information about sea turtles and the Sea Turtle Restoration Project, please visit: www.seaturtles.org and www.savetheleatherback.com

SEA TURTLE RESTORATION PROJECT
POB 400/40 Montezuma Avenue • Forest Knolls, CA 94933 USA
Ph. +1 415 488 0370 ext. 106• Fax +1 415 488 0372
robert@seaturtles.org • www.seaturtles.org

Posted by Surfbirds at 6:48 AM | Comments (0)

March 15, 2005

The Best Bird Boxes in Britain: A City in the Sky

The latest property hotspot is in the North East of England, in Durham City, where a unique collection of ‘temporary homes’ has been built, offering a combination of: amazing views, fantastic living conditions, world heritage and plenty of fresh air. The only catch, is that the chic homes are aimed at our feathered friends from the bird world.

On Wednesday 9 March, Durham City Arts launched ‘The Best Bird Boxes in Britain’ in partnership with: Creative Partnerships Durham Sunderland; Commissions North (Arts Council England, North East); The County Durham Bird Recorder; Durham City Council and Northern Architecture.

The 25 custom-built bird boxes have been created by London-based architects De Matos Storey Ryan (DMSR), who took inspiration from ideas and designs by young people from a Creative Partnerships Durham Sunderland primary school.

Nestboxes - Photo credit - John Kelly

Over a 3-month period, 22 children between the ages of 7 and 11 from Wearhead Primary School in County Durham worked alongside architect, Angus Morrogh-Ryan to create the challenging designs. The project has been an inventive way for the pupils to develop their creative learning skills through extensive ‘teamwork’ situations and has provided a valuable insight into the specialist world of a creative professional.

The Durham bird boxes will be ‘temporary’ pieces of public art that will be sited on the riverbanks of the Wear. The idyllic setting in the heart of the Durham Peninsula is home to wonderful examples of wildlife and historic architecture. The intention has been to produce a high quality, innovative design project that will complement this environment. The bird boxes will provide a haven for birds including: the rare spotted flycatchers; robins; starlings and tawny owls – and will raise the profile and appreciation of wildlife in Durham City. It’s hoped that members of the public and tourists to the region will use the Durham bird boxes as a kind of nature trail treasure hunt, searching out the wildlife jewels from this part of Northern England.

The bird boxes anticipate the work being done by the Riverbanks Management Group (which is chaired by Durham City Council) to regenerate and invest in the banks of the River Wear at Durham City. "This is a unique project which brings together issues of wildlife conservation, innovative design solutions and environmental education - all taking place on the doorstep of a world heritage site. The River Wear is a major wildlife corridor through the County and it has been particularly interesting to work with young people who have a real appreciation of the environment in which they live,” said Tony Armstrong of The County Durham Bird Recorder.

Tony expressed the importance of the 'Durham Bird Box' project. He said: “The project is great news from a wildlife point of view, as it has produced some very significant gains. Firstly, it has raised the profile of and appreciation for the wildlife, which exists in the centre of Durham City. Secondly, the bird boxes will provide many more nesting opportunities for the birds that use this managed woodland and thereby increase local bird populations.”

The bird boxes will be sited directly adjacent to the world heritage site comprising of Durham Cathedral - a Masterpiece of Romanesque Architecture - and Durham Castle. The Durham Peninsula site where the boxes will be housed, is in complex multiple ownership including: Durham Cathedral; University of Durham; St Cuthbert’s and St John’s College.

London-based architects, De Matos Storey Ryan (DMSR) won the 'Durham Bird Box' project tender out of a field of over 70 strong contenders from a wide range of emerging and established architectural practices from the UK and Europe. “I have been astounded by the extent of the pupils’ existing knowledge of natural habitats, and their enthusiasm to participate and learn has been an inspiration,” said Angus Morrogh-Ryan, Architect on the 'Durham Bird Box' project.

The creative designs for the practical plywood boxes were an amalgamation of fun research studies undertaken during various workshops between Angus and the young pupils of Wearhead Primary School – this information was also combined with ornithological material provided by the County Durham Bird Recorder and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. Each bird box differs in size and is tailored to the specific requirements of the different species of birds found in this region of Durham. The subtle colours of the various boxes have been intentionally chosen to blend into the natural habitat. The project brief required the bird box to allow easy access for the various types of birds and to apply the use of materials that would be both waterproof but at the same time would avoid the animal being overheated from ‘solar gain’. The boxes can be fitted to trees and buildings without harm by using a simple strap and buckle. Each box will have a temporary lifespan of up to 4 years.

Angus added: “The birds themselves will ultimately judge the success of the project and it’ll be fascinating to see which species adopts which boxes. Whatever the outcome, the process has been highly enjoyable and the collaboration between DMSR and the pupils of Wearhead Primary School has led to the discussion of many truly imaginative ideas.”

Creative Partnerships Durham Sunderland aims to curate and commission a creative learning programme that enables teachers, schools, young people and creative practitioners to work in collaboration to explore ideas, generate new creative work and develop new approaches to learning, teaching and cultural production.

If you know of any birds that are looking to swoop at the chance to nest this Spring in the North East of England, advise them to fly-up and investigate the fabulous Durham bird boxes.

Posted by Surfbirds at 9:23 PM | Comments (0)

March 10, 2005

The Bottom Line: Saving Sea Turtles is Good for the Economy

Report Released Today Shows Moratorium and High Seas Marine Protected Areas Would Reverse the Damage Caused by Industrial Longline Fishing.

(Forest Knolls, CA)-—A new report, “The Bottom Line: Saving Sea Turtles is Good for the Economy,” published by the Sea Turtle Restoration Project today has found that industrial longline fishing in the Pacific not only causes extensive damage to the marine ecosystem but has pervasive negative cultural, economic and social consequences for coastal fishing and fish consuming communities. Implementing a moratorium on industrial longlining and creating a network of Marine Protected Areas on the high seas of the Pacific would be a boon to local coastal economies.

“Industrial longline fishing is a loss-loss situation not only for sea turtles but also those who rely on the ocean for their food and livelihood,” says Robert Ovetz, PhD, Save the Leatherback Campaign Coordinator and author of the report. “Creating a network of Marine Protected Areas would reverse the damage to local fisheries, indigenous peoples, tourism and food security inflicted by industrial longline fishing.”

The report comes at the time when 705 international scientists from 83 nations and 230 non-governmental organizations from 54 countries have called on the United Nations to implement a moratorium on industrial longline fishing in the Pacific. A recent report found that industrial longline fishing in the Pacific catches and kills an estimated 4.4 million sea turtles, sharks, marine mammals, billfish and seabirds.

Released during the meeting of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization’s Committee on Fisheries Meeting in Italy 7-11 March, the report gives additional momentum to new guidelines under consideration to allow time and area closures of destructive fishing practices that threaten critically endangered sea turtles.

“Closing areas of the ocean off from industrial fishing is good for fisheries and turtles,” Ovetz added. Recent studies have demonstrated that Marine Protected Areas protect not only threatened marine species but are also extremely successful at restoring depleted fisheries.

One of the biggest problems with industrial longlining is that it removes fish from local markets and exports them abroad. MPAs would reverse this drain of resources from the developing world. As Ovetz explains, “MPAs are crucial for generating job growth by preserving the very habitats and species that draw visitors to their shores.”

Resources:

*B-roll footage and interviews are available
*Interviews with leading fisheries and sea turtle scientists are available.
*”Last journey for the leatherback?” documentary film

For a copy of the report go to: http://www.seaturtles.org/pdf/ACFBE.pdf
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
The Sea Turtle Restoration Project is an international marine environmental organization headquartered in Forest Knolls, California and with offices in Costa Rica and Texas. The organization focuses on protecting and restoring marine wildlife in ways that address the needs of local communities. The Sea Turtle Restoration Project (www.seaturtles.org) is a project of Turtle Island Restoration Network, which also sponsors the Salmon Protection and Watershed Network (www.spawnusa.org) to protect endangered coho salmon.

SEA TURTLE RESTORATION PROJECT
POB 400/40 Montezuma Avenue • Forest Knolls, CA 94933 USA
Ph. +1 415 488 0370 ext. 106• Fax +1 415 488 0372
robert@seaturtles.org • www.seaturtles.org

NGO in Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:33 AM | Comments (0)

March 9, 2005

Rusty-throated Wren-babbler rediscovered in eastern Himalayas

The American Museum of Natural History in New York has revealed that one of its research associates, Ben King (famed birding expert of Asia), had located the wren-babbler with a colleague, Julian Donahue, a retired curator at the Los Angeles Museum of Natural History.

The bird has only been seen once before when a specimen was captured 60 years ago in India (about 30 miles away from the latest sighting). Ben King was trying to lure the similar Rufous-throated Wren-Babbler with a tape recording when the Rusty-throated was lured out.

"To see this thing alive in the wild is pretty monumental," Mr Donahue said. "Although it doesn't impress most of my friends because they are not bird watchers."

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:05 AM | Comments (0)

March 8, 2005

Post tsunami Ecotourists see New Birds in Sri Lanka

Eco-tourists and birdwatchers who have heeded calls to travel to Tsunami struck Sri Lanka, to resurrect tourism, are being rewarded with sightings of rare migrants. Red-headed Bunting, Black-headed Bunting two migrant species of birds, not recorded before in Sri Lanka have been observed at Uda Walawe National Park.

Uda Walawe better known for elephants, has suddenly become a birding hot spot for rare migrants. Adding to the list of rarities are Citrine Wagtail and White Wagtail recorded at the Uda Walawe Causeway, a few meters from the end of the embankment en route to the park office. Inside the national park, the scarce but regular migrants Blyth's Pipit and Indian Red-rumped Swallows have also been observed.

Citrine Wagtail from the Surfbirds Galleries by Tom Shevlin

The story of the Buntings began with Deepal Warakagoda (Eco Holidays Master Naturalist) who was on tour with clients from KingBird Tours. The discoverer of the Serendib Scops Owl, had been having a successful tour with sightings of both the Serendib Scops Owl and the Ceylon Bay Owl. The latter had been observed less than handful of times in the wild. This was the first time that it has been seen on a birding tour. At Wirawila, Deepal met Susantha Weerappulige, a tracker from Uda Walawe National Park. Susantha drew Deepal's attention to an unidentified sparrow like bird he had seen. Deepal made note of the presence of the bird's location at the Hulankapolla Junction. When he arrived at Uda Walawe National Park, for a morning game drive with his clients, he searched the area around Hulankapolla Junction. To his delight, he found a Red-headed Bunting, a species not recorded from Sri Lanka before. The Red-headed Bunting flew away and joined another bird. To his astonishment, Deepal found that the other bird was a Black-headed Bunting, yet another species which had no been recorded from Sri Lanka. The presence of the Buntings means another family of birds, the Embezeridae are added to Sri Lanka. The last time this happened was in December 2003 when Uditha Hettige (Eco Holidays Master Naturalist) found a Common Rosefinch in Horton Plains from the bird family Fringillidae.

On 9 February 2005, I arrived with three members of my team. Chandrika Maelge (Manager) and Tour Executives Ayanthi Samarajewa and Aruni Hewage of Jetwing Eco Holidays on a regular field visit cum public relations visit to meet a group of British FIT clients on tour with Master Naturalist Uditha Hettige. Inside the park, Uditha and his clients, Mike, Jenny, John & Jane located the Buntings and we were able to photograph the two species.

Salim Ali and Dillon Ripley in their ten volume Birds of India and Pakistan gives the breeding ranges of birds recorded in the Indian Sub-continent. The Red-headed Bunting (Emberiza bruniceps) breeds in Baluchistan. The Black-headed Bunting (Emberiza melanocephala) breeds in Iran, the Middle-East, Caucasus, Southern Russia and the Balkans. A ringing record shows that a Black-headed Bunting traveled 7,000 km to its winter grounds. Both species are known to winter regularly in India. Eco Holidays Master Naturalist Lester Perera leading clients on a tour in India in 2004 observed several hundred Red-headed Buntings in India.

Inside the park, Deepal had observed up to 30 Blyth's Pipits (Anthus godlewskii) and Indian Red-rumped Swallows (Hirundo daurica) near the entrance. We were able to photograph both species inside the park. Previously, Sri Lanka was considered to have a resident race of the Red-rumped Swallow. But now it has been 'split' by Ornithologist Pamela Rasmussen into a new species endemic to Sri Lanka, the Ceylon Swallow (Hirundo hyperythra). The Sri Lanka list therefore now has two migrant races, the Indian Red-rumped Swallow (Hirundo daurica erythropygia) and the
much scarcer Nepali Red-rumped Swallow (Hirundo daurica nipalensis).

At the Uda Walawe causeway, a few meters away from the end of the reservoir embankment, towards the park office, is a small area of pasture with an ephemeral pond. Eco Holidays Master Naturalist Lester Perera had reported a rare but annual migrant from it, the White Wagtail (Motacilla alba dukhunensis). He was on tour in the second week of January with a Finnish group of birdwatchers on an Alula Magazine reader offer handled by KonTiki. The group had chosen to stay on despite arriving the day after the Tsunami. Whilst searching for another look at the White Wagtail, we found an even rarer migrant, a Citrine Wagtail (Motacilla citreola). The species has only been recorded on four occasions in Sri Lanka. The bird we observed was an adult in winter plumage. The Yellow Wagtail, a regular migrant was also present. But the lack of black on the face, the yellow area curving around and behind the ear coverts, the white under-tail coverts and the extensive area of grey on the mantle, helped to easily separate the Citrine Wagtail from the Yellow Wagtails.

Deepal Warakagoda and I are working on a revised checklist of the Birds of Sri Lanka. According to our records, the total number of species of birds reliably recorded in Sri Lanka now stands at 440 species. Pictures of these rarities will in due course be displayed on http://www.jetwingeco.com

Gehan de Silva Wijeyeratne
CEO
Jetwing Eco Holidays
Wildlife & Luxury Travel
Jetwing House, 46/26, Nawam Mawatha, Colombo 02 , Sri Lanka

Tel: ++94-11-2345700 or ++94-11-2381201 Fax:++94-11-2441289.
eco@jetwing.lk, www.jetwingeco.com

Posted by Surfbirds at 4:04 PM | Comments (0)

February 15, 2005

Company helps bird lovers to "Enjoy Birds More"

A Solihull based entrepreneur has combined his passions for nature and technology to create a world first.

Peter Bubb, who has spent over 20 years in the IT industry, tapped into support from Mustard.uk.com to exploit a gap in the market, creating a unique nesting box, which allows ‘birders’ to watch wild birds close-up through the use of a wireless web cam.

"Having researched the field, it soon emerged that enthusiasts were crying out for a system that allowed you to witness what was going on without disturbing their natural habitat and nesting habits," explained Peter.

"Once I became aware of what these issues were, I paired up with ‘Foneapps’ and ‘Coventry Information Technologies’ to investigate ways of developing an effective solution. As a result of this partnership, we have applied for various patents to protect the technology involved."

The result is a revolutionary quick release video pod, which sends signals connecting to a standard TV or PC, removing the need for cable running from the nesting box.

As a result, owners can move the wireless camera about as many times as they want to ensure they find the ideal spot to capture images, and then, use their PCs to share their videos and photos with other enthusiasts.

Peter continued: "The development team also worked hard on the battery life of the device, which can last for a period of months compared to previous batteries that would run out in a matter of hours".

"However, possibly the final and most remarkable innovation is the ability of the device to automatically measure the amount of light in the box and quickly identify whether to add white or infra-red light This allows people to watch clear colour images throughout daylight hours and black and white night-vision images at other times."

Boosted by up to £8500 support from Mustard.uk.com, the local entrepreneur has launched a website-based company called www.enjoybirdsmore.co.uk, which will act as the primary sales channel for the products and a virtual world-wide network for showcasing wild birds.

A number of boxes have already been sold to bird-watchers and the general public, with the next stage set to target wildlife societies and schools, which could use the innovation to help educate children on the pastime of ornithology.

Doug Barrons, Mustard.uk.com Client Manager at Business Link Birmingham, added his support:

"Enjoy Birds More has all the ingredients of a successful company, having been able to combine significant technological know-how with a unique product. With targeted marketing and promotional support from Mustard.uk.com, 2005 looks like being an extremely exciting year."

He concluded: "The Company is already hitting the headlines for its work and, due to its collaboration with Warwick and Staffordshire Universities, has recently been short-listed for a Lord Stafford Award."

Managed by Birmingham Chamber of Commerce, Mustard.uk.com has provided high-growth start-up and business services to over 1800 enterprises across the West Midlands.

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:12 AM | Comments (0)

February 2, 2005

Prominent Scientists Join Call for UN Moratorium on Longline Fishing

World renowned primatologist Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE, Founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and UN Messenger of Peace, has added her voice to 705 international scientists from 83 countries who are urging the UN to implement a moratorium on longline fishing in the Pacific Ocean to prevent the extinction of the critically endangered leatherback sea turtle.

The scientists are joined by 230 non-governmental organizations from 54 countries. The list of signers includes biologist E.O. Wilson, oceanographer Dr. Sylvia Earle, a National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence, and former U.S. astronaut Dr. Bernard A. Harris, Jr.

According to the statement, 3An International Call by Leading Scientists to Reverse the Pacific Leatherback's Extinction Trajectory,2 the scientists warn that 3The Pacific leatherback sea turtle is at the top of the list of species being driven to the brink of extinction by increased efforts of global industrial fishing.2 Also impacted are about 4.4 million sharks, seabirds, billfish and marine mammals maimed and killed by longlines in the Pacific each year.

3Sea Turtles are endangered everywhere. Unless there is a concerted effort by all the groups and individuals who care, the Pacific Leatherback Sea Turtle is almost certainly doomed to extinction. And these efforts would be greatly strengthened by the support of the United Nations,2 said Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE. 3How tragic it would be if future generations know these wonderful animals only from photographs and films.2

The female nesting population of highly migratory leatherback sea turtles in the Pacific Ocean has collapsed by 95 per cent since 1980. Eminent scientists warn that the leatherback could go extinct in 5-30 years unless we reduce the threat from longline fishing. Because sea turtles are migratory, traveling thousands of miles each year to nest, an international solution is needed.

3The UN General Assembly passed a resolution last November calling for prohibitions of destructive fishing practices. The first place to start is by implementing a moratorium on longline fishing,2 suggests Robert Ovetz, PhD, Save the Leatherback Campaign Coordinator. In the past, the UN has banned destructive fishing methods, such as through the international moratorium on high seas driftnetting.

The petitions, originally submitted to the UN in February 2003 with the names of 413 international scientists and 113 NGOs, have not yet received a formal response from the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

The Sea Turtle Restoration Project is a California-based marine conservation organization that works to protect sea turtles and other marine species in the United States and in countries around the world.

For more information about sea turtles and the Sea Turtle Restoration Project, please visit:
www.seaturtles.org and www.savetheleatherback.com

SEA TURTLE RESTORATION PROJECT
POB 400/40 Montezuma Avenue =80 Forest Knolls, CA 94933 USA
Ph. +1 415 488 0370 ext. 106=80 Fax +1 415 488 0372
robert@seaturtles.org www.seaturtles.org

Posted by Surfbirds at 9:32 PM | Comments (0)

January 19, 2005

Possible sighting of Pink-headed Duck !

A team from BirdLife International including Tim Appleton and Jonathan Eames doing bird surveys in Burma during 26 Nov - 20 Dec 2004 saw a bird which they're "99% sure" was a Pink-headed Duck Rhodonessa caryophyllacea, long considered extinct. The bird had a bright pink head and neck and was scoped by three members of the team for 2 1/2 minutes. The BirdLife team will return to Burma in November 2005 for another attempt to find Pink-headed Duck.

[Report by Baz Hughes on the twsg-forum, 17 January 2005 and carried on worldtwitch.com]. Thanks to Andrew Duff for notification.

More on the Pink-headed Duck at cranes.org

"This rare duck species was probably never plentiful. Its population started declining as early as 1878, due to hunting and shrinkage of its habitat. The last authentic sighting was in June, 1935 in Darbhanga, Bihar. As for now, this beautiful species of duck may be considered extinct in India for all practical purposes. .."

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:20 AM | Comments (0)

January 11, 2005

Straits of Messina International Birds migration Survey (April - May)

People are again sought to survey the birds migrating through the Strait of Messina, Southern Italy.

The Strait of Messina is well known as a strategic flyway into Europe; almost all the raptor species on the Western Palearctic list have been recorded there, and so far 340 bird species have been observed there in total. Almost all the typical Mediterranean birds and also the Sicilian Endemics may be seen. It is the only place in the Western Palearctic where there are possibility to see Amur Falcon and it is also the best place in Eruope for Pallid, Montagu's Harriers, Lanner, Eleonora’s Falcon, Lesser Kestrel, Long-legged Buzzard and other species on migration.

The survey begins on April 4st and ends on May 25th. People are welcome.

For more information, please contact Andrea Corso at: Via Camastra 10, 96100 Siracusa, Italy or better via e-mail at: voloerrante@yahoo.it

Posted by Surfbirds at 3:02 AM | Comments (0)

January 9, 2005

First intelligent camera birdbox

The market for camera nestboxes has been experiencing a steep increase in recent months

Have you been waiting for an intelligently engineered camera nestbox, but seen too many problems with current products?

Enjoy Birds More Ltd (EBM) (www.enjoybirdsmore.co.uk) might just have the answer!

EBM’s intelligent nestbox allows bird enthusiasts to view, record and share (via the web) images and video of wild birds nesting in their gardens.

The market for camera nestboxes has been experiencing a steep increase in recent months as people invest in technology to increase their birdwatching options. EBM have applied new technology to this product and believe they have built a solution to put their customers one step ahead, including:

- Wireless connection (to make the box easy to fit in the garden, and avoid damage to the house)

- The first product with direct PC connection. The free software allows viewing and saving of colour images and transfer to the internet

- The first nestbox with a (patent-pending) quick release/fit camera pod which can be moved to an occupied box in seconds, to ensure good pictures while avoiding disturbance to the birds

- The first product with a separate battery box, and the longest battery life on the market so the birds aren’t disturbed while changing batteries

- An easy to use website at www.enjoybirdsmore.co.uk allows owners to post their nest pictures and videos online, share them with friends and relatives worldwide and see what is happening in other nestboxes

- Environmentally friendly nestbox made from timber grown in Forest Stewardship Council certified forests)

The solution is the result of collaboration between EBM and Warwick and Staffordshire Universities. Enjoy Birds More Ltd has already received recognition for its technology, with patents pending for its environmentally efficient battery power, and light sensor system and pod, and also a finalist nomination alongside companies like Cadbury Trebor Bassett Ltd in the prestigious Lord Stafford Awards for Innovation (www.thelordstaffordawards.co.uk).

Find out more at www.enjoybirdsmore.co.uk - its certainly different!

Posted by Surfbirds at 8:23 AM | Comments (0)

December 20, 2004

Fishing Gear a Death Trap for Sea Turtles

Data Shows Hawaiian Tuna Longliners Kill Every Olive Ridley Turtle Caught

New fishery observer data has shown that every endangered olive ridley sea
turtle caught by the Hawaiian longline tuna fleet was killed. Additionally,
because the fishery has exceeded its annual legal allowable catch and kill
limits of threatened olive ridley sea turtles, environmentalists are urging
the closure of the fishery and a more comprehensive solution to protect
marine life which includes a United Nations Pacific-wide moratorium on
industrial longline fishing.

In 1999, a U.S. federal court required a time-area closure for the longline
tuna fishery in order to protect the critically endangered leatherback sea
turtle. Leatherbacks were being caught at exceptionally high numbers by the
fishery. However, even with this protective measure for the leatherbacks,
every single IUCN Redlisted endangered olive ridley sea turtles that was
caught by the tuna longliners was killed. In the first three quarters of
2004, the longline tuna fishery killed all 10 olive ridley sea turtles
snagged on longlines.

These turtles aren't even given a fighting chance. Not only has the fishery
exceeded its legal take limit but it killed every turtle it caught. This is
further evidence that this incredibly destructive fisheryis a continuing
threat to endangered ocean wildlife, said Robert Ovetz, PhD, Save the
Leatherback Campaign Coordinator with the Sea Turtle Restoration Project.

The legal take limit for 2004 for olive ridleys is set at 37 caught of which
only 35 can be killed. However, because only 25.3 percent of the vessels had
observers onboard at the time the data was collected, it can be estimated
that the take for olive ridleys is about 40 caught and all 40 killed in just
the first three quarters of 2004.

A short-term fix that protects one turtle but kills another in its place is
just a sleight of hand, explained Todd Steiner, Executive Director of the
Sea Turtle Restoration Project. Steiner concluded that we need a
comprehensive solution, like international marine protected areas, that will
protect all species, not just shift the burden.

Last month, the Sea Turtle Restoration Project released a report showing
that, based on NOAA Fisheries own data, an estimated 4.4 million sea
turtles, sharks, billfish, seabirds and marine mammals are caught and killed
by longlines each year in the Pacific.

The Sea Turtle Restoration Project is calling upon the United Nations to
implement a moratorium on high seas longline fishing. To date, 744
international scientists from 84 countries, including Dr. Sylvia Earle and
biologist E.O. Wilson, and representatives of 269 NGOs from 43 countries
have signed a petition supporting the moratorium.

SEA TURTLE RESTORATION PROJECT
POB 400/40 Montezuma Avenue Forest Knolls, CA 94933 USA
Ph. +1 415 488 0370 ext. 106=80 Fax +1 415 488 0372
robert@seaturtles.org www.seaturtles.org

NGO in Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of
the United Nations

Posted by Surfbirds at 6:24 PM | Comments (0)

Wildlife Photographer of the Year

New black and white category

Call of the wild: from the deepest ocean to the tallest mountain, the
search for the Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2005 has begun.

An imaginative eye, a love for the natural world and a camera are all
it takes to enter the Wildlife Photographer of the Year Competition, the
world's longest-running and most prestigious wildlife photographic
competition. Open to both amateurs and professionals of all ages and
nationalities, the competition last year attracted over 18,500 entries
from more than 50 countries, including Poland, South Africa, Canada, New
Zealand, Finland and Brazil. All entries must be submitted by 4 April
2005 to have a chance to win a share of the prize pool.

Doug Perrine from the USA won the overall title Wildlife Photographer
of the Year 2004 for his dramatic image of bronze whalers charging a
baitball, and Gabby Salazar, also from the USA, became the Young
Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2004 with her image of a green anole
lizard. Any category winner has the chance to carry off the grand title,
with categories ranging from Animal Behaviour and Wild Places to the
Underwater World and Urban and Garden Wildlife, and three age categories
for photographers 17 and under.

Winning photographers not only receive a share of the prize fund, they
also see their images featured in a special supplement with BBC Wildlife
Magazine. The winning images those considered the most outstanding and
memorable together with at least 50 commended ones, will go on display at
the Natural History Museum, London, from October 2005 before touring the
UK and worldwide. They will also be published in a hardback commemorative
portfolio book by the BBC.

Photographers have until 4 April 2005 to submit their entries. Entry
forms are available in the February issue of BBC Wildlife Magazine, from
the Wildlife Photographer of the Year Competition office (020 7942 5015)
and on the competition's website: www.nhm.ac.uk/wildphoto

Posted by Surfbirds at 6:23 PM | Comments (0)

December 7, 2004

Cross country road divides St Vincent Parrot habitat

The globally threatened St Vincent Parrot, is under threat from the Taiwanese Government

The globally threatened St Vincent Parrot, national bird of St Vincent and the Grenadines, is under threat from a cross-country road funded by the Taiwanese Government. The road would irreversibly damage the remnants of primary rainforest on which the parrot depends, and open it up to further encroachment by illegal loggers and marijuana growers.

No Environmental Impact Assessment has been carried out, as is required under recognised international standards. An Environmental Investigation and Cataloguing study, prepared earlier this year, has not been made public, although a local environmental group opposed to the road has obtained a copy. It warns that the road threatens the parrot and other endemic biodiversity, puts the island's growing ecotourism industry in jeopardy, and will interfere with an important watershed.

The St Vincent Parrot (Amazona guildingii) has recovered slightly after the population declined to critically low levels. The Environmental Investigation and Cataloguing study, by Ivor Jackson and Associates, warned that the illegal trade in parrot eggs and chicks is still a threat to its survival, and that marijuana farming already severely threatens its habitat. "Our estimate is that the study area contains over 70 percent of the Parrot's population and is therefore critical to its sustainability," the study says.

"The exemplary record of the St Vincent government over the last 20 years, in saving their national bird, will be undone to devastating effect by this ill-sited cross country road," said David Wege, BirdLife International's Caribbean Programme Manager. "The globally threatened St Vincent Amazon is the most spectacular of all the Amazon Parrots, and this road threatens its very survival."

The Environmental Investigation also warned of increased risk of landslides, since the road would pass through areas of unconsolidated rock on precipitous ridges and sites of volcanic activity, exacerbated by fragile soils and high rainfall. In the last week of this November, torrential rain caused landslides and mudslides which blocked roads on the island, and trapped people in their homes.

The development is funded by the Taiwanese Overseas Engineering Construction Company (OECC), which was set up in Panama by the Taiwanese Overseas Investment and Development Organization, with the stated aim of providing infrastructure projects for "diplomatic partners" who support Taiwan's campaign for recognition by the United Nations and other international institutions. The Taiwanese Ambassador to St Vincent and the Grenadines recently presented Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves with a cheque for US$2.74 million to fund the first phase of the Cross Country Road.

St Vincent's opposition, the New Democratic Party, has come out strongly against the road, claiming that it is "an election gimmick" by the ruling Unity Labour Party, and accusing the government of putting "unnecessary levels of pressure" on the Taiwanese to fund this and other projects.

A pressure group, Friends of the Environment /St Vincent and the Grenadines (FOTE/SVG), was set up in September this year following the signing of an agreement between the Government and OECC to begin work on phase I of the road. "It is normal and expected procedure for any
government, development agency or funding agency to require an Environmental Impact Assessment," said FOTE/SVG coordinator Marlon Mills Browne. "A project of this magnitude also calls for a feasibility study to identify environment benefits, if any."

He added: "FOTE/SVG will challenge the construction of the Cross Country Road on the grounds that it will result in irreparable damage to the Forest reserve and vital natural resources, and will impact negatively on the quality of life for the Vincentian people, now and in the future.

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:02 PM | Comments (0)

September 19, 2004

Decoy Ducks make a splash

British Decoy & Wildfowl Carving Championships 2004

The 15th Annual Competition of the British Decoy Wildfowl Carving Association will be launched with a splash this weekend (Sat 25 and Sun 26 Sept) as entrant's decoys are dropped into water to test how they float and resemble wild birds.

The national event is being held at the London Wetland Centre, Barnes SW13, for the second time in recent years and will feature more than one hundred entries from all over Britain, several of which will be tested to see if they 'sit' realistically on water.

Competition Organiser Alan Emmett said: "This is our 15th Annual Competition and the 3rd time that it has been open to non-members of the British Decoy Wildfowl Carving Association. There will be carvings of birds of all descriptions and styles, including wildfowl, sea and song
birds."

The art of decoy making (using models of birds to entice the real thing close enough to be shot or trapped) dates back many centuries, with early American Indian decoys consisting of no more than crafted bundles of straw. However, today's highly crafted and detailed decoys owe much
to North American tradition and a change of US law in the early 20th century; in 1912 the use of decoys for commercial shooting was outlawed (as they were so successful in luring ducks on migration that there was a real danger of some species becoming extinct) and so professional makers turned their attention to carving as an art form instead.

There will be carving demonstrations on both days and decoy carvings for sale at a range of prices. Doors open at 12pm on Sat 25 (when the judging also begins) with the event finishing at 4pm on Sun 26 (when prize-giving will occur).

Entrance to the event is included within admission charge to the Centre.

Posted by Surfbirds at 7:10 PM | Comments (0)

February 21, 2003

Annual Report of Organisation Cetacea

ORCA No.2, the annual report of Organisation Cetacea, has just been published.

The 145 page, A5, full-colour report provides a comprehensive account on the abundance, distribution, ecology and conservation status of an incredible 19 species of cetacean and 36 species of seabird recorded in the European Atlantic during 2000. Exciting discoveries detailed within the report include encounters with black-browed albatross, blue whale, Sowerby's beaked whales, false killer whales, and the first confirmed live sighting of a True's beaked whale in the eastern North Atlantic. In addition to detailed species accounts, there are also articles on the cetaceans of the French Channel coast, cetacean observations on a seismic survey in the Faeroe-Shetland Trench, the implications of the Habitats Directive for marine mammals in the UK and cetaceans / seabirds observed from a cargo ship en route between the UK and South Africa. Concerns over current threats to marine life are also represented by articles on cetacean by-catch, current threats to marine mammals in the Channel Islands, and the effects of shark finning. All the above articles are preceded by English, Spanish and French summaries.
A series of detailed distributions maps accompany the text, showing distribution and groups sizes for all principal cetacean species, basking shark, ocean sunfish and swordfish. The report is illustrated with over 80 high quality, colour photographs, featuring 14 species of cetacean (including 3 species of beaked whale taken in North Atlantic waters), 7 species of seabird and 2 species of shark. The report is published by ORCA (Organisation Cetacea) and part-funded by PO Portsmouth, English Nature and the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society. ORCA is a non-profit making organisation dedicated to conservation, research and education.

Editors: Graeme Cresswell and Dylan Walker

ISSN: 1477-1217

The report costs £8.00 plus £1.00 postage and packing. Copies can be obtained from:

Organisation Cetacea, c/o Graeme Cresswell, 35 Melrose Road, Norwich, Norfolk, NR4 7PN, U.K.

Please make cheques payable to ‘Organisation Cetacea’

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Last Wild Condor Shot

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, working closely with the California Department of Fish and Game, is investigating the senseless shooting and killing of Adult Condor 8, one of the last California condors taken into captivity in the 1980s and a matriarch of the captive-breeding program. AC-8 was found dead on February 13, and a subsequent necropsy determined that the bird died of gunshot.

No arrests have been made.

One of only a few dozen endangered California condors in the wild, AC-8 was the last female condor captured in 1986 in a last-ditch effort to save the species from extinction. She spent 14 years in captivity in the captive-breeding program and was the first of the original wild birds to be released in April 2000.

"The death of this majestic bird is a great tragedy and a tremendous loss," Interior Secretary Gale Norton said. "While we have had great success in our condor recovery efforts to date, we cannot accept the needless loss of any of these great birds. We are actively pursuing a full investigation of this matter."

"This unnecessary death at the hands of a poacher marks a sad day for California," said California Resources Secretary Mary D. Nichols. "We have lost one of the last wild condors, but we remain committed to bringing back these magnificent birds from the edge of extinction. I call on the public to support us in that effort, and also help us find the poacher responsible for this senseless killing."

With the death of AC-8, only 79 birds remain in the wild. Another 118 are in captivity at the San Diego Wild Animal Park and the Los Angeles Zoo.

AC-8 was believed to be more than 30 years old. She produced 12 offspring in captivity.

The bird's carcass was recovered in a remote area of southern Kern County, California. The necropsy was conducted at the Service's forensics laboratory in Ashland, Oregon.

The California condor is listed as an endangered species and is protected by both federal and California law. Violation of the Federal Endangered Species Act carries a maximum penalty of one year confinement and a fine of $100,000.

"We will not let the tragic death of AC-8 slow the forward momentum of condor recovery," said Marc Weitzel, project leader of the Hopper Mountain National Wildlife Refuge Complex and the California Condor Recovery Program. "AC-8's legacy will carry on. Condors are exhibiting breeding behavior in the California and Arizona populations and we fully anticipate wild-born condors again in the near future."

Anyone with information regarding the shooting of AC-8 is encouraged to call the Service's Office of Law Enforcement at 916/414-6664. The Service will pay a substantial reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons involved. The amount of the award will be determined by the value to the investigation of the information provided.

Those with information can also call the Department of Fish and Game's CalTIP Program line at 1-888-DFG-CALTIP.

The Service's California Condor Recovery Program is a multi-entity effort to recover the endangered species. Partners include the U.S. Forest Service, San Diego Wild Animal Park, Los Angeles Zoo, California Department of Fish and Game, the Peregrine Fund, and Ventana Wilderness Sanctuary. The newest Mexican partners include the Center for Scientific Investigation and Graduate Studies in Ensenada and La Secretaria de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales.

Beginning in 1992, the Service began reintroducing captive-bred condors to the wild. Birds have been released near the Grand Canyon in Arizona, in the Ventana Wilderness and the Hopper Mountain National Wildlife Refuge Complex in California, and most recently in Baja California, Mexico.

Note to the news media: For photos and B-roll of AC-8, contact Denise Stockton at 805/644-5185

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal Federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 95-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System which encompasses 540 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 70 national fish hatcheries, 64 fishery resource offices and 78 ecological services field stations. The agency enforces Federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Aid program that distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies.

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January 28, 2003

OSME Grant

OSME have awarded a grant of $700 from its Conservation and Research Fund to support vital work at the Armash Fish Farm in Armenia. Vasil Ananian, the recipient of the award will coordinate monthly bird counts at the Fish Farm, focusing on globally threatened species using the area such as Pygmy Cormorant Phalacrocorax pygmaeus, Marbled Duck Marmaronetta angustirostris and White-headed duck Oxyura leucocephala and will identify those habitats which are of greatest importance to birds. One of the most important aspects of the project is to train local enthusiasts and amateurs in the basics of bird identification and encourage them to assist during the survey.

Keith Betton, Chairman of OSME says, "OSME wants to advance the study of birdlife throughout the Middle East and Central Asia, particularly focusing on either countries

or species for which we have little information. This project is a good example of how we can help fieldworkers by subsidising their local costs."

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November 25, 2002

Jools Holland Rocks For Cliffe

The old growth Forests of Goolengook were one of the first areas subject to logging following the signing of the East Gippsland Regional Forest Agreement (RFA). This was met with a high profile and long running forest rescue protest. The East Gippsland RFA has been publicly denounced by all environment groups who were involved in the process. The spearhead of the campaign is GECO, an independent grassroots environment organisation based in East Gippsland and dedicated to protecting the remaining old growth forests of the region The East Gippsland RFA has only succeeded in escalating forest conflict in the region.

GECO has asked PROACT to assist by publicising the issue and to urge others to show international concern and support by writing or mailing to the Labour Premier of Victoria, Steve Bracks. The latter has just been re-elected with a landslide victory; although votes for the Green Party have risen dramatically. From the respected Melbourne daily The Age:

"Despite the Greens' lack of seats, the ALP knows they are the ideological force to be reckoned with. And the electorate knows they were the only party on Saturday offering integrity, honesty and a vision for the future - not beholden to the corporate agendas of the big end of town"

You too can help by supporting GECO and registering your protest with Premier Bracks at

http://www.proactnow.org/ppsi/id21.html

David Conlin

Proact International

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November 23, 2002

THE ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS OF CIVIL AIRCRAFT IN FLIGHT

In a Special Report launched today, the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution expresses deep concern about the global impacts of the rapid growth in air travel. Air transport operates globally and its impacts on the atmosphere, particularly those that could result in climate change, could have worldwide consequences.

The Chairman, Sir Tom Blundell said: "Emissions from aircraft are likely to be a major contributor to global warming if the present increase in air traffic continues unabated. The government shows little sign of having recognised that action to reduce the impacts of air transport is just as important as action in other sectors contributing to climate change. The problems are challenging but it is imperative that environmental priorities are not simply sidelined as being too difficult. If no limiting action is taken, the rapid growth in air transport will proceed in fundamental contradiction to the government's stated goal of sustainable development.

Short-haul passenger flights, such as UK domestic and European journeys, make a disproportionately large contribution to the global environmental impacts of air transport and these impacts are very much larger than those from rail transport over the same point-to-point journey.

A shift away from the use of air transport over such distances could reap considerable environmental benefits as well as relieving pressure on major airports. Rail transport is demonstrably more sustainable than air transport. The fact that rail transport cannot compete at present, at least in the UK, is a consequence of several factors, but these certainly include a failure to invest in a rail infrastructure and a failure to reflect environmental externalities in the cost of air transport.

Instead of encouraging airport expansion and proliferation, it is essential that the government should divert resources into encouraging and facilitating a modal shift from air to high-speed rail for internal UK travel and some intra European journeys."

The Royal Commission notes the ambitious targets for technological improvement - such as new airframe and engine designs and alternative fuels - and considers the potential for such developments to mitigate environmental effects. However, the Report concludes that the projected increase in demand will easily outstrip any such technological developments for several decades.

The Royal Commission expresses disappointment that international aviation emissions were left out of the Kyoto Protocol and recommends they are included in the emissions trading scheme envisaged as one of the Kyoto Protocol's implementing mechanisms. In the meantime a charge on aircraft movements to reflect environmental impacts would send an important signal to travellers about the environmental implications of flying, and the revenue generated should be used to develop more environmentally benign transport modes.

The continued growth in air freight is also a major concern. It is so much more environmentally damaging than other freight transport modes that it must be reserved for very high value, and usually perishable, goods. The Royal Commission argues that any proposal to expand air freight movements must be examined with particular care.

The Chairman said in summing up:

"With respect to the expansion of airports across the country, the government has said that 'doing nothing is not an option'. This may be so, but it does not mean that the only option is airport expansion. Emphasis should shift towards providing reliable, efficient and more sustainable alternatives to air flight.

We urge the government to seize the opportunity presented by its forthcoming White Paper to implement our recommendations at the domestic level, and to argue for their adoption by the EU, and globally, where necessary and appropriate."

The Sustainable Development Commission (SDC) has prepared its own response to the consultation on air transport policy. In it, the SDC argues for a much wider-ranging public debate on the objectives of a sustainable policy for aviation and airport development. SDC member Charles Secrett presented the response at the same press conference as the Royal Commission's Report.

NOTES TO EDITORS

The Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution is an independent body, appointed by the Queen and funded by the government, which publishes in-depth reports on what it identifies as the crucial environmental issues facing the UK and the world.

The Royal Commission's full reports are presented to Parliament. This Special Study has been carried out over a much shorter timescale than full reports, but it is based heavily on reports that the Royal Commission has published in the past, together with some new material. It is intended to inform the policy process behind the forthcoming White Paper on the future of aviation.

The Report is published alongside the Royal Commission's response to the government's regional consultation on The Future Development of Air Transport in the UK.

PREVIOUS ROYAL COMMISSION REPORTS RELATED TO AVIATION

The Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution has had a longstanding interest in the environmental effects of transport, including aviation, since its First Report in 1970. Its Eighteenth Report, Transport and the Environment, published in 1994, covered transport issues in depth and included a chapter dedicated to aviation. A further report on transport (the Twentieth Report, Transport and the Environment - Developments since 1994) was published in 1997. Neither of these Reports has yet received an official response. Both Reports favoured the idea of an integrated transport policy to encourage the least environmentally damaging form of transport for each leg of any journey.

Since these Reports were published, the case for action to limit climate change has become even more compelling. The Commission's Twenty-second Report, Energy - The Changing Climate, was published in 2000. It called for the UK to take a lead role in international negotiations to combat climate change and to set an example by aiming to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 60% by 2050. In this context, the Commission replied to the government's first round of consultation on the future of air transport, and asserted that 'aviation's impacts on the global environment, and climate change in particular... represent an overarching constraint on the future growth of air transport'.[2] The Commission considered that the government's consultation documents failed to recognise the magnitude of the threat posed by climate change and aviation's contribution to that threat.

THE ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS OF CIVIL AIRCRAFT IN FLIGHT

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) published in 1999 an authoritative study, Aviation and the Global Atmosphere. This study clearly set out the effects of aviation on climate change. Research performed since that which provided the basis for the IPCC report in general supports their estimates of the total climatic impact of this mid-range scenario. The Commission has shown that the 1999 study, which assumed a substantial level of technological development, based its main findings on a mid-range growth scenario for air transport that has already been exceeded. Therefore, the environmental impacts of air transport are likely to be greater than the IPCC's predictions.

The IPCC report predicts that about 5% of the total global radiative forcing (a measurement roughly proportional to an estimate of global warming) by 2050 will come from aviation. If the stabilisation of greenhouse gases proposed in the Commission's Twenty-second Report is achieved through other sectors alone, that same growth in emissions from aviation would amount to 6% of the global radiative forcing at that time. Present indications are that this is more likely to be an under- rather than an over-estimate and there is a danger that the actual number could be closer to the 14% given by the higher aviation growth. Despite this, the emissions from international aviation have been excluded from the Kyoto Protocol and the industry remains exempted from fuel duty under the Chicago Convention of 1944.

In an analysis of the possible technological measures to reduce the environmental effects of air transport, the Commission concluded that, unusually, there was little scope for significant improvements in the medium-term. The incremental improvements that could be seen in existing engines and fuels are likely to be far outweighed by the growth in the sector. The Commission supports proposals for new airframe designs that would have greater fuel efficiency and lower cruise altitudes. However, it will be some decades before such aircraft form a significant proportion of the world fleet and would in any case only affect the impacts of long-distance flights.

Alternative aviation fuels, most notably hydrogen, were felt to be unlikely to prove practicable and could even have the potential to be more damaging than kerosene. The Commission also concluded that any future development of a fleet of supersonic aircraft would be particularly damaging.

The Commission proposes that some form of demand management must be implemented in order to avoid serious long-term damage to the environment.

The Commission sees this being achieved principally through two lines of approach; moderating demand by raising the cost of air travel and limiting the capacity for further growth, while encouraging modal shift away from air transport to the less environmentally damaging rail.

The Commission is also concerned about the rapid growth in air freight, which is currently growing faster than passenger travel. Carbon dioxide and fuel use per tonne-kilometre for rail or marine freight transport is dramatically lower than it is for air transport. Air freight must be reserved only for high value, and usually perishable, goods. The proposals to allow the development of 'express parcel hubs' send a disappointing message, and that any developments to expand the capacity for air freight movements must be examined with particular care.

The exemption of aviation from taxation amounts to an unfair subsidy for the industry but the international nature of the industry could make renegotiation of this exemption unfeasible. The Commission recommends that the government press instead for EU action to secure an emissions charge on take-off and landing, which would be large enough, when passed down to the consumer, to make an appreciable difference to ticket prices. This increase and the reason behind such a charge should be displayed on the ticket.

Limiting airport capacity would also moderate demand. At current projections for unconstrained growth, UK airports would be serving over a billion passengers a year by 2050. By restricting slot availability these numbers would be much reduced and the increased competition for slots would mean that short-haul routes would tend to be abandoned in favour of the more profitable longer-haul routes, which have lower emissions per passenger-kilometre.

Encouraging modal shift would also help diminish the number of highly damaging short-haul flights, in particular the domestic routes. The Royal Commission recommends that the government develop rail networks around 'hub' airports for passenger transport, rather than allowing a proliferation of regional feeder airports. An efficient, high speed, electric rail service would allow better use of the existing airport capacity and provide a less environmentally damaging alternative to both domestic and some European flights.

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