For all you bug lovers,..

Words for thought:

“If all mankind were to disapear, the world would regenerate to the rich state of equilibrium that existed 10000 years ago. If insects were to vanish, the environment would collapse into chaos” – Edward O. Wilson – American biologist, researcher, theorist, naturalist and author.

Insects are the great pollinators. Without them there would be no fruits, no crops, essentially no food for the rest of us. Besides they decompose organic matter feeding the soil with rich subtracts for plants and trees to grow. They also feed a variety of animals that contribute in a variety of ways for the balance of the ecosystem.  

  

The loss of biodiversity in our planet is the greatest single threat to all life on earth, us included. Some may think that some less ‘horrible’ insects would not make much of the difference, even that we would be better off without them. That couldn’t be further from truth. Life on earth is a delicate and complex interaction between all living beings and the planet itself. The Earth makes life possible, and life shapes the Earth. The world as we know it would not be possible without the enormous complexity of relations between all living creatures. If you break one of the links the consequences can be disastrous. One simple single example is the honey bee. Colonies of bees are collapsing in most of the world for several reasons, mostly by bad countryside husbandry. With many of their wild cousins destroyed year upon year by insecticides and pesticides and the wild meadows taken over by a more intensive and aggressive farming industry if the bee fails so fails pollination and with it the crops that supply most of the world food supply, and the food for the other animals that we eat. That would be catastrophic for all mankind, but we (the so clever Man) don’t seem to be slowing down our greed for more,.. (climate change is just adding more pressure to the fine balance. The climate can change a bit and we adapt but if biodiversity collapses so will all the living world.. ).

The Earth makes life possible and life shapes the earth. 

Again it is up to us, every single individual on this planet, to do something about it. Do not in any case expect any form of leadership by any government that bases their policies on how much money (even if only virtual) we make. Do not expect or wait for your council, your neighbour or anyone else to start making a difference as we cannot wait anymore.

Before you spray your garden with toxic and lethal chemicals remember that they persist in the environment and end up going into water supplies, etc,.. and just end up going back to you in one way or another. (Do you find surprising the enormous rate of cancer found in people in our generation? Not if you knew about all the chemicals that we dump in the environment every year!)

Bugs may not be pretty but remember that is thanks to them that all life is possible. Learn how to tolerate them and for the ‘braver of you’ check out what they are up to. You will find things you never even dreamed or seen in the most weird sci-fi movie. And when you notice you will even care a bit about these wonderful mini-beats.

Bird Feeders and Bird Diseases

Lots of us either due to our love for birds or just for the enjoyment of watching these wild creatures have bird feeders in our gardens. Bird feeders are a great help in most seasons of the year. They not only supply the all important energy, protein and vitamins throughout bad times where the food is scarce or not found in the habitat. They also help parents supplementing the diet of hungry chicks giving them the edge to cope with those future leaner times.

I believe that anyone that feeds birds in their garden only wishes for their success and wellbeing, but sometimes the produce of our affection may become the birds worst nightmare. Bird feeders are used by a variety of species (some welcome and some not so much by some people). This fact together with the exposure to the elements, especially the humidity and dampness can lead to some potential disastrous situations. Wild birds carry diseases, some more severe than others. These diseases can be left in our bird feeders by a sick or healthy but carrier bird with catastrophic consequences for the others. The main 4 diseases that can be found on bird feeders are: Trichomoniasis, Salmonellosis, Aspergillosis and Avian pox. All these diseases can lead to death.

The casualties can sometimes go unnoticed (the bird that never came back) and can sometimes be very visible. I have been confronted with heart broken garden owners and bird lovers that have found 14+ dead birds in their garden around the feeders. (Definitely not a pleasant site for any animal or nature lover). Another not so sentimental point is that we cannot afford to commit such mistakes in birds like the house sparrow that already are in steep decline. The range of problems caused by dirty and contaminated feeders does not end here: these diseased birds become easy prey which not only ends their life but also passes on the diseases further up the feed chain. Raptors like the sparrowhawk, the red kite or the buzzard can get most of these diseases, and some strains of Salmonella sp. are also contagious and lethal if not medically treated to other mammals either wild or our pets and even to ourselves.

In the wild only on particular occasions so many birds feed together. Even one of the the champion of congregation, the starling, that forms flocks that marvel us in their aerial flight formations of hundreds of thousands of birds, splits in small flocks during the day when feeding. And by doing so reduces the chances of food contamination and assures survival.

Regularly cleaning your bird feeders is an easy, cheap and effective way of reducing the chances of spreading infectious diseases. Avoid overcrowding of and on feeders. Don’t allow mould to form inside the feeders. Use good quality food. Make sure the feeder itself is not hazardous for the birds. Clean the areas beneath the feeders as they provide seeds for ground feeding birds like the dunnock or the blackbird. Clean and disinfect regularly the feeders. All you’ll need is some soap and warm water and some bleach. Dilute 1 part bleach to 10 parts water for disinfection (after cleaning with soap and warm water first). Don’t forget to rinse thoroughly in the end and make sure the feeder is dry before putting any food inside as moist will soon enough turn a clean feeder into a mouldy one. As an average once or twice monthly should be enough to keep your feeders clean but always keep a close eye for there are situations where cleaning may be need more often (such as bird baths on warm spells). There are also some good bird feeder disinfectants on sale in most garden shops.

Find below some links for some more information on these diseases and measures to avoid them.

http://www.rspb.org.uk/advice/helpingbirds/feeding/index.asp

http://www.nwhc.usgs.gov/publications/pamphlets/coping_with_birdfeeder_diseases_pamplet.pdf

http://www.ncagr.gov/fooddrug/feed/BirdFoodRecallFAQ.htm

http://www.bto.org/gbw/PDFs/FEEDINGGARDENBIRDS.pdf

http://www.ufaw.org.uk/gbhi.php

If you find any sick or injured wild bird or animal please contact the RSPCA or the respective authorities if you’re not in the UK.

http://www.rspca.org.uk/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RSPCA/Utility/Contact

And above all enjoy your bird watching…

Gone For A While!

 

I apologise to everyone that may have come frequently to the blog in search for more posts but work and technology have kept me away from blogging for a while. But now I’m back with more stories, advice, photos and polemic issues to give a bit of life to the great cause of wildlife conservation.

What is your cat doing when you are not looking?


Cats are loved by their cuteness, their beauty, and even by their audacity and ability to apparently ignore us as their ‘owners’. We all love the rebel defiance of cats and the mystic predatory look in their eyes. But what are they really doing when we are not looking?

There are about 9 million cats in Britain that are responsible in average for a massive 275 million wildlife casualties, each year! Surely if other species such as the dogs would roam free killing all they could catch in their path (including other people pets) they would not get away with it. So dogs are kept on leashes, indoors etc. But cats seem to get away with it. And even harder to understand is people’s refusal to acknowledge and do something about it. Is it because there is no economic downturn? No legal ownership for wildlife? No one complaining? What is the real value of wildlife in our society?


In true fact anyone owning any type of pet should assume full liability for its actions. Cat owners often get away from that responsibility hiding behind the natural predatory and roaming behaviour of our little feline friends and turn a blind eye to the impact this has on our already struggling wildlife. Wildlife’s ability to survive is being stretched to the limits by human actions such as hunting, poaching, pollution, contamination, fragmentation and loss of habitat, use of pesticides, dividing roads, and increasing cities with nowhere to hide or build a nest. The little few natural habitats left need to be fiercely protected from the greed of the ever growing economy (which only concern for nature is the profit that will get from its exploitation) and from the desperate need for space to put our cars, shopping centres and golf courses, our houses and feed our nations. Now they have one more challenge: our pets, that merciless hunt for these animals on the few green places left to hide, our gardens and parks.

Wildlife 'belongs' to all of us as a community and should also be respected on its own rights!

Simple and easy measures such as a collar with a bell or not letting the cat out at night, especially during the nesting and breeding season can make a huge difference for the few wild animals that are still resilient and haven’t given up living amongst us. Cat’s owners should understand that a selfish and indifferent attitude towards the predatory behaviour of their pets on wildlife is not acceptable in today’s society and shrinking natural world. Action needs to be taken to prevent our luxurious lifestyles (including the ownership of pets) from the continuous negative and cumulative effect on the nature that surrounds us.

Are you a responsible owner?

For more information how to minimize the negative effect of your pet on wildlife please visit the following websites:
BBC Nature - http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/animals/wildbritain/gardenwildlife/myspace/content.shtml?41
BBC Breathing places - http://www.bbc.co.uk/breathingplaces/doonething/quick/cats.shtml
RSPB - http://www.rspb.org.uk/advice/gardening/unwantedvisitors/cats/index.asp
Mammal Review Society (study) - http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/118839928/abstract?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0

Book Review - Tooth and Claw – living alongside Britain’s predators

Tooth and Claw is a must have for all interested in wildlife and its conservation. It presents a clear view on our attitudes towards wild animals with a particular focus on predators and their possible re-introduction in Britain.

The book starts with the animal that is probably the most emblematic symbol of wilderness in the world – the wolf, then goes on touching delicate issues such as fox hunting, predators on land water and air, to the impact of our loved domestic cat on wildlife. The authors manage to maintain a non biased view on every chapter including opinions from both modern day conservation bodies and rural tradition. Step by step we are told about different predators of Britain, their impact and the views we as a society have on them. We are taken on a trip though the history of our attitudes towards these animals and their changes up to our days. Perhaps the most striking conclusion is that the future of our predators is not based on a scientific and ecologic approach but on the opinions and perception we all have as a society about them. It goes on explaining that our artificial life has distanced us of the natural world, creating indifference, ignorance and fears that need to be addressed if we are to coexist with our predators and learn to share this world that we don’t own, but are part of. The authors conclude that predators are not only necessary for the health of the ecosystems but their presence brings a “feelgood” factor that seems to be intrinsically connected to our own human nature.

This is a book about people and predators and their relationship, about the (im)balance of our ecosystems without these animals and our failed attempt to manage them almost always with the use the trigger. Tooth and Claw is filled with beautiful and sometimes terrifying images, revealing the talent of both Peter Cairns and Mark Hamblin as photographers as well as writers. This is a definite must-have for anyone trying to make sense of conservation in our modern day world.

All life starts with the birth! Every day starts at Sunrise!

Notes on Wilderness speaks for itself. It’s about nature, about the wild places of this Earth. It’s about the everyday struggle for survival, the birth, the death, and the cycle of life. It’s also about finding my little corner in this vast but finite planet, my discovery of the immense wilderness that is still resilient and grabs a tight hold to life and refuses to fade away.

I wish to present this blog in the form of a notebook, like a nature travel diary. It will include pictures, descriptions, informative text, reflexions about the wild natural world and also address conservation issues.

Bird at Sunrise - Bradgate Park Leicester