THE HEIGHT OF GOOD TASTE - BUT ARE THEY REAL BIRDS OR JUST MAKE-BELIEVE?

 

      
This super headscarf reflects Her Majesty's excellent fashion sense - but are these genuine birds? If so, can anyone identify the species?

BYGONE BIRDING: PLAGUE OF MOSQUITOES RUINED SIBERIA QUEST FOR DOTTEREL

                                                

Henry Seebohm (1832-95) - steel magnate, explorer and naturalist

Extract from Henry Seebohm's The Birds of Siberia to the Petchora Valley, first published in 1901.

A dotterel is very difficult to see through a mosquito-veil, and to lie down and become the nucleus of a vast nebula of mosquitoes is so tormenting to the nerves that we soon chose to adopt the consolatory conclusion that the grapes were sour and not worth the trouble of reaching after

Or, in plain words, that the birds had not begun to breed, and it was no use martyrising ourselves to seek their nests. 

The mosquitoes were simply a plague. 

Our hats were covered with them. They swarmed upon our veils. They lined with a fringe the branches of the dwarf birches and willows. They covered the tundra with a mist. 

I was fortunate in the arrangement of my veil, and, by dint of indiarubber boots and cavalry gauntlets, I escaped many wounds.

My companion was not so lucky. 

His net was perpetually transformed into a little mosquito-cage. His leggings and knickerbockers were by no means mosquito-proof. He had twisted a handkerchief round each hand, but this proved utterly insufficient.

Had it not grown cooler on the hills, as the sun got low, he would certainly have fallen into a regular mosquito fever. 

We were told that this pest of mosquitoes was nothing as yet to what it would become later. 

"Wait a while," said our Job's comforter, "and you will not be able to see each other at twenty paces distance - half a dozen regiments of mosquitoes will rise between you."

A SLIGHT TWEAKING BUT IT'S ALL SYSTEMS GO FOR BIRDFAIR IN SUMMER THIS YEAR

 

Logo of the event - the shoveler is Tim Appleton's favourite bird

CALLING all birders! Birdfair is to go ahead later this year - but under a different name and at a different location.

It was feared the long-running event was doomed when, late last year, its traditional hosts, the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust, pulled the rug.

But co-founder Tim Appleton MBE refused to be beaten.

Just before 9am this morning, he revealed that it would be relaunched under a new name - Global Birdfair - at Rutland Showground in Oakham, close to its previous home at Rutland Water.

"I am delighted to make this announcement,"he enthused. "Birders and wildlife enthusiasts from around the world will have the opportunity to gather to make a difference to conserving Nature worldwide." 

Within four hours of the announcement, more than 100 potential exhibitors had submitted inquiries about stand space 

Historically, the event has been held in August, but this year the birdfair will be held over the three days Friday July 15 to Sunday July17 (9am to 5.30pm - last admission 4pm).

Another change is that Global Birdfair will be working closely with a carbon offsetting organisation to make proceedings "as carbon neutral as possible" - quite a challenge given that most exhibitors and visitors will be arriving by car.

The showground, which is owned by the Rutland Agricultural Society, comprises 150 acres (over 13 fields), an expansive car park, 39 showers and 35 WCs, plus a licensed bar.

Advance ticket purchases will be available online from February 14, and there will be cashless payment systems for ticket sales on the gate .

News of Global Birdfair will have delighted Oakham traders because, historically, the even has generated some £1.2-million annually to the local economy. 

Those wishing to stay can book with the usual accommodation providers, and it is thought two local public schools - Oakham School and Uppingham School - will offer bedrooms. Some camping space will also be available at the showround

Tim Appleton hopes to announce a charity conservation project soon.

Plenty of space - Rutland Showground is just outside Oakham

TWITCHERS FLOCK TO CATCH PRECIOUS SIGHTING OF 'RAREST OF RARE MIGRANTS': A MUTE SWAN

                                                                       

 A 'VAGRANT' mute swan is making headlines in India.

Is the bird that has turned up  at the Dhinchada Lake in Jamnagar, Gujarat, truly a wilding? Or is it an escape from a zoo or private waterfowl collection?

If the former, it is believed to be the first  authentic record of the mute swan in India since 1911.

However, Dr R Suresh Kumar, an authority on avian migration from the Wildlife Institute Of India in Dehradun, has his doubts.

According to a report in the English-language daily newspaper, the Hindustan Times, he reckons it "does not seem plausible" for a mute swan to migrate to Gujarat because it is too far south of the species' geographic range. 

It might be more feasible were the bird to have been seen at the foot of mountains in the north of the country where wild swans are occasionally driven by outbreaks of severe weather in northern latitudes.

However, many twitchers have made the trip to see the “rarest of rare wild migrants" just in case.  

Says the Times reporter Vikram Jit Singh: "Wildlife photographers are currently going gung ho."

Before the provenance of the bird is determined, he says there will need to be  "a behavioural assessment of  its relative degree of reticence, vis-a-vis humans".

The reporter adds: " Interestingly, not a single photo or video of the Jamnagar swan in flight has been put up by the army of long lenses, though one would expect that a swan which has supposedly flown thousands of miles in migration would be testing its wings regularly."

TOP JOB UP FOR GRABS AT BRITISH ORNITHOLOGISTS' UNION - SALARY: £40,500

A CHIEF operations officer is sought for the British Ornithologists' Union at a  salary of £40,500.

After 25 years running the BOU, Steve Dudley is stepping down  in July.

Says the organisation: "We are looking for someone passionate about ornithology who believes in a diverse and inclusive ornithological community and who excels at communication and innovation."

"The successful candidate will have a broad skill-set and a passion not just for ornithology, in its broadest sense, but also for the ornithological community and how the BOU can continue to best serve it.

"As a member of the BOU leadership team, you will be in day-to-day control of all our operations, so you will need to be an excellent communicator, innovator and manager. 

"You will use your organisational skills to develop and deliver our core activities, including developing and delivering in-person and virtual conferences and events. 

"You will use these same skills to drive the internal machinery that helps run the BOU, including our Council of Trustees and volunteer-led committees which oversee the development of many of our core community activities.

"You will use your knowledge of journal publishing along with your business and management skills to oversee the delivery of our scientific journal, Ibis.

"You will use your passion and wide knowledge of ornithology to promote BOU activities, including Ibis, to our core scientific community."

The job description continues: "Working remotely, you will need to be highly self-motivated with a pro-active and supportive approach to organising our activities, excellent time management skills and the confidence to make decisions. 

"You will require excellent inter-personal, communication and negotiating skills, plus an enthusiasm for working collaboratively with others, from our Council of Trustees to volunteers, with a desire to develop yourself and others. 

"You will also require a great attention to detail, an ability to work at pace and to tight deadlines and to be confident when embracing new technologies that can improve the delivery of our activities."

Closing date for applications: 9am, 24 January 2022.

Interviews: mid/late February 2022.

Start date: the successful candidate will be expected to be in post from 1 June.

More details at:
https://bou.org.uk/coo/

MAN RESCUED FROM MUD AT LINCOLNSHIRE SALTMARSH - HOME TO MANY WADING BIRDS

The saltmarsh - a dangerous place, especially after dark in winter

A 57-year-old man is today recovering from hypothermia after becoming stranded on a saltmarsh noted for its over-wintering wading birds such as curlew, redshank and snipe.

It is not known if he is a birder, but he spent much of yesterday evening and last night stuck in mud at Cleethorpes in Lincolnshire.

In desperation, he set light to his jacket - either to keep warm or in the hope that the flames would alert a passer-by (or both).

The man, who has not been named, became stuck in mud after trying to take a 'short cut' from the resort's outer beach outer beach to the leisure centre car park.

But this is a route that is deceptively treacherous - uneven, slippery  and criss-crossed by deep water-filled gullies.

Even in dry weather in summer, many are caught out and need rescuing.

Happily for this man, his cries for help were heard, shortly before 11pm, by a dog-walker who raised the alarm.

The Coastguard, the RNLI and other emergency services managed to trace the individual, but the quest took almost 90 minutes because it was dark and the shivering man had now fallen silent.

After spending the best part of 12 hours either on the beach or stuck in saltmarsh - with temperatures plummeting towards zero -  he was taken to Grimsby's Diana, Princess of Wales Hospital where, it is understood, he has responded well to treatment.

The incident provided a reminder of the dangers of the saltmarsh and is likely to  prompt calls for warning signage to be prominently installed.   

The fringe of the saltmarsh looking over to Cleethorpes - a popular holiday resort 

Curlew - the species is conspicuous in winter

Redshank - fairly commonly seen on the marsh

The numerous creeks can be tricky - especially when fall of water

DID OYSTERCATCHERS CAST 'EVIL EYE' ON INCONSIDERATE EAST COAST JET-SKIERS?

Back and forth went the jet- skiers 

ONE of two jet-skiers who frightened the wits out of shorebirds at their roost got his come-uppance on the afternoon of New Year's Day.

His machine conked out, and he had to be towed back to dry land.

One fanciful theory is that a flock of stout-hearted oystercatchers cast a malicious spell as his punishment for terrifying thousands of their smaller relatives - knot, dunlin, sanderling and ringed plover.

Today, at Cleethorpes in Lincolnshire, there was no return of the jet-skiers and the shorebirds, all of them, could snooze in peace.

Would there be no relief for the panicking shorebirds?

Time to take a stand - the oystercatchers stay put and cast their collective spell

Oh, the shame of it! The broken down jet-ski is towed home, but still the chance for one last disturbance 

Could this be the solution? Report from The Daily Telegraph