Stories (not only) from the wildlife

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Polly
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Re: Stories (not only) from the wildlife

Post by Polly »

In der Vergangenheit sind die Störche noch als klassische Zugvögel im europäischen Winter nach Afrika geflogen und im Frühjahr wieder zurückgekehrt. Aber das hat sich geändert, seit es in Europa immer wärmer wird und große Mengen Nahrungsmittel im Abfall landen und den anpassungsfähigen Störchen Futter bieten. Immer mehr von ihnen schenken sich inzwischen die mühsame Reise über Tausende von Kilometern und bleiben lieber in Spanien.

"Für uns gehören sie schon dazu", sagt Carlos Pinto, der in der etwa 30 Kilometer südlich von Madrid gelegenen Mülldeponie von Pinto arbeitet. Dort landen täglich zwischen 200 und 300 Tonnen Essensabfälle, und die Störche machen sich sofort dahin auf, "wo die frischen Mülltüten zu finden sind", berichtet Pinto.
GT
In the past, storks flew to Africa as classic migratory birds during the European winter and returned again in the spring. But that has changed as Europe has warmed and large quantities of food have been thrown away, providing food for the adaptable storks. More and more of them are now giving up the arduous journey over thousands of kilometers and prefer to stay in Spain.

"For us, they're part of it," says Carlos Pinto, who works at the Pinto landfill site, about 30 kilometers south of Madrid. Between 200 and 300 tons of food scraps end up there every day, and the storks immediately set off "where the fresh garbage bags are to be found," reports Pinto.
"Wo man auch hinschaut, überall sind Störche", sagt Tierärztin Almudena Soriano. Storchennester zieren die Glockentürme, und in der ganzen Stadt ist das Klappern ihrer langen Schnäbel zu hören. 1970 gab es in Alcalá nur zehn Nester - im vergangenen Jahr waren es laut einer Zählung 109 Nester mit bis zu 300 Störchen.

Veterinärin Soriano schätzt, dass "ungefähr 70 Prozent der Störche nicht mehr nach Afrika ziehen", weil in Spaniens Mülldeponien so üppig für sie gedeckt ist. Deshalb müssen sie nicht mehr über die gefährliche Meerenge von Gibraltar fliegen, die zwar nur 14 Kilometer breit ist, wo aber oft heftige Sturmböen peitschen. "Viele Störche sterben unterwegs", sagt Soriano. "Die erwachsenen Tiere, die schon einmal nach Afrika geflogen sind, wollen diese Erfahrung nicht noch einmal machen." Für sie seien "offene Mülldeponien ein wahres All-you-can-eat-Büffet", sagt die Tierärztin. "Warum sollten sie da noch weiterziehen?"
GT
"Wherever you look, there are storks everywhere," says veterinarian Almudena Soriano. Stork nests adorn the bell towers, and the clatter of their long beaks can be heard across the city. In 1970 there were only ten nests in Alcalá - last year, according to a census, there were 109 nests with up to 300 storks.

Veterinarian Soriano estimates that "about 70 percent of storks no longer migrate to Africa" ​​because Spain's landfill sites are so plentiful for them. That's why they no longer have to fly across the dangerous Strait of Gibraltar, which is only 14 kilometers wide, but where violent gusts of wind often lash out. "Many storks die on the way," says Soriano. "The adult animals that have flown to Africa before do not want to have the experience again." For her, "open landfills are a real all-you-can-eat buffet," says the veterinarian. "Why should you move on?"
In Pinto erwägt die Gemeindeverwaltung jetzt, die Mülldeponie abzudecken, um zu verhindern, dass die Störche Plastik oder andere möglicherweise schädliche Stoffe zu sich nehmen. Dann könnte es sein, dass die Störche weiterziehen. Alcalá de Henares hat seine Deponie schon im vergangenen Jahr geschlossen und stattdessen riesige Futterstellen eingerichtet, damit die Störche bleiben. Das scheint zu funktionieren, denn alle Vögel sind noch da.
GT
In Pinto, the local government is now considering covering the landfill to prevent the storks from ingesting plastic or other potentially harmful substances. Then it could be that the storks move on. Alcalá de Henares closed its landfill last year and set up huge feeding stations instead so that the storks stay. This seems to work because all the birds are still there.
Image

Source:
https://www.n-tv.de/wissen/Muellkippen- ... 88175.html
"Throw your heart across the river and swim after it."
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ame
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Post by ame »

did you know that
:duck: mallards eat blueberries 🫐
??


neither did i three days ago. :laugh:
we have a summer house next to a lake and the house has a terrace about 3 m above the ground. the distance to the lake is about 15 m or less in the horizontal but the shore rises about 8 m rather steep from the water level. there's bedrock first at the waterline and then a rather steep uphill with bushes, trees, some high grasses and a lot of blueberry brush. we haven't done any gardening here so the place is in a very original state. this summer was a good blueberry year with a lot of blueberries, but we didn't pick the berries from the lakeside.

three days ago Hubby was reading on the terrace when he heard rustling in the brush. he saw how the blueberry twigs were shaking intensely in 4 or 5 different spots and the long straws among them were waving like in strong wind. he called to me that i should come and look but this made the animals disappear as soon as i got there. he had seen a flash of something greyish-brown in one of the shaking spots.

after a while the same repeated and this time he came to whisper to me that i should go and see so this time i also saw how the twigs were shaking and the 1-meter high straws were waving in 4 or 5 places. at the same time we heard some very soft twittering... this lasted for a moment and then the animals disappeared. again we didn't see who they were, only some greyish-brown had flashed among the twigs.

on the next day i was sitting on the terrace reading when i heard twigs shaking in a place with slightly less dense brush. this time i saw a mallard's head sticking out from the brush of twigs. i also managed to see the blue mirror (wing speculum) on her wing. a mallard was combing the twigs with her beak, eating the berries! :laugh:

later on the same day i went to the terrace to hang out a cloth to dry there, making a lot of noise. a mallard flew out of the bush in panic. she was there again and i scared her away. :slap:
we didn't see them again on that day. i was afraid that this would be the end of the berry-picking visits of the mallards...

but no worry! yesterday evening we were both sitting on the terrace (reading...) and we began to hear mallard's talk from the lake. the talking seemed to come closer and closer... suddenly we realized that the two closest mallards were right next to the terrace, under us, only about 2 meters away from the house. the twigs were shaking also in a few other places a little farther. the mallards were twittering all the time as they ploughed through the brush and combed berries into their stomachs. then i think that the closest mallard saw us and uttered a retreat signal. they all ran away back to the lake. :laugh:

i searched the internet and found a newspaper article about animals who eat blueberries. also mallards were mentioned so our observation is not unique (so i shall not try to make a video of them :whistling: ).
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Post by ame »

Liz01 wrote: June 17th, 2022, 2:06 pm First walrus sighted in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania

Walrus on Rügen: Is the climate crisis to blame?
Image

For a short stopover, a walrus headed for the Baltic Sea island of Rügen - an unexpected sight for many tourists. Experts see one reason above all when visiting the animal.

Rare guest on the island of Rügen: A walrus caused a stir on the largest German island. After the animal, which was over two meters long, was sighted there on Thursday morning, it swam away again in the evening. This was reported by Michael Dähne, curator for marine mammals at the German Maritime Museum, on Friday. Before that, the animal turned around again briefly. "People were excited. You don't get an opportunity like that very often."

https://www.t-online.de/nachrichten/pan ... huld-.html
this walrus was probably the same individual who ended up in Hamina in the east end of the Gulf of Finland and perished in Kotka on July 19th. the walrus was severely famished and underweight and probably died of hunger.
here's a news article with a map which shows the probable course of the travels of this walrus.
https://www.is.fi/kotimaa/art-2000008957452.html
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Post by Liz01 »

ame wrote: August 18th, 2022, 1:19 pm ...
here's a news article with a map which shows the probable course of the travels of this walrus.
https://www.is.fi/kotimaa/art-2000008957452.html
thank you ame! that is sad! Another is killed in Norway! by the fishing master.
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Post by Susanne »

There is an interesting comment on the Freya-subject by Prof Kevin Jon Heller (Professor of International Law and Security at the University of Copenhagen's Centre for Military Studies and Professor of Law at the Australian National University):
http://opiniojuris.org/2022/08/15/norwa ... he-walrus/
(I cannot even pick a single quote, because everything is equally getting to the point)
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Post by Polly »

I also read this message with shock and disgust.
If it were about people's safety... people are often so stupid and sensationalized that they ignore every warning and respect. When the howlers stay with their babies on Helgoland, it is people who disturb this rearing for every photo.
And then get angry when mothers defend their babies.

I feel that Scandinavian countries in particular are very rough.
It starts with the merciless extermination of the wild boar
https://www.nordschleswiger.dk/de/nords ... -daenemark

... up to the hunt for the wolf. Ends in the spectacle that a giraffe is slaughtered and fed in the zoo in front of the children.

https://www.welt.de/vermischtes/weltges ... utter.html
Everything in Denmark.


And who would have thought it - there are always good reasons. :banghead:

Man is a barbarian.
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Post by Susanne »

Important and eye-opening:
https://www.birdlife.org/news/2022/09/0 ... n-forests/

5 September 2022
OF CLEARCUTS & BIRDS #1
How bioenergy increases the pressure on forests

Quote: "Through the voices of our local Partners, our series “of clearcuts and birds” tells some of the stories of Finnish, Estonian and Latvian forests and of their incredible biodiversity, as well as the hard consequences of their exploitations, (in)directly driven by the EU’s support for bioenergy. "

https://www.birdlife.org/news/2022/09/0 ... 3-estonia/

Quote: "Kaarel Võhandu, CEO of BirdLife Estonia, is worried about the situation: “26% of forests are assigned as protected areas, with 14.1 % of them being strictly protected. Yet, our forest bird populations are declining with 1% each year since 1983. The main reasons for this observed decline are the intensive logging mainly based on clearcuts in managed forests, especially during the breeding season, and the degradation of bird habitats that are being drained to plant monocultures. Even in Natura 2000 sites and nationally protected areas, clear-cuts are allowed without environmental impact assessments.”

https://www.birdlife.org/news/2022/09/0 ... t4-latvia/

Quote:"Jānis Ķuze, project manager for Latvian Fund for Nature, clarifies: “Currently only 6% of the Latvian Lesser Spotted Eagle population nests inside Natura 2000 territories. Thereby micro-reserves are the most suitable conservation tool to protect their breeding sites as well as other dispersedly nested bird species in Latvia. The essence of the problem is that there are no mandatory assessments in place to identify the nature values of forests before felling them. They should be put in place like the assessments that exists to identify the economic values of a forest.”

Quote: "While the birds are protected on paper, nest trees are still cut every year. Jānis Ķuze concludes, “the data collected during the project on the destroyed nests have been transferred by the Latvian Fund for Nature and the Latvian Ornithological Society to the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development and the Ministry of Agriculture. Since no action was taken by the state institutions, the Latvian Fund for Nature has prepared and submitted a complaint to the European Commission regarding the violation of the Birds Directive.<Bold type by Susanne>
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Post by Susanne »

For all osprey lovers and fans of migrating birds:

https://www.conservation-without-border ... ey#TRAILER

Quote: "The Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) is the only global United Nations-based intergovernmental organization that works to ensure the survival of terrestrial, avian and aquatic migratory species and protect their habitats.


In February 2020, at CMS’s Thirteenth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties, Sacha was appointed Ambassador for Migratory Species, with a focus on avian species, an honorary title which recognizes her extraordinary commitment to wildlife conservation. As Ambassador for Migratory Species, Sacha is entrusted with raising awareness about the plight of birds, the wonders of their migration and the work of CMS.


The Osprey is a priority species for CMS and its Memorandum of Understanding on the Conservation of Migratory Birds of Prey in Africa and Eurasia (Raptors MOU). The Flight of the Osprey expedition focuses on this bird as a flagship species to publicize the challenges faced by migratory birds along a flyway and highlights the actions needed to conserve these animals within the framework of CMS and the Raptors MOU."
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Susanne
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Post by Susanne »

You haven't heard about 'Becorns' yet? Well, take a look:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwXWg3VipQE

This is episode 3 and is all about Becorns, catbirds (Dumetella carolinensis), orioles - and David M Bird.

Have fun!
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Post by Liz01 »

Mandatory euthanasia following bird flu case
Berlin Zoo fears for the survival of the bird population


After a confirmed case of bird flu, the Berlin Zoo remains closed - and fears for the preservation of its large bird population.

“The opening of the company is not the focus. The focus is on keeping this animal population alive," said zoo director Andreas Knieriem on Wednesday. The zoo is trying to get an exemption to avert the mandatory killing of the bird population after avian influenza evidence. The great material damage - probably in the millions - is secondary for Knieriem in view of this danger, as he said.

Around 1,200 birds live in the zoo – not only chickens and geese, but also exotic species such as penguins and flamingos. The zoo has built up its stock over decades. The material value cannot be quantified, it said. The situation is very difficult and economically a "medium catastrophe," said Knieriem.

After the confirmation of avian influenza in a water bird that had died around two weeks ago, around 1,200 more animals were tested. So far, according to the zoo, there have been no other proven infections. However, this does not rule out further infections: The time between infection and the outbreak of the disease is a maximum of 21 days, said Maria Kashubat, official veterinarian of the responsible veterinary and food supervisory authority in the center. According to the zoo, a small part of the test results is still pending, and further test series are then still necessary.

It was initially unclear when the Berlin authorities would decide on the special permit. The risk assessment is still ongoing, said Torsten Nöldner from the Senate Department for the Environment, Mobility, Consumer and Climate Protection. Germany must also report to the EU with information from the Berlin authorities. Kashubat said it is a very clear goal not to kill (the birds)

https://www.bz-berlin.de/berlin/mitte/b ... elbestands
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Post by Polly »

My comment may sound harsh - but why should poultry in a zoo be treated any differently than other poultry farms. Who have to cull all their animals - sick or not.

Bird flu has reached a new level this year - countless infected dead birds have been found on Danish and German coasts, even in the summer months.

Can't even imagine how big it is...
I'm not talking about the Christmas goose. I do not need any.
In my opinion, the financial damage is secondary.
But these many wild birds and birds of prey... their death is irrevocable and cannot be replaced materially.

Many broods died because parent birds became ill themselves or brought infected food to the nest.


Dreadful! Terrible for wild bird populations.
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Post by Biker »

.
... good news for a change:

Six poisoned bald eagles rescued and released into the wild

https://www.mprnews.org/story/2023/01/0 ... -minnesota
*Please don't feed the trolls!*
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Post by Susanne »

For all those who can't await the beginning of the (cam-) season and/or lovers of amazing wildlife photography and video footage:

White-tailed Eagles Poland by Giuliano Scarparo:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dm29m2qgruY&t=1s
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Post by Liz01 »

The Eurasion Eagle Owl that escaped from the Central Park zoo in NYC when his enclosure was vandalized last month
​Experts were quite concerned about him. Having spent his life in captivity and suddenly being free in the heard of New York City.

Flaco, a Eurasian eagle-owl, high in the branches of a conifer in Central Park on Thursday
Image

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/10/nyre ... k-zoo.html

Flaco has avoided all attempts to recapture him.
Flaco seems to be doing just great. He gets harassed by squirrels, crows and the occasional hawk. But he's hunting on his own and avoiding recapture by raptor experts 8-)

great pic
Image

https://twitter.com/michikokakutani/sta ... 4778004482
Image
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Post by Susanne »

This is an interesting note by Christine E. Wilkinson, publ. Feb 22, 2023 (Department of Environmental Science, Policy,
and Management, University of California,Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA):
nature ecology & evolution
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-023-02009-9

(I have found the article here: https://scrappynaturalist.files.wordpre ... -2023b.pdf)
Correspondence
Public interest in individual study animals can bolster wildlife conservation

It's all about the power of names/individualizing study animals, quote:
"Scientists have long debated the potential benefits and detriments of assigning names to individual study
animals 1 . Motivated by the goal of maintaining scientific objectivity,some researchers shy away from labelling study subjects with proper names or from publicizing such names1 . On the other hand, naming animal study subjects can boost researcher empathy2 , and assigning identities to individual study animals is both necessary and customary in behavioural, population and conservation-related studies 3,4. Beyond the practical value of naming individual study
animals, narratives around animal names have the power to engage the public with conserva-
tion initiatives."

And something we in this forum also deal with every season when we are thinking about names for known/ringed birds we have watched.
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Post by Susanne »

One of those rare moments:

Nature gone mad? Eagles kidnap baby hawk twins; kill one, raise other as their own

https://www.latimes.com/environment/sto ... -hawk-baby

Quote: "SOMEWHERE IN SANTA CLARA COUNTY, Calif. —

It’s been a rough month for Tuffy.

He was kidnapped from his parents and watched his abductive foster father eviscerate his sibling. In recent days, his humongous stepsister seems hellbent on pecking out all his feathers and making him scream.

Tuffy is a baby red-tailed hawk who was stolen from his nest by a bald eagle on May 20. He now lives with the regal-looking kidnapper, her mate and their biological offspring, Lola, in a Bay Area forest. By all accounts, his foster parents are bringing him food, and he’s growing quickly. Just this past week, he took a few successful flights away from — and back to — the birdnappers’ aerie.

The avian drama has been playing out before a bevy of astonished birdwatchers, who describe bald eagles and red-tailed hawks as “mortal enemies.” Armed with high-powered binoculars and long camera lenses, the birders insist the circumstances are exceedingly rare. The phenomenon has been recorded in the wild only four other times."
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Post by Susanne »

In Nuremberg/Bavaria, the Congress Hall, where currently some construction work is going on, houses Eagle Owls :D

https://www.br.de/nachrichten/bayern/nu ... he,TkAvIzX

Great pics. by 'Mouse Fotographer' Jennifer Hetzel!
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Post by Polly »

September 17th

An osprey (ringed in Sweden) is currently being cared for at a sanctuary in Germany. It is believed that the 2-3 year old Osprey was lost from its migration route due to severe weather. Normally there is no typical osprey route south through the Harz Mountains.




***

"Ein seltener Fischadler wird zur Zeit im Harzfalkenhof in Bad Sachsa (Landkreis Göttingen) gepflegt. Am Montag hatte eine Frau das völlig entkräftete und von Parasiten befallene Tier in einem Wald bei Walkenried gefunden. Der unterernährte Adler wurde eingefangen und untersucht. Am Fuß trägt er einen Ring, der verrät, dass das Tier aus Stockholm in Schweden kommt. Der Fischadler müsse mindestens 1.000 Kilometer bis in den Harz zurückgelegt haben, so der zuständige Falkner Rochus Brotzer. So etwas komme sehr selten vor. Er vermutet, dass das Jungtier ein neues Revier gesucht hat. Für große Vögel sei es bei entsprechendem Wind durchaus möglich, eine solche Entfernung zurückzulegen. Wenn der Fischadler wieder zu Kräften gekommen ist, soll er im Harz in die Freiheit entlassen werden."

GT
"A rare osprey is currently being cared for at the Harzfalkenhof in Bad Sachsa (Göttingen district). On Monday, a woman found the completely exhausted and parasite-infested animal in a forest near Walkenried. The malnourished eagle was captured and examined. He wears a ring on his foot that reveals that the animal comes from Stockholm, Sweden. The osprey must have traveled at least 1,000 kilometers to the Harz, according to the responsible falconer Rochus Brotzer. Something like that happens very rarely. He suspects that the cub was looking for a new territory. It is certainly possible for large birds to cover such a distance if there is enough wind. When the osprey has regained its strength, it should be released into the wild in the Harz Mountains."

Source:
https://www.ndr.de/nachrichten/niedersa ... 11316.html
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Post by sova »

:hi: Polly

A Swiss in Germany with an osprey that doesn't belong here. Good combination... :D
All the best to the beautiful Osprey.
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