nature notes

Ruth had just read this on Twitter. Doesn't matter what he thinks about it, a wildlife crime has been committed on a protected species, ignoring just gives people who shoot wildlife a green light to carry on
 
Lots of people have weighed in against Loder, including Chris Packham. Loder then doubled down in typical Tory fashion by tweeting a staged pic of a tame eagle eating a lamb and claimed it was a wild one. He has been paid £14k by Ilchester Estate for ‘consultancy’. Ilchester is the largest game shoot in Dorset …
Fortunately all this being said on Twitter, plus the photographer who took the staged pic objecting to its use by Loder and explaining what it shows.
As someone said - Loder bollocks.
 
They may be better than some humans.

But, how do they see over the steering wheel ?
 
We could always use a squirrel on a bombing raid, presumably loaded with nuts
 
I have seen my first processionary caterpillars of the year today, and my first wild crocus and hummingbird hawkmoth.
 
I'd like to comment but I can't read the text. I'm waiting for a cataract op and am currently almost blind in my left eye. We had a pair of magpies in our garden in Yorkshire who took pleasure in bombing (not bombing but can't remember the word) our cat George. They never did it to Freddie so I've no idea what George had done to upset them.
 
OH has just seen a couple of Sand Martins over the lake, spring is on the way, the first Osprey (unringed) made a pit stop in Norfolk on Weds. With southerly winds due next weekend we could be seeing some of our favourites returning, fingers crossed
 
What is happening about avian flu? We were told not to feed wild birds and we haven't but there haven't been many around apart from our sparrows (tree sparrows in the shrubbery, house sparrows in the roof). They all nick the layers pellets so we expect huge broods this year. It would be good to welcome the siskins, etc back with some nice food.
 
Update yesterday on latest situation from YouGov. here https://www.gov.uk/guidance/avian-influenza-bird-flu
Not good news - still high to very high risk with many outbreaks.
I will also post this in the Chickens Health thread.
 
My chickens aren’t really thriving with this ongoing confinement. They’re laying OK but don’t have that real sparkle.
Seems to me that as with COVID in humans, this is a disease we’re going to have to live with. Breeding with those that don’t die would confer a degree of resistance if it weren’t for the fact that an outbreak results in total destruction of one’s stock.
I’d be interested to see a real breakdown of the infected premises. How many were backyard flocks, how many were intensive units, are some breeds/hybrids more susceptible than others etc.
Either way I’m considering moving towards a covered run so that total confinement can be sidestepped. It would have to be an extremely strong and expensive run to prevent the roof being lifted off in the gales. But then how often do my birds get let out in winter (when the disease is most rife) anyway. Maybe half a dozen when wind and rain permit.
My main flock, one cockerel and nine hens, live in a shed which is 156square feet with roof lights so maybe feeding plenty of supplementary green food both for nourishment and to prevent boredom is how it will have to be for the winter months.
 
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