RedKite

Red barbed ant project

Red barbed ant, sounds as though it could be pretty fierce and could kill things!  In actual fact, barbed ants have been attacked and become almost extinct.  London zoo has saved them, re-established their numbers and released them into a comfortable environment.

They do some good work for the environment; cleaning things up.  But they are vulnerable to predators and habitat change.

First, their numbers had to be dramatically increased.  They only really have a chance of surviving in large groups.  They are reliant on a group effort for food and defence.

But most of all they needed a new safer environment where there was a good food supply, which has been found for them.

That was a couple of years ago, and it would be nice to get an update on how they are getting along.  Did they make in their new world?

Early nesting: baby birds due before spring

Birds have made their nests early this year and several pairs of birds have been seen nesting, which will mean an early batch of eggs and baby birds fluttering around.  We are not sure why exactly they have chosen to nest early, it is usually something to do with the weather.

To help all the other birds that are now looking for a nesting ground it would be helpful to put up a couple of nesting boxes.  Birds like these.

It is good for the birds; and also great for your household because you can see the birds as soon as they leave the nest and get some great shots of them.  It is a good way to have some birds active in your garden.

You can get nesting boxes and instructions for use at the RSPB.

Do Red Kite birds pose a threat in Spring?

The large red kite birds were nearly wiped out because the authorities saw them as scavengers and a threat to farmers and the general public, so they were killed on sight and almost wiped out.

A few years ago the last remaining kites were nurtured and bred in safe housing.  The offspring of these birds were re-introduced into the countryside across Britain and so far have done well.

What’s the problem then?  Well people see these large birds in the air, suddenly swooping down on the ground and then racing off and they are scared.

The RSPB assures us that they pose no threat to farmers or the general public.  They can pick up a small rabbit but would not be able to carry anything bigger than this.

So they would not be able to take a lamb from a farmer’s field because it is simply too heavy for them.

Also, there is plenty of other food around for them to eat that is much easier to catch and much less effort to eat.

Reptiles - will they survive in this century?

Surprisingly reptiles are at high risk throughout the world.  Environments are changing and they can’t adapt quick enough.  London zoo is worried by the findings in the latest bunch of research and said the issue needs to be addressed quite quickly.

There are many things going on in the world that help to move technology forward which most countries are trying to do as quick as possible to help renew their ailing economies.

Unfortunately, this has an impact on the environment, which has an impact on reptiles and some species are fading out.  Things like cutting down forests and changes in fresh water areas.

This means that temperature change which is hard to cope with if you are a reptile and also food supplies change are hurting 1 in 5 reptiles.

 All of this means they need to adapt but the question is can they do it quick enough.  Some will survive but London zoo wants to save all the reptiles, they don’t really want to lose any of them.

We can help this area by concentrating on good sound conservation work, which takes time and money but will reap the rewards.

Strange African animal reappears after 50 years absence

Okapi are black with a couple of stripes and a long thick tongue.  They are extremely difficult to observe and for years animal researchers didn’t even know they existed.

They have appeared in one of Africa’s animal conservation parks and this has stirred up the whole conservation community.  Lots of questions are now waiting to be answered.  But as usual they will have to do some studies and we should then get their reports through.

The indigenous people who live on the land in the area have talked about a mysterious creature that lurks in the thick treed areas and has special powers.  No-one has seen the supposed creature for years and now out of the blue it has turned up and been sighted.

Now some real work has to be done to protect them and make sure they are able to establish themselves in a safe environment and hopefully even though they are very shy we will see a lot more of them in the coming years.

Penguins and climate change

There are still a lot of people ‘worried’ about climate change.  How is the ice constantly melting in the arctic going to affect penguins? 

Will they be able to survive and relocate if their ancient territory just melts beneath their feet.   We don’t know.  So scientists from London Zoo are trying to gather information about penguins so that they can come up with some sort of contingency plan, if the worst does happen.

Problem is scientists do not know much about penguins.  So they are collecting old discarded feathers, doing DNA tests and fingerprinting to try and profile them.

Then I think the plan is to fly them to somewhere else that is snowy and icy.  The only place I can think of is Canada.

What are your thoughts on the matter?

 

Toads can sense bad weather

Studies on toad behaviour have discovered that the toads abandon their living quarters a few days before a natural disaster. 

Their skin is very sensitive and can detect changes in pressure.  If there is any sudden change in the weather then these toads get a little nervous.  It is like they have an inbuilt mini barometer inside them and it swings from warm/dry to cold/windy, which means time to run away.

Toads have other hideouts, outside the area that are safe to stay in during bad weather and natural disruptions.

Certain birds, animals and farmers that take note of toad behaviour, notice when these changes occur and also find somewhere safe for themselves, until the natural eruptions have taken their course and subsided.

Anyone who is close to the land and nature will observe the animal and bird behaviour in the place where they live and be aware of sudden changes. 

 

 

Newport Wetlands

If you were wondering what on earth you would do if you joined the RSPB, then a great visit is Newport Wetlands.  It is wet so wear boots and loads of wildlife love it there.

Lots of birds will only nest in the wetlands and this is also their breeding ground, so it is really important to keep these places maintained well.

Flowers often love these conditions and there are special walks you can take around the place to see these special varieties.

The Wetlands also cater for children, so it can be a great place to take them on the school holidays and there is plenty to keep them occupied.

The wetlands is not a place I would have immediately thought of going to but now I have heard of it is sounds like a great place to make a visit to.

 

Seabirds can’t fly because of sticky oil pool

Guillermots and razor bills have been found alive but in very poor health because they are covered in a sticky oil.  We don’t know where the oil comes from or how they got stuck in it.

It has raised serious environmental concerns about cleaning up our oceans and especially the coastline where a lot of birds live.

The RSPB has taken the birds into their care and is using special methods to clean their feathers.  However, they want to remove the source of the oil so that the birds don’t get stuck in it again.

To reduce pollution to a minimum the UK needs to work with other countries and talk about how we can keep our seas clean.

There is a happy ending because the majority of the birds a fine and now new efforts will be put into place to make the sea cleaner.

 

Valentine birds

Birds are associated with Valentine’s Day and the most popular birds are the love birds that seem to capture the moment perfectly.  A picture of love birds would be a great present.

There is also an ancient tale that that a woman wanting to get married should look at all the birds around her on Valentine’s Day and this will tell her if she will marry and give a sign of who she is going to marry.   

So it is worth reading up on the tale if you want some hints on what your future holds for you.

There are also some really creative Valentine bird pictures that would be a good present on a special day.

There is so much to choose from but a bird gift to represent love on this day is a really nice gift to give.