Wildlife January 2011

[Juan Fornes]

   A Collared dove (Streptopelia decaocto), a widespread bird but the pic, although not too good, might be interesting for the early of the breeding season (in fact it can breed almost 12 months a year here). Unknown before ´60s in Spain, it was first recorded in 1960, and the first record of breeding is as late as 1974. It´s thought to be in Balearic and Canary Islands from 90´s. Now it is very widespread in almost the whole country, but mainly in coastal places. Nest is located on a very tall Chorisia speciosa.

[mark smyth]

nesting early and very exposed. They are now in the USA and spreading http://www.wbu.com/chipperwoods/photos/eudove.htm

[Hoy]

The collared dove even nests in northern Norway! But I don't think they breed in the winter season

[Stephenb]

Amazingly adaptable bird able to cope with anything from Florida to the Arctic (observations here north to 69N)! It arrived in my area in the 1970s, but began to decline again in the 1990s. It's still seen around in a few places, but it's some years now since I've seen one.

[mark smyth]

I dont know where to put to put this but thought here would be OK. It is nature.

I read this in a mens magazine.

Blue eyed men are more likely to have blue eyed wives/girlfiends. No mention of men with male partners.

I Googled it and found this http://www.wellsphere.com/general-medicine-article/blue-eyed-men-prefer-blue-eyed-women/342758

[Juan Fornes]

Well, Mark: I think theory exposed in the link is quite twisted (has this sense in english also?). Gay couples shouldn´t follow this theory, as no son/daughters from both parents can be expected (well, unless extra twisted-minded!). I´m brown eyed and so is my partner, so I can´t tell you. We´ve been living together for more than 21 years, so maybe a theory could be exposed:  "Do Brown-eyed couples last longer than hetero-eyed"  or furhter: "Homo-eyed against hetero-eyed couples: who last longer?"    I see a potential film here: "Blue eye Gentlemen prefer dark eyed women, but marry blue eyed ones"

[Maggi Young]

Well, Mark: I think theory exposed in the link is quite twisted (has this sense in english also?). Gay couples shouldn´t follow this theory, as no son/daughters from both parents can be expected (well, unless extra twisted-minded!). I´m brown eyed and so is my partner, so I can´t tell you. We´ve been living together for more than 21 years, so maybe a theory could be exposed:  "Do Brown-eyed couples last longer than hetero-eyed"   or furhter: "Homo-eyed against hetero-eyed couples: who last longer?"   I see a potential film here: "Blue eye Gentlemen prefer dark eyed women, but marry blue eyed ones"

 This could all be great fun.... but we must take a modern twist into account... it is possible now to have coloured contact leneses to change the look of one's eye colour...... who might be cheating with this ?  


Anyone know what colour eyes Elton John, David Furnish and their new son have?
Elton John bought his hair.... maybe he bought his eye colour, also. 

[mark smyth]

bird trapping in Cyprus is at an all time high 
http://migration.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/final-trapping-report-autumn-2010.pdf

One person made a comment that says
"What surprises me is that the locals haven't picked up on the fact of poor male performance and high sterility rates in people who eat them, caused by radiation pollution picked up by the birds on their breeding grounds around Chernobyl. Contamination from the recent Hungarian mining waste pollution incident is also implicated."

Good news
Following the cessation of shooting migrating birds in Malta common swifts bred for the first time in many years http://www.swift-conservation.org/news.htm

[Juan Fornes]

 This could all be great fun.... but we must take a modern twist into account... it is possible now to have coloured contact leneses to change the look of one's eye colour...... who might be cheating with this ? 

 

bird trapping in Cyprus is at an all time high 
http://migration.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/final-trapping-report-autumn-2010.pdf

One person made a comment that says
"What surprises me is that the locals haven't picked up on the fact of poor male performance and high sterility rates in people who eat them, caused by radiation pollution picked up by the birds on their breeding grounds around Chernobyl. Contamination from the recent Hungarian mining waste pollution incident is also implicated."

Good news
Following the cessation of shooting migrating birds in Malta common swifts bred for the first time in many years http://www.swift-conservation.org/news.htm

well done for the swifts! Terrible news from Cyprus, though. These middle mediterranean islands, such blessed resting stops for migrating birds, becoming deathful traps and just because of human´s rapine...

[mark smyth]

I went to the local shop a couple of days ago. When I got back this was lying at the door 
http://saveourswifts.co.uk/goldfinch.htm

[mark smyth]

Sadly  I'm editing photos of another bird that hit the window. Here's a clue

[daveyp1970]

goldfinch and redpole mark i could be wrong though

[mark smyth]

You are correct. The link shows 15 photos from lots of angles of the goldfinch. The redpoll has died

[daveyp1970]

such a shame Mark, they truly are feathered jewels,i think i have never been that close to a redpoll(notice i spelt it right this time).As a kid i would of put those dead birds at the bottom off the garden for the flies to lay there eggs and for the maggots to strip there meat and then i would bleach the skull,i had a collection of bird skulls as well as small mammals.

[mark smyth]

LOL I didnt notice