I condensed five lines into seventeen syllables that condense my thoughts for this year. So here it is.
icy air on cheek
movement accelerates pain
a loss lingers on
Saturday 31 December 2016
The BIllie Gifford Prize for Non-fiction 2016
East West Street was the winner of The Bailie Gifford Prize for non-fiction in 2016. It was written by the human rights lawyer Phillipe Sands and it is proving to me to be an enthralling read. I am going to Warsaw in March and then traveling east to the Bialowieźa Forest for the wildlife and so I want to read as much as possible about what has happened in that country. I have already read about the history of Poland and the harrowing events they experienced during The Second World War, but within only a few chapters of his book I am learning much more.
The complex situation created in 1919 by The Versailles Treaty and another treaty accentuated the division of the rights of the Poles with minority groups. I can not do these pages any justice in just a couple of lines, but reading on I found this decades old prediction in relation to the conflict that exists between Jew and Arab. The philosopher Martin Buber opposed Zionism as form of abhorrent nationalism and held the view that a Jewish Stare would oppress Arabs. And so it is and at this time of year I can reflect with sadness the horror of events that exist in Palestine and in many other nations.
There is much more to this book that I have written here, but I look forward to more enlightenment and, for me, this is a book that is a must read.
The complex situation created in 1919 by The Versailles Treaty and another treaty accentuated the division of the rights of the Poles with minority groups. I can not do these pages any justice in just a couple of lines, but reading on I found this decades old prediction in relation to the conflict that exists between Jew and Arab. The philosopher Martin Buber opposed Zionism as form of abhorrent nationalism and held the view that a Jewish Stare would oppress Arabs. And so it is and at this time of year I can reflect with sadness the horror of events that exist in Palestine and in many other nations.
There is much more to this book that I have written here, but I look forward to more enlightenment and, for me, this is a book that is a must read.
Shooting of wading birds - Moratorium
There is action being under taken to:
Introduce a moratorium in to the hunting of critically declining wading birds.
Woodcock, Snipe and Golden Plover are shot in the U.K. Despite serious population declines. A moratorium should be imposed to allow the impact of shooting to be established by independent scientific investigation and any necessary regulations introduced to ensure that shooting is sustainable.
I know that from previous experience that shooting occurs in Davidstow Moor in Cornwall where overwintering plovers flocked.
On the eve of the new year the petition signatures stand at 17,067 with some way to go before we meet the required six figure mark.
Thank you Dr. Mark Avery
Introduce a moratorium in to the hunting of critically declining wading birds.
Woodcock, Snipe and Golden Plover are shot in the U.K. Despite serious population declines. A moratorium should be imposed to allow the impact of shooting to be established by independent scientific investigation and any necessary regulations introduced to ensure that shooting is sustainable.
I know that from previous experience that shooting occurs in Davidstow Moor in Cornwall where overwintering plovers flocked.
On the eve of the new year the petition signatures stand at 17,067 with some way to go before we meet the required six figure mark.
Thank you Dr. Mark Avery
Wednesday 28 December 2016
Dr. Mark Avery awarded
28th December.
The entries from Raptor Persecution have been numerous in the past few days and I thought that those communications should not go unnoticed. It really should not be any of my business of what goes on in Scotland except to say how could those practices be tolerated anywhere. Add in to that there is another announcement of public money being spent and there is a convicted wildlife killer allowed to be eminent in that.
There has been some good news in that Dr Mark Avery's activities in being the driving force in gaining enough signatures to enable parliament to discuss a potential ban on driven grouse shooting. He is 'The Conservation Hero' of 2016 which has been awarded by Birdwatch Magazine.
All this is good, but the fight goes on and it seems that there will be more to fight on about.
I refer in particular to the horrible thought that a general licence should be granted for the random and killing at will of Sea Eagles, Kites, Buzzards, Sparrow Hawks and even Ravens. The lies suggest that the skies are full of reeling birds that pose a constant danger to the rearing of grouse and pheasants. It is nonsense to suggest any of this could be true and that there are so many birds of prey that any real problem could be caused. Killing of wild life is an inherited problem from centuries ago and should no longer be tolerated. It seems that the people with money, power and influence can do what they like. It has to change.
For full and informed comments view The Raptor Persecution site.
The entries from Raptor Persecution have been numerous in the past few days and I thought that those communications should not go unnoticed. It really should not be any of my business of what goes on in Scotland except to say how could those practices be tolerated anywhere. Add in to that there is another announcement of public money being spent and there is a convicted wildlife killer allowed to be eminent in that.
There has been some good news in that Dr Mark Avery's activities in being the driving force in gaining enough signatures to enable parliament to discuss a potential ban on driven grouse shooting. He is 'The Conservation Hero' of 2016 which has been awarded by Birdwatch Magazine.
All this is good, but the fight goes on and it seems that there will be more to fight on about.
I refer in particular to the horrible thought that a general licence should be granted for the random and killing at will of Sea Eagles, Kites, Buzzards, Sparrow Hawks and even Ravens. The lies suggest that the skies are full of reeling birds that pose a constant danger to the rearing of grouse and pheasants. It is nonsense to suggest any of this could be true and that there are so many birds of prey that any real problem could be caused. Killing of wild life is an inherited problem from centuries ago and should no longer be tolerated. It seems that the people with money, power and influence can do what they like. It has to change.
For full and informed comments view The Raptor Persecution site.
Thursday 22 December 2016
Raptor Persecution and Mountain Hare Slaughter
I have been watching closely, since last July, the Raptor Persecution site and reading the blogs.
It is easy to become despondent when one reads the list of disappearances of birds of prey, if that was not enough then there is the list of adjournments of court appearances for those accused of criminal acts in respect of wildlife. Add to that the loss of natural moorland habitat solely, it appears, for the better environment of Red Grouse. Then there is the mass slaughter of Mountain Hares that feed on heather too, in competition with the grouse.
I was brought up in a rural county where gamekeepers displayed their 'shooting' on strands of barbwire. I never really got the need for that because would it deter a crow feeding nearby? Or was it to impress the estate owner? It seemed pointless then and now, it seems, the culture of killing exists regardless of any constraints.
I have blogged before about the 'so called glorious twelfth' and made my views clear then. It could be referred to as a rant and, indeed, that is the way I feel. I will add one more and as a writer friend has said it is better to get it out of me and then I can write better poetry. However is not being subtle justified in defence of the defenceless?
I know that Edward Thomas in his poem 'Gallows' does what I need to do when he says:
'But what did that avail?
He, too, (the magpie) flaps in the wind and rain
Alongside weasel and crow
Without pleasure, without pain,
On the dead oak tree bough'
I wrote this only a few days ago after the images
of dead mountain hares had stuck in my mind
after they had been posted on a site. This
is the way that I feel about what seems to me
unacceptable and the unnecessary slaughter
of wildlife. Here it is.
Hare Mountain
Imagine the mountain side, tougher than life;
slabs of cold white accentuate dark rock
in a natural habitat of extreme strife.
But is it natural?
Moorland groomed like a paedophile would
nurture a child. Burning heather, degrading,
scarring the peat sponge that should
prevent run-off. Do they care?
New growth, fresh edible tips for grouse,
bred to satiate the gun lust of estate owners
wedded to a culture that can arouse
my ire. Is this criminality by class?
Enough. Add Flubendazole grit, poisoned bait,
traps and game keepers to erode the beauty
of animals that exist, but for them fate
determined by shotgun blast. Ignorant or what?
Photographic evidence condemns dark minds,
slaughterers of elegant hares by truck loads stand
for the photo shoot. Bloodied bodies show the signs
with an empathy with death! Do enough care?
John Edwards (C) 12/13th December 2016
It is easy to become despondent when one reads the list of disappearances of birds of prey, if that was not enough then there is the list of adjournments of court appearances for those accused of criminal acts in respect of wildlife. Add to that the loss of natural moorland habitat solely, it appears, for the better environment of Red Grouse. Then there is the mass slaughter of Mountain Hares that feed on heather too, in competition with the grouse.
I was brought up in a rural county where gamekeepers displayed their 'shooting' on strands of barbwire. I never really got the need for that because would it deter a crow feeding nearby? Or was it to impress the estate owner? It seemed pointless then and now, it seems, the culture of killing exists regardless of any constraints.
I have blogged before about the 'so called glorious twelfth' and made my views clear then. It could be referred to as a rant and, indeed, that is the way I feel. I will add one more and as a writer friend has said it is better to get it out of me and then I can write better poetry. However is not being subtle justified in defence of the defenceless?
I know that Edward Thomas in his poem 'Gallows' does what I need to do when he says:
'But what did that avail?
He, too, (the magpie) flaps in the wind and rain
Alongside weasel and crow
Without pleasure, without pain,
On the dead oak tree bough'
I wrote this only a few days ago after the images
of dead mountain hares had stuck in my mind
after they had been posted on a site. This
is the way that I feel about what seems to me
unacceptable and the unnecessary slaughter
of wildlife. Here it is.
Hare Mountain
Imagine the mountain side, tougher than life;
slabs of cold white accentuate dark rock
in a natural habitat of extreme strife.
But is it natural?
Moorland groomed like a paedophile would
nurture a child. Burning heather, degrading,
scarring the peat sponge that should
prevent run-off. Do they care?
New growth, fresh edible tips for grouse,
bred to satiate the gun lust of estate owners
wedded to a culture that can arouse
my ire. Is this criminality by class?
Enough. Add Flubendazole grit, poisoned bait,
traps and game keepers to erode the beauty
of animals that exist, but for them fate
determined by shotgun blast. Ignorant or what?
Photographic evidence condemns dark minds,
slaughterers of elegant hares by truck loads stand
for the photo shoot. Bloodied bodies show the signs
with an empathy with death! Do enough care?
John Edwards (C) 12/13th December 2016
Wednesday 21 December 2016
San Pedro del Pinatar
The afternoon of Wednesday 21st December was my last chance to see what birds were to be seen at San Pedro. It was the first dry day for sometime and now the sun was out, temperature was around 17 degrees and with a moderate breeze. Water levels were high and there was still some standing water in places.
I always start off in the large car park near the boardwalk leading down to the beach. There was little to be seen with only Yellow- leg gulls with two Lesser-black Backed resting on the dunes. A female Kestrel flew over the car park. A male and female Stonechat perched and a Blackbird flew. Over all it was very quiet and I may have seen a Dartford Warbler dive quickly into a bush. The shape and tail were correct, but the sun only allowed me an outline. It did not reappear.
On the beach there were three Sanderling, one Turnstone and one Ringed Plover and offshore some turbulent water still.
Returning back inland the first water on the right revealed in the far reedbed 15 Black-tailed Godwits, six Black-winged Stilts, two Redshank, four Avocets with Flamingos in the water.
In the water opposite were several Black-necked Grebe.
Although the water levels were high I saw two Little Stint feeding.
I parked in the small car park near the roundabout and here there were Chiffchaffs and Sardinian Warblers in the vegetation. A Robin sang and perched in full view and then, the bird of the day, a Kingfisher perched and fished. It was on the canal where the vegetation had been cleared thus allowing good views, but still had an abundance of perches. A couple of hours well spent and very enjoyable.
I always start off in the large car park near the boardwalk leading down to the beach. There was little to be seen with only Yellow- leg gulls with two Lesser-black Backed resting on the dunes. A female Kestrel flew over the car park. A male and female Stonechat perched and a Blackbird flew. Over all it was very quiet and I may have seen a Dartford Warbler dive quickly into a bush. The shape and tail were correct, but the sun only allowed me an outline. It did not reappear.
On the beach there were three Sanderling, one Turnstone and one Ringed Plover and offshore some turbulent water still.
Returning back inland the first water on the right revealed in the far reedbed 15 Black-tailed Godwits, six Black-winged Stilts, two Redshank, four Avocets with Flamingos in the water.
In the water opposite were several Black-necked Grebe.
Although the water levels were high I saw two Little Stint feeding.
I parked in the small car park near the roundabout and here there were Chiffchaffs and Sardinian Warblers in the vegetation. A Robin sang and perched in full view and then, the bird of the day, a Kingfisher perched and fished. It was on the canal where the vegetation had been cleared thus allowing good views, but still had an abundance of perches. A couple of hours well spent and very enjoyable.
Saturday 10 December 2016
Eagles at El Hondo
Saturday morning of 10th December was a little misty at first before the sun was able to burn it off and not helped by only the faintest of breezes. It was a great morning in the sun. I spent the first hour on the boardwalk and there I was able to watch a perched and flying Spotted Eagle and again when it perched in the far line of trees. While searching for it after it had flown I found on a pylon, I believe, a Golden Eagle and in a tree very close by a juvenile Bonelli's Eagle. These two could have been the two birds seen last week when it was said that it was a juvenile Golden. However that was the thinking with distance to be taken into consideration. Also an Osprey was perched on the mast and eight Grey Herons standing in the marsh. Add to that flying Booted Eagles and Marsh Harriers. The water levels are increasing and the boardwalk could have water even closer by. I hope that the rest of the winter is as good.
Wednesday 7 December 2016
Scoter at La Marina
Wednesday 8th December came with little wind and clear blue skies after a period of intermittent rain and sun and so we were hoping for a good few hours birding anywhere between Gran Alicante and San Felipe Neri. I met Bryan Thomas as the sun rose around 8am. The temperature being no more than 9 degrees. He had heard reports of a brightly coloured bird flying with the egrets at Clot de Galvany. We had already decided that it could be a painted pigeon. And so it was. However we discovered that the scrapes had been cleared of vegetation and that the main area of water had been also been cleared thus allowing good views of it and any birds there. Snipe, Little Grebe, Teal, Mallard and Shoveler were obvious with White Wagtails, Chiffs and Robins all around. Hoopoes perched and so did a Southern Grey Shrike.
After a few minutes we were in our way along the coast road towards Santa Pola spending some time looking for Whimbrel with out seeing any. Audouin's. Slender- bills and Yellow-legged Gulls were easily seen. Also we saw a Black Wheatear and Black Redstarts were flying about.
We moved on and traveled south on N332 to one of our usual stops at the lagoons just before the speed camera. The usual waterfowl and Flamingos were there, but nothing of great interest. We stopped at the Salt Tower where two Sandwich Terns were flying close by. In the distance were about 50 Spoonbill and then two flew in front of us. Among them were 3 Great White Egrets and a number Grey Herons. Two Ospreys and Marsh Harriers flew to make it a very worthwhile few minutes. We quickly moved on as our target area was in the beach area at La Marina on the seaward side of El Pinet. The water at the scrapes was high and here we had very close views of Dunlin, Redshank, one Ringed Plover, Avocet, but overall it was very quiet there.
Redshank
Dunlin
At the beach we initially had no luck in finding our target bird, a Scoter, that had been reported there. We left knowing that we still had time to go towards El Hondo and there we saw Malcom Palmer of the Costa Blanca Bird Club who said that our target bird was further along the beach from where we had looked and easily seen. We headed back towards the beach seeing on way Green Sandpipers, several Buzzards and then four Booted Eagles, two dark morph and two pale morph, were circling high above us. On a sunny leaf there was Red Admiral butterfly. Kestrels were about and one we had a good look at as we were hoping that it was a Merlin. Malcom had seen one early but for us It was not so.
Red Admiral
Booted Eagle
Back at he beach we searched the water along the length of the beach and then we found a friendly birder with camera and binoculars pointing out to sea. This was a Scoter clearly seen, nearby and preening itself. We spent over an hour watching this bird and Bryan photographing it. His knowledge and the ID through the camera showed that it was a male STEJNEGERS (Siberian) SCOTER. It was a long way from its Baltic range and breeding areas. Apparently it is only the second recorded in Spain, and the only previous observation was in Galicia. It was a first for us both. There is an FB page that provides information on the same sighting. This is by Crónicas Naturales de Torrevieja and their FB address is www.facebook.com/cronicas.naturales.torreiveija. They use the Spanish name of Siberian Aliblanco Scoter, but they do make reference to Stejneger.
A very good image of this species is on Page 35 of The Sibley Guide to Birds (second edition) which makes reference to the males have black flanks and not brown and with a slightly differing bill shape and pattern. There are records of it being seen a few times in far western Alaska.
All of this maybe very important, but the point for me that this was a very clear sighting of a lovely bird and it capped our day out together splendidly.
All photographs copyright Bryan Thomas 2016
After a few minutes we were in our way along the coast road towards Santa Pola spending some time looking for Whimbrel with out seeing any. Audouin's. Slender- bills and Yellow-legged Gulls were easily seen. Also we saw a Black Wheatear and Black Redstarts were flying about.
We moved on and traveled south on N332 to one of our usual stops at the lagoons just before the speed camera. The usual waterfowl and Flamingos were there, but nothing of great interest. We stopped at the Salt Tower where two Sandwich Terns were flying close by. In the distance were about 50 Spoonbill and then two flew in front of us. Among them were 3 Great White Egrets and a number Grey Herons. Two Ospreys and Marsh Harriers flew to make it a very worthwhile few minutes. We quickly moved on as our target area was in the beach area at La Marina on the seaward side of El Pinet. The water at the scrapes was high and here we had very close views of Dunlin, Redshank, one Ringed Plover, Avocet, but overall it was very quiet there.
Redshank
Dunlin
At the beach we initially had no luck in finding our target bird, a Scoter, that had been reported there. We left knowing that we still had time to go towards El Hondo and there we saw Malcom Palmer of the Costa Blanca Bird Club who said that our target bird was further along the beach from where we had looked and easily seen. We headed back towards the beach seeing on way Green Sandpipers, several Buzzards and then four Booted Eagles, two dark morph and two pale morph, were circling high above us. On a sunny leaf there was Red Admiral butterfly. Kestrels were about and one we had a good look at as we were hoping that it was a Merlin. Malcom had seen one early but for us It was not so.
Red Admiral
Booted Eagle
Back at he beach we searched the water along the length of the beach and then we found a friendly birder with camera and binoculars pointing out to sea. This was a Scoter clearly seen, nearby and preening itself. We spent over an hour watching this bird and Bryan photographing it. His knowledge and the ID through the camera showed that it was a male STEJNEGERS (Siberian) SCOTER. It was a long way from its Baltic range and breeding areas. Apparently it is only the second recorded in Spain, and the only previous observation was in Galicia. It was a first for us both. There is an FB page that provides information on the same sighting. This is by Crónicas Naturales de Torrevieja and their FB address is www.facebook.com/cronicas.naturales.torreiveija. They use the Spanish name of Siberian Aliblanco Scoter, but they do make reference to Stejneger.
A very good image of this species is on Page 35 of The Sibley Guide to Birds (second edition) which makes reference to the males have black flanks and not brown and with a slightly differing bill shape and pattern. There are records of it being seen a few times in far western Alaska.
All of this maybe very important, but the point for me that this was a very clear sighting of a lovely bird and it capped our day out together splendidly.
All photographs copyright Bryan Thomas 2016
Thursday 1 December 2016
The Art of Murder
The Art of Murder by Michael White was given to us by a friend who had said of the book that 'it was not one that he would normally read'. The cover looked encouraging and with the comment in mind I started to read it.
Okay, it has some extraordinary detail of murders that are linked to a common source of inspiration. This part of the book is set in modern day, but there are chapters in the book that tell a story of the late 1800's. I thought that this was acceptable to start with, but it soon became tiresome, but with reading on I felt that it was justified and came to an interesting conclusion. However I became impatient and I wanted to get right back to the book's present.
Authors seem to revel in the rudeness of commands and those of 'officer level' treat their underlings with a lack of respect, deliver orders 'off the cuff' for them to be undertake at super human speed and in an extremely unlikely time frame. That style irks me and then there is the person at the top of the hierarchical pile 'breathing down the neck' of the one below who also does the same heavy breathing onto the investigating DCI's neck who then passes his ire onto his unfortunate staff. Why? What does it add to the story?
It could help build a character and help create an image in the reader's mind, but it doesn't do that for me. It irritates me. In fact I did not bond with any character.
Then on a page under half way I found an event that made me scream out ' you don't do that'.
That does not happen. In the latter half of the book I found discrepancies and even absurd comments. The reality of some facts are not correct.
Micheal White has created and collected some great ideas and in the general sense the plots work well. It is an interesting read and I will not say anything else as I am not a 'plot spoiler'.
Okay, it has some extraordinary detail of murders that are linked to a common source of inspiration. This part of the book is set in modern day, but there are chapters in the book that tell a story of the late 1800's. I thought that this was acceptable to start with, but it soon became tiresome, but with reading on I felt that it was justified and came to an interesting conclusion. However I became impatient and I wanted to get right back to the book's present.
Authors seem to revel in the rudeness of commands and those of 'officer level' treat their underlings with a lack of respect, deliver orders 'off the cuff' for them to be undertake at super human speed and in an extremely unlikely time frame. That style irks me and then there is the person at the top of the hierarchical pile 'breathing down the neck' of the one below who also does the same heavy breathing onto the investigating DCI's neck who then passes his ire onto his unfortunate staff. Why? What does it add to the story?
It could help build a character and help create an image in the reader's mind, but it doesn't do that for me. It irritates me. In fact I did not bond with any character.
Then on a page under half way I found an event that made me scream out ' you don't do that'.
That does not happen. In the latter half of the book I found discrepancies and even absurd comments. The reality of some facts are not correct.
Micheal White has created and collected some great ideas and in the general sense the plots work well. It is an interesting read and I will not say anything else as I am not a 'plot spoiler'.
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