SONG BY THE ARTISANS AGAINST DRIVEN GROUSE SHOOTING

IN TWELVE DAYS GROUSE MOORS WILL RESOUND WITH THE SOUND OF SHOTGUNS, AND THE EARTH LITTERED WITH DEAD AND DYING GROUSE KILLED IN THE NAME OF SPORT

Summer heat has caused a lull in me and now it has driven me to protest. Jessie Buckley in the film Wild Rose sings, in Country Girl, a line that includes, ‘diseased land’. It jarred on me and those two words can be interpreted any bad way one likes. That's it but we should never let optimism be outwitted by pessimism.

So here it is. I've been reading all that I can about wildlife, the killing and the way the factions are posturing to promote what they believe in. Well, let's go from the top. We humans are the alpha predator left because the bear, wolves, lynx have been hunted and poisoned to their extinction. And so it is left to us to control anything that is in excess. Us the killers with the gun, trap and baited offerings. We can do it anyway we like for the constraints have always been minimal.

Until now, that is. The restrictions have started to appear and I know it will be difficult and expensive to turn centuries of power, tradition and even culture around. The wanton killing allowed by the landowners, shooting agents and those with the money to shoot for sport is being challenged.

My opinion that we are the top predator has to travel alongside the fact that I cannot oppose hunting. We have controlled our land and it has included hunting to excess. Today, only a few, hunt for food. A recent article (Nicholas Hellen’s in The Times of 21st July) included the shooting of Quists, pheasants and partridge, ducks and deer or in other words ‘game’ for food. It is an interesting read and maybe it will make some people think? This can bring into the public concept a new idea of what to eat. It's out there really!

On this theme another article by Edward Lucas, the aka Thunderer suggests ‘Bambiburgers Anyone’? Well he has a point for there are six species of deer eating their way through anything that appeals to them. Anyone species in excess will be for the detriment of others, Mr Lucas bangs on about Lyme disease (Lyme borreliosis) which is associated with tics being hosted by deer. He is correct, but to call deer vermin will let some fall into the trap that if they are vermin we can kill them regardless! No, that is not he approach. I would prefer them to be a food source.

Grouse moors and pheasant shoots and the way that they are managed I am opposed to. To call this a sport is wrong. Sending lead shot up into the air to bring down flying birds is not a sport at all. It is killing because they can. Okay, it requires accuracy to record a hit, but so what! I view this as mindless. It causes damage to what was our natural environment. If there is an excessive population of ‘game birds’ then natural wildlife will be constrained at least. That is even without the control of habitats, extermination of ‘vermin’’ so called and our natural predators. Raptor persecution seems to exist alongside grouse moors and shooting estates. Add to that the importation of chicks from Europe to be reared further for the monied few to pop them off out of the sky. Intensive rearing can be associated with disease and its control with drugs. Enough of that.

Writers seem to be obsessed with control. Sea Gulls (they are not Sea at all but just Gulls) should be offered contraceptives! Okay, let's put more chemicals into our wildlife or shall we sensibly restricted their food source and nesting habitats. All of this because our wanderings about with fish and chips are easy pickings for the gulls. Let's get real and dismiss the absurd use of contraception.

There is movement out there to make me feel happier. Scotland is considering upping the penalties for wildlife crimes. There are people out there fighting like hell to protect what we have. Legal Justice with Chris Packham, Dr. Mark Avery and Ruth Tingay are voices that are being heard. They are challenging the release of game birds. It will go to court. There are others too.

Now with 12th August only days away, an Indie Band, The Artisans, have written ‘A Distant Call’. It's a charity single where the proceeds will go to Legal Justice and is aimed at Scotland's Grouse Shooting Industry. That’s a note for me to finish on. Yes, I will download it and I want the T-shirt too.

SPOTTED FLYCATCHERS IN ALICANTE

It's July. It's very hot. We knew that we needed to get out before the sun broke over the edge of the sea. Our mission was simply to find Flycatchers and to check on their breast and head markings. The bird books don't talk this bird up, but for me it's a little beauty. It's dapper, its energetic and it perches.

We found an abundant number of Spotted Flycatchers ( Muscicapa Striata - Papamoscas Gris) along the Carabassi Road flying in and around the lines of pines. With the sun very low and the dapple shade caused by the trees we had to work hard to get clear views of these incredibly active birds. We managed it, but had to re-visit them to enable clear photos to be taken. In the heat of the late morning it was done.

Bryan Thomas’s blog of 1st July details the differences we were looking for. (birdingcostablanca.blogspot.org) The experts have announced different sub-species. The one mentioned above that many of us have been used to and ‘The Mediterranean’ one officially known as Muscicapa Tyrrhenian. There is more detail available if you wish to search for it.

We looked for a much plainer breast with none of the heavier markings of Muscicapa Striata. Also to note the pale crown stripes of our Med bird. The photographs show better than words can.

This was a very interesting hour or so and I was reassured that we had found a substantial population of these underrated birds. After a while we started to notice the differences more easily.

We moved on as we had not checked out many of our local spots. Our first stop was opposite Playa Lisa on N332 just down the road from the Santa Pola turning. As usual a Zitting Cisticola called and flew. The main water yielded little except for Whiskered Terns flying and some Slender-Billed Gulls. On the Salinas opposite were Yellow Legged, Audouin’s and more than fifty Med Gulls with both adults and juveniles mixed in. Overhead, numerous Little Terns flew and screeched.

The Salt Tower pull-in looked at empty water but ‘the standing stones’ area was great. A Black-crowned Night Heron flew over. Another perched and was joined by one more. At least five Grey Herons stood around. Whiskered Terns again and in the distance eight Spoonbills that maybe an indication that the birds are on the move. Then a Whimbrel flew across our vision and that confirms it! Four Great-Crested Grebes swam too.

El Pinet gave us one Common Tern. We noticed a Sanderling, one Redshank and a resident Kentish Plover. In the distance Collared Pratincoles. It was only a quick look before heading inland and to Pallet Farm Road and beyond. We stopped at ‘The Monastery’ and four Rollers flew adding to the two previously seen.

The little birds were the stars without any Raptor in sight. Night Herons and Spoonbills are wonderful, the Whimbrel great too although we had hoped to see a Purple Heron before they depart south next month. We will be at it again soon.

SONG LYRICS SEND IT LOUDER

WASTELAND
I adore a happy story. A supermarket aisle is an apt place for Karina Ramage to give an audition to an impromptu request to strum and sing her song. The backdrop of biscuits, behind her, should have had them straining in their wrappings as her lyrics exposed what we are doing to the oceans.

Her lyrics aren't available to download yet, but ‘feed the turtles with bin bags’ hits the listener hard - well me anyway.

I think writing is about protest and lyrics enable messages, protest anthems and rallying songs to go to a much wider audience than tweets, FB posts and blogs.

There has to be a first for everything and it is my first blog on a young singer-songwriter and her caring lyrics on our damaged world.

Awareness is coming about and who knows the world could become a better place and optimism should rule. That's okay for me.

A KILLING AND KILLERS LIST

THE KILLING HAS TO STOP
On African safaris they have the ‘big 5’ species that everyone hopes to see.

In the UK we have The Persecuted 5:

1. Hen Harrier
2. Golden Eagle
3. Red Kite
4. Peregrine Falcon
5. Buzzard

This appeared on a tweet and we must add to the list Goshawk and every corvid that flies. It's a killing world out there.

A FEW HOURS SPENT INVESTIGATING

Another morning spent in the mountains not far from Alicante. On Tuesday morning we travelled towards Agost, just a few kilometers north of the airport. It was an easy journey and our objective was to research the Agost side of the mountain of Maigmó. This is what we could see when we were viewing the Swifts on previous occasions from the top of the ridge. Some of this area is cultivated with other areas left to nature. There are three agriculture reservoirs, a bed of an old railway and a bridge standing in isolation that can be seen. Over the centuries the land had been terraced on the slopes, but that looked abandoned now.



We wanted to understand the habitats just outside Agost and adjacent to the mountain. Eventually we travelled in and around and satisfied ourselves that we had attained some understanding. It was not easy and we went down some roads that we would otherwise would not have done.

Our first road was one that took us through an almost deserted landscape that yielded little in the way of species seen. (In summary: I thought we were at the arse end of the world). In the early morning a Common Buzzard flew, several Southern Grey Shrikes perched and flew along with Goldfinches and Chaffinches. It was a scape of deeply eroded cuts and tips of waste earth and stone.

We carried on through and eventually came to A 7 and we decided to go up Maigmó again. It was not productive and eventually we worked our way around to the other side of Agost and then we were at the base of Maigmó. This is an area of mixed habitats where both urban and rural dereliction was evident. Cultivated vines were adjacent to areas left to themselves. Ideal for seed feeding birds, but for today not many to be seen. Bee-eaters called in the distance and one female Common Kestrel perched and flew away.

We carried on taking a mountainous road to


It was an interesting with a variety of habitats. At Rincón de Bello, a very neat picnic area, we heard and saw Choughs flocking, but not a lot else. In comparison to where we had been this corner of the world was picturesque and beautiful. A light wind made it feel pleasant in comparison to the coastal temperatures.

As regards Agost the best bit for me was when we left it as it is an ugly place although Bryan spotted a leucistic House Martin. Petrer was different with water in the small river and great fun to find our way onto the motorway. There were no signs! Such fun!

Our assessment was that this could be an interesting area during migration and could be worth another visit.

We returned rapidly and spent some excellent minutes at Clot de Galveney. We felt we needed to see some avian beauty before we stopped for a beer. On the open water we saw a splendid male White-headed Duck with three young. Two juvenile Purple Swamp Hens posed together with Little Grebe and Common Pochards. A Great Reed Warbler called and so did a Common Sandpiper. A Sand Martin flew over. Not a great list, but good views of the species seen.

Bryan has also posted in his blog - http://birdingcostablanca.blogspot.com

TRUMPETERS AND SWIFTS ON THE MOUNTAINS

It's Friday again and this one was a ‘two mountain morning’ as we climbed up towards the village of Montnegre. We had two aims for this trip and we accomplished the first one with ease. Trumpeter Finches and their habitat we are comfortable with having spent a lot of time checking them out. Bryan was busy with his camera and on a rocky slope I viewed six of them in a tight group. We intend to see them as the seasons change and probably later in the day when the sun may give us a better light to be photographed. Research is happening so that we know more about this species.
(NB. Trumpeter Finch - Bucanetes Githagineus - Camachuelo Trompetero)

Trumpeter Finch Identification.
Small birds with a short straight bill that is flat on the sides with a larger lower jaw. Males appear pinkish in summer plumage with pale red forehead and bill. Winter plumage is more subdued, pale ochre bill but still with pinkish rump. Females are similar to winter males. Juveniles are more pale grey-brown. We noticed that some birds are ‘palish’ and on the last viewing some are coming into moult. They are granivorous.



The call once heard is easily recognizable. It is both harsh and abrupt with a longer call as well. It is available on YouTube.

Here in Spain there seems to be breeding populations, and Gabo de Gata apart, we have one within 20km of Alicante. An interesting point is made in Cardona and Esteban’s Book on the Straits of Gibraltar Field Guide is that they say “the birds lead a solitary life, although they form flocks after the breeding season”. This information could account for us seeing good numbers.
We will check this out as the seasons change.

Having left the finches behind we climbed further carrying on through the village and up to the high point before turning left for Tibi. No eagles seen here, but a distant Mouflon showed itself briefly. We had luck when a Spotted Flycatcher flew across and perched giving us a clear sighting. It's always been my bird of summer.

As we descended we could seen the high spots of Maigmó’s mountain. On the journey up we travelled quickly only spending a few minutes where the water sources were. We carried on to the top to view Alpine Swifts. This time there seemed to be only two flying, but I had great views. Bryan was busy again. Pallid Swifts flew too and for a moment there was a stream of them flying steadily in one direction from left to right as we looked down towards Agost. Some of these birds will be on the move during August indicating another summer passing.



For more information on this species go to andaluciabirdsociety.org where there is a full page to see. Further reading on birdingteruel.com indicate Alpine Swifts are on their list of species. I noted before that these birds favour limestone cliffs.

If you want to get technical then Notas Breves: Food Habits of the Alpine Swift on Two Continents. Put in (digital.csic.es).

(NB. Alpine Swift - Vencejo Real - Apus Melba and Pallid Swift - Vencejo Pálido - Apus Pallidus)

Butterflies seen were Swallowtail, Painted Lady, Banded Grayling and a Spanish Gatekeeper. Not a lot really!

We achieved our two specific aims and apart from the expected sightings of some woodland birds there was nothing exceptional to comment upon. It was almost a raptorless day except for a distant sighting of a Short-toed Eagle, a single Buzzard call and a passing Common Kestrel.

UPDATE FROM LEAGUE AGAINST CRUEL SPORTS

TAKE BACK THE LAND FOR WILDLIFE SANCTUARIES

On 10th July, Chris Luffingham, Director of Campaigns for the League Against Cruel Sports posted the up-to-date version of events. It is worth reading in full.

The Raptor Persecution UK site reports the death of birds of prey regularly. It seems to carry ‘a litany of death’, if not on a daily basis, but certainly on more than one occasion every few days.

The Raptor site reports on 11th July details of the finding of a Hen Harrier corpse. ‘River’ disappeared in the Nidderdale Area in January and in reading the report this bird did contain lead pellets. But there is more to it than that and so I recommend you read their report in full. And to add to that Loch Freuchie has bird corpses floating in it. Maybe Ravens?

Whatever way a fair minded person looks at the current situation then it is easy to surmise that there is a lot of killing out there. Wanton killing of our wildlife is carrying on, seemingly regardless, of legislation and of the organizations and bodies who are promoting the benefits of wildlife and conservation. There are people out there with shotguns prepared to kill. They have had an advantage for centuries and still have it. However, there are many people working against them and The League is one body doing that.

They say “If land where hunting and shooting takes place is withdrawn from service, hunting and shooting will find it harder and harder to operate”.

The League Against Cruel Sports is accelerating their action to make the process for the landowner who wishes to deny use of their land for hunting and shooting easier.

The League has been buying land, making them into sanctuaries, and thus preventing the hunters and the shooters being able to use them.

There are, unfortunately, massive tracts of land that was bequeathed by the monarchy and it is still owned by ‘the landed gentry’. Grouse shoots, pheasant and partridge shoots are held on those lands. Time for a rethink, maybe?

One answer is to take back the land “an acre at a time’ to add to the 3,000 already acquired.

There is a long way to go still. And I wish I could do more and be actively out there.

LEAGUE AGAINST CRUEL SPORTS

Reports of wildlife crime are rising.
These heinous acts demand justice.
Please consider giving £15 today and help us demand justice for our wildlife.
I WANT JUSTICE FOR ANIMALS
Far too many wildlife crimes go unpunished and I know you want to see the disgraceful perpetrators punished as much as I do.
By supporting our wildlife today, you will enable our Investigations Team to increase the amount of time they can dedicate to investigating serious incidents that we already know are happening to foxes, badgers, hares and deer all over the UK.
Any funds raised before 4ᵗʰ July will help us prepare for the start of the stag hunting season.

Investigations on the Mendip Hills jointly with local monitoring groups has led to the Yeo Valley dairy company confirming that no hunts are allowed on their land, thus reducing the amount of land available to the hunt.
John, I know that like me, your love for our wildlife knows no bounds. If you can, please consider giving £15 to our Justice for Wildlife appeal and help us to stop animals suffering today.
JUSTICE FOR WILDLIFE
As a valued supporter of the League, thank you for standing up for animals. Together we can bring more animal cruelty offenders to justice.

LEAGUE AGAINST CRUEL SPORTS COMMENTS ON JEREMY HUNTS COMMENT

Last night, Jeremy Hunt was quoted by The Telegraph as saying he would initiate a free vote in Parliament to repeal The Hunting Act 2004 if he became Prime Minister.

At the League Against Cruel Sports we know the importance of compassion, as every day we defend animals from being persecuted in the name of ‘sport’. And we are not alone.

From polling we commissioned ahead of the last general election in 2017, 85% of respondents and 73% of Conservative voters want to see hunting remain illegal. We call on Jeremy Hunt to listen. We have invited him to our offices, which are in his constituency, to discuss the realities of this barbaric activity, insisting that he retracts his pledge to repeal the Hunting Act 2004.

Fox hunting is a brutal activity in which hounds tear apart the foxes in the name of ‘sport’ – this cruelty should have no place in a modern compassionate society.

We urge our supporters to help keep the ban; making our voice stronger by doing any or all the following today:

Write to your local MP to express your horror at the suggestion of the Hunting Act 2004 being repealed
Write to your local paper
Sign our petition
Like and share our updates on this via social media

FOX HUNTING & JEREMY HUNTS STUPID IDEA TO LFT THE BAN

It's got to be a Tory Party leadership hopeful’s gimmick and does it show ignorance in the mind of Jeremy Hunt, the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland’s Foreign Secretary? In a period of our history where we are divided, almost down the middle, on what is best for our nation, a politician has the stupidly to mention ‘fox hunting’.

There is civil unrest, open defiance of democratic authority and regions of the world where populations are being slain and we have a Government Minister bothering to allow the possibility of repealing Blair’s Socialist sop to the labour voting urbanites. Cynically there is only about 4% of the vote so did he care if they did not vote for him?

Mind you, Hunt has seemingly been a tad wily, in that he has said that he would only do it when the will of Parliament could enable it. In other words, a gimmick, and it shows that he could not give a damn for our countryside and all that is good out there.

I don't give a hoot whether it is a gimmick or not, but it sends the wrong message that killing of our wildlife is okay. Well, it shouldn't be and with daily report of of birds of prey being shot I deplore any suggestion that a hunting ban should be rescinded when many activists are fighting hard to maintain habitats, re-introduce species and campaign to allow wildlife to flourish again.

I will balance my disdain of Hunt’s idea with the comment that in our parliamentary world of mistakes being punished with screams to resign by the ‘opposition’ I would remind everyone that no one is perfect; everyone has a right to an opinion and feel free to articulate it. I know that is not the way Westminster works, but certain past leaders made mistakes, made amends and we still live in a free democracy. Well sort of! Remember Sir Winston Churchill.

Come on Jeremy Hunt, deal with what is important and don't mess with what some of your chums might want! We need more bans to stop killing of wildlife, not one less. Get real and stick with mainstream ideas while activists fight for the rights of wildlife.

Alpine Swifts at Maigmó

What a great day we had after as slow cool start climbing up to the two vantage points of Maigmó.  The two white road signs, just off the A7, indicate where we are going to.  The lower, La Melonera, is a 2.5k climb and Balcó D’Alacant is 4.5k. Both have excellent views with clear vistas all around and ideal for seeing raptors.

On Friday 5th July, the three of us Bryan, Mark and myself were watching and listening on the lowest slopes even before the sun came up over Montnegre.  Maybe we were a little early and our usual viewing of Woodlarks was minimal; they were feeding among the Almond trees and so were Chaffinches that are always nice to see. Two Wood Pigeons perched on the electric cables, Red-Legged Partridges called and so did an Iberian Green Woodpecker.  We moved slowly up listening and watching and parked several times where we had sunshine and clear views. It was slow.  Mistle Thrushes flew around and as we moved upwards we heard and saw Crossbills. We heard Jays twice before we saw one fly across the road.  We located Firecrests too and enjoyed them searching in the foliage.

At a tourist spot there are two small pools of water which we paid attention to.  But on our way back down we stopped again and this time we were lucky to see many birds drinking and with one female Sparrow Hawk sitting on the rim.  Just a quick look, but enough to recognise it. A place to remember and allow more time on our journey.

Bryan was aware that there were good numbers of Bonelli's Warblers and that they will be found at altitude.  We listened and watched these birds in several locations and they were numerous and a joy to watch. Mark was able to photograph them for the first time.  He was pleased.

We spent considerable time at each viewing point.  We were having terrific views of Pallid Swifts having previously spoken of finding Alpine Swifts.  And there they were swooping around and flying not more than 10 meters over our heads.  The photographers got busy and Mark and I added these fast fliers to our lifetime lists.  It could be that they were feeding young as they had beaks full of food.  Maybe there are nests nearby as there were spells when they were not visible. 

If that wasn't enough then in the far distance two raptors were spotted.  The big lens did the job and Bryan was content to say that one was a Short-toed Eagle and the other one Golden.  Okay, distant but nice to see and to know that they are around.  We had two other distinct and clear views of Short-toed Eagles although two of the views may have been of the same bird.  The third view was when one flew into the top of a pine tree and settled there for a while.

Sometimes we only get fleeting images and that is true when I saw two falcons fly into view and over the ridge not to be seen again.  They had to be Peregrine Falcons on the basis of elimination but I cannot be sure. 

On route down we turned off onto an un-metalled road and this was new ground for us.  It was stoney and easily passable.  We came upon a large ruin that I presumed was for ice in past times.  Surrounded by pines we listened and sharp ears picked out Long-Tailed Tits and a family of five passed through as Bonelli's Warblers fed in the trees.  Earlier we had great views of both Crested and Coal Tits and somewhere out three too was a Great Tit.  The only one absent was the little Blue Tit.

If we add to our list Blackbird, Serrín, Greenfinch, and one lone male Black Redstart we had a good number of species. For Mark and myself Alpine Swifts, at last.  They are some bird to see with there patches of white, sheer size, long wings, their speed and acrobatics.  It was also this year’s first for Bryan. 

Eventually time, the strong sun and the heat got to us and we headed down and home thoroughly pleased with our day and for the two photographers to examine their results.

We intend to return to this mountain again, although Mark will have returned to Scotland and we wish him well, but Bryan and I will spend more time next week and to also include Agost.  We intend to ‘break more fresh ground’.

Respect the mountain.

TONS DUMPED IN THE SEA

3,978,617

tens of tons

hundred of tons

thousand of tons

millions of tons

and those last seventeen - pah!

three million

nine hundred & seventy eight thousands

six hundred & seventeen tons 

dumped into the oceans

deliberately, thoughtlessly,

couldn't  carelesslessly 

it's the human ways

to dump in water ways

It's not the place to dump 

It's not the spot to discard

It's not the place to use as a sump

It's not the spot to show disregard

tens of tons 

for our ‘sons’ 

to accommodate

hundreds of tons 

for the next generations

to ingest and to sate

thousands of tons

for all the nations

to accommodate 

three million tons

discarded in six months’

and that is only to date

plastic and it's associated 

wrappings are wrapping up 

our planet that we shouldn’t hate

grow to love it more 

think outside the box before

we find out it's too late

please no more seventeens

added onto high digit numbers

they all add up every one

so go plastic free this July

John Edwards(C)4th July 2019

IT SHOULD BE PLASTIC FREE IN JULY

STILL TOO MUCHO PLASTICO

GLASTO GLASTO BLASTO

is this the new- nuevo way-o

you've  banned it     you've tabooed it-o 

the single use plastico

here we go       here we go

is it a full ban-io

it’s a reverse io

to the days of yesteryo

taps in shiny lines spilling tapileau

into containers non plastico

to musicos danceros and drinkilos

sipping from hard re-usable bottlios

so shiny metal bottlios

give two fingers to Perrier o

Evian and Buxton-o

will scream loud-io

or will it not catch on-io

and it will drift out to sea io 

there's still a long way to go-io

go plastic free in Julio

John Edwards (C) 30th June 2019

San Pedro del PinItar

The Salinas at San Pedro del Pinatar has held a Roseate Tern for a while.  I've seen them at Coquet Island off the Northumberland coast while moving up and down on the swell from the boat. I decided to take a look.

For many years now I have not been enthused by any visit to San Pedro and this morning was no exception.  I had to work hard to find any wader and the first were two Kentish Plovers.  A few Avocet also showed.  There were a good number of Flamingos feeding and a pair of Shelduck with a brood were next to the reedbed.  There was not much around at all and the four Little Terns brightened my day up just a tad.

The experts have decided to separate Spotted Flycatchers into a Mediterranean one and the other as we have always known them.  They are my bird of summer.

Bryan Thomas on his blog has written knowledgeably, with clear photographs, of the two species, and the differences can be viewed.  It is on his blog at birdingcostablanca.blogspot.com. Enjoy the read.