Bird Strikes on Windows
A major problem for many people is bird strikes on windows. Actually – it’s a bigger problem for the birds as it is a major contributor of death in birds. Large apartment and office buildings are a major hazard for birds, but the common or garden variety home can also be a source of danger for our birds.
Every few weeks we are aware of another unfortunate bird crashing into one of our windows. Here is a photo of one New Holland Honeyeater who was only stunned by its encounter with one of our windows. After sitting stunned for a few minutes it flew off happily – well, perhaps with a bit of a head ache.
New Holland Honeyeater
I came across a web site recently that gives a range of ideas for preventing bird strikes on windows. I’m not sure if any of these actually work, but they are worth a try. If they only save the occasional bird it is worth pursuing.
Disclaimer: The site is a commercial site and I have no financial interests in the products, nor have I tried any of them.
Birding and children
No Comments »17th April, 2007; Category: Birds
In another life I was a primary (elementary) school teacher for 35 years until I retired several years ago.
During my time with children mostly aged between 6 and 10 I promoted the love and study of birds. I always included as many units of study on birds as I could fit into the curriculum. I also included units of work on animals, insects, plants and the environment in general. Most of my teaching was pre-internet, so much of our classroom study was confined to books.
Whenever possible, however, these studies flowed out into the real environment. I remember fondly many class excursions and school camps where I led children into natural environments distant and different from their home town. Some of these were in the Mt Lofty Ranges and the Adelaide Hills, South Australia. Others were at the seaside location of Victor Harbor.
I recently discovered a website of someone working with children in schools teaching them about birds. I think it’s a delightful site, full of information relevant to children and with interactive pages. It also includes teaching resources. The downside is that it deals mostly in birds found in north America.
Link:
- Kidwings – a website for teaching children about birds.
Australian Pelicans, Rocky Gully Wetlands
Birds in Aesop’s Fables
No Comments »14th April, 2007; Category: Birds
Aesop was a Greek storyteller. He was born around about 620BC. His stories are known as fables which are stories that have a moral to them. I knew a few of them but I did not realise he had written so many that included birds until I came across this lovely little website called Cockatiel Cottage. The rest of the site is dedicated to looking after Cockatiels.
Bird Watching in Greece
I have never been to Greece and have no immediate plans to take a holiday there. However, if you would like to send me a return airline ticket to Greece I would be forced to consider changing any plans I have.
It certainly is one of those countries I would love to visit. At school I studied ancient history and so I know quite a deal about many aspects of Greek culture and their history. I enjoyed the coverage of the Athens Olympics in 2004 and the snippets of the countryside shown during that time. Several of our television networks here in Australia feature holiday destinations in Greece occasionally.
I must admit that my main interest in visiting Greece would have to be to visit historic sites, cultural sites and some of the beautiful islands. Until recently I hadn’t considered going there just to go birding. That was until I discovered the blog Birdwatching in Greece. This blog gives an excellent coverage of many of the birds found in Greece. It also features many wonderful photos of birds seen there by birders. Over a dozen trip reports are included in the archives. It also includes links to a number of Greek birding blogs and birding web sites.
This blog is worth a visit even if it is just to look at the photos.
The Birds of Shakespeare
Did you know that William Shakespeare included many different references to birds in his writing? In fact, according to one blog site, Shakespeare mentions at least 45 different species in his works. Now I’m going to trust this authority and not go and read every word that Shakespeare wrote in order to check out this fact.
Here is the full list. By clicking on the species name you will go to the article on that species with full references to where that species is mentioned in Shakespeare’s work.
The Birds of Shakespeare
by Sir Archibald GeikieBlackbird – Bunting – Buzzard – Chough – Cock (Rooster) – Cormorant – Crow – Cuckoo
Dive-dapper – Dove and Pigeon – Duck (Mallard) – Eagle – Falcon and Sparrowhawk – Finch
Goose – Hedge Sparrow (Dunnock) – House Martin – Jackdaw – Jay – Kite – Lapwing – Lark
Loon – Magpie – Nightingale – Osprey – Ostrich – Owl – Parrot – Partridge – Peacock – Pelican
Pheasant – Quail – Raven – Robin (Redbreast) – Snipe – Sparrow – Starling – Swallow – Swan
After looking at those references you may want to wander over to Trevor’s Writing, my blog about writing, books and blogging. You may even want to stay long enough to read some of my poetry and short fiction. Many of my haiku poems are about birds.
Links: