Fact is stranger than fiction, as the saying goes, and the film Healing about the relationship between a prisoner and an eagle under his care certainly mirrors a program once tried at Risdon Prison. The film, which aired on the ABC in late last month after general release in cinemas earlier in the year, has brought back fond memories for Nick Mooney of the groundbreaking Tasmanian rehabilitation program he supervised to link the lives of convicts to injured birds of … [Read more...] about Prison eagles fly high
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In praise of trees
OVERSEAS they are described as the cathedrals of the natural world, ancient trees that reach for the heavens. It's no wonder that oaks and elms like the ones we see in Hobart's Franklin Square and St David's Park are said to have inspired Gothic architecture, their thick boughs arching above our heads, forming a natural roof to shelter us from wind, hail and rain. Ancient trees are also vital for wildlife. Many animal and bird species could not live without them, especially … [Read more...] about In praise of trees
Like, poetry, birds ignore frontiers
The worlds of literature, art and wildlife collided on Bruny Island recently when the local community launched a bird book to promote the natural wonders of the twin islands. Writers and artists are at the forefront of the battle to save endangered wildlife and habitats but their role often goes unacknowledged. The Bruny Island Environmental Network (BIEN) set out to put the world of art and literature in the spotlight when two years ago it launched a book project, … [Read more...] about Like, poetry, birds ignore frontiers
Fishing with dynamite
Some birders I have met have this ability to literally charm the birds out of the trees. They are masters of the ancient birding art of “pishing” – making bird sounds by pursing the lips to attract the target bird’s attention. Birds are innately curious and any unfamiliar sound that vaguely resembles a bird call will entice them to come and have a look. My attempts at pishing usually fall on deaf ears but I decided to hone my skills recently in readiness for late spring and … [Read more...] about Fishing with dynamite
Last piece of the summer jigsaw in place
Word spread through the birding community at the end of October that the beautiful satin flycatcher had arrived, the last piece of the summer migratory jigsaw. Noted bird photographer Alan Fletcher tipped me off, sending me two pictures he had taken of male satin flycatchers in previous days. I hadn’t seen the species myself, or even heard their unusual metallic call, and immediately I set off in pursuit, to a location at the Waterworks Reserve where I had seen the migrants … [Read more...] about Last piece of the summer jigsaw in place