United States President Donald Trump might describe climate change as a “hoax” but rising temperatures are certainly having an impact on the environment across the world, including in Tasmania. Tropical fish not usually found this far south are turning up in Tasmanian waters, little penguins are struggling to find fish that are vanishing from a warming ocean, and migratory birds are increasingly staying put instead of heading north in winter. One migrant that is apparently … [Read more...] about Pardalotes warm to the idea of a Tasmanian winter
On The Wing
Passport to birdland
Birdland is a magical place where it’s possible to escape all the pressures and stresses of the environment of the city created and inhabited by one species – humans – and immerse yourself in a less one-dimensional world. Birdland is nowhere in particular, and does not have to be special or noteworthy. It could be in the wildest of wild forest, or in suburbia. It could be a pristine beach, a few hectares of eucalypt woodland, or a neatly manicured city park. It could be a backyard. That’s the magic of birds; they bring beauty and wonder to every corner of the planet, wild or untamed, and my On the Wing writing is their celebration.
Ballet on the mudflats as the world rushes by
Sometimes I think I am totally out of step with the modern world. Was I the only one to see the ballerina of the bay, a beautiful great white egret pirouetting in the still waters of the Derwent one autumnal morning? Out of step but in-step all the same, joining the walkers along the foreshore of Cornelian Bay. People with dogs, with prams, with bikes, with friends, or going solo. It appeared only I paused to look at the egret’s reflected beauty, a mirror image in the … [Read more...] about Ballet on the mudflats as the world rushes by
Birdlife varieties a feather in city’s cap
The City of Clarence is showcasing its wildlife treasures with a pamphlet designed to cash in on the growing popularly of birdwatching. The publication reveals nine of the 12 Tasmanian endemic bird species can be seen in the municipality but for me Clarence has two special species which several times a year I make the journey over the Tasman Bridge to see. The stand-outs are the sooty oystercatcher – common throughout Tasmania but somehow associated with the rocky reefs of … [Read more...] about Birdlife varieties a feather in city’s cap
Dry winter does not follow nature’s script
Winter has been missing its usual sights, sounds and smells this year. An unseasonally dry period has cast a pall over the landscape. Although winter is traditionally a quiet period, wildlife and the woods largely lying dormant awaiting the rebirth and rejuvenation of spring, has been more muted. The winter is not following nature’s script. The seasons have their signposts which are aligned to our planet’s movement around the Sun. Spring brings excited birdsong, the scent … [Read more...] about Dry winter does not follow nature’s script
Winter poses growing poison threat to birds
Winter can be a dangerous time for birds and this is not just because of the cold weather and a shortage of food. A growing, sinister threat also lurks in the form of rodenticides which are sometimes liberally laid in and around properties in the winter months to keep rats and mice at bay. As I’ve learned in my own house with rats chewing electricity cables, the warmth of the human home can prove an attraction for rodents. But efforts to control rodents with poisons can be … [Read more...] about Winter poses growing poison threat to birds