Bird notes: Birdwatchers take over Twitter in protest against hunting

May 01, 2014 14:10

By North Wales Daily Post

Julian Hughes explains why birdwatchers have been taking to social media as well as providing an overall round up from North Wales

Birdwatchers took over Twitter last Friday to protest about the illegal hunting of spring migrant birds in Malta.

They did it again on Saturday when TV naturalist Chris Packham was questioned by Maltese police for five hours about his videos of the massacre.

The #freechrispackham hashtag was trending at number one, the latest example of birders using social media to make their voices heard.

Two Welsh MEPs have called on the EC to act against the flouting of bird protection laws.

Elsewhere, two garganeys are in a flooded field along the road to South Stack; others graced the new Llyn Fens near Nefyn and Aberdysynni’s Broad Water.

Our smallest duck, these summer migrants seem to be turning up less frequently in North Wales in recent years;

Whimbrels are heading north in small groups: 10 at Rhoscolyn, 28 at Rhosneigr, and an impressive group of 51 at Aberdysynni.

There was an arrival of Whinchats on Monday, with birds at RSPB Conwy and Gronant, and Tree Pipits at Gronant, the Great Orme, Bangor Mountain and Bardsey.

Bardsey bird observatory also recorded Black Guillemot, Iceland Gull and Hooded Crow.

Continued

Bill Oddie tweets for birds on Twitter

As the zoo's aviary woke up, Oddie and head bird-keeper Adrian Wallis were on hand to interpret the chirps of its tropical residents and summarise the results in 140 characters.

September sees a flurry of activity in the bird world as migration season begins, and so the event was held to mark the occasion.

According to Oddie, trained ears can pick up on the subtle differences that alter the meaning of a bird call.

"Every bird has a bit of a vocabulary. They have seven different areas of sound, and they will all have meaning. It might be a young bird asking for food, or a bird saying 'this is my territory'," he said.

"That Red Billed Toucan was calling for a girlfriend. Sounds to me like he is shouting for some company!" read one of Oddie's Tweets. Another said: "Very territorial call from the Scarlet Chested Sunbird - protecting its nest"

Watch video and read more: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/twitter/9551273/Bill-Oddie-tweets-for-birds-on-Twitter.html