Farm board gives green light to bird cannon on dairy farm

The fight to “ban the cannons” could shift to a new battlefield with a recent Farm Industry Review Board decision to allow a propane cannon on a Vancouver Island dairy farm.

For almost a decade, many who live near Lower Mainland blueberry fields have been lobbying various levels of government to ban the noisy propane cannons used to scare away berry-eating birds.

The FIRB, which is tasked with administering the Farm Practices Protection Act and hearing complaints about farm noise, smell and other nuisances, has typically sided with blueberry farmers, defining cannon use as a normal farm practice. Opponents have made limited gains in recent years, however, with some municipalities passing tighter regulations on their use.

Continued

RSPB recruit overnight “Protection Staff” to help guard hen harriers at 3 Northern England regions

Reference number: 7020214

Location: Northern England

RSPB’s Northern England region is recruiting for six seasonal flexible contract staff for overnight nest protection of hen harriers in Northern England. The posts will most likely be based in Northumberland, Cumbria (Geltsdale) or Lancashire’s Forest of Bowland, but with the flexibility to move elsewhere dependent on the location of a nesting attempt.

The main purpose of the job is to prevent disturbance/destruction of nesting hen harriers if a nest is found in Northern England. This involves carrying out overnight nest watches, the time and length of shifts to be coordinated by the Species Protection Coordinator. The nestwatch will commence once the female has constructed the nest and will continue until any young are fully fledged.

Continued

QUACKERS! Man raises duckling in his BEARD

A first-time parent has worked wonders with his whiskers after raising an orphaned chick - in his beard. 

Hero Brian Doss came to the rescue of Peeps the Duck by letting her nestle in his facial fur. 

The 33-year-old had purchased a handful of eggs from a farm near his home in Athens, Ohio, USA with a view to raising them. 

Peeps was the sole survivor when they hatched and she immediately latched on to her adopted mother Brian. 

Read on

Authorities say 2 teens shot eagle perched in tree

Posted: Feb 14, 2014 7:46 PM GSTUpdated: Feb 14, 2014 7:46 PM GST

MONTEZUMA, Iowa (AP) - Authorities say two teenagers shot a bald eagle near Montezuma, injuring the bird so severely that it died.

Poweshiek County Sheriff Thomas Kriegel told The Des Moines Register (http://dmreg.co/M0KTD8 ) deputies were called Wednesday afternoon to property near Montezuma, about 50 miles east of Des Moines.

Kriegel says the bird was shot once, injuring its wing and knocking it from a tree. It was shot again on the ground.

A property owner gave deputies a description of a car at the site, and deputies soon stopped the vehicle.

Continued

Pet peacock killed in Texas after attacking women

HOUSTON (AP) — The suburban Houston caretaker of a pet peacock dubbed "Meanie" has shot and killed his feathered friend after the bird fanned his feathers and used his talons to attack several women.

The Harris County Sheriff's Office says in a statement the peacock attacked a woman on Friday while she was being questioned by a deputy investigating a complaint about the bird. The deputy fired a stun gun at the peacock, but he continued his attack. The statement says the frightened woman fled indoors and the peacock's caretaker used his shotgun to kill the bird.

The peacock's caretaker Riley Richards told KHOU-TV (http://bit.ly/1hkd7Yo ) he and his wife called the bird Meanie. He says the bird, who was owned by his daughter, had previously attacked other female relatives.

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/texas/article/Pet-peacock-killed-in-Texas-after-attacking-women-5238244.php

RARE BIRDS AND WILDLIFE FLOCKING TO LINCOLNSHIRE COAST

A slightly misleading heading to this story, but interesting nevertheless:

By NewsdeskGy | Posted: February 15, 2014

golden plover

A new nature reserve at Huttoft Marsh near Mablethorpe hopes to transform an area of rough grassland and redundant drains into a wildlife paradise.

The area, which also includes unmanaged scrubland, is being turned into a coastal grazing marsh, with wetland features, scrapes and undulating sand dunes.

A series of shallow scrapes will create pools and wet grassland, which will attract all kinds of wildfowl and wading birds.

Throughout the winter it is hoped that flocks of golden plover, lapwing, curlew, brent geese, whooper swan and little egrets will be attracted to the area. There is also potential for species such as reed bunting, reed warbler, marsh harrier and redshank, as well as frogs, damselflies and dragonflies to visit the 40-acre site.

Read more: http://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/RARE-BIRDS-WILDLIFE-FLOCKING-LINCOLNSHIRE-COAST/story-20637722-detail/story.html#ixzz2to4KClfV

RARE BIRD SIGHTINGS USA: Cold winter brings birds farther south

February 18, 2014 06:24 EST

PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. (AP) -- A frigid winter across much of the country has brought some migrating birds much farther south than they usually travel.

Bay County Audubon Society member Neil Lamb says some of the birds are quite rare for Florida's Panhandle, including a snow bunting recently spotted at St. Andrews State Park.

The News Herald of Panama City (http://bit.ly/1kR8dmf ) reports the snow bunting typically doesn't fly farther south than Ohio in the winter.

Continued