Finland, Day Two

  

 Ural Owl (above) 

 Male Great Grey Owl

Female Great Grey Owl

Tengmalm's Owl 

 

A great day. Excellent views of Ural Owl and another pair of Great Grey Owls. Supporting cast included Black Woodpecker, Honey Buzzard, Temminck's Stint, Common Rosefinch, Red-backed Shrike, Short-eared Owls and Wrynecks.

 

Great to meet birding greats Killian Mullarney and Dick Forsman staying in the same hotel as us and leading a tour for Sunbird. Will try and get my Collins Guide signed. 

Finland, Day One

Female Great Grey Owl on nest

 

Having a look for owls and other specialities in Finland over the next week. Only three hours sleep last night so knackered!

Seen Tengmalm's, Short-eared and Great Grey Owl so far.

In a great back drop of pine forests, wader and bird filled farmland and bays. Cranes calling from the forests, lekking Ruff, lekking Black Grouse, drumming Snipe, singing Wood Sandpipers, trips of migrating Dotterel, singing Ortolans, Grey-headed Wagtails, Tree Pipits, Redstarts, Pied Flycatchers, Whinchats, Redwings and Red-necked Grebes, Goldeneyes and Whooper Swans in the bays.

Spring just unfolding here- Coltfoot is just coming out (so about six weeks behind back home), Willow catkins just emerging and still no leaves on the Silver Birches.

Powerhouse Conservation

Warning: Political content. Usual broadcasting of pretty pictures will resume shortly. 

Following on from this post PEOPLE POWER CONSERVATION here's  a few thoughts (pretty obvious ones) on what government, NGOs and businesses can do for the conservation effort. At the end of the day a society is better off with nature correctly valued so it's in everyone's interest to make it work (and if we don't make it work quality of life decreases) .

GOVERNMENT

To decentralise government (as much as possible) to local groups as a local intimate approach is a sharper tool of governing

Re-define values with a broader concept of success and societal objectives to encompass a broad range of quality of life indices (including the prioritisation of nature)

Adopt policies which encourage business and enterprise which is beneficial to the environment and nature and harshly penalise activities and perpetrators which are destroying quality of life for society

NGOs

For the major (and lesser) NGOs to form a major alliance to co-ordinate mass protest to show discontent with government (local and regional) and businesses until they do adopt the correct policies and governing framework 

Continue to provide and improve on guidelines and easy to use advice (and workshops)  for 'citizen scientists and citizen naturalists' of how to be part of a modern nature valuing society- e.g. list of recommended products, brands etc to buy, wildlife gardening advice. Promote that the length and breadth of the country though schools, local wildlife groups etc in a mass co-ordinated programme involving all the major NGOs. 

To pay their staff more or increase the living standards of staff through the financial, policy and or social gains i.e.to rightly reward those who are working for the good team.

To stop collecting data as a primary objective- how many f#cking different ways do you need to prove that nature is going down the f#cking pan! Hardly anyone cares or listens. Direct action is required. Respect is not requested it has to be earned by posing a real challenge. 

BUSINESSES

To recognise business as a service for people and nature rather than as a mechanism of reducing humanity and nature to states of increased entropy interspersed with very localised and fragile regions of excess


Well none of that is going to happen by mass choice so only option for now is for groups to start organising themselves to offer an alternative in what appears to be an inevitable very tough time coming up in the not too distant future. Contrary to popular belief- it is highly unlikely that it is all going to be alright  (unless a rather radical change in approach is adopted).

Bug Time

 Azure Bluet (I think)

 Knot Grass, Shuttle shaped Dart and Treble Lines

 Hoverfly on Ox-eye Daisy

 Longhorn Moth sp

 

Temperature is rising and the buglife is increasing. Will try and get some ids on these asap.

People Power Conservation

Interesting piece in this month's British Birds from Mark Avery about what individuals can do to support the conservation effort. Recommendations include:

SUPPORT THE GOOD GUYS

Support the NGO's who are getting the best results.

BE POLITICALLY ACTIVE

Vote with wildlife in mind. Write to your MP about local wildlife issues.(I would add attend local planning meetings and comment on planning applications etc) 

REDUCE YOUR ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT

Use less energy, create less waste.

SPEND YOUR MONEY TO DO GOOD

Support products, services and brands which are doing good. E.g. conservation grade products, organic, high quality local products and services etc

ENGAGE IN DEBATE

Talk, write and social network about nature - tell your friends and spread the word about nature.

(In addition I would add):

INCREASE YOUR ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT

Do some wildlife gardening, volunteer for a conservation organisation

SET UP YOUR OWN CONSERVATION ORGANISATION

Offer wildlife gardening services to other people, buy some land (or get permission) to manage it for wildlife, set up a bird and wildlife tour company to show other people nature. Use profits from any eco-business ventures for conservation. If you manage any land- manage it with wildlife in mind. 

STAND UP AGAINST THE BAD GUYS

Let everyone know when an organisation is up to no good- write about it, social network it, protest about it

DISENGAGE FROM NEGATIVE CULTURE

Buy what you need, work only for the good guys (preferably yourself!) don't get caught up in the money mad rat race and then you'll have more time and money to spend on the above

SING AND DANCE ABOUT IT!

Ok that might be pushing it- but certainly being as creative as possible in finding ways to engage more people with nature. 

Spotted Flycatcher and Bugs

 Spotted Flycatcher- one of the later summer migrants to arrive. Seems to have timed its arrival to conicide with increased bug activity.

 Leucistic Herring Gull still present

 Common Blue- first one of the year. Also Brimstone, Speckled Woods, Green-veined Whites and Small Tortoiseshell. Nettle-tap and Adela Rumeralla day flying moths on the Ox-eye daises on our hide meadow. Moth activity at the night lamps including double figures of Pale Mottled Willows and Shuttle-shaped Dart, also Pale Prominent and Large Yellow Underwing recently.

 Nettles, Cow Parsley, Hemlock and other dominant perennial vegetation is now well establishing and insect communities are buidling. The first soldier bettles evident today and increase in ladybirds, sloe and green shield bugs etc. I think this is Red Headed Cardinal Beetle.

What the hell is this? Just heard back from i-spot. It's a Fine Streaked Bugkin nymph I-SPOT

Chicks etc

 The first juvenile Starlings have appeared in last few days

 A few waders on move today- 7 Ringed Plover, 2 Dunlin and 1 Common Sandpiper on the lakes. Also 120 Swift, 30+ Swallow, 5 House Martin, 4 Sand Martin. Peregrine performing well - caught a Swift.

 Another mystery moth? Maybe a worn Carcina quercana? 

 Wood Spurge (Roger's first plant find! seems to be a first for the site). Seems like it might be a duff find. Pyro and Phanthom reckon its probably a Caper Spurge. 

Canada Geese young now out, also Mallard (a week or two ago) and Coot