Lazy Sunday Afternoon

"During [these] periods of relaxation after concentrated intellectual activity, the intuitive mind seems to take over and can produce the sudden clarifying insights which give so much joy and delight". Fritjof Capra

Just every now and again it is good to have a lazy, sunny Sunday. A day of not doing a lot and giving yourself time to reflect, relax and enjoy the simple things in life. Legs outstretched, arms supported and looking out over the back garden, my morning cuppa in hand and watching birds making their staged approach to the garden pond. Beauties like these seem to share the relaxed and easy moment.

Vulture Culture

“The Vulture. Of all the creatures in the jungle, he has it the easiest. The hard work of others becomes his work; their failure to survive becomes his nourishment. Keep an eye on the Vulture - while you are hard at work, he is circling above. Do not fight him, join him.” 
Robert Greene, The 48 Laws of Power

I am blessed to live in an area of Europe where we have among the highest densities of vulture populations on the continent. Not only the continent of Europe, but also within the Iberian Peninsula which holds the main breeding populations for Griffon, Black and Egyptian Vulture, whilst it also has a healthy and increasing number of Lammergeier (Bearded Vulture) Gypaetus barbatus and the presence of Rüppell’s Vulture Gyps rueppelli all year round. Andalucía is a region of Spain that is also a vulture hotspot and for any fan of these wonderful birds it is the place to visit and be swept away by their grandeur and elegance as they dominate our skyline. Since 2003 I have been studying birds, in particular Black Wheatear Oenanthe leucura, within the areas of the Serranía de Ronda and Sierra de Grazalema. During this period there has been many changes to breeding populations and in particular with the local vultures. Egyptian Vulture Neophron percnopterus, once common, has declined, mostly due to incidences of poison baiting here and in their wintering grounds as well as on their migration routes, whereas this is of great concern the trend for Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus is the reverse. As an example, a couple of adjoining rock faces that stand above the karst strewn slopes, where I had been study Black Wheatear, I had 4 and 3 nest respectively in 2003, now there are 9 and 13 nests on these same rock faces, a very dramatic increase. The observation is repeated throughout the area and most likely this is a result of various feeding stations providing food and also the increase in livestock grazing in higher areas with its accompanying natural mortality rates among herds.

The increase in Griffon Vulture numbers has not been without some concerns and consequences, most prominently the displacement of Bonelli's Eagle Aquila fasciata as they compete for nesting places. Normally a Bonelli can hold its own and successfully defend a nesting site, but the sheer number of vultures has driven this eagle away from many sites. I am concerned for this medium sized and fiesty eagle, where conflicts arise with Griffon Vulture then normally adjoining cliff faces can provide a haven, albeit temporary if this increase continues, but we also have a welcome increase in breeding pairs of Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos, which also compete with Bonelli for nesting sites. So I worry for the future of this wonderfully aggressive and beautiful eagle. Another vulture that is increasing in the area, although somewhat less markedly as Griffon Vulture, is the Black Vulture Aegypius monachus otherwise called Cinereous Vulture, Monk Vulture or Eurasian Black Vulture. In the past it has always been a regular winter visitor and involved juveniles dispersing from their natal grounds. In recent times adult birds have now been observed at all times of the year, sometimes as many as 8 individual being seen together during the summer months. The area is vast and has many suitable forest or dehesa areas where this bird may well choose to breed, it is something we hope to discover in the future.

Whilst it is so heartening to write some positive news, more particularly when it involves vultures, I am also aware of the struggles these birds are faced with in continental Africa and Asia. Even here in Europe, particularly in Spain, these iconic and beneficial birds suffer from a range of dangers such as collisions with power cables and wind farm mills, also Spain has incredulously licensed and approved the use of the lethal veterinary drug diclofenac. Further to the positives are the local peoples here in the Serranía de Ronda and Sierra de Grazalema, they all regard the Griffon Vulture with affection and all know the bird's name 'Buitre Leonado' and will always point them out while in my company. Another positive, although sad in many ways due to its demise, is virtually every farm I have visited during the course of my studies has their own local name for Egyptian Vulture. Love the local people, love my mountains.

I love my vultures and hoping you might too!

Nature's Healing

"Letting nature in and finding a better you requires no effort, just venture into any wild space, breath deeply and let nature do her work".

In a universe far far away and in a time removed from most people's memories, there was a beginning to a passion, a love and appreciation for the beauties of nature. She invaded a space that at the time was fully occupied by toy trains, metal soldiers (yes they weren't plastic in those days), lemonade and beans on toast. It all seems so very long ago, but the joys and wonders of nature have never left me and I give special thanks for that.

At a very tender age of around 6 or 7, the books gifted to me by my parents were an inspiration (amazingly we read books in those days), they opened a window for a young enquiring mind to explore my local surrounding countryside, first in Wiltshire and then the local heathlands of Hampshire. Butterflies, insects of all shapes and sizes, reptiles and amphibians, trees and flowering plants, rolling pastures and water meadows all became companions, whilst birds in all their glory became that incredible obsession lasting a whole lifetime.

It has been a rollercoaster ride of elation, despair, discovery and challenges. It has been a life full of wonderful characters and lasting friendships. Without the introduction from my parent's gifts I have no idea how much in life I may have missed, or how much my own character would have been shaped or affected by not knowing Mother Nature and her giving.

It is in nature we can find ourselves, find solace in those dark days (we all have those days), she can be the healing and the light that enables us to feel better about our life, enjoying and feeling her embrace. It just requires you to allow her in to work that magic.

Saving the Montagu's Harrier

Since 2017 the Andalucía Bird Society has adopted the Montagu's Harrier conservation project as it's main flagship conservation and preservation support programme. To date the Society has given considerable financial support and as importantly moral support too. It is a project the Society is extremely proud to be supporting and with an increasing membership we will be able to give even more financial support to conservation and preservation projects throughout the region of Andalucía. To join us click here.

We present here a summary of the work carried out so far and after the disappointing spring of 2018, we are delighted with this year's results to date.

1. Overview

Tumbabuey is a conservationist charity run by volunteers that work for the protection of birds and natural habitats in Cadiz province. Our members have got more than 30 years’ experience in the study and monitoring of avifauna.

Back in 2004 we started a Montagu’s harrier conservation project in the farmlands surrounding the former La Janda wetlands that aims to protect this globally threatened species.

In recent years, Montagu’s harrier breeding numbers have decreased dramatically worldwide and Andalucía is no exception, therefore the continuity of this project is vital to ensure the species doesn’t become extinct in Cadiz.

2. Breeding Birds Monitoring Programme

Every spring our volunteers survey the farmlands surrounding La Janda in order to identify possible breeding birds. When a nest area is located, we engage with local farmers so conservation measures can be taken to protect the birds and nest.

In 2019, 7 nests were found in the crop fields nearby Benalup, Tahivilla and Vejer de la Frontera villages. Of these only 5 nests were successful. A total of 15 eggs hatched this season and 12 of them were tagged with PVC colour-coded rings.

3. Release Programme

In 2016, Tumbabuey started a bird release programme to strengthen the Montagu’s harrier breeding population in La Janda area in collaboration with the regional government and its network of wildlife rescue centres.

A total of 30 fledgling birds were released between 2016 and 2017 with no birds being released in 2018. In 2019 the programme has received 15 young from different parts of the region, 11 of which have already been released.

Food is provided on a daily basis within the site facilities aiming to keep the birds in the area for as long as possible before they set off to Africa. Feeding tasks take up most of our volunteers’ time, these volunteers have to get to the facilities at dawn, provide food at the feeding station and leave by sundown.

4. Satellite Tracking Programme

This year we have gone a step further in our conservation project by launching a pioneer satellite-tracking programme in Cádiz. The species is going through a critical situation worldwide and this long-term project aims to tag some of the birds from our release programme and use the data generated by the satellite devices to support international conservation strategies.

This remarkable achievement would have not been possible without our tireless volunteers and the financial and moral support of the Andalucia Bird Society who have funded the acquisition of our first ever GPS transmitter. It’s only been a month since we tagged "Sacapuntas", our first Montagu’s harrier fitted with a GPS transmitter, and the information received to date has proven invaluable.

5. Innovation

We are using innovative techniques and new technologies to support our conservation programmes.

Camera trapping: Camera traps are used in both the breeding population monitoring programme and the bird release programme. These cameras allow us to read PVC colour-coded rings and identify birds individually. They also provide an insight on some of the predators that can be found around the release programme facilities.

Field data collection apps: For the first time in 2019, we have developed several field data collection apps for mobile devices. These apps use geospatial technologies and allow us to record the location and related information of our field surveys in a cloud-based database.

Microsoft Office 365: This year we joined Microsoft’s programme for non-profit organisations which give us access to Microsoft’s Office 365 services at no cost. Office 365 provides Tumbabuey with cloud-based storage for our data as well as Office apps and email that help our staff to create and share information in a secured environment within the organisation.

Legal Challenge on release of game birds

The legality of releasing circa. 50 million non-native pheasants and partridges into the British countryside each year is to be challenged in the courts by a new crowdfunded campaign led by Wild Justice. The government should be forced to carry out environmental assessments of the impact of the shooting industry’s release of game birds into the wild each year, according to Wild Justice. Lawyers for Wild Justice believe that in failing to carry out such studies, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) is in breach of the EU habitats directive.

To put this in perspective, if programmes were to be put into place for the reintroduction of 'native wildlife' then this is strictly regulated, including public consultation and provisions of environmental impact surveys etc. And yet the game bird industry appears to believe that the release of non-native species, in staggeringly high numbers, should be permitted without any such precautionary checks or research being carried out. Seem reasonable to you?

The absurdity and petulance of the shooting industry's response to Wild Justice's legal challenge reaches a low of understanding and spin even by their own abject and poor standards. A reaction born from an abused privilege and perceived entitlement, a reaction I liken to that of a spoilt child who now is being made to act reasonably and in line with standards expected of everyone else.

The legal action is not an attempt to end the hobby of pheasant or partridge shooting. The release of such large numbers of non-native birds into the wild must be subject to independent review and investigation about the possible damage this may do to native fauna and flora. Something I would have expected for the self-confessed 'responsible' industry to have welcomed, unless of course there is something they know that we should be worried about.

If you would like to support this crowdfunded legal action, then please click here

Some ridiculous and scandalous responses to this action can be read on the link here.