Birder's Bonus 123

As the first serious snows arrived in Loughor, a mob of Long-tailed tits (Aegithalos caudatus) arrived at the feeder.

Seeing the Changes 539

In spite of blizzards being forecast for tomorrow, noted a plump, green caterpillar, out for a stroll, in Loughor.

Smoking the Bees Out?

The European Food Safety Authority has ruled that neonicotinoid pesticides (those most widely used) present an 'unacceptable danger to honeybees' (http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2013/jan/16/insecticide-unacceptable-danger-bees?INTCMP=SRCH). This debate has been running for some time and the pesticide manufacturer claims that data supporting this view has been subject to 'over-interpretation'. Our dependence on these currently challenged pollinators means, however, that the data has to be urgently evaluated and appropriate action taken.

Rain- Appreciating Butterflies?

News that, in spite of a generally disastrous year for UK butterflies, species with grass-eating caterpillars have boomed is interesting (http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2013/jan/17/grass-feeding-butterflies?INTCMP=SRCH). Meadow brown (Maniola jurtina), Ringlet (Aphantopus hyperantus) and Gatekeeper (Pyronia tithonus) have all shown increases in numbers. It appears that our recent wet summers have encouraged the growth of their preferred nosh!

Seeing the Changes 538

Spring must be coming! Alder (Alnus glutinosa) catkins were dangling at Gillingham River park. In Loughor, snowdrops (Galanthus nivalis) were in flower.

The Fin End of the Wedge

A most disturbing picture is a photograph of thousands of shark fins being dried behind walls in Hong Kong (http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?hl=en&sa=X&tbo=d&biw=1280&bih=751&tbm=isch&tbnid=3uaXr9QCFteKnM:&imgrefurl=http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/picture/2013/jan/03/hong-kong&docid=aKCC-xVLlX9rbM&imgurl=http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2013/1/3/1357202868787/Thousands-of-shark-fins-d-006.jpg&w=780&h=525&ei=vcLlUMWcC4eM0AWT-IDIBw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=199&vpy=165&dur=11847&hovh=184&hovw=274&tx=162&ty=213&sig=108629131164605584465&page=1&tbnh=137&tbnw=210&start=0&ndsp=25&ved=1t:429,r:1,s:0,i:158). The fins are destined for shark's fin soup but the picture hints at the enormous wastage involved in this process. 

Out of Africa?

The new, 6-part 'David Attenborough' series on 'Africa' was unleashed last night (http://www.guardian.co.uk/tv-and-radio/gallery/2013/jan/02/africa-david-attenborough-bbc1-series-pictures) with a first episode on the Kalahari desert. Attenborough takes credit for the (scripted?) voice-over but the footage is provided by natural history photography professionals. It is visually stunning but some of the sequences (e.g. gentle, 'sociable'  rhinoceros by star-light; Meerkats being 'conned' by Drongos; territorial male giraffes etc) may be somewhat atypical of the 'normal' species behaviour. The economics of desert lives may predispose species to act in ways slightly different from that seen in other parts of their range. Animal behaviour seems to me to be more flexible than it is usually given credit for! Like some of the critics, I also could have done without the mood music (but I could always have switched the sound off).