A Distinctive Performance

The Argentinian pianist and Chopin specialist Ingrid Fliter makes her debut on the Linn label with an effortless performance of Chopin's notoriously difficult piano concertos, featuring the Scottish Chamber Orchestra conducted by Jun Märkl.

Fliter’s authoritative, yet expressive performance in the first concerto is complimented by a breathtaking command of Chopin’s lightening speed runs in the second. This is an absolutely phenomenal Linn debut. 

Illegal Killing of Birds in Southern Europe

Across several countries in Southern Europe including France, Spain, Italy, Cyprus, Malta and Albania, birds suffer from a wide range of illegal persecution: illegal poisoning, shooting, trapping and the theft of chicks for the bird trade are common practices.

Although migratory birds are protected under EU legislation, hunters continue to blatantly contravene the law in Spain, Italy, France, Cyprus and Malta. The authorities in these countries only pay “lip service” to the legislation but do nothing to prevent the killing of birds.

Albania has recently introduced a 2 year hunting ban but only time will tell whether the authorities enforce the legislation. Albania had become a destination for Italian tourist hunters because in the European Union, at least on paper, there are much stricter controls on what and when you can shoot.

The grim fate of migratory songbirds in Valencia, Spain, has been highlighted by a new video filmed by the Committee Against Bird Slaughter (CABS), which also shows police not responding to a call-out.

Despite a clear EU ban on such practices, the Spanish authorities take no action against these installations although these are highly visible and are operated openly by their owners. Heinz Schwarze, CABS President said: “We have informed the police time and again but no one accepts responsibility”.

Champions of the Flyway is a major new international bird race that is being staged in Eilat, Israel on 1st April 2014.

While the racing might be light-hearted, the goal is to raise funds, so that BirdLife International can tackle the illegal killing of birds in Southern and Eastern Europe.

Phone Lines Down in Brighton

I have been without a landline for telephone and Internet since last Friday and am having to use a rather slow portable Huawei router (as now). According to local news thieves have targeted and stolen British Telecom's underground copper cable. How they have managed to steal underground cable is beyond me. The upshot is that I will probably not be reconnected before 28th February, so won't be posting much before then.

Gamekeeper Guilty of setting Illegal Pole-trap

A North Yorkshire gamekeeper has pleaded guilty to setting an illegal pole-trap, contrary to the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, following evidence obtained by the League Against Cruel Sports and RSPB.

Ryan Christopher Waite admitted to two charges related to setting a pole-trap, consisting of a spring-trap on a tree stump on the Swinton Estate, near Healey, North Yorkshire, between May and June 2013, at Harrogate Magistrates Court on December 10 2013.

During a Newton hearing at Harrogate Magistrates Court today, to establish the facts of the case, magistrates deemed intent was not to catch birds of prey but rather reckless intent when catching squirrels on the shooting estate. Cobblers, if I may say so. Waite was clearly expecting to catch a bird of prey. He is a gamekeeper on a shooting estate....

Mr Waite was fined £250 and ordered to pay £105 in costs. The trap is to be forfeited and destroyed. (What is to stop him getting another?)

Pole-traps have been illegal since 1904. The devices were and still are typically used by gamekeepers near to game-rearing pens to trap birds of prey perceived to be predators. When a bird lands on the trap, usually nailed to a post, the spring will snap shut the jaws of the trap around the bird’s legs. Unable to fly away the severely injured bird will be left to suffer a long and agonising death. That’s what people like Waite use them for....    

Fish Nabs Bird in Flight - Rare video

Migrating birds face many dangers on their travels and Swallows wintering in Africa, feeding low over water on insects, have a recently documented danger to watch out for. Members of the Hydrocynus genus of fish, popularly known as Tigerfish (familiar to anyone who watches extreme fishing programmes on television), are found throughout Africa and are large and ferocious predators. This recent video footage shows Tigerfish taking Swallows out of the air as the birds make their characteristic low swoops over the water.

High Energy Bird-food for Winter

Even in a mild winter like the one we are having, wet, blustery weather means that many species struggle to find enough food to survive. Small birds suffer the most. Their low body mass means that they lose heat and weight quickly and every foraging trip for them is vital. I keep my garden feeders topped up daily and have found that my garden visitors particularly like the Peckish range of foods such as their Winter Warmer seed mix and their Daily Goodness Nuggets, which are rich in high-energy and high-protein ingredients such as suet, seeds and mealworms.

Take a look here:  www.peckishbirdfood.com  (No, I'm not on commission!)

Phalarope's 8,000-mile Trip

Where do Shetland's Red-necked Phalaropes go in the winter? It has long been assumed that they join birds from Scandinavia to overwinter in the Arabian Sea but data from a bird tagged on the Shetland Isle of Fetlar in 2012 has shown that these tiny birds make an even more epic journey than was thought.

One of 10 birds tagged with tiny tracking devices by the RSPB and the Swiss Ornithological Institute, aided by the Shetland Ringing Group, when recaptured was found to have undertaken an 8,000-mile journey over the Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean and Mexico, ending up in Peru, before returning again for the summer, a journey never recorded for any bird that breeds in Europe.

The Red-necked Phalarope spends the winter at sea feeding on the plankton that blooms in colder currents. The birds may be directly affected by El Nino events, which reduce the amount of plankton available.