AI still affecting Black-headed Gulls
Although wild bird cases of bird flu are starting to diminish, large groups of Black-headed Gulls continue to see mass die-offs. This latest one in Bedford is a timely reminder that we still need to take utmost care with our biosecurity. See local BBC New report here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-65562633 For the latest Gov.uk info about hygiene […]
Pal-Mates … weekend web tip
Mother knows best, but what if you have to use an incubator? 5 Domestic Goose top tips from Colin Murton. • Set eggs no longer than a week after laying as viability declines a bit every day • Most incubators are designed to be indoors, they don’t cope with huge variations of temperature • Turn […]
Poultry Registration consultation
It is currently mandatory for a person who is a keeper of 50 or more poultry at any single premises to register their birds on the Great Britain Poultry Register by providing specified information on the birds. The information on the register enables the government to communicate with poultry keepers quickly, to manage any potential […]
Pal-Mates … weekend web tip
Today is World Wildlife Day. The aim is to raise awareness of the world’s wild animals and plants. 3rd March was chosen to commemorate the signature of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which took place on 3 March 1973. These pictured species may be familiar […]
Pal-Mates … weekend web tip
Top tips for successful nesting
Wild waterfowl death reporting requirements intensify
Reporting dead wild birds – surveillance sensitivity increases In Great Britain, members of the public should use the new online reporting system or call the Defra helpline (03459 33 55 77) if they find one or more dead wild birds of prey, gull, swan, goose or duck, or five or more dead wild birds of […]
Pal-Mates … weekend web tip
The lush green grass of summer could well be a distant memory. Maybe you have a few patches or edges that are now mud and need some repair. If soil temperatures are below 9 degrees, most grass seed won’t be able to grow, but in gardens it can be successful to do cold seeding. Dormant […]
Swans killed in Essex
As waterfowl lovers, it is hard to understand why anyone takes pleasure harming these beautiful creatures. Large, close and slow moving, they could not even be described as ‘sporting’ targets. Following catapult attacks on four Mute Swans early in the new year, 2 firms with local connections have each offered £1000 for information leading to […]
Pal-Mates … weekend web tip
What’s in a name — Maned Duck or Maned Goose? Life is a gradient of relatedness and what taxonomy tries to do is put it in that order. When the common names were thought up for waterfowl they were either called a duck or a goose according to how we traditionally recognised each — ‘ducks’ […]
Pal-Mates … weekend web tip
UK Breeds at Risk. Where do you stand if your collection succumbs to bird flu? Geese Brecon Buff Buff Back Chinese Embden Greyback Pilgrim Roman Sebastopol Shetland Steinbacher Toulouse (British standard) West of England Ducks Abacot Ranger Aylesbury Cayuga Orpington Pekin Rouen Shetland Duck APHA tells us that each outbreak is examined individually, but […]
