This week in birds - #71

A roundup of the week's news about birds and the environment

Young Purple Gallinule photographed at Brazos Bend State Park.

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President Obama made a major speech this week about climate change, about the dangers that we face because of it, and what he plans to do to try to combat it. The speech was widely underreported by our feckless media who were mesmerized by other events happening around the country, but that may actually be a good thing since it deprives the anti-science faction their platform for ranting. The actions which the president is proposing are things which the executive branch of government can do without the approval of our dysfunctional Congress, so it may be that they will actually get done!

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Simon Watt, creator of the Ugly Animal Preservation Society, reminds us that it is not just charismatic animals like tigers and pandas that need our protection. Animals that to our eyes may look ugly, like the gob-faced squid and the taildropper slug (Google them!), have important roles to play in Nature and they deserve our protection, too.

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The Common Cuckoo of Europe is a species in decline and is being closely tracked by the British Trust for Ornithology. The Trust reports that the birds are already beginning their flight back to their winter homes in Africa. The first one, named Sussex, left on June 15.

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The Skeptical Science blog, which tracks news of global warming and how the media reports it, calculates that the media are overlooking at least 90% of the information that is available and much of what they do report is just wrong.

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The Guardian reports that the UK's environment secretary has given to green light to a controversial cull of some 400-500 endangered sea birds on the Ribble Estuary in Lancashire. The birds are Herring and Lesser Black-backed Gulls, both of which are protected species, but it is thought they pose a threat to aviation in the area and so the government will proceed with the removal.

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Scientists are devising a new method for tracking and counting bats which will be less intrusive and, it is hoped, less disruptive to the critters. It involves the use of a laser system called LIDAR.

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A study of Bullfinches indicates that they learn their songs in bits and pieces rather than as one whole linear melody. Captive Bullfinches are able to learn songs taught to them by humans in this way.

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The International Court of Justice in The Hague is hearing a suit brought by Australia against Japan that charges that Japan's so-called "research whaling" which kills hundreds of animals each year is simply a ruse for a commercial whaling operation. 

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The endangered Millerbird population on Hawaii's Laysan Island is making a comeback. The population has doubled since from the original 50 birds that were released on the island in 2011 and 2012 and is now up to 100.

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Assassin bugs are helpful allies to gardeners because they prey on some of our insect pests. Now a new species of assassin bug has been found in a cavern in Arizona. It's been christened the "labyrinth bug" and it probably won't be showing up in our gardens, but it's just nice to know it's there, doing its work underground.

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It seems that the Komodo dragon has had a bad rap all these years. The story about its dirty bacteria-laden mouth turns out not to be true. It's not bacteria from the dragon that kills big prey like water buffalo; it's actually venom. Recent scans of the critters show that they have venom glands in their mouth. 

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Around the backyard:

Birds and birder have been sweltering this week. My sprinklers have been in use on most days, as we continue to have no rain in sight. Birds love sprinklers, of course. When I look out my window at times I can see dozens of them happily taking showers under the sprinkler's spray.

The birds are thirsty, but they are also hungry. Seed and suet continue to disappear very quickly from my feeders. I find myself refilling them about every two to three days.

There are a couple of hummingbirds in my yard now, but they are not really visiting the feeders. There are plenty of flowers for them to sip from and they actually prefer that. I'm taking down all of my feeders except one that hangs in the shade next to my pond. There is no point in putting out sugar water that is just going to turn rancid before it is consumed.

If you have hummingbird feeders, please do remember that you need to clean and refill them frequently in this weather. When the temperature is at 100 degrees daily, it doesn't take long for the syrup to spoil.

ALSO, PLEASE REMEMBER TO KEEP YOUR BIRDBATHS CLEAN AND FILLED WITH FRESH WATER DAILY. IT IS A LIFESAVER FOR YOUR BIRDS.