[El Annie]

In conserv@tion today:

The government’s chief medical officer has been alerted that the deadly West Nile virus, which has killed more than 100 Americans in the past month, has arrived in Britain for the first time. Tests have shown that a number of common bird species have been infected. This is similar to the way WNV was first carried into America three years ago. As well as claiming 3,346 American victims in the past year, 183 of whom have died, the disease has also killed thousands of birds and other animals, including horses.

http://www.habitat.org.uk/news1.htm

Another item of interest:

Woodpeckers wreak havoc on power line............