Andalucia Bird Society (1 Viewer)

[Black Wheatear]

Here here - that is some co-ordinated project!

A major operation indeed! It is so well organised and the whole exercise was achieved in a remarkably short time, which is great for causing as little disturbance as humanly possible. I have been a part of the ringing there now for 4 years and the skill and consideration shown is a tribute to all.

Peter :t:

 

[Black Wheatear]

The hosting company for the forum and ABS as well as some other web projects has been changed recently to a new host and server, this may have caused temporary problems for those visiting ABS.

We apologise for any inconvenience caused, but believe things should now run so much better and without further problems (famous last words).

We will be completely revamping the web site in the coming month or two and hope to have added several resources and features by the end of September. Watch this space!

Again apologies if you have experienced any difficulties accessing the forum or main site during recent days.

Peter:t:

 

[spurnlad]

Is Andy Paterson still down there?

 

[Black Wheatear]

Is Andy Paterson still down there?

Yes he is and keeping pretty busy with his new book regarding seabirds of the Northeast Atlantic.

Andy keeps a blog going as and when time permits and you can find it on this link:

http://birding-the-costa.blogspot.com/

Peter

 

[Black Wheatear]

Site name change

Hi one and all,

Please be advised that the main site and blog are now under the one name andaluciabirdsociety.com as opposed to old addresses of .org

Andalucia is now spelt with 'C' not as sometimes in the past with a 'S'

Thanks and apologise for any inconvenience caused by these changes.

B

 

[Black Wheatear]

New Logo forumer's comments please.

We have been updating the main web site and various other sections, an on-going process. Also, after many suggestions on here, we have gone for a new logo and would appreciate views before finally settling on this choice.

Your comments and/or suggestions would be gratefully received.

Thanks,

Peter :t:

 

[Black Wheatear]

We have been updating the main web site and various other sections, an on-going process. Also, after many suggestions on here, we have gone for a new logo and would appreciate views before finally settling on this choice.

Your comments and/or suggestions would be gratefully received.

Thanks,

Peter :t:

Bit more of the same, but with the drawings filling more of the frame. Any better do you think?

Peter :t:

 

[Barred Wobbler]

Better balance in the new one.

 

[Firetail]

Better balance in the new one.

I know you got some stick about the Cream-coloured Courser! But great effort and pleased several people made the suggestion about both Little and WR Swifts. Can you see both together in Europe or Spain other than in Andalusia? Difficult to not make the pic busy looking, but reckon I agree with Barred Wobbler, the second one looks better balanced. Great effort and would stick with it. :t:

Derek

 

[Black Wheatear]

I know you got some stick about the Cream-coloured Courser! But great effort and pleased several people made the suggestion about both Little and WR Swifts. Can you see both together in Europe or Spain other than in Andalusia? Difficult to not make the pic busy looking, but reckon I agree with Barred Wobbler, the second one looks better balanced. Great effort and would stick with it. :t:

Derek

Thanks Alan and Derek. I tend to think the larger image somehow looks less busy and better balanced, very difficult to get both birds into the logo so you can see their main features and not look like something out of a field guide.

Thanks for the encouraging remarks.

Peter B

 

[Black Wheatear]

Hoping to see some of you fellow forumers at the Birdfair - Andalucia stand in Marquee 4 stands 8/9/10.

We have been busy with the ABS web site and have now included a photo gallery of the birds in Spain. Over 750 photographs are included (I have yet to check the photograhers ids!!) and we are hoping to build this into a reference source, both enjoyable and easy to use. Take a look and hope you like what is happening to the web site. If you have any photographs you would like included in the gallery, please do let me know, all contributions greatly appreciated!

www.andaluciabirdsociety.com

Thanks to all.

Peter :t:

P.S. New checklist available for Serrania de Ronda etc., free at the Andalucia stand at the Birdfair.

 

[Black Wheatear]

September rarities and migration reports for the autumn 2009 Andalucia are now published, see web site for details:

http://www.andaluciabirdsociety.org/

Peter

 

[Black Wheatear]

Field Trip 25th October 2009

Our next ABS meeting will be to seek the first winter arrivals at Llanos de Libar. Hoping for Alpine Accentor, Ring Ouzel and who knows what else, maybe even a Wallcreeper?? Meet at the Bar Stop café at Benoajan Estacion 10am Sunday 25th October. We will probably take lunch at the Bar Stop around 1.30pm.

Please post a reply on the following link if you can or intend to attend. If you have any queries or need directions, please post on the link.

http://www.andaluciabirdsociety.org/forum/index.php/topic,214.0.html

Peter :t:

 

[Black Wheatear]

EU grant for steppe species

The European Union has granted funds to the Andalucian LIFE project conservation and management in special protection areas for steppe birds. It aims to improve conservation of species and their habitats. Andalucia is the region with the greatest number of species of these birds in Spain. A total of 25 species of which 15 are under some degree of threat. Funding of EUR 8.6 million represents 55% of the total project budget, the Junta de Andalucia will provide 2.9 million and the rest will come from other associated beneficiaries. More information on the ABS Forum.

http://www.andaluciabirdsociety.org/forum/index.php/topic,213.0.html

Peter :t:

 

[Black Wheatear]

Substantial penalties imposed for poison baits laid near Facinas

Great to see, at last, some action taken against these ********!
Think you might be interested to read that a landowner near Facinas/Tarifa has been fined 60K and banned from using his farm for hunting for 5 years for using poison baits. The farmer basically tried using the defence that it was either his tenants or someone with a grudge that had set him up.

There is a Spanish article appearing about this report (use Google Translate) on the following link:

http://www.europasur.es/article/com...iona/coto/caza/por/uso/cebos/envenenados.html


Peter :t:

 

[Black Wheatear]

ABS Field Meeting

ABS are holding a field meeting at Fuente de Piedra December 12th 2009. They are meeting at 10:30hrs in the main visitor centre car park. It is proposed to take lunch in the village at a suitable time and those arriving early are advised to meet first in the Camp Site Venta.

The group are hoping to find good numbers of Common Crane, Stone Curlew, Little Bustard and a host of other wintering birds. If you are able to come along, then you are all welcome.

Peter :t:

 

[Black Wheatear]

Si Vives En EspaÑa Y Te Apasionan Las Aves

Si vives en España y te apasionan las aves, por favor, ¡ayúdanos a crear un mejor "fórum" ornitológico! Aquí en Andalucia Bird Society queremos y esperamos hacer de nuestro foro un recurso valioso, y tú puedes hacer una gran contribución: únete a nosotros y házte uno de nuestros primeros miembros castellano-parlantes.

Hasta la fecha, la casi totalidad de la gente adscrita a nuestra sociedad es no-nativa y, mientras apreciamos sus inestimables aportaciones, nos encantaría que la gente española amante de las aves formara también parte de nuestro grupo.

Queremos que personas que tienen el castellano como lengua materna escriban sus notícias y/o historias en "la lengua de Cervantes", y nos parecería maravilloso poder intercambiar opiniones, información, etc , con la gente del país. Somos muy conscientes también de que tú puedes tener notícias que no nos han llegado a nosotros y, además, de que podrías estar mejor informado que nosotros sobre ciertos temas de conservación. Así pues, por favor, ¡únete a nosotros y participa!
Se puede ver el foro siguiendo el enlace escrito abajo. ¡Muchas gracias!

http://www.andaluciabirdsociety.org/forum/index.php

Peter (Pedro) :t:

 

[Black Wheatear]

February Field Meeting

Field Meeting 27th February - Laguna de Medina (near Jerez de La Frontera)

Meeting 1000hrs, Saturday the 27th of Ferbruary 2010, at the car park in front of the laguna. Approx 2km walk around the walkway where in the open fields we'll be looking for resident Stone Curlew, migrants can include Woodchat Shrike, Yellow Wagtail, Northern Wheatear. Along the walkway and scrub and reedbeds there should be lots of hirundines including Red-rumped Swallow, Sand Martin etc. If the weathers kind we can expect Hoopoe, Reed, Great Reed and Cetti's Warblers. On the water's edge we can keep a look out for Little Bittern, Squacco Heron with Red-knobbed Coot and White-headed Duck being the rarer birds out on the water. Black-neked, Little and Great crested Grebes should all be present and there is normally a good raptor presence with Black-winged Kite breeding, Marsh Harrier, Booted and Short-toed Eagles, Black Kite migration and often a passing Osprey hunting. Weather and water levels play an important factor on the presence of Eurasian Spoonbill and Greater Flamingo presence but there should be loads of duck and other species. There is a hide that we'll walk to and scopes are advised.

Lunch will be around 1400hrs near Benalup (hopefully we can sit outside...) and after we can drive the short distance to the N side of La Janda to see what's there.

More information: http://www.andaluciabirdsociety.org/forum/index.php/topic,258.0.html

:t:

 

[Black Wheatear]

Finally a final ABS Logo

After much a tado, we settled on the attached logo, also now available as a car sticker. Hope it meets with all your approvals?

Peter :t:

 

[John Cantelo]

Unfortunately, I'll be in the UK. One day there'll be a field trip I can get to!
Having seen photos of the flooding a little further north towards Jerez, I suspect that the water levels at Medina will be on the high side.