Yet Another Cycling Forum

Random Musings => Miscellany => Where The Wild Things Are => Topic started by: Wowbagger on 16 May, 2020, 01:01:48 pm

Title: Storks return to the UK
Post by: Wowbagger on 16 May, 2020, 01:01:48 pm: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/may/16/wild-white-storks-hatch-for-first-time-in-hundreds-of-years?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

That’s wonderful! Jan and I saw some when cycling in the Netherlands in 2013. Beautiful birds.
Title: Re: Storks return to the UK
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 16 May, 2020, 01:04:16 pm: Very good, especially as they seem to be gently retreating from much of mainland Europe.
CLACK CLACK CLACK!
Title: Re: Storks return to the UK
Post by: hatler on 16 May, 2020, 01:07:41 pm: That is great news. Sadly offset by the massive increase in raptor killings by bastard gamekeepers.
Title: Re: Storks return to the UK
Post by: PaulF on 16 May, 2020, 04:37:59 pm: Great news but what creature brings baby storks?
Title: Re: Storks return to the UK
Post by: Andrew Br on 16 May, 2020, 05:30:47 pm: Very good Paul :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Storks return to the UK
Post by: pcolbeck on 16 May, 2020, 10:02:05 pm: Quote from: PaulF on 16 May, 2020, 04:37:59 pm
Great news but what creature brings baby storks?

Penguins.
Title: Re: Storks return to the UK
Post by: nobby on 17 May, 2020, 07:01:01 am: Quote from: pcolbeck on 16 May, 2020, 10:02:05 pm
Quote from: PaulF on 16 May, 2020, 04:37:59 pm
Great news but what creature brings baby storks?

Penguins.
;D
Title: Re: Storks return to the UK
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 17 May, 2020, 07:33:32 pm: More about the reintroduction programme and white (and black) storks in Europe generally:
https://theconversation.com/stork-chicks-hatch-in-uk-for-first-time-in-600-years-why-thats-great-news-for-british-wildlife-137320
Title: Re: Storks return to the UK
Post by: The French Tandem on 25 May, 2020, 10:44:59 am: Great news, yes, until one of them decides that your chimney is a perfect place for building a nest. Then you are in for a lot of troubles.

Not a personal experience, but from relatives in Hungary who had to refrain from firing the stove for a long time, due to a couple of storks.

A
Title: Re: Storks return to the UK
Post by: phil653 on 25 May, 2020, 11:18:12 am: In the time period we've lived on the Spain/Portugal border - a little over 20 years - storks have gone from migratory to resident which we're told is something to do with changes in agricultural practices meaning availability of year-round food supply. Between our little town, Olivenza, and the provincial capital of Badajoz is a distance of 25km and there is at least one stork's nest on every pylon, and up to four in some cases. But the champion is just outside Lisbon where I counted 13 nests on one pylon! BTW I spotted that on the way back from the airport after a business trip to the US. It was the day that lockdown began - and I'd cut short my trip to get home. Two or three hours after I crossed back into Spain, they shut the border.

Storks are wonderful to watch soaring in groups, which we saw more often when they assembled to migrate together southwards down across the Straits into Morrocco. But they aren't half clumsy taking to flight from the nest. They tumble out and flail for a bit as if they can't quite remember how to fly before getting it all together and off they go. They mate for life and return to the same nest year after year. The nests can weigh up to half a tonne and remind us of the hassidic shtreimel headwear. Unlike a hat, they never get blown off in a storm.