Saturday was glorious, chilly but comfortable in the sunshine. Just right for the Big Garden Birdwatch.
It was all pretty much what I'd expected, as my children and I scanned the trees and shrubs in my Hackney garden. Here's what we saw:
Twenty-eight birds in all. Whilst I was counting birds I thought it would be an interesting exercise to count planes too. I recorded thirty-seven flying over my garden.
What's important about my Big Garden Birdwatch is what I didn't see! In the (almost) three years I've lived here, I have never seen a starling. I have seen some house sparrows, but none this weekend. In this area, there should be both. The main problems seem to be a lack of insects and seed for them to eat, coupled with far fewer places for them to nest. These can easily be resolved with a bit of land management and design. The RSPB has got researchers working on the answers right now. Birdwatch results are due out in March, please send yours in to help us monitor long-term bird changes.
The other thing all birds are having to contend with is climate change. It's having an impact on our seasons and weather. Birds are reacting to the changes now, robins for instance are laying eggs a week earlier than fifty years ago. We humans, insulated from nature, are a bit slower to react. What's been discovered is that if we can reduce CO2 emissions by 2015, we stand a chance of limiting the damage climate change will cause. That's just six years away. Less than two terms in office for a London Mayor!
In the UK, the subsidised aviation industry is our biggest growing emitter of greenhouse gases, and the Government's agreed to allow expansion at Heathrow! Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, is promoting a new airport in the Thames Estuary; with two terminals, one on each bank of the river!
Last week, Boris Johnson and the RSPB worked together to promote the Big Garden Birdwatch. This week, we do not see eye-to-eye on this Thames Estuary airport plan. Its creation would not only make it impossible for the UK to meet CO2 emissions targets, it would also damage environmentally sensitive areas and would sit in the middle of a very busy migratory route for LARGE birds. Yes, he's right in saying the construction is feasible from an engineering point of view. But that's as irrelevant as engineering a chocolate fireguard. From a human, economic and environmental point of view, it's a catastrophe.
Boris. We need to talk.
This is London - Green London - 26/1/2009
TEN THOUSAND Canada Geese will need to be culled near Heathrow to prevent a plane crash like the one on the Hudson River, a leading Government adviser has warned.
John Allan, an expert in bird management at the Central Science Laboratory, said birds were large enough to "bring a plane down" if they hit an engine.
Heathrow has a particular problem, he said, as 10,000 of the birds roost in lakes and quarries south of the airport and feed to its north, making them likely to cross the runways.
His words follow the crash-landing of a jet in New York's Hudson River 11 days ago, after it reportedly flew into a flock of Canada geese.
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Comment: The operating procedure for the third runway will be very steep ascent / descent to clear the towers of the two ancient churches at Harmondsworth or Harlington. Usually in the event of a problem whilst landing aircraft can do a 'go around' that is they immediately take off and try to land again. However with an ancient church tower in the way - itis evident that any plane in trouble will simply crash. Great siting for the new runway.