sapper756

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Today in Fife , United Kingdom Today | Tomorrow | 10-Day | Monthly | Seasonal | Almanac Current Conditions http://i.uk.imwx.com/global/images/spacer.gifCurrent Timehttp://i.uk.imwx.com/global/images/93x93/26.png14°CFeels Like 14°C Cloudy Last Updated: 05:50 20 Aug (local time), 04:50 GMT Observation Station: Leuchars Wind From East South East at 13 kmph Humidity 100% Pressure 1,004.06 mb Dew Point 14°C Visibility 8 km What's Next Weekend Forecast Today's Outlook http://i.uk.imwx.com/global/images/spacer.gifMoon Phases Today's Forecasthttp://i.uk.imwx.com/global/images/61x61/11.png High 18° Sunrise: 05:50 Chance of Precip. 60% AM Light Rain Tonight's Forecasthttp://i.uk.imwx.com/global/images/61x61/29.png Low 11° Sunset: 20:36 Chance of Precip. 20% Partly Cloudy

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http://theora.com/images/vulture.jpg

Gandalf, a seven-year-old vulture, was flying in a display at the World of Wings in Cumbernauld, North Lanarkshire, when it made its bid for freedom at around 1.45pm on Tuesday. Nats, the air traffic control company, alerted pilots using Glasgow Airport about the Ruppell's Vulture, which is the world's highest flying species. Joanna Timson, one of the falconers at World of Wings, said: "Yesterday the conditions for flying for vultures were absolutely perfect. She was last seen heading in the Stirling direction." The vulture stands about 4ft high with a 10ft wingspan. A Nats spokesman said: "We made pilots aware of the possibility of seeing this bird as it has a three-metre wingspan and can fly at altitudes used by commercial aircraft." A spokeswoman for the Civil Aviation Authority said: "The impact of a bird strike can be serious whether it is one bird or many and a single animal could do significant damage to a smaller aircraft." If anyone spots the bird, they are asked to contact World of Wings on 01236 722 999. In 1974, a collision was recorded between one of the creatures and an aircraft at a height of 37,000ft. In January last year, geese brought down an Airbus which landed without human fatalities on the Hudson in New York. http://www.calliebowdish.com/Birds/TurkeyVultureShaverLake090606_7491.jpg

http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/staticfiles/NGS/Shared/StaticFiles/animals/images/primary/peregrine-falcon.jpg http://www.sos.idaho.gov/ELECT/peregrine.jpg http://www.worldinterestingfacts.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/peregrine-falcon-fastest-animal-in-the-world.jpg

Habitat and food Recently peregrines have started to use man-made constructions, especially tall buildings, as nesting sites. This ubiquitous falcon ranges from tropical forests to semi-desert to high Arctic, and from mountains down to sea level. It requires extensive open terrain for hunting. The precise type of surface habitat is less important than availability of suitable prey. Suitable nesting sites restrict peregrines to areas where cliff-ledges, quarry faces, crags, or sea-cliffs are available. Recently, they have started to use man-made constructions, especially tall buildings. Tree nesting occurs only rarely in the UK. The peregrine feeds primarily on birds, which it catches in flight. It spots the prey at distance and, once positioned correctly, it stoops at speeds of up to 180 kph for the catch. To enable the bird to breathe at this speed, it has special baffles in its nostrils, which control breathing. The high-speed stoop means that the peregrine must catch its prey on the wing to avoid injuring itself on impact. Despite its speed and agility, the peregrine is not always successful – many stoops fail to secure prey. Sometimes, if a surprise attack is possible at lower speeds, it snatches prey from a perch or the ground. Little of the kill is wasted - usually all that is left are the intestines and the breastbone with the feathered wings. Feral pigeons are favourite prey wherever they are freely available, though a wide range of birds are taken, ranging in size from goldcrest to grey heron. The larger females take larger prey than males. This generalist diet allows peregrines to exist wherever there are good mixed bird populations. They sometimes take mammals, and there are records of occasional amphibians, lizards and large insects. Legal status The peregrine is afforded the highest degree of legal protection under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. It is an offence to intentionally take, injure or kill a peregrine or to take, damage or destroy its nest, eggs or young. It is also an offence to intentionally or recklessly disturb the birds close to their nest during the breeding season. Violation of the law can attract fines up to £5,000 per offence and/or a prison sentence of up to six months. The Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 widens this protection and provides additional protection for the peregrine in Scotland. Population trends Peregrine numbers declined during the 19th and 20th centuries because of human persecution, which at times was relentless. Peregrines are widespread in the UK through the western part of England, and in Wales, Scotland and Ireland. In southeast and east England they are found on a small number of isolated sites, though their range is slowly spreading. They reach their highest densities in upland areas of Wales, southern Scotland and northwest England. The UK population was estimated at 1,400 pairs in 2002. In the British Isles peregrines do not migrate, and the majority stay within 100 km of their birthplace, although some upland birds move to lower ground or the coast in winter. While the British and Irish populations mix, there is practically no exchange with continental birds. Some of the migratory Scandinavian birds winter in Britain. Peregrine numbers declined during the 19th and 20th centuries because of illegal killing by humans, which at times was relentless. Widespread contamination by persistent toxic agricultural chemicals such as DDT caused the collapse of the peregrine population in the UK in the late 1950s. These pesticides built up in the food chain and concentrated in peregrines and other birds of prey, causing increased adult mortality, eggshell thinning and reduced breeding performance. By 1963-64 80% of the UK peregrine population had been lost. Only birds in the remoter parts of Scottish Highlands were unaffected. After the banning of these pesticides peregrine numbers slowly recovered, and by the late 1990s reached pre-decline levels over much of their former range. However, in southeast and east of England the bird has been slow to recover, and the range is now contracting again in northern Scotland. ThreatsSince the ban on the majority of the persistent organochlorine pesticides over most of Europe, their effects on peregrines have diminished significantly, although populations of peregrines in other European countries are still at low levels. Around 20% of the European peregrine population breeds in the UK and we therefore have an international responsibility to conserve this species. The largest continuing threat to peregrines in the UK is from illegal persecution, particularly on grouse moors. Recent estimates by the Scottish Raptor Study Groups indicate that around a quarter of peregrine nests in southern and eastern parts of Scotland are subject to interference and killing. The current population decline in northern Scotland may be the result of a reduction in prey availability caused by land use changes, or possibly the result of marine pollutants, including PCBs and mercury, present in the seabirds that form the diet of some peregrines in these areas. As peregrine numbers have recovered, some pigeon fanciers and game interests have called for the removal of the legal protection given to peregrines. Maintenance of legal protection is required under European Birds Directive. The RSPB believes that the highest level of protection is essential to the conservation of the peregrine, which remains comparatively rare, and is extremely vulnerable to human activities (including continued illegal persecution). Once the peregrine population declines, it takes many years to recover. The peregrine is a valuable indicator species of the health of the environment, but only if its numbers are not kept artificially low. The peregrine is a widespread species, present at low densities. Because of this, targeted conservation action can be difficult. Broad scale habitat protection and reduction of pollution and chemical contaminants will benefit peregrines.

Breeding Most of the brooding and feeding of small young is carried out by the female, while the male hunts to supply the food. Peregrines are territorial, with each territory containing one or more nest sites. The territories are well-spaced, and their size is determined by the abundance of food. The nest site, known as an eyrie, is usually on a grassy or earthen cliff-ledge, quarry or other inaccessible undisturbed location. Buildings and other constructions are increasingly being used. Old nests of other species such as ravens are used elsewhere in the world, but rarely in the UK. The nest itself is a slight scrape in earth or old debris on the nest ledge. No material is brought in to build a nest. The female forms the scrape using her chest and legs. The female normally lays a clutch of three or four eggs in late March or April at 2-3 day intervals. Both birds share the incubation, which begins with the last or penultimate egg, and takes 29-32 days per egg. The chicks hatch over a period of a couple of days, and have smaller size differences than chicks of most raptor species. Most of the brooding and feeding of small young is carried out by the female, while the male hunts to supply the food. After the first couple of weeks, the female shares the hunting. The young fledge at 35-42 days, and are independent two or more months later. During this time, the adult peregrines teach the young to hunt and handle prey in flight. Less than a third of peregrines reach breeding age. Those that do can expect to live 5-6 years. The oldest known peregrine was over 16 years old.

I am at Witton Castle with the Fife Federation, 116 miles, will be sending 8 or 9http://forum.pigeonbasics.org/public/style_emoticons/default/wink.gif GOOD LUCK TO ALL WHO ARE SENDINGhttp://forum.pigeonbasics.org/public/style_emoticons/default/wink.gif

BOBhttp://forum.pigeonbasics.org/public/style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif

STV news has just confirmed more sea eagles have been released in Fife http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3011/2942874810_b5e1653071.jpg Since 15 sea eagle chicks arrived from Norway in June, details of their reintroduction to the East Coast of Scotland have been secret. For two months the chicks were held in cages in an undisclosed location in north Fife, where they were fed venison, rabbit and fish to build up their strength before being released in August. Over the past two weeks all of the remaining birds, who are now six months old and fully grown, have left the release site and are roosting in the surrounding countryside, The Times can disclose. Two of the 15 — a male and a female — have died after landing on electricity transformers. Since August there have been 250 sightings, compared with only a few dozen each year on the West Coast, including some in highly unlikely places.

WELCOME TO THE SITE muscles

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http://img.skysports.com/10/08/218x298/RoyHodgsonandFernandoTo_2491899.jpg Without the luxury of UEFA Champions League football this season, Liverpool have the group stages of the Europa League in sight when they take on Trabzonspor http://img.skysports.com/10/06/218x298/Neil-Lennon_2463136.jpg Lennon: Faces Dutch challenge Celtic will look to bounce back from their UEFA Champions League disappointment when they take on FC Utrecht in their Europa League play-off. http://img.skysports.com/10/08/218x298/MacDonald1_2487254.jpg MacDonald: Rapid test Aston Villa will have their sights set on revenge when they tackle Rapid Vienna in their Europa League qualifying play-off first leg. http://img.skysports.com/10/08/218x298/balotelli_2490127.jpg Balotelli: Set for debut Europa League favourites Manchester City kick off their campaign in Romania on Thursday night. GOOD LUCK ALSO TO DUNDEE UTD AND MOTHERWELLhttp://forum.pigeonbasics.org/public/style_emoticons/default/wink.gif

YEP!http://forum.pigeonbasics.org/public/style_emoticons/default/angry.gif

YOUhttp://forum.pigeonbasics.org/public/style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif

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Usually Friday is the basketing night for most of us, so do PB members allow their youngsters to have a fly outwith the loft on this day, before basketing? I personally, keep my youngsters confined to the loft on the day of basketinghttp://forum.pigeonbasics.org/public/style_emoticons/default/wink.gif THANK YOUhttp://forum.pigeonbasics.org/public/style_emoticons/default/wink.gif

http://img.skysports.com/10/08/800x600/EmilioIzaguirre_2491706.jpg SPL giants Celtic have completed the signing of Honduras left-back Emilio Izaguirre from Motagua http://img.skysports.com/10/06/218x298/Mixu_2469358.jpgKilmarnock have added to their squad by securing the services of utility player Mohamadou Sissoko.

lucky you boxerhttp://forum.pigeonbasics.org/public/style_emoticons/default/sad.gif let us know how it goes m8http://forum.pigeonbasics.org/public/style_emoticons/default/wink.gif

Football http://img.skysports.com/10/06/402x210/James-Milner-plays-dodgeball_2470668.jpg Milner sets sights on title England international James Milner has targeted Premier League glory after sealing his move to Manchester City from Aston Villa

http://forum.pigeonbasics.org/public/style_emoticons/default/wink.gif"HERE, HERE" C,MON GUESTS, GET REGISTERED AND JOIN IN AND HAVE YOUR SAY ON THE MANY THREADS AND BANTER THAT GOES ON HERE http://forum.pigeonbasics.org/public/style_emoticons/default/wink.gif YOU ARE VERY WELCOME!

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GOOD MORNING ALL YOU PB MEMBERS OUT THEREhttp://forum.pigeonbasics.org/public/style_emoticons/default/wink.gif How are we all doing today?

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