Panel
This week's guests:
Professor Philip Stott
Ehsan Masood
Graham Appleton
TOPICS
Results of the Blue Tits and Milk Bottles Survey
Earlier in the series ornithologist Graham Appleton told listeners that the last recorded incident of Blue Tits stealing milk from foil covered bottles was in 2000. He asked listeners to write in with any incidents they had seen since that date. The results were that yes, Blue Tits do still steal milk from bottles, and so do crows, magpies, rooks and even foxes and weasels.
General blue tit information including a link to its song.
Recycling Cars and Car Parts
European Regulations require that manufacturers recycle or reuse 90% of cars by weight by 2015. However, not all the waste from cars is passed through the manufacturers and the panel discussion how individuals and small dealers and traders can help with recycling.
Document on End of Life vehicles.
A large amount of information on car recycling from the charity WasteWatch.
The EU End of Life Directive.
The UK Government's Waste Strategy for England.
Do Pigeons Swim?
A listener related their experience of watching pigeons land on the water on at least three separate occasions. The panel discussed the fact that pigeons do this but are unusual amongst land based birds in doing so.
Information on the Wood Pigeon from the British Trust for Ornithology.
Information on the feral pigeon, the one found in UK cities, from the BBC.
An article on the pros and cons of culling pigeons from Animal Aid UK.
What is driving the current high cost of food?
A background article on the rising cost of wheat and its impacts from the BBC.
An article on record wheat prices from the Financial Times.
The UN World Food Programme which has raised a number of significant concerns over the impact of rising food prices.
Report from the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation on Crop Prospects and Food Situation.
Should we feed garden birds?
Is the human habit of feeding garden birds changing their behaviour and does it have an environmental impact?
Information from the British Trust for Ornithology on feeding garden birds.
A recipe for making your own fat balls, there are many other recipes available. Mix lard with nut, scraps, porridge oats and dried fruit in a ratio of one part fat to two parts dry food. Pour the mixture into a half coconut while it is still warm, let it cool and then hang it in the garden.
An article describing the pressure on bird food prices.
RSPB advice on when to feed garden birds.
Contact Home Planet
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30 min
