Two years ago I drove from Gippsland to Alice Springs and back over a period of about one month. No rain but still didn't need to clean the windscreen once. Rob Gully 0434 140 880 From: Birding-Aus [ On Behalf Of Dave Torr
Sent: Tuesday, May 19, 2020 9:21 AM
To: Robert Scholes
Cc: Michael Hunter; <>
Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Insecticides Yes, I seem to recall a German program on TV about this. In the "good old days" when driving you had to clean the windscreen of dead insects nearly every time you stopped for fuel - not not so common. Of course habitat loss is a factor as well - we used to be surrounded by farms but now all they grow is houses. And mono-culture does not hep either On Tue, 19 May 2020 at 09:17, Robert Scholes <> wrote: Couldnt agree more. Not only insects 0affected but I am sure humans too. Asthma was unusual 60 years ago to name just one illness.
After an ornithologically sterile month traversing California, a creeping realisation that Mulgoa Valley, once seething with small birds now has far fewer, ditto Avoca on the NSW Central Coast, the penny dropped.
INSECTICIDES. are wiping out the base of the food chain in built up and semi rural areas.
Not just for small birds, but all the way up to raptors like Black shouldered Kites and falcons which include insects directly, and indirectly via small reptiles which are largely insectivorous. Honeyeaters eat insects in flowers as well as their nectar.
A very obvious example has been the demise of House Sparrows worldwide, although granivorous their young need animal protein, in the form of insects, to develop. Those insects have largely gone due to insecticides, House Sparrow sightings are now rare. My last single sighting was in Bunnings Gosford Nursery. ? Significance ?
Most Reptiles, most small Mammals, most Amphibians and most Fish need insects.
How many Councils spray entire suburbs for Flies and Mosquitos, unwittingly killing thousands of birds and reptiles.
A giant problem. Any suggestions re a longterm solution.?
"Bring Back the Birds. Ban inorganic and long lasting Insecticides "
Hoping that this starts a longterm campaigns
Much more to come.
Michael
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