Australian Bird of the Year

The Guardian Australia is currently conducting a poll for the Australian Bird of the Year.

In a simple interactive web page, you can tick your favourite species.

I wonder if any of Drouin's urban birds will get a look in?

The beautiful Spotted Pardalote, a fairly common bird in our town, is surely worth a vote or two?

Almost anywhere there is a big euc!

 Perhaps the gregarious and noisy Rainbow Lorikeet we often see and hear in the parks and gardens will score well?

Everywhere!

 I'm always partial to a Golden Whistler, and you can nearly always find one near the golf course.

Pryor Rd, Bellbird Park, Thornell's Reserve ...

 Maybe, like me, you may enjoy some birds with more subtle beauty like the diminutive Brown Thornbill that prefers undergrowth habitat in places like Bellbird Park and Pryor Rd.

Pryor Rd, John Lardner Reserve, Drouin Golf Course, ...

 The beautiful Sacred Kingfisher was ticked recently at Bellbird too.

Bellbird Park, Thornell's Reserve.

 Another personal favourite is the Golden-headed Cisticola. This secretive little bird can be found – if you can be quiet and patient – in places like McNeilly and Summerhill Wetlands.

McNeilly Wetlands, Summerhill Wetlands, Amberley Estate ...

 "A blatant excuse to push a bit of bird stuff" did I hear you say! Too right!

Here's the link again – Guardian Australia's Australian Bird of the Year. There's some interesting and humorous comments attached to the article too.

Hmmm, Drouin's Bird of the Year 2018, I wonder would that work?

Trees and Asthma

As reported at huffingtonpost.com.au on 17/11/2017 ….

"A new study from the University of Exeter has found … that in heavily polluted neighbourhood(s) an increased number of trees actually reduced the amount of people who were admitted to hospital with asthma attacks."

"… the study looked at over 650,000 serious asthma attacks over a 15 year period. It then compared emergency hospitalisations across 26,000 urban neighbourhoods in England."

"In the worst polluted areas the data was loud and clear – trees made all the difference."

"… Dr Ian Alcock, research fellow at the University of Exeter's Medical School … We know that trees remove the air pollutants which can bring on asthma attacks, but in some situations they can also cause localised build-ups of particulates by preventing their dispersion by wind.

What they found however was that despite these concerns, the increased vegetation did significantly more good than harm."

"The team hope that their findings can help inform local councils in their urban planning policies – creating environments that balance each other out and ultimately result in a space that prioritises air quality."

Links to more reading on the topic Trees and Air Pollution:-

Trees actually lower your risk of dying.

Trees improve our air quality.

Growth of city trees can cut air pollution says report.

Smart trees piloted in Paris in a bid to curb pollutioncrisis.