The Birdwatch Birders’ Choice nominations are published, and the closing date is the end of this month – click here.
Book of the Year?
- Bird Therapy by Joe Harkness
- Rebirding by Benedict MacDonald
- RSPB Guide to Birdsong by Adrian Thomas
- Gulls by John Coulson
- Oceanic Birds of the World by Steve NG Howell
I’ve only read the top two of these titles and since I’ve reviewed them here you can see what I think of them – they are both good books.
Birding News?
- Nocturnal olive suction harvesting kills millions of birds
- White-tailed Eagle reintroduction to the Isle of Wight
- Brazilian Amazon burning
- Record year for Cattle Egrets
- Record-breaking Two-barred Crossbil irruption
I was completely unaware of the top story in this list until I read about it on social media and the newspapers – that makes it the top story from my point of view.
Site of the Year?
- Wicken Fen
- Nanjizal Valley
- Frampton Marsh
- Minsmere
- Tacumshin
I’ve been to all of these sites at some stage, and two of them this year, but only Frampton in the last week – so I’ll vote for that wonderful RSPB nature reserve (which came into existence during my time as RSPB Conservation Director).
For all the categories – click here.
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When I last heard, the Spanish were refusing to address the Olive
harvesting issue, so we get ours from another country of origin.
I checked with Filippo Berio, whose oil I buy, and they do not do this and said it was not a common practice.
Also, they are one of the few companies who use glass bottles.
Do glass olive oil bottles have a lower environmental impact than plastic ones? I am not sure that it is obviously the case.
Jonathan – it will depend what you do with them when empty, and what is done to them by those who receive them from you. Who knows?
I think there are other factors as well as the fate of the bottle once the consumer has finished with it. For example a glass bottle may weigh as much as 10 times more than a plastic bottle of the same volume, adding significantly to the fuel consumption in transport. There will be differences too in the energy consumption associated with manufacture of the bottles though I certainly don’t know how great these are.
Both types of bottle can in principle be recycled. I am not aware of any widely available olive oil brand that is sold in returnable/refillable bottles.
I don’t think it can be assumed that glass is more environmentally friendly.
Jonathan – good points, thank you.
Thanks for that Marian, it’s a good job it isn’t common practice, if the
quoted figures are to be believed, there would soon be nothing left.