DON'T FORGET THE BIRDS

Icarus stands for International Cooperation for Animal Research Using Space. Scientists taking part in the Icarus-initiative are working together to study the behavior of animals.

Scientists want to use Icarus to find out more about the life of animals on earth: the migratory routes they take and their living conditions. These findings will aid behavioural research, species protection and research into the paths taken in the spread of infectious diseases. The information should even help to predict ecological changes and natural disasters.'

In the process, the Icarus researchers will attach mini-transmitters to a variety of animal species. These transmitters then send their measurement data to a receiver station in space. The receiver station in turn transmits the data to a ground station from where it is sent to the relevant teams of researchers. The results will be published in a database that will be accessible to everyone: movebank

Whilst walking in our local cemetery, I came across a black woodpeckers’ nest. Its head was poking out, as if on lookout.

The nest itself was a deep hole inside a large older Beech tree I think… the entrance hole stood roughly 16 foot maybe higher off the ground.

It was the first time I’ve ever seen a black woodpecker and luckily I had my camera and proceeded to photograph it, in my excitement I crept closer and closer, in that moment all I cared about was trying to get a good photograph to post online.

I neglected to think about the bird itself and the fact it was spring and possibly sitting on a clutch off eggs or with its young. As I moved closer, I must have tripped or moved in an irregular way and disturbed the woodpecker away from its nest. As it happened I heard the noise of chicks calling from the nest as the woodpecker flew into the distance.

As I watched the woodpecker disappear, it occurred to me what I had possibly done, a wave of guilt washed over me. In the pursuit of a photograph I had disturbed a nesting bird with the very real possibility of the chicks being abandoned.

I waited awhile, hanging back, anticipating the woodpecker’s return, but nothing. That evening I sat at my computer and researched black woodpeckers to see if I could find any information about their habits that would put my mind at rest. I found out a little bit about its nesting behaviour and that the species was well distributed through out Scandinavia.

I found out that in the past a black woodpecker could be a sign of bad luck and impending doom.

The next day I went back early to try and catch a glimpse, but nothing. I decided that I would go back everyday for a week. Each morning I cycled back to the cemetery and waited from a distance to see if the woodpecker returned to feed its young.

As I started to lose all hope, I reflected on the whole experience. Although slightly obsessive and neurotic, searching for the woodpecker had made me more aware of the act of looking and the role of distance; whether that is the distance between the wild and civilized, or between a physical and online reality, where images are flattened and commodified.

Bird photography is a lot like hunting or collecting, it’s a taxonomy (see Carl Linnaeus) not only to make sense of the world but to measure it, whether for personal achievement or scientific research. There is no right or wrong here, in fact bird watching and bird photography are moments of recording and image capture which create archival data.

The whole experience made me feel that I know so little about my environment. As I leave my computer screen and go outside to photograph new birds and in turn meet new people, I start to respect my surroundings more, and I think that is this the point.

It’s not about who sees the first or rarest bird, or gets the best image. It’s about gaining understanding and respect for nature which is changing and disappearing rapidly.

Speaking of which, as I stand navel-gazing thinking about how I can squeeze all this into a facebook post, I see a flash of black! A wave of relief…. it’s back!!!