Eco Hvar - Nature Watch

Nature Watch

Nesting swallows: good luck promised!

Published in Nature Watch

Marion Podolski has the good fortune to have swallows nesting in her doorway in Vrboska on Hvar. Exciting and fascinating!

Bird Watch, May 2017

Published in Nature Watch

After a brief absence from the island, Steve Jones caught up with the bird activities in May. Lots of early-summer action going on!

Birdwatch, April 2017

Published in Nature Watch

Steve Jones reports from Dol.

Birdwatch, March 2017

Published in Nature Watch

An active month for Steve Jones. An unexpected turtle appears, and interesting birds are coming and going on Hvar!

Birdwatch, February 2017

Published in Nature Watch

Steve Jones' bird sightings in February 2017. Happily, gaps are being filled!

Birdwatch, January 2017

Published in Nature Watch

Steve Jones has had a great start to the year!

SOS: Bats Gone Missing!

Published in Nature Watch

Eco Hvar is not alone in being worried that bats are increasingly rare on Hvar Island.

Orchids on Pelješac

Published in Nature Watch

Orchid enthusiast Frank Verhart continued his researches into European orchids during 2016. He found much of interest on the Pelješac peninsula.

Hvar's Wildflowers and Plants in Winter

Published in Nature Watch

Mara of Go Hvar casts her artistic eye over Hvar's surprisingly abundant winter wildflowers.

Another Kingfisher sighting, in December!

Published in Nature Watch

Steve Jones was delighted to spot a Kingfisher for the first time on Hvar.

Pesticides: UNESCO-approved?

Published in Nature Watch

Hvar is rightly proud of its UNESCO-recognized assets, but are they being looked after?

Herbicide in the Stari Grad Plain, March 2016

Bird sightings 2016

Published in Nature Watch

Steve Jones has kindly provided a listing of the birds sighted during 2016, with English, Latin and Croatian names..

Cranes in flight

Published in Nature Watch

Steve Jones in the right place at the right time.

Hvar's Butterflies

Published in Nature Watch

Marion Podolski casts her expert artistic eye over Hvar's butterflies.

Autumn update from Dol

Published in Nature Watch

Steve Jones has kept up his Nature watching through Hvar's mild autumn weather. More dragonflies, but less birds than expected.

More...

Hvar's Wild Flowers in the Late Summer

Bright roadside field marigold, Jelsa October 2016.

Summer nature report from Dol

A guide to Hvar's wildflowers - Spring edition

Brilliant poppies on Hvar in springtime.

Black-winged stilts at Soline

April Bird Watch, 2016

March Bird Watch, 2016

February Nature Watch, 2016

January Bird Watch, 2016

Trees and Hvar's Youngest Eco-Warrior

Bird Watch early January 2016

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Nature Watch

Highlights

About Animals

Forum items

Mosquitoes and more

Category: Forum items

An irish family holidaying in Vitarnja complain to Eco Hvar abou tthe prevalence of mosquitoes.

A learning curve

Category: Forum items

A post on the Eco Hvar Facebook page led to an unexpected response. Eco Hvar learned a lot!

Dragonflies, info request

Category: Forum items

Can anyone help with information about dragonflies on Hvar?

Kingfishers

Category: Forum items

A question about kingfisher behaviours following a sighting in Zavala (Stari Grad) in September 2015.

Hvar's birds declining?

Category: Forum items

Are Hvar's bird numbers dwindling?

Leishmaniasis precautions

Category: Forum items

An inquiry from the UK about leishmaniasis protection measures.

Glyphosate comment

Category: Forum items

An encouraging observation from the United Kingdom:

Help for a 'stray' cat

Category: Forum items

My friend and I visited Hvar over the weekend. During our stay we met a street cat that we grew very attached of each other.

Mosquitoes, worst ever

Category: Forum items

Despite the local authorities' attempts to control mosquitoes with pesticides, many have complained that the mosquitoes on the island are more virulent than ever.

Olive oil producers

Category: Forum items

Query: It was a pleasant surprise to come across your article regarding olive oil making in Dalmatia. Me and my husband have taken it up as a serious hobby to be involved in the olive oil process in m...

Feeding cats in Brela

Category: Forum items

I am staying at the Hotel Berulia in Brela and have been feeding a mother,father and five kittens about (10 weeks old). Do they get rid of the kittens in the winter when there are no guests?

Stray cat in Hvar Town

Category: Forum items

We are currently visiting your lovely island and are staying in the Amfora Hotel. Since our arrival we have fallen in love with a beautiful stray young cat.

Stray dog in Hvar Town

Category: Forum items

Hello I was staying in Hvar Town for 5 days last week in June 14 and we tried our best to care for the kittens, cats we have seen as they were so very skinny. What is keeping me awake at night back in...

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Poisons: Be aware!

Eco Environment News feeds

Sheffield tree protesters blockade council depot as injunction begins

Demonstration comes hours after court order preventing campaigners from taking ‘unlawful direct action’ came into force
Campaigners have demonstrated against a “politically controversial” tree-felling programme in Sheffield, hours after the start of a high court injunction against protesters.
About 50 campaigners, some wearing wigs and dressing gowns and one in a Michael Gove mask, blockaded a Sheffield city council depot to try to prevent tree-felling contractors from leaving on Wednesday morning.
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Borough Market to phase out plastic bottle sales with free fountains

London’s historic food market also aims to achieve zero landfill with biodegradable packaging and compostable leftovers
London’s Borough Market is to introduce free drinking water fountains as part of a new pledge to phase out sales of all single-use plastic bottles over the next six months.
The renowned foodie haven – the only fully independent market in the capital – is aiming to become the UK’s biggest food shopping destination that is entirely plastic-free.
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Typhoon Hato kills three in Macau and batters Hong Kong

Two other people missing in Chinese gambling enclave, and flights cancelled and schools closed in Hong Kong
A powerful typhoon has killed at least three people in the Chinese gambling enclave of Macau and forced offices and schools to close in Hong Kong, where hundreds of flights have been cancelled.
Related:Asian typhoons becoming more intense, study finds
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Floods claim more than 800 lives across India, Nepal and Bangladesh

Millions affected by severe flooding in south Asia, as aid agencies struggling to cope with disaster warn of food shortages and risk of disease
More than 800 people have been killed and 24 million affected following widespread floods across south Asia.
Severe flooding has devastated communities and destroyed crops in India, Nepal and Bangladesh, with NGOs warning of food shortages and the risk of disease.
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The blue dogs of Mumbai: industrial waste blamed for colourful canines

The group of strangely coloured canines was first spotted on 11 August prompting locals to complain to the local pollution control board
Authorities in Mumbai have shut down a manufacturing company after it was accused of dumping untreated industrial waste and dyes into a local river that resulted in 11 dogs turning blue.
Related:Murder most foul: polluted Indian river reported dead despite 'living entity' status
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Ford launches scrappage scheme offering at least £2,000 for any brand

Company joins other manufacturers, including Vauxhall and BMW, in seeking to get dirtier vehicles off UK roads
Ford has announced a car and van scrappage scheme in a bid to get dirtier vehicles off the roads and boost its sales in the UK’s flagging car market.
While other manufacturers, including Vauxhall and BMW, have launched scrappage schemes this year, Ford’s is unusual in allowing customers to trade in and scrap any brand of older vehicle for at least £2,000.
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Serious farm pollution breaches rise in UK – and many go unprosecuted

Environment Agency figures show severe incidents are weekly occurrence as farms struggle with cost of pollution prevention despite subsidies
Serious pollution incidents in the UK from livestock farms are now a weekly occurrence, leading to damage to wildlife, fish, farm livestock and air and water pollution.
The Environment Agency in England and its devolved counterparts in Wales and Scotland recorded 536 of the most severe incidents between 2010 and 2016, the worst instances among more than 5,300 cases of agricultural pollution in the period across Britain. In England and Wales the figures relate to pig, poultry and dairy farms whereas in Scotland they refer to all livestock farms.
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Spectacular rebirth of Belize's coral reefs threatened by tourism and development

Report reveals improvement but also details danger posed by tourist-generated pollution, oil extraction and climate change
Just below the surface of the turquoise sea, coral flutters majestically amid schools of puffed up porcupinefish and fluorescent blue and yellow angelfish.
The gangly staghorn and fanning elkhorn corals are thriving in swimming distance of Laughing Bird Caye, a tiny Caribbean sandy islet in southern Belize, thanks to a restoration project that is yielding striking results.
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UK charity helps rescue two orangutans in Borneo from illegal sale

Two baby apes were discovered in tiny cages in Ketapang, Borneo. A man has been arrested for trafficking wildlife via social media
A UK charity has helped rescue two baby orangutans who were found by police in West Borneo caged and ready to be sold through social media to illegal buyers.
The two apes, a one-year-old male and an eight-month-old female, who were discovered in tiny cages are now in the care of International Animal Rescue (IAR) at its centre in Ketapang, Borneo.
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Moss may prove cheap city pollution monitor, study finds

Common moss changes shape in areas of high nitrogen pollution and drought and has potential to be big bioindicator, say scientists
Delicate mosses found on rocks and trees in cities around the world can be used to measure the impact of atmospheric change and could prove a low-cost way to monitor urban pollution, according to Japanese scientists.
Moss, a “bioindicator”, responds to pollution or drought-stress by changing shape, density or by disappearing, allowing scientists to calculate atmospheric alterations, said Yoshitaka Oishi, associate professor at Fukui Prefectural University.
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Eco Health News feeds

Vaginal seeding after Caesarean 'risky', warn doctors

Swabs of vaginal bacteria, which some say helps the immune system, may be doing more harm than good.
Green man road crossings 'too fast'

Guidance calls for councils in England to make it easier for elderly and disabled people to cross the road.
Johnson & Johnson faces $417m payout in latest talc case

The payout - to a woman who developed ovarian cancer - is the largest award so far against the firm.
HIV home-testing kits warning

The medicines regulator seizes 114 potentially unreliable home-testing kits.
Matt Dawson's life changed by a tick bite

A bacterial infection spread through the former England rugby player's body after he was bitten.
'Safer' Down's syndrome test to be introduced in Wales

The new test - which has a reduced risk of miscarriage - will be offered from next year.
Stephen Hawking: I'm worried about the future of the NHS

Cambridge professor criticises health secretary and warns about role of private sector in the NHS.
Calories in popular foods must be cut, say health officials

Health officials target pizzas, burgers and ready meals to help tackle child obesity in government drive.
Ashbrooke Care Home closed over 'serious risk to life'

Ashbrooke Care Home is closed after an urgent inspection found failings that posed "serious risk to life".
Inquiry call against health board over killer Kris Wade

Health officials did not follow procedures over sex assault complaints against a worker who later killed his neighbour.

Eco Nature News feeds

What happens when animals are scared stiff?

Lots of animals can experience 'tonic immobility' — a state of paralysis usually caused by fear.
Eclipse glasses distributed to the homeless in Southern cities

Eclipse glasses distributed to the homeless, plus where to donate your old eclipse glasses if you don't plan on reusing them.
What is crown shyness?

Crown shyness, or tree canopy shyness, is when tree canopies don't touch, creating stark outlines between the treetops.
It's raining diamonds on Neptune and Uranus

The outer planets might contain some serious bling.
The Great American Eclipse captured in photos

The Great American Eclipse of 2017 made for some great photo moments.
Why the 2024 total solar eclipse may 'outshine' 2017

Mark your calendars now for the Great North American Eclipse of April 8, 2024.
How to watch the eclipse if you can't see it

There are a lot of streaming and TV options for seeing the eclipse if you missed out on glasses or if clouds are in your way.
What will the weather be like for the solar eclipse?

With clouds and thunderstorms predicted for parts of the U.S., some eclipse-viewers may have an obstructed view.
No solar eclipse glasses? Here's what to do

From welding helmets to colanders, here are 6 DIY ways to cope with a nationwide shortage of eclipse glasses.
100-million-year old flowers found perfectly preserved in amber

Researchers find 100-million-year-old flowers preserved in amber that were likely dislodged from trees by dinosaurs.