Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1439469
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 26 DECEMBER 2021 9 ALMANAC Nature Notebook 794. Eurasian Curlew TO me, the plaintive call of a curlew evokes open windblown marshes and grey drizzly skies. While many birds love trees, many others opt for treeless expanses like shores and estuaries. The Eurasian curlew is the largest European wader, one of that group of birds that general- ly have longish legs to walk and forage in shallow water for small fish, etc. which they then snap up with their longish beaks – the curlew's long beak is also curved, a feature that helps a lot in identification. Curlews breed in northern and central Europe but most migrate to coastal areas for the winter; it's a scarce visitor here but occurs every year. The names curlew in English, gurlin (Maltese), chiurlo (Italian), courlis (French), etc. are all miserable attempts to transcribe this bird's haunting call into our limited human alphabet. Victor Falzon, Aron Tanti www.birdlifemalta.org Green idea of the week 686: https://foemalta.org/get-involved/newsletters-signup/ December Flower of the Month: Mediterranean Heath (MT: Erika) Erica multiflora AROUND this time of year this winter flowering evergreen shrub paints one of the prettiest natural landscapes by colouring pink the limestone garigue and valley sides with its clusters of bell-shaped flowers (occasionally found in darker shades or, rarely, almost white). This native plant, the only one represented in Malta from the spe- cies-rich Ericaceae family (of more than 4000 species), has its dis- tribution in the Mediterranean region and grows less than 2m high depending on habitat. Its needle-shaped reduced leaves allow it to survive throughout the long dry season by reducing water loss and consumption. In some places where it is not disturbed in can form a beautifully dense cover providing shade and nectar to many or- ganisms. This pollinator plant contributes to a special type of honey while medicinally it is used especially for its diuretic and astringent qualities. In Maltese its name has often been source of some confu- sion with other plants having the same name, also known as: Savina, Leħjet ix-Xiħ, Issopu, Sagħtar Aħmar Visit Friends of the Earth's website for more information about our work, as well as information about how to join us. You can also support us by sending us a donation – www.foemalta.org/donate Don't miss this New Years Eve Gala Night Date: 31 December 2021 Place: Bacchus, Triq Inguanez, Mdina Celebrate the New Years' Eve with style and luxury inside the Prince De Redin Banqueting Hall. Memorialise the final night of 2021 and the beginning of 2022 with sumptuous food, free flow of fine wine, midnight bubble, accompanied by live music, followed by dancing. Give nature a voice. Become a BirdLife member Moments: The NYE Open Bar Date: 31 December 2021 Place: Montekristo Estates, Triq Ta' Hal Farrug, Luqa Moments is ready to take take over Montekristo this New Years Eve. The stellar line-up includes Ant, Juicy, Koroma, Kieren, Miggy, Mizak, Nagem, Pajsu, Sar, Scorsio and Stef. GOOD WEEK Good Week/Bad Week BAD WEEK Two 16th Century books with a rare folding map of the world included have sold at an auction for £365,000. The books, by English writer Richard Hakluyt, were only expected to sell for between £3,000 and £5,000. US rapper Drakeo the Ruler has died after being stabbed at a music festival in Los Angeles.The 28-year- old, whose real name was Darrell Caldwell, had been scheduled to perform at the Once Upon a Time in LA festival that weekend. The auction house in Exeter said buyers were interested from "all corners of the globe." The artist was reportedly stabbed during an altercation backstage around the time he had been due to perform.