Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1482386
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 23W OCTOBER 2022 11 ALMANAC Nature Notebook 36. Cattle Egret IF birds were into sports, herons and egrets would probably go for basketball, on account of their long legs and tall, slim build. Ten spe- cies of herons have been recorded in Malta, ranging from common regulars to the very rare. Twenty years ago the cattle egret (M. agrett tal-bhejjem) was a rarity but in recent years it has become quite reg- ular, turning up singly or in small flocks in and around wetlands like Salina and Is-Simar. The bovine connection is because cattle egrets often follow cows and other large herbivores, and snap up in their yellow dagger-like bill any frogs and invertebrates disturbed by the big beasts as they walk or wallow. The much more common little egret is very similar but it's dead easy to tell from the cattle egret be- cause its bill is black, not yellow. Like all the other herons, the cattle egret is protected. Publication of the Pesticide Atlas The new and first Pesticide Atlas has been published presenting facts and data on worldwide use of and trade in pesticides, as well as their im- pacts and alternative solutions. Since the industrialization of agriculture, pesticides have been used to increase crop yields. Today, larger quan- tities are being used than ever before. Whether in our food, soil, water or air - traces of pesticides are everywhere. They are harmful to human health and the environment. Every year, there are about 385 million cas- es of pesticide poisoning worldwide. People in the Global South who work in rural areas are particularly affected. This is also because the EU, as the largest pesticide exporter, allows companies to export pesticides to countries in the Global South that are banned in their own countries. The food produced there will then be imported into Europe. The EU's Farm to Fork Strategy asks Member States to reduce pesticide use and associated risks by fifty percent by 2030. But so far, a binding interna- tional treaty on the reduction of pesticide does not exist.The Pesticide Atlas is freely available and can be downloaded from the internet. Victor Falzon www.birdlifemalta.org Green idea of the week 725: If you want to hear about the community garden, sign up to our newsletter https://foemalta.org/get-involved/ newsletters-signup/. 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 Alessandro Bergamini Q'EROS 14 October - 27 November Place: Il-Hagar | Heart of Gozo Museu Il-Hagar – Heart of Gozo Museum is proud to announce a photography exhibition entitled 'Alessandro Bergamini Q'EROS: Beyond the Clouds', which opened on Friday 14 October, 2022. Give nature a voice. Become a BirdLife member Fairyland 8 December - 6 January Place: Valletta, Malta From Rudolph's Wheel, back by popular demand, to give you the best bird's eye view of Valletta, to an Ice-Skating Rink for anyone looking to test their skills, or learn some new ones. In addition to the rides and attractions, you will find a Christmas Market where you can get all your stocking fillers and indulge in a variety of Festive Food and Drink options whilst doing so! A GOOD WEEK Good Week/Bad Week A BAD WEEK A "treasure trove" of unseen early works by Banksy are to be shown in public for the first time. The works, which include birthday cards and an advertising board, were created by the street artist for his then-girlfriend between 1994 and 1998. Bulgaria has become the latest country to say it will not participate in next year's Eurovision Song Contest. Broadcasters from North Macedonia and Montenegro had already confirmed they would not be taking part in 2023 because of the increased entry fee. Michel Boersma said showing the works was "surprising and really exciting". BBC News has been told countries have been asked to pay more to make up for the money lost following Russia's ban.