Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1512576
maltatoday | SUNDAY •3 DECEMBER 2023 7 ALMANAC Nature Notebook 895. Pied Avocet MANY species of shorebirds (or waders) pass through Malta. Some are regular and common, others heart-stoppingly rare, and one or two that actually nest. My hands-down favourite is the pied avocet (M. xifa), a largish black-and-white picture of beauty and elegance, with long pastel blue legs. But the bird's pièce de résistance is the beak: long, tapering, thin, black and bent upwards. Now what could be the reason for that? Well, one of these scarce passage migrants graced the saltpans at Salina nature reserve this week, and visitors watching it feed soon solved the beak mystery. The avocet walks in- to the water swishing its beak from side to side just under the sur- face, and any small fish or invertebrate that gets within range of that swipe gets snapped up and gobbled. Just the tool for the job – that's evolution for you! Friends of the Earth Malta Relaunches "Malta Farm Map" to Promote Direct Sales of Local Produce Friends of the Earth Malta (FoEM) is excited to announce the relaunch- ing of its "Malta Farm Map," an initiative designed to foster and cham- pion local farmers, enabling them to sell their fresh fruits and vegetables directly to consumers. This innovative project is aligned with FoEM's mission to safeguard local farmland permanently and educate the pub- lic about the significance of consuming locally sourced produce. The "Malta Farm Map" is an online platform dedicated to showcasing local farms and producers who wish to bypass intermediaries in their sales transactions in Malta and Gozo. The map is readily accessible online, boasting user-friendly navigation on both desktop and mobile devices. Users can explore the interactive map to locate farmers in their vicinity, discover farm shops, farm markets, and organic produce sup- pliers. Victor Falzon, www.birdlifemalta.org Green idea of the week 776: Visit the "Malta Farm Map" website at www.foemalta.org/maltafarm- map 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 with Ira Losco On 31 December Place: Crust Bistro & Bar Be entertained by a night of LIVE music with Ira Losco as we count down the final hours of 2023. Easy access to our bar and waiter service whilst enjoying our open bar from 8:30pm Relish our home made scrumptious finger food throughout the night. Enjoy a cosy yet joyous atmosphere in the vibrant CRUST Bar and Bistro. Give nature a voice. Become a BirdLife member Christmas Extravaganza On 23 December Place: Malta Fairs & Conventions Centre Join the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra on this fun-filled Christmas journey, specially designed for the entire family for this special time of the year! Pre- Concert family fun entertainment starting from 5:00pm! Take a picture with Santa Claus, join in the games, be amazed by the magician and more! A GOOD WEEK Good Week/Bad Week A BAD WEEK Pop star Taylor Swift was the UK's most-streamed artist of 2023, topping the end-of-year charts across Spotify, Apple Music and Deezer. The singer was particularly powerful on Apple's service, where she set an all-time record for the most listeners for any artist in a single year. Shannen Doherty says she is committed to battling stage four breast cancer, which has now spread to her bones. Speaking to People magazine, the Beverly Hills 90210 actress says she is determined to keep going with treatment. But she failed to claim the most-played song on any of the streaming platforms. "I'm not done with living. I'm not done with loving. I'm not done with creating," the 52-year- old said.