Tag Archives: sandra palme

Support East Sussex Wildlife Rescue and Ambulance Service and win wildlife art

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East Sussex WRAS was established as a voluntary group in 1996, but some of its rescuers have been rescuing since 1985. The organisation was set up in order to provide a front-line rescue service for wildlife casualties who unlike their domesticated cousins, do not have owners to help look after them. WRAS covers a large area and works with 11 different veterinary practices.

On average it costs WRAS £65 to be on call for and respond to a call-out. The vans, the mobile phones, veterinary bills, equipment stored in the vans etc are expensive and need replacing on a regular basis. This is why they need your help.

Local pet and wildlife artist Sandra Palme is helping to raise funds for WRAS and has created a unique pastel portrait of a little fox cub exploring his world. You can win this beautiful portrait and support British wildlife at the same time. All you need to do is donate as little as £5 – either here http://www.justgiving.com/foxportrait or via PayPal (to donations@wildlifeambulance.org – just add the words “Fox raffle”). It’s similar to a raffle ticket and your name will be entered into the prize draw on 31st March 2012. If you donate £20, your name will be entered 5 times!

On behalf of WRAS, the many animals they rescue and nurse back to health and artist Sandra, thank you for your support!

Bird of the week: House Sparrow

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The cheerful, chirpy house sparrow (Passer domesticus) was once a very common sight in towns and villages.
Sadly, the house sparrow population in Britain has declined dramatically since the 1970s – in some urban areas by up to 90%.

A shortage of nesting sites is one of the major factors. Sparrows like to nest in the eaves of houses or tree holes. If you know that there are sparrows in your area, why not help them out? They will happily accept special nest boxes that can house more than one pair. There is also a shortage of food, especially of insect food that the nestlings are fed on and seed. Sparrows come to my feeding station all year round and I am very happy to offer some seed.

Sparrows are very social birds and can always be found in flocks. The birds feed together, sing together, bathe together and even nest next to each other. There’s a clear hierarchy within the flock.
Sparrows having a bath
The older males – the ones with the largest black ‘bibs’ – have the highest status.
The sparrow is anything but a ‘boring brown’ bird. Check out some of my favourite photos:
This beautiful male house sparrow has just had a bath.

Female house sparrow

Young sparrow

Male sparrow with nesting material

I am lucky. I just need to turn my head and am able to watch a family of house sparrows in my garden. “My” sparrows have recently started to bring along their fledglings – at least six tiny birds that are constantly calling for food. A real joy to watch! The adults feed them insects, seeds and bits of fat ball that I provide. Some of the juveniles can already feed themselves when Mum and Dad are not looking but as soon as they turn around, the young ones beg as if they hadn’t been fed in hours. Too cute for words!

Baby sparrow begging for food

Juvenile sparrow

Sparrow feeding chick

If you would like to see more photos of house sparrows, please visit my gallery:

house sparrow

Everybody has heard of the sparrow – let’s make sure it will be chirping in our cities, towns and villages for many many years to come!

Sandra Palme
www.finepetportraits.co.uk

Welcome to Frost Magazine’s new Bird Column!

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Are you interested in all things avian? Maybe you would like to find out more about the birds you see in your garden or on the way to work? You enjoy looking at or taking photos of our native wildlife and birds in particular? Or maybe you think wild birds really are quite boring? If the answer to any of these questions is ‘yes’, then you are in the right place!

My name is Sandra Palme – I’m a professional pet portrait artist, birding enthusiast and experienced bird photographer.  From May 1st, I am going to share some of my favourite bird photos and stories with you, tell you some interesting facts about British birds and show you why  birds around you are a joy to watch and also need your help as sadly, many species are in decline.

Birds are beautiful, birds are fun, birds are clever, birds deserve our attention – and I’ll prove it.

Robin
Robin

So I hope you’ll join me next week!

When speaking to each other, in their languages of colour and song, birds inadvertently speak to us. They include us. And we cannot help but respond – so long as we have some streak of life left in us. (Simon Barnes).

Sandra Palme
www.finepetportraits.co.uk