The supporters of a ban on driven grouse shooting, are now 21,500 signatures ahead of the forces of conservatism who wish this unsustainable hobby of shooting birds for fun and profit to continue. We’ve pushed on by another 900 signatures in the last week. But it’s not quite as simple as that, as there are…
Author: Mark
Born Bristol, UK
Educated: Cleeve House School Bristol, Bristol Grammar School and Downing College Cambridge
Ph.D. University of Aberdeen, Winter activity of pipistrelle bats.
NERC post-doctoral Research Fellow, Edward Grey Institute, Oxford University
Former Conservation Director of the RSPB, 1989-2011
Guest blog – Cyprus winter camp by Alister Clunas
Alister Clunas was born on Orkney. He gained a Masters degree in Resource Management from the University of Edinburgh. His first conservation job was an Assistant Watcher on the Farne Island on £13 per week. Later he worked as a Ranger in East Lothian, a Property Manager in the Yorkshire Dales for the National Trust…
Paul Leyland – The Footballer
Paul writes: This is a beautiful brightly coloured hoverfly. It is sometimes known as The Footballer, probably from the days when lots of teams wore striped shirts! It’s one of the commonest and most widespread hoverflies and is seen throughout the UK. It has a long flight period. I usually see them from the…
Wild food (30) – Wild Garlic by Ian Carter
Wild Garlic, or Ramsons as it is sometimes called, is one of the most eagerly awaited plants of the spring for its aesthetic appeal and for its flavour. By late April it carpets the floor of ancient woodland where conditions are right, a haze of white flowers among the long-established green leaves. It is often…
Sunday book review – Orchid Summer by Jon Dunn
I’m no botanist (and I can produce references if needed) but I loved this book – and many of the readers of this blog will love it too. The idea is simple – see all the orchids of Britain in a year. Do you think the author succeeded or not? If not, how close…