Bank holiday book review – Pressing On by Robert Gillmor

  This book is a real treat – full of clear, crisp, concise linocuts by Robert Gillmor. Is Robert Gillmor the nation’s favourite nature artist? Who knows?  But over a period of seven decades he has been publishing drawings, paintings and linocuts with subjects primarily drawn from the natural world.  This book of linocuts is…

Paul Leyland – Bloody-nosed Beetle

Paul writes: It’s a pity that the appearance of this beetle isn’t quite as dramatic as its common name suggests. The name comes from the beetle’s defence mechanism, which is that when threatened the beetle releases a bright red fluid from its mouth. It’s a slow moving domed beetle, up to 20mm long, coloured black…

Natalie Bennett says ‘Ban driven grouse shooting’

Natalie Bennett is a Green Party politician, and says; ‘I first learnt about the damage driven grouse shooting moors were doing to their neighbours with disastrous land management practices after the 2015/16 floods. And I found out about the carbon emission impacts of their activities. Then I learnt about the plight of the hen harriers…

BREAKING: A new species discovered on grouse moors (by Alan Cranston)

BREAKING NEWS: Scientists have been astounded by the discovery of a new species on Britain’s uplands. Given the scientific name Apodemus loricatorum aprilis asinus, it is found only on driven grouse moors. Research has shown that it can survive only in that specialised environment and scientists are excited by its extraordinarily rapid evolutionary development. Professor…

Sunday book review – Our Place by Mark Cocker

  This is the best book on the state of nature since George Monbiot’s Feral and deserves to be read just as widely. It’s been quite a long time in the making. I interviewed Mark Cocker for Behind the Binoculars back in January 2014 and at the same time he interviewed me and a few…