Category Archives: Uncategorized
RSPB AGM
AGMs are often soul-less affairs – not so with that of the RSPB which was held yesterday in London’s QEII Conference Centre. This day in the past was a working day for me, and quite a stressful one too, as the period in the morning where you have to think on your feet and answer …
Kids stuff – pretty good too!
I went to a funeral earlier in the week and although the deceased was a close geographical acquaintance rather than a close emotional friend it was, as they often are, a moving experience. When I came home I stood in the garden and thought a bit, and took this photograph of the last few flowers …
Naturally curious
Reading the minutes of other people’s meetings is not my natural habitat or habit. However, you never know what you might find. The trouble is, most minutes are written to hide rather than expose any interesting parts of the meetings they purport to summarise. What might we find out if we had the energy to …
Taking mud to Essex
Last week Environment Secretary Owen Paterson launched work on Europe’s largest man-made wetland nature reserve – at least so say the RSPB and Crossrail whereas Defra is noticeably silent on the matter. Luckily, there is photographic evidence of the event. In an amazingly complex and difficult project, for which the RSPB’s Chief Executive Mike Clarke …
Leading the way
Do you remember that the Shooting Times were given a copy of a WWT Council paper on their position on lead ammunition back in the spring? As I said at the time, it’s hardly surprising that a nature conservation organisation is against the use of a type of ammunition that poisons some of its victims …
Children’s Eyes on Earth
You have a few days to vote in this international photographic competition for children and young people up to the age of 17. Voting closes at midnight on 25 September but why not vote now, otherwise you’ll forget won’t you? There are 50 photographs from around the world and some of them are stunning – …
Wednesday
Do have a look at the comments on the online poll on the best future name for the RSPB. Voting will close later this week so don’t delay to have your say. And even if you have voted – do have a look at the comments. I’m waiting for the next round of reviews for …
Woodcock
It’s not just the BTO who are doing exciting things with tagged birds. The GWCT are tracking woodcock which were wintering in the UK. Now I would have thought that these birds would come from Scandinavia , eastern Europe and the near parts of Russia – and on the whole I’d be right. But look …
Cuckoos
I’m doing a bit of travelling myself over the next few days so blogging may be difficult. I’m not going far, but you never know where the next bit of wifi might come from in the UK. So why not have a look at where the BTO cuckoos have reached on their travels. I find …
Montreal
25 years ago, that’s all, the Montreal Protocol was signed. The ozone hole is healing. International agreements can be agreements and can make a difference. Let’s have some more please.