Your comments on this blog are great! I can never be quite sure which blogs will stimulate most comment although, by now, I have a fairly good idea – but I am sometimes surprised by you.
There are quite a few people who regularly comment here who give this blog part of its character. Here are a few of the regulars with my pen portraits of them:
John Miles – always seems to have got out of bed on the wrong side, angry about the uplands, grouse shooting and many other things. Often the first comment on this blog – can’t sleep John?
Dennis Ames – standing up for farmers and has grown more tolerant of my views on farming. I’m always pleased when Dennis likes what I say. More comments than anyone else.
Roderick Leslie – an old friend of mine so I tolerate with good humour his wish to mention forestry at any excuse. Talks a lot of sense too.
Trimbush – feisty and hardly comments except on badgers where we can hardly stop him once he gets going.
Filbert Cobb – witty, really witty!
Lazywell – a good brain and a nice turn of phrase. Just think how brilliant his comments would be if he hadn’t eaten all that lead over the years…
Joe W – well informed and thoughtful.
Ian Coghill – stands up for GWCT in a way that may not increase its support with this readership, but very welcome all the same. Notice how often he criticises the RSPB whilst asking for collaboration.
Bob Philpott – always the voice of reason.
Jonathan Wallace – brings a wide and wise perspective to this blog.
Well, that’s just 10 of you and there are many more. Thank you all.
Sometimes comments arrive on blogs quite a while after the blog appeared. I see these as I have to approve all the comments for them to appear but it is likely that many are missed by most readers who are being incensed, entranced or motivated by the current blog and its comments. Here are a slection of comments which you might have missed but which are worth a back-track:
Neil Hunter‘s comment on Peter Marren’s Guest Blog. This is Neil’s only comment on this blog and it is superb – I do hope he comes back and comments on other subjects in similar vein.
Andy Clements‘s comment on the comments received by his own Guest Blog – well worth a read.
MW on white-tailed eagles – lots of passion!
Jamie McMillan on my attempt to bring Shelley up to date.
Please, keep those comments coming.
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Very interesting how you see all of us and mostly tolerant reaction on your part.This blog made me think of how interesting your blogs must be as you built quite a following at RSPB blog and now a really large following of mostly different people on this blog.Considering all the things you do to fit this in is incredible and I am always amazed at your work ethic.
Dennis – you are very kind.
Get up early, go to bed early. What’s wrong with that! I live in the uplands so why should I not care for the uplands. We have a new upland center based at the University of Cumbria. The first thing they shout is that they want more sheep in the uplands to mange its beauty!!! I write constantly in our local paper condemning any idea of this. It is me not Natural England, RSPB or National Trust writing in. I cry out for more trees but I do not hear the Forestry Commission writing in and saying that they agree. I seem to be a lone voice but I know there are many out there that agree with me but do not take the time to write in. So some one has to do it.
John – keep it up! And I admire your determination.
I must say that I always read John’s comments with interest though I don’t always agree with his analysis the solutions are often correct and I would certainly wish him well in keeping even more sheep out of the Cumbrian uplands. They have already been so badly damaged by said sheep. It is indeed not just Mark’s words on a chosen subject that makes the blog so interesting or the guest bloggers but the comments that make it all so interesting and illuminating, whether or not one agrees with them. Thank you Mark for being such a good catalyst!
Mark – I certainly agree with you about Neil’s comment on Peter Marren’s guest blog, and would rate that as one of the best guest blogs ever. Thank you as ever for the blog, guests and the excellent comments (my own rambling nonsense excepted of course).