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Did you notice that Oxford won the Boat Race – and I think I may have seen an otter holding on to the back of the Cambridge boat…
The editor of the Independent, Chris Blackhurst, writes a piece on the outgoing environment editor Michael McCarthy. As you can see he borrows extensively from a blog on this site a month ago. You read it here first.
Mike also tells it as it is in his valedictory article.
Look out for April fool tricks today – or poissons d’avril in French – but there aren’t any here.
The clock in the bathroom now tells the right time – maybe I will change it in October – but maybe I won’t!
Let’s hope April gets into the swing of spring very quickly. Please.
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As a regular taker of the Independent, I have always enjoyed reading Michael McCarthy’s articles. However for obvious reasons his final article on Friday was one I can safely say I did not enjoy, although I agree with nearly everything he writes in it. He’ll be sorely missed and the Independent will be a poorer read without him.
What an idiot [abroad!] that Mike Macarthy. Once man has left the planet there will be only women. And just like the RSPB recruitment they will bring back peace and harmony. Not! Global warming – snow line still just over 1000 ft. And is not an April Fool!
I once had the privilege of meeting Mike McCarthy. Arriving for my early morning wardening duty on the local RSPB reserve, there was, unusually, a car already in the carpark and a gentleman with binoculars who I assumed was just a keen birder. I was right, of course, but quickly learned that he was there to cover the release of radio-tagged water voles in a controlled experiment. He had arrived early, before his photographer and the scientists, to get a feel for the reserve and to see what was about. This was Mr. McCarthy and I spent a very pleasant half-hour or so in his company and was greatly impressed by his enthusiasm and knowledge. Later in the day I saw him sitting alone in the sunshine outside a local pub with a pint and probably writing up his copy.
Incidentally, I lent him my laminated map of the reserve which I didn’t get back! Unfortunately the water vole experiment was a disaster as they were all, radio-tags included, gobbled up by mink.
I hope that in his retirement he finds some hope of mitigating his pessimism for the future of the earth and Homo sapiens.
Well what I did see on the news about the boat race was the presence of the marines! Who gave the ok for that and who then picks up the bill for that, after all last time I lived in Sarff London the Met had there own river police and launches and what use would they’ve been because I’m pretty sure unless you’re an imediate threat to public safety ie a gun/bomb on you, then the military cannot not arrest a civilian…..still I guess that’s one of the privelleges of the Oxford/Cambs posh boys. 🙁
Snap on going through March without a spring migrant. Desperado! Our [non met office] garden weather log shows that during the last 43 days only on 1 day did the wind leave the NW-N-NE-E-SE sector. Our average temperatures have been Jan: 3.01C; Feb: 2.7C and March 2.97C. The lowest temperature in March was only -1.5C. This is approx. 6 miles inland from the N Norfolk coast. No one could be longing for spring more than us.
No spring migrants seen or heard by me either (in Staffs Moorlands). Did see my first ever Waxwings today though!
A few swifts in Paris I hear now. That is exceptionally early though. I hope they’re late this year (like most), for if they do arrive before May, there’ll be naff all for them to eat here at this rate…