June was quite a busy month for this blog what with all that stuff about Hen Harriers and grouse moors and the ever-growing number of signatures on this e-petition to ban driven grouse shooting in England. However, it was the two blogs about Simon Barnes’s imminent departure from The Times that caused the biggest stir – probably because this blog was where many people heard the bad news first and also because it had a quote from Simon himself.
Readership of this blog was over 22,000 in June compared with what is a more regular monthly total of 10-12,000 – although I suspect that there would have been a significant uplift even without the Barnes effect.
Some try to measure the influence of social media outlets and the measure called Klout is one way to do it. In this ranking of environmental commentators and organisations by their up-to-date Klout scores this blog (essentially) is ranked fourth in, well, in the world actually. It’s quite fun, and it won’t last.
But this blog does, it seems, have clout. Some read it because it inspires them; some because although it irritates them to bits, they just can’t keep away. In that regard, I was touched, and amused, by @Shooting Times telling me:
‘@MarkAvery I really do try not to read your writing. But it’s like crack cocaine… Extremely bad for you, but quite addictive.’
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Well done on every count Mark,you are doing a wonderful job for wildlife in my opinion and I for one look up to you more than anyone else.
We went for a walk today primarily to see Turtle Dove and we have a very large wild meadow area that I think is Natural England site reasonably close with several Turtle Dove there so we saw one perching,one flying and we heard one,possibly the same one of course.
What a pity we have not more of these wild meadows as my guess is that even if we wanted to make some it would be a big job as the land is probably too fertile to change for many years.
Do think we should really try and get some back into wild meadows,say so many in each county of perhaps 50 Hectares each and then let the farmers grow for food on all their land as I doubt setting a small % of each farm for wildlife will have as much benefit as several large areas.
Seeing that today had a big impact on me and for sure if we could have identified them there was probably almost all species of birds,butterfly’s,insects and wild flowers.
It’s obviously fantastic to have large areas of more natural habitat but it’s also very important to connect them up IMO. Especially where rare species are concerned. A local extinction of a rare species can be reversed where there is a route in from another ‘wildlife island’. Our hedges are obviously a very good example of tis. So I am not sure all those scraps of natural habitat on otherwise fairly extensive farms are unimportant.
what’s your most ever read blog?
Mark,had to come back as I just saw that Findlay has put a model Hen Hrrier on his roof.What a brilliant young man.
Dennis – he is, isn’t he? It makes one more hopeful for the future, doesn’t it?
Certainly seems more hope in general for the future of wildlife with what you are doing now and Findlay already doing great things and obviously he will get better with experience.
Suddenly looking better for Hen Harriers as well with all the above and RSPB taking interest in Hen Harrier persecution also chicks doing well so far.
Yes Mark you are doing a great job keep it up.
Dennis my one worry currently ( well yes there are others, will my hospital visit tomorrow be OK for one) is all those nurtured young harriers will leave their safe havens soon and move to Pennine grouse moors, where safe they are not. We need to keep the pressure on those murdering B——s, sorry the MA and NGO et al to get them to leave them alone this winter. It will only be progress if the population grows and returns to breed.
Interesting stats. I have over 27,000 folk watching my country films and around 200,000 minuets watched per month. The petition was hot topic at the Gamefair setup today. Will be interesting to see and hear what the gossip will be over next 3 days.