If you can’t make it to one of the growing number of Hen Harrier Day events occurring across Scotland and England in two weeks’ time then you can still add your name to the shout out for the Hen Harrier on social media by supporting our thunderclap.
“We’re missing our Hen Harriers – and we want them back!”
That’s the message that will be sent through social media in two weeks’ time, at 10am on Hen Harrier Day, 9 August, to a ‘social reach’ which currently stands at over 3.25 million people. Last year, by Hen Harrier Day, the social reach was well over 2 million people, so we are already streets ahead. Let’s see how high we can get it – please sign up here!
Since this message is completely uncontroversial I would expect widespread support from organisations and individuals involved in the countryside and nature conservation.
Thank you to the following for their support (just a selection):
Watson Crick 816k followers
@irinagreenvoice 225k followers
@themoceanvibe 206k followers
@natures_voice 164k followers
@chrisgpackham 131k followers
@natalieben 92k followers
@_BTO 43k followers
@MMNNActionUK 39k followers
@Animal_Watch 38k followers
@LeagueACS 34k followers
@savebutterflies 31k followers
@team_BMC 26k followers
@Birdguides 25k followers
@RareBirdAlertUK 24k followers
@markavery 21k followers
@Birdwatchextra 12k followers
@B_Strawbridge 12k followers
@NorthumberlndNP 9k followers
@gameandwildlife 7k followers
@raptorpersscot 4k followers
@birdersagainst 3k – already signed – it’s their thunderclap – please make it yours too!
And here are some organisations who would be conspicuous by their absence:
@nationaltrust 341k followers
@UKLabour 241k followers
@conservatives 174k followers
@TheGreenParty 151k followers
@LibDems 105k followers
@defragovuk 82k followers
@NaturalEngland 75k followers
@wildlifetrusts 65k followers
@yorkshire_dales 35k followers
@trussliz 19k followers
@peakdistrict 19k followers
@caupdates 17k followers
@Hawkandowluk 16k followers
@RSPBScotland 12k followers
@BASCnews 12k followers
@northyorkmoors 11k followers
@SNH_tweets 9k followers
It’s great to see the BTO, British Mountaineering Club and Butterfly Conservation added to the list of supporters – but where are the National Trust? One of the largest landowners and doing a good job in implementing their High Peak Vision. Sometimes the NT acts like a conservation organisation and sometimes it does not – this could be a test case.
Welcome too, to the Scottish Wildlife Trust, Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, Cumbria Wildlife Trust, Durham Wildlife Trust and Tees Wildlife Trust. We’re just waiting for the Wildlife Trust main Twitter account to join us.
And the Hawk and Owl Trust? Ahem!
Welcome! to the Northumberland National Park – where are the North York Moors, the Yorshire Dales and the Peak District please?
Thank you to Natalie Bennet (leader of the Green Party), Brigit Strawbridge and a host of other individuals for joining this thunderclap.
And it is possible to join the thunderclap through Facebook and tumblr too.
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I emailed Lancashire Wildlife Trust on July 22nd asking them to publicise Hen Harrier Day and the e-petition, especially as there are 2 Hen Harrier events in Lancashire and Bowland was the last English stronghold of the bird. However, on checking their website just now I can see nothing – unless I have missed it. They are tweeting regularly but nothing about Hen Harriers. What a shame. I would have forgiven them for not replying to my email if they had mentioned the petition and events.
What hope have we if our local wildlife trusts do not get behind this campaign?
Hurrah for Yorkshire Wildlife Trust (and that comes hard from a Lancastrian born & bred!)
Also I see RSPB Scotland on the list but what about RSPB England?
Northern Diver – there is no RSPB England Twitter account (but there is an RSPB Scotland one, and RSPB Cymru). There is an RSPB-everywhere Twitter account called @natures_voice which was an early joiner to the thunderclap. there is an @RSPBNI one too, which has also joined.
The ‘main’ Wildlife Trust Twitter account has not yet joined -I am hopeful that it will, and will be disappointed if it doesn’t.
Right. Thanks for the explanation, Mark.
And what about those of us who are not on Twitter, Facebook or Tumblr? There are a few of us out there you know. I would join in if I could…..
Lisa – there’s not a solution to that, I’m afraid. I know nothing about tumblr myself.
It would be great to have printable A4 posters to connect to people who aren’t on social media. I was thinking one for Hen Harrier Day and one for Inglorious and your petition and we could print them off and put them up in our local hides.
Lisa, send an email to all your birding friends with a link to Mark’s blog and ask them to forward it as well.
Quaker Concern for Animals is also joining in –
http://quaker-animals.co.uk/2015/07/thunderclap-for-hen-harriers/