RSPB press release: The RSPB has learned that large numbers of protected birds are being killed on a grouse moor in Lancashire. A RSPB staff member working in the Bowland area discovered two estate workers shooting nesting lesser black-backed gulls – on a grouse moor managed by the Abbeystead Estate – leaving their chicks to be…
Year: 2017
A few things
A few things that caught my eye this week: Bee-eaters in the Guardian my Tree Bumblebees have now ended their stay in my bird box The Times carried an obituary of Stephen Tindale today on Wednesday, when the plague of ants caused anguish at Wimbledon, the Black-headed Gulls were feasting on them in the air…
Important new seabird data from 5-year GPS study
Over a 5-year period, 1300 seabirds of four species (Shag, Kittiwake, Razorbill and Guillemot) were tracked to see where they went when foraging from their breeding colonies. These data were then applied to all breeding colonies around the UK to produce predictive maps of marine use by these four species. these predictive maps could be…
Stephen Tindale 1963-2017
I learned earlier this week of the sad passing of Stephen Tindale. Stephen was one of the most thoughtful environmental thinkers of his generation and a skilled campaigner. Stephen was director of Green Alliance (1996-97), and from there moved to be Special Advisor for Michael Meacher (1997-99) when Michael was an environment minister in the…
Getting antsy about ants
Every year there is ‘flying ant day’ – although it is usually a lot more than a single day. This is when the small black garden ant takes to the air for aerial sex – yes, love is in the air! The video above from the Sussex Wildlife Trust shows some of what is happening….