Just a few updates:
- no response from NE on this (Bowland gull cull) – but they did only promise it by the end of July so we’ll have to be patient
- sadly, the Arne HHDay event has bitten the dust – which is a great shame. Other events are available – see here.
- on Saturday 11 August I’ll be at RSPB Rainham Marshes (I’ve changed my plans several times actually!) with the likes of David Lindo, Martin Harper and Natalie Bennett – and you I hope.
- on Sunday 12 August I’ll be at Parkside with the likes of Iolo Williams and Findlay Wilde
- look out next week (not sure which day – next week is getting quite busy with planned blogs already) for an announcement about HHDay next year (that’s 2019 just to be crystal clear).
- you may remember the pair of Pallid Harriers that nested in the Netherlands last year (see here for amazing film) – this spring the female came back and paired with a male Monty’s Harrier but they failed early on. There are reports of two other mixed pairs in Germany too – but they were also unsuccessful. It’s always worth keeping a sharper eye out for Pallids than I usually do – there are more and more records in the UK and it seems like there is a definite western shift in range.
- wasn’t it nice to see Michael Gove loking so comfortable with wildlife in the Forest of Dean? Can you catch what he was saying about the NFU in the background…?
- Iceland, whales and the Bird Fair – I seem to be having quite a lot of conversations about this – I’ll update you on Tuesday for sure.
- September 22 – is it in your calendar (well it is, obviously, otherwise it’s not a very good calendar – but are you walking for wildlife with Chris Packham that day?)?
- and finally…I’m sure this headwear has great cultural significance (seen in a native american museum in Santa Fe) but it did look to me like a balaclava for a spokesperson for the grouse shooting industry…
Looking forward to Tuesday’s post.
That hat looks like it has got 2 faces. Quite a few people would qualify for that I think!!!
Feeling like Gene Hackman in ‘The Conversation’ and very conspiratorial – but I could only make out gentle discussions (most naturalists are so softly spoken!) about rainfall and quarantine, a bit of W1A “yes, exactly, yes”-ing then Gove mentions the NFU being ?”suspicious”? (as it’s) “risk-averse”…so perhaps nothing too controversial on tape at least…but it’s a bit drowned out by the clatter of camera shutters…Lovely film though.
Crikey Mark! I’ll actually be going to HH Day events at which you’re not present.
First time for everything. Hope they all go well.