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.