- sad news from Malta – the great Joe Sultana passed away on Tuesday, aged 78. Joe was a passionate campaigner and advocate for birds on Malta and in the Mediterranean in general. He led BirdLife Malta for many years and his son, Mark, is now BirdLife Malta’s CEO. Campaigning against bird killing (much of it illegal) is a not a stroll in the park and yet Joe remained calm and determined throughout a long career. One of the great joys of having worked for the RSPB was to have met others in the BirdLife partnership and get to know them a little – Joe was always approachable and friendly and keen to encourage and advise those with less experience than his own. At a Bird Fair a few years ago I remember talking to Joe and gaining great encouragment from his enthusiasm for our campaign against raptor killing on grouse moors. See here and here.
- Mike Clarke will be stepping down from RSPB – the RSPB’s CEO, Mike Clarke will be stepping down some time in the next 12 months, he has announced. Mike succeeded Graham Wynne in spring 2010 and so he will have been in post for 9 years come next spring. Mike’s time at the top has coincided with what has probably been one of the most difficult in the RSPB’s recent history what with Brexit, austerity, a changing public perception of charities, an unfavourable Westminster government and increasing government restrictions on what charities can do. He has kept the ship of the RSPB more than simply afloat and he’s obviously not done yet!
- Michael Gove has launched his Agriculture Bill – I’ll be writing about it over the next week in a series of blogs.
- I’ve felt a bit under the weather for a little while, I’ve had a cough that seems keen to stay with me, but I seem to be shaking it off now. Yesterday I picked some more blackberries and today I cut the grass and picked a basket of apples off our small apple tree. I saw a Hobby over the house on Monday just as I was listening to India being reduced to 2 for 3 wickets on our way to victory in the fifth Test. Must get out and see some birds.
2 Replies to “Some news items”
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Yes, definitely you need to enjoy spending time observing (and recording) the wildlife you so valiantly fight to conserve so take care and don’t let the cold get hold.
Do I detect blackberry and apple pie with lashings of custard or maybe ice-cream on the menu 😉
Nimby – sounds good to me!