On a cold, rainy winter’s day it’s cheering to think that Swallows might be back with us in a couple of months. I look forward to that but in some ways I enjoyed the last chapter of Stephen Moss’s latest (or have I missed one?) book the most because he takes us to Africa where…
Author: Mark
Born Bristol, UK
Educated: Cleeve House School Bristol, Bristol Grammar School and Downing College Cambridge
Ph.D. University of Aberdeen, Winter activity of pipistrelle bats.
NERC post-doctoral Research Fellow, Edward Grey Institute, Oxford University
Former Conservation Director of the RSPB, 1989-2011
Tim Melling – Knot
Tim writes: this was a flock of Knot at high tide at Spurn in East Yorkshire taken in early October. I say Knot, though if you look really carefully there are at least eight Dunlin among them. Most of the Knot are in grey winter plumage but a few of them have orange mottling, remnants…
Jane V. Adams – Cause for celebration
Jane is a naturalist, photographer and nature writer living in Dorset. Her work has appeared in books, anthologies and blogs for charities such as The Wildlife Trusts and the International Bee Research Association. When she’s not exploring Dorset’s lanes and countryside she can be found lying on her stomach watching insects in her garden. Jane…
Saturday cartoon by Ralph Underhill
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-55842994 https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/28/technology/gamestop-stock.html?utm_source=pocket&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=pockethits
DEFRA statement on heather burning
England’s ‘national rainforests’ to be protected through new legislation to prevent heather burning on blanket bog The government has today announced plans to bring forward legislation to prevent the burning of heather and other vegetation on protected blanket bog habitats. The new regulations will prevent the burning of any specified vegetation on areas of deep peat (over 40cm depth) on…
Wild Justice Badger petition heads to 90,000 signatures
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Have a look at this petition please, and see if you can sign it. And then ask a friend to sign it too. See some of the details on the Wild Justice blog – click here.
Hen Harrier brood meddling on trial (6)
Another good day in court. The three judges were engaged with the subject and asked quite a lot of questions (they seemed sensible questions to me). Now we wait until judgment is handed down which I guess will be at least a month away – maybe more. It wouldn’t be wise to comment on how…
Badger cull goes on and on
The Badger cull is not to be effectively banned in 2022, it is to be slightly scaled down it seems to me. You see what you think – click here. We’ve been here before where DEFRA say that culling Badgers is coming to an end and that was followed by a massive increase in culling!…
Wildlife Trusts begin legal challenge of neonic use.
Craig Bennet of the Wildlife Trusts said; We are preparing to take legal action unless the Government can prove it acted lawfully. The Government refused a request for emergency authorisation in 2018 and we want to know what’s changed. Where’s the new evidence that it’s ok to use this extremely harmful pesticide? Using neonicotinoids not…
Hen Harrier brood meddling on trial (5)
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Today we go back to the online Court of Appeal. It’s inappropriate to comment on how yesterday went but at times it was quite gripping. Our and the RSPB’s appeal is being heard by Lord Justice Newey, Lord Justice Phillips and Lord Justice Underhill. I’m represented by David Wolfe QC, the RSPB by David Forsdick…