New analysis published today by RSPB reveals the scale of the challenge that the UK’s governments face to restore and maintain our peatlands, which play a pivotal role in combatting climate change. Peatlands are one of the UK’s most valuable habitats and have a critical role to play in addressing the nature and climate crises….
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
Pheasant v Lapwing?
A series of images that I’ve been given, apparently from May 2012. What we see is a Lapwing which looks like it might be settling on, or getting up from, a nest. Looks a bit like a male Lapwing on crest length and amount of black – but I’m no expert on Lapwings (and males…
Ivy
If there’s one thing that our garden has in abundance it is Ivy. This is a view, from the bathroom, of the mature Ivy covering the shed outside. Looking back from the other side of that archway looks like this (on a sunny day last week); And there is plenty more at the end of…
Guest blog – Exmoor Rewilding by Lee Schofield
Lee Schofield is senior site manager at RSPB Haweswater, where partnership work with landowner United Utilities is aiming to find a balance between large-scale ecological restoration and hill farming in the Lake District National Park. He is also a nature writer, working on his first book which will be published by Penguin/Transworld in 2022. Follow…
Tim Melling – Star Jelly
Tim writes: while walking on the Peak District moors this morning I came across some Star Jelly, which I have only seen once or twice before. I took this photograph on my phone but I thought it was too interesting to keep to myself. I hope you agree. So what is Star Jelly? Well it also…
This blog’s Books of the Year, 2020
I’ve reviewed over 40 books here this year – a record. Here’s where I reveal my shortlist of eight books which might have been my book of the year, and then the two of them, because I gave up trying to choose between them, that are my joint Books of 2020. I’ll give you my…
RSPB statement on Number 10’s 10-point plan
In response to the Prime Minister’s 10-Point Plan, Beccy Speight, chief executive of the RSPB, said: “We are facing a nature and climate emergency, so must take this opportunity to build back better. While we welcome the Prime Minister’s announcement of new money, new national park designations and new landscape plans, in truth this barely…
Nature books and gender
It is a privilege to have published Stephen Moss’s round-up of nature books for the last three years, including this year’s which was published here yesterday. The number of books covered increases every year and many have said that this year provided not only a bumper crop but also more really good books than usual….
Saturday cartoon by Ralph Underhill
For peat’s sake
I was pleased to read in the Guardian that my old stomping grounds of the Flow Country (see Fighting for Birds, Chapter 2) might be edging towards World Heritage Site status. It’s a bit like when an old friend gets a gong in an honours list – it’s not necessarily that one thinks the gong…