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
I’ve been …
… where the Curlew have very long bills … Not much wildlife here… … but lots here … … and just seeing these gnawed trees was an enormous treat and excitement.
Guest blog – Forestry Commission response on hunting by Ian Gambles
Ian Gambles is the Acting Chief Executive Officer of Forest Enterprise England. Forestry Commission response to Jack Riggall’s guest blog Jack Riggall raises some very important points in his guest blog and I feel it is important to separate them and be clear about who has responsibility for what. Basically, if anyone has evidence of…
Birdwatch March issue
The March Birdwatch looks very fresh and clean and comes in its new potato starch wrapper – but what about the articles? Dominic Mitchell mentions the recent acceptance of a bird close to the heart of many Northants birders – the Falcated Duck of 1986-87 and 1987-88. This was the first British record. Although the…
My garden birds – February 2019
This year I am keeping a list of birds seen in or from my garden. Well, I’m on a respectable but not very impressive 30 species so far, 24 in January with an additional 6 this month: Robin House Sparrow Jackdaw Blackbird Woodpigeon Starling Black-headed Gull Great Tit Red Kite Carrion Crow Chaffinch Goldfinch Rook…
Guest blog – UK guardians of animal welfare by Alick Simmons
Alick Simmons is a veterinarian, naturalist and photographer. After a period in private practice, he followed a 35-year career as a Government veterinarian, latterly as the UK Government’s Deputy Chief Veterinary Officer. Alick’s lifelong passion is wildlife; he volunteers for the RSPB and NE in Somerset, is chair of the Universities Federation for Animal Welfare,…
Coul Links crowdfunder
I like it when conservation organisations work together on important issues – here’s one. The Save Coul Links Conservation Coalition was formed by Buglife, Butterfly Conservation Scotland, Marine Conservation Society, National Trust for Scotland, Plantlife, RSPB Scotland and the Scottish Wildlife Trust to help save Coul Links – an internationally important wildlife site, protected by…
Guest blog – Toad Rage 2 by Paul Sterry
This guest blog is an update to last week’s blog about carnage on a Hampshire road as passing cars kill passing toads, frogs and newts. The rescue team at work: counting amphibia and moving them to safety. Photo: Rob Read – Nature Photographers Ltd. In Hampshire, the run of mainly dry and chilly evenings continued…
Paul Leyland – Eriozona syrphoides
Paul writes: This was my favourite hoverfly sighting of last year, it was a first for me, it’s also one of the charismatic species that you hope to see in the right location. Eriozona syrphoides is a wonderfully furry bumblebee mimic with a black and white body and a yellow face. It is quite a…
Sunday book review – Rebirding by Benedict Macdonald
This book is a ‘Must read’ and a ‘Good read’ but not necessarily a ‘Must agree with’ type of book. By which I mean that it is well written and has the right mixture of interesting facts and well-explained views mixed in with a few areas where I thought (you might not) ‘Hang on, I…