Standing up for Nature
Tim writes: The Himalayan Griffon (Gyps himalayensis) was split from the Griffon Vulture (Gyps fulvus) as recently as 2000 based on DNA analysis. However, it differs markedly in appearance being much more contrastingly black and white below. They are pretty enormous, with a wingspan that can exceed 3m, and weigh up to 12kg. They breed…
Continued from last Saturday Walking out from the cottage one morning we came across a freshly dead sheep not far from the house, interrupting the feeding aspirations of a young Great Black-backed Gull and two Hooded Crows as we approached. It was so fresh, I half-expected it to struggle to its feet, but the eyes…
Ralph writes: ‘apologies for the even messier than usual toon, the train is very bumpy this evening and this is the best I could do’.
Don’t be a ‘wee, sleekit, cowrin, timrous beestie‘ stand up for the environment and be a man (or woman) for ‘A Man’s a Man for a’ that‘. Burning of heather moorland for the pointless and destructive hobby of intensive grouse shooting is one type of Burns that we should not celebrate tonight. Heather burning damages…
Adam Watson. Photo: Ronofcam, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7303182 Adam Watson died on Wednesday. We have lost one of the grand old men of UK ecology and a towering figure in upland ecology. From his doctoral thesis on the life cycle of the Ptarmigan through to his long-term monitoring of Mountain Hares, Adam Watson was a…
It’s going to be close, I think. Les Wallace’s epetition calling for a proper economic study of grouse shooting has passed 7,000 signatures. Fewer than 3000 signatures are needed in order to ensure that Defra have to respond on this subject. We should make them respond. There are nine days left until this epetition closes….
It’s difficult to make my farmland Breeding Bird Survey square (now also an English Winter Bird Survey square) look very interesting. It’s value is that it is typically dull. It was being typically dull one slightly frosty morning this week when I surveyed it. Few birds and no Brown Hares. The ‘best’ bird of the…
I saw this study and thought it was pretty interesting. See here for some info on what IP Suisse means – it seems like it is a bit like LEAF farms in UK.
Today I am going for a drive, going for a walk, going for a drive, giving a talk, going for a drive. I think I will pass through six counties, but it might be more. I think I will leave home before 8am and get home after 10pm. I think I might see some Marsh…
Today has been a good day. First, I got quite a lot done early on in the day – this is always important to me. What is early on? Before 7am. Second, I saw Les Wallace’s epetition pass 6000 signatures before I left for Wellingborough station where the sun was shining. Usually, when it is…