This blog has written about the local issue of plans by Forest Holidays and Forest Enterprise England to develop Fineshade Wood with luxury cabins. Here are a few of those blogs: Dear Mr Pursglove, 6 May 2016; Fineshade Wood should be an SSSI, 15 April 2016; Fineshade Wood should be an SSSI, 28 March 2016;…
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
Just rubbish
We have our rubbish (non-recyclable) collected once a fortnight. This was the contents of our bin two weeks ago so it didn’t seem worth putting out. Yesterday, after another two weeks, we had added another small bag (mostly plastic wrapping that is non-recyclable)(see below). But further down our street the bins are bulging (every fortnight),…
RSPB reports another Hen Harrier disappeared
Arthur, a Hen Harrier tagged this summer as a nestling in the Peak District has disappeared in North Yorkshire says RSPB (although this is, slightly confusingly (it confused me), a repeat of a previous press release). The bird, named Arthur, hatched from a nest in the Peak District the summer of 2018. This was the…
Kites everywhere
As you may remember I am keeping a note of which days I see Red Kites this year. I’ve not seen one today, yet, even though it’s a sunny day. But the weekend before last I had to go to Corby to do some shopping – a distance of 16 miles. That short journey delivered…
Guest blog – The Power of Youth by James Miller
James Miller is a 17 year old aspiring nature presenter and advocate for nature. He makes short documentaries about various species and issues, hoping to inspire his generation to appreciate wildlife and take action against its decline. Twitter handle: @JamesNaturalist A couple of weeks ago, I turned 17. Suddenly I was legally allowed to drive, give…
Day 3 now scheduled
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Day 3 of the brood meddling judicial review hearing is scheduled for 17 January.
Last day of grouse shooting
Today is the last day of grouse shooting for 2018 – one day soon we will be able to write that it is the last day of driven grouse shooting ever. It has not been a good year for the participants and supporters of driven grouse shooting and there is every prospect that 2019 will…
How many would you think?
I care deeply about the performance of Natural England – the government agency which is supposed to act in nature’s interests. That’s why I am taking a judicial review against their decision to license brood meddling (see here – we had two days in court last week but we need another day and we are…
Waitrose needs to get to an answer quickly, now
I have had the following further holding reply from Waitrose over the inaccurate health warning on their game meat. Thank you for your patience Dr Avery. Thank you for your recent email regarding our on pack advice about the consumption of shot game for certain groups of customers. Your comments about our current statement have…
Paul Leyland – Common Blue Damselfly
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Paul writes: I am always fascinated by how damselflies effortlessly cantilever out from a piece of vegetation. This male has gone a stage further and is also carrying a female; they appear perfectly balanced. This is the start of the mating process, where the male grasps the female at the back of her neck. They…