It is appropriate, perhaps, that a year ago today Natural England issued a licence for the brood meddling of Hen Harriers. Tomorrow will see the third and final day of the court hearing of my legal challenge, and a similar but separate one by the RSPB, against that decision. We will not hear the judge’s…
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
Guest blog – Ban Lead Ammunition by Caroline Lucas MP
Lead is a highly toxic substance. It poses huge risks to human and animal health. That’s why it has been banned from petrol, paints, and various household items in many countries across the world, including in the UK. There is however still a glaring omission in these prohibitions: lead is still widely used in ammunition…
A meaningful vote?
This evening, probably, MPs will vote on what is almost always called Mrs May’s agreement with the EU – it’s interesting that it is less often called the government’s agreement, probably because the government keeps losing members over it. It seems unlikely that TM the PM will win her vote. But if she does we…
EDM #1963
Early Day Motions are used to highlight issues. Well done to Caroline Lucas and her four cosignatories for raising the issue of lead ammunition in this way. The text of their EDM is as follows: That this House notes that even low levels of lead are toxic to humans and other animals and that in…
Let’s give this a push in the next three weeks
I’d like to see Les Wallace’s e-petition for a proper economic study of grouse shooting get a response from Defra. To do so it needs to acquire 5,520 signatures in 19 days – that’s 291 signatures each day. That’s a very big ask but it is certainly possible. See Les’s guest blog on the subject…
Winter farmland bird survey
I have two BBS squares which I survey in the spring, and so I am doing two lots of English Winter Bird Survey. The images above and below give you some idea of how unexciting the farmland is in this particular square. The birds were a little bit dull too – not many species and…
Waitrose you are rubbish!
I wrote to Waitrose on 26 November and they haven’t been able to come up with a response in all that time – just this … Dear Dr Avery Please accept my apologies on my behalf my colleague for incorrectly addressing you. I’ve asked our technical team if they have anything further to add and…
Press release from Wildlife and Countryside link
Press release from Wildlife and Countryside Link: Clean Air Strategy: progress for wildlife and people on ammonia – the ‘poor cousin’ of air pollution Twelve nature charities, including Plantlife, RSPB and Friends of the Earth, have welcomed new regulations to cut ammonia emissions announced in the Clean Air Strategy today. This move is vital and…
Paul Leyland – Green Tiger Beetle
Paul writes: Green Tiger Beetles (Cicindela campestris), with their elegant long legs, look as though they’re built for speed. They are one of the fastest beetles and can run at up to 60cm per second. They combine this with a quick low flight, so often when I find one I end up dashing along a…
A nice way to start the year
Comments Off on A nice way to start the year
This was nice – even though I’m not entirely sure what it means! I’m listed as #8 in the Colour of Money, Triodos Bank, Sustainable 100 for the first week of 2019. It’s a measure of Twitter influence using the kred index. This is not something to be that bothered about really, but the 7…