Introduction: This post is about a track that a grouse shooting estate wants to build across their grouse moor. The land is designated because of its nature conservation importance. I, with the help of some very clever lawyers and the financial support of many of you, have stopped this track being built once on the…
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
Protecting Little Terns with EU help
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Juvenile Little Tern. Photo: Tim Melling A press release issued by the RSPB on behalf of themselves, Cumbria Wildlife Trust, Denbighshire County Council, Durham County Council, Industry Nature Conservation Association (INCA), Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust, National Trust, Natural England, Northumberland County Council/Northumberland Coast AONB and Spurn Bird Observatory Trust. ‘Terning’ the tide – protecting a small…
A video for Rural Crime Day
It’s Rural Crime Day today – did you know? Neither did I until a few moments ago. This video was published over a month ago but I missed it. It’s the work of Carla Slack, Emma Williams and Liam Shevill at Leeds Arts University for the RSPB. Good isn’t it?
Guest blog – Natural History GCSE – still a bad idea by Chris Baker
Chris is a science teacher of 10 years and a former country park ranger. He began his teaching career in London before taking up posts at British schools in Vietnam and China. He is a Biology specialist and for three years has been Head of Science at the British School Bucharest. The campaign to introduce…
Guest blog – GCSE in natural history (3) – next step by Mary Colwell
Mary Colwell is an award-winning radio, TV and internet producer winning 14 awards over the last 10 years, including a Sony Gold in 2009. She is also a radio presenter and feature writer for The Tablet. Mary has written four previous guest blogs here (A Natural History GCSE, 23 November 2012; Shared Planet, 15 January 2015;…
Another message from another NE staff member
An NE staff member writes: I work for NE and I applaud your bashing of us, despite how terrible it makes me feel. Keep up the good work, we’ll be abolished soon, given that we seemingly have no support from anywhere. Hopefully I’ll still have a career in the aftermath. However, there is some good…
A response from NE
The folowing, received on Friday morning, refers to this. Dear Mr Mark Avery, Thank you for your complaint of Friday the 2nd of November 2018 with regards to FOI requests. We are committed to fully investigating all complaints from our customers and you will receive a response at stage 1 of the complaints process no later…
Asking the burning questions?
Dear Natural England I understand from a member of NE staff that the blanket bog overlay on the MAGIC system is not the most accurate or up to date dataset which NE has on blanket bog extent – can you confirm whether this is true? what plans does NE have to make the more accurate…
12-0 and 0-7; quite striking results!
The news of the four Hen Harriers which disappeared mysteriously on grouse moors in Scotland is shocking. That is, shocking in the sense of morally reprehensible rather than really rather surprising. As I mentioned in my earlier blog, an interesting aspect of this news is the revelation that 12 young Hen Harriers have been discovered…
Four Hen Harriers disappear on Scottish grouse moors
Press release from RSPB: Margot – a Hen Harrier last heard from on 29 August from a driven grouse moor on the Aberdeenshire/Moray border. RSPB Scotland is appealing for information following the suspicious disappearance of four satellite tagged hen harriers over the last 10 weeks. All of the birds were tagged at various nest sites,…