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…
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
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,…
Press release from Huddersfield Birdwatchers’ Club
An account of the Birds of the Huddersfield District was written in 1915 by Huddersfield man Seth Lister Mosley and is one of the most important books in the history of local and national ornithology. However, it is very rare and little known outside specialist circles, but is full of interest for a present day…
KOS it makes sense!
I spoke at the Kent Ornithological Society’s conference in Canterbury on Saturday. I’d like to thank the organisers for inviting me and laying on a great day for us all. The road to Canterbury passes too close to Rainham Marshes to ignore them (and a Cattle Egret or two), and too close to Gravesend not…
Guest blog – the launch of Revive by Robbie Marsland
For the past 30 years Robbie has had a background in social change. He has held senior management roles in campaigns on the issues of homelessness, human rights, international development and animal welfare. He has been the Director of the League against Cruel Sports Scotland for the past four years and for six years before…
Paul Leyland – the Perfect Hoverfly
Paul writes: I gave this name to the hoverfly because it hasn’t got a common English name and it’s my favourite. The Latin name is Chrysotoxum bicinctum, which also has a nice ring to it. Why is it perfect? It’s a nice size, a wing length of up to 10mm and a chunky body so…
Sunday book review – Climate Change and British Wildlife by Trevor Beebee
Comments Off on Sunday book review – Climate Change and British Wildlife by Trevor Beebee
This is an appropriately weighty book on a portentous subject. It is very attractively produced with many photographs of wildlife, habitats and people and a fine looking jacket by Carry Akroyd (although the jacket on my copy is slightly ill-fitting). The index is very good but the reference list is rather shorter than I expected….