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

22 September

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Three things you can do: 1. Please come to Hyde Park on Saturday 22 September and walk for wildlife. 2. If you can’t come, then show your support on this virtual wall (an idea suggested by a reader of this blog). 3. Chip in to help fund the costs of this event.

NE and grouse moor Hen Harriers

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I asked NE some questions about their role in protecting two nests of Hen Harriers in Yorkshire last summer (2018).  The two nests were on the same estate and one male was paired with two females. Natural England’s account of what happened on this moor does not fully accord with what local raptor workers tell…

Paul Leyland – Orange-backed Tachinid

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Paul writes: the Orange-backed Tachinid (Tachina fera) is a fantastic fly. It’s quite large, reaching 16mm long and easily recognisable by its colours and spiky appearance. It is fairly well distributed throughout England and Wales but less common in Scotland. I usually see them in August and September, I found this one recently at Harlow…

Writing competition

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This blog’s 2018 writing competition is to make the case that any particular month of the year is either the best or the worst month for enjoying nature in the UK.  How you treat that subject is up to you. There will be a prize, a signed copy of my book Remarkable Birds, for what…

Tim Melling – Ural Owl

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Tim writes: the Ural Owl is a close relative of Tawny Owl, but it is much larger with a much longer tail.  The owl is about half a metre long with a wingspan well over a metre (<134cm), and weighing more than a kilogram.  Tawny Owl by comparison has a wingspan just under a metre…

A Labour MP writes

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I was interested to see this response that a blog reader received from their Labour MP.  I long for the day when I have a Labour MP, but as I don’t, I cannot write to check how close this is to the standard letter sent out to constituents by other Labour MPs.  But maybe you…

Celebrating Peter Melchett

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This website, Celebrating Peter, has been set up so that people can share their memories of the late Peter Melchett. There are already some poignant and touching tributes to him there.

Icelandic whaling review

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When I met the Prime Minister of Iceland in her office on Tuesday the most interesting thing that she said was that there would be a review of the sustainability of whaling in Iceland and that there would be no whaling until that review was completed. This review has been talked about for quite a…