There are plenty of people reading this blog who will know more about this subject than I do. What do you make of this? Apart, of course, from the fact that there is no history before the coalition government came into being.
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
Wild food (20) – Minke Whale by Ian Carter
I’ve had this argument a few times and I always seem to end up on the losing side. In starting to write this I have a sense, already, that I’m not going to influence many people. It’s such a contentious subject that the merits of logic and common sense seem not to apply in the…
Behind More Binoculars
Keith Betton and I were interviewed about our new book for a blog on the NHBS website. And there is a short review of the book by John Miles in BBC Wildlife magazine.
Last few days to help get lead ammunition banned across Europe
You have just two days to add your voice to those of what I expect to be thousands and thousands of others in responding to an EU consultation on lead. I’ve responded in some detail on some aspects but you could send in a quick few words fairly easily. I say fairly easily because…
What will the RSPB do?
Now that there is an e-petition asking governments to introduce licensing of grouse shooting, which they could do as part of all shooting or just for grouse shooting I guess, the RSPB and others need to think about whether they will promote this matter to their memberships. I think they should but I’m guessing…
20,000 signatures, 10,563 ahead and the third way
This morning, Gavin Gamble’s e-petition passed a big milestone – it reached 20,000 signatures. Well done Gavin and let’s hope that the e-petition continues to make very significant progress – I think it will. But there’s no getting away from the fact that the rival e-petition, the Griggs e-petition, had a very good week and…
Guest blog – Licensing by Ed Hutchings
Born in East Anglia, but raised in the Arabian Gulf, Ed Hutchings was always going to have two things – itchy feet and an inquisitive mind. After leaving university with a degree in hospitality, he embarked on a career as a sommelier for a decade, working at various Michelin-star restaurants; in the process winning the…
Oscar Dewhurst – Red Deer stag
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Oscar writes: I’m now back at university for a research masters, but before I left I had time to squeeze in a couple of visits to Richmond Park for the annual deer rut. The morning this was taken on was one of those magical sunrises where the ground is covered in mist, so shooting into…
If you’ve had an email
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It’s becoming clearer to me who is behind the surge in signatures for the ‘protect grouse shooting’ e-petition, and exactly why its support is centred on the richer parts of central London and places such as the Cotswolds. If you have been sent an email asking you to sign the e-petition on behalf of grouse…
Timothy Richard Cleeves – 1951-2017
Tim Cleeves died suddenly on Friday night. He will be greatly missed by many friends, former colleagues and birders who came across him in the field. Tim was born on the outskirts of Bristol in Hanham, across the River Avon from where I spent my earliest years, and he kept a rich Bristol accent all…