National Trust members have an opportunity to vote on a couple of important issues, and on their new Council members, in person at the NT AGM on 21 October 2017 or by other means before then. I voted a few days ago online and you have until midnight on Friday 13 October to cast your…
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
RSPB press release
Comments Off on RSPB press release
RSPB Scotland comment on Government response to environmental justice consultation Commenting on the publication today of the Scottish Government’s response to its consultation on environmental justice, Lloyd Austin, RSPB Scotland’s Head of Conservation Policy, said: “RSPB Scotland has long argued for improvements to Scotland’s environmental justice systems, welcomed the debate sparked by the Scottish Government’s…
Natural England 11 years old on Sunday
Natural England is a failing organisation. It is no longer a champion for the natural environment and it is no longer a leader in environmental thinking and it is no longer doing its job. The statutory nature conservation agency in England is now highly politicised (ghastly word for a ghastly impact) and no longer trusted…
Preston magistrates court
Yesterday I headed up the M6 to attend a trial in Preston magistrates courts. Appropriately enough, at Keele Services, a Peregrine flew over as I was returning to the car. The defendant, James Hartley, 34, denied a number of offences against Peregrine Falcons on the Bleasdale Estate, Bowland, Lancashire in April 2016. These included the alleged…
September ivy
The ivy in the garden is looking good and buzzing with Ivy Bees. And there have been up to seven splendid Red Admirals on it in the past few days.
Corbyn speech
Interesting – mentions of climate change near the beginning, of fox hunting too and a passage on a green economy towards the end. Not bad, but if Labour were moving on on environmental issues then maybe a quick mention of the Badger cull would have been the easiest way to signal it. Opportunity missed ….
RSPB press release – Perthshire estate
RSPB Scotland welcomes SNH announcement of restrictions on Perthshire sporting estate Video evidence supporting restrictions revealed RSPB Scotland has welcomed the announcement by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) today of two restrictions imposed on the use of General Licenses on a sporting estate in Perthshire and on an un-named individual. These follow previous similar restrictions imposed…
This is interesting!
Somebody, Gavin Gamble, has set up a new e-petition to ban driven grouse shooting which is being considered by the Petitions Committee! Looks quite classy!
Stormies on the Shiants
Calling Storm Petrels have been recorded for the very first time on the Shiants this summer, an important milestone for the Shiant Isles Recovery Project, which is working to make the islands suitable for these small seabirds to nest. The characteristic ‘churring’ call was heard from burrows, an encouraging sign that the project is working….
Brighton and #Lab17
Yesterday, on a sunny day, I went to sunny Brighton for a Labour conference fringe event organised by the Labour Animal Rights Group. Thank you to them for inviting me and giving me the chance to talk about driven grouse shooting to a friendly enthusiastic audience. Dominic Dyer chaired events with his usual style and…