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

Swift dilemma

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Swifts are slightly unwelcome at the Alhambra, it seems. I’d have thought that they had been rubbing along with the fantastic Moorish architecture for a good few centuries but it appears as though tolerance is running out. There are still these lions though… …and loads and loads of House Sparrows. On the Gran Via on…

The plains of Spain

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On my way south through Spain I popped into a few areas of semi-steppe which I’ve known in past years. The image above is from La Serena.  As I took the photo, Calandra Larks (my favourite lark?) were singing. A few moments earlier three Black-bellied Sandgrouse had flown over. I like the plains of Spain….

Queens in Spain

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It seemed appropriate that the first exciting new butterfly on the drive south through Spain was the Queen of Spain (to add to yesterday’s Duke). The Queen of Spain Fritillary is sometimes seen in the UK – one year there were some next to the Minsmere toilet block – but it’s not a species one…

Duke of Wellington

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Old Hooknose passed by this way a few times.  The Duke of Wellington is said to have planted Elms in the city of pomegranates and there are certainly lots of Elms to be seen here in Granada. When I see an Elm I often think “What’s that? I’m sure I know that tree.’ which, I…

Education U-turn

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The government has just realised that teaching anything, including grandmothers to suck eggs, is counter-productive. All attempts to up-skill the English workforce are doomed as people never are inspired by what they are taught in school. No-one has ever been inspired to read or write by English classes and no scientist has ever got the…

Dolphins and seabirds

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It used to be the case that a ferry trip was relaxing because there was not much to do except eat, drink, sleep and read a book.  These days, we know that there is wildlife out there to be seen and missed which changes the game completely. The first person I came across as I…

Sunday book review – Foxes Unearthed by Lucy Jones

Mark 5 Comments

I enjoyed reading this book (which is now out in paperback). This book is about Foxes: hunted Foxes, urban Foxes, hen-eating Foxes, Foxes in literature and country lore. Foxes in our heads and in our hearts. It’s a well-written largely affectionate but not sentimental look at Foxes from lots of angles and it’s a very…