On Friday we heard that High Court judge, Justice Oueseley, upheld a judicial review against Natural England over its refusal to issue licences to kill Buzzards that were allegedly causing damage to a Pheasant shoot by eating too many Pheasants. Reports by Raptorpersecutionscotland and National Gamekeepers’ Organisation. There has been an outcry by raptor lovers…
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
An event
I spent Thursday evening and Friday and Saturday at the New Networks for Nature meeting – it was great in an inspiring, relaxing, challenging and humorous mixture. But the best bit, the very best bit, the very very best bit, was on Friday morning when George Monbiot and Tony Juniper debated, in a very friendly,…
Saturday cartoon by Ralph Underhill
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Not many Waxwings
It doesn’t appear that this winter will be a Waxwing winter. If it is going to be one of those years when Tesco car parks are flooded with Rowan-eating visitors from Scandinavia then large numbers have usually been seen on the east coast and Fair Isle by now. But you can keep track of sightings…
A tale of two birds
In the latest volume of Bird Study there are papers reporting on two UK national surveys of waders: Woodcock and Dotterel. You could hardly pick two more different species, with Woodcock being largely nocturnal and living in wooded areas, and Dotterels living on the peaks of the highest mountains in Scotland (mostly). But the messages…
NEWS: Labour shadow minister comes out in favour of a lead ban
In a significant move on the political scene the Labour shadow minister for the natural environment, Alex Cunningham, has come out in favour of a ban of lead ammunition in this blog in the Huffington Post. ‘the time has come to embrace the growing body of evidence and for all lead shot and bullets to…
Too little, too late
The RSPB and the Wildlife Trusts have just woken up to the fact that this government isn’t doing much for the environment – and doesn’t intend to – and that it is the job of NGOs to put pressure on decision makers to do the right thing. The best time to put on the pressure…
Wildlife NGO doping scandal
WADA has been called in to investigate claims that the UK’s wildlife NGOs have been nobbled by dopers. Sir Vague Ready, President of WADA, said ‘The rumours have been out there for ages and it’s time to investigate. Clearly there are no performance enhancing drugs involved – not a single personal best has been set…
Thunderclap #justiceforannie close to 5,000,000 social reach
There are still nearly three weeks until the end of November – and at the end of November a message will go out to almost five million people on social media (Twitter, Facebook and tumblr) asking them to support the e-petition to get a debate in parliament over driven grouse shooting. If you have a…
Cambridge
The Corner Laughers were on top form last night in the Portland Arms in Cambridge. A very good crowd filled the venue and a good time was had by all. Thank you to the Cambridge Conservation Forum for organising everything. And to half of the Cambridge Corncrakes for performing too!