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

Geltsdale: another missing male Hen Harrier

Mark 35 Comments

Yesterday the RSPB released the news that there had been a pair of Hen Harriers nesting at their Geltsdale nature reserve in Cumbria, but that the male had gone missing and the nest had consequently failed (see here, here and here). This followed the news that three male Hen Harriers had gone missing in the…

Scottish Ornithologists (with an apostrophe)

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Having drawn a blank with SLE we tried SOC – but they weren’t in either. Never mind, Henry likes the SOC very much. I was a bit worried about missing apostrophes but Henry said that missing ringtails were much more important. Why aren’t there more Hen Harriers on Scottish grouse moors? Well, I think we…

Henry visits SLE

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  Scottish Land and Estates is the equivalent of the Scotttish CLA. Henry went to visit them to ask whether they could put him in touch with any ringtails, but there was no-one in. Henry doesn’t really get weekends. So Henry had a look through the window but he couldn’t see any signs of life….

It’s good to be in Scotland

Mark 9 Comments

An advantage of being in Scotland is that the Torygraph up here didn’t have this non-story in it. The disadvantage was that it had some quotes by the Scottish Gamekeepers’ Association instead. I didn’t seem to have missed much. Apparently being an ex England captain is now an ecological qualification. At least Botham is described…

Sunday book review – Queen of the Sky by Jackie Morris

Mark Comments Off on Sunday book review – Queen of the Sky by Jackie Morris

                This is another book that I approached with some hesitation. It’s the story of the rescue and rehabilitation of a Peregrine that fell into the sea between the Pembrokeshire coast and Ramsey Island.  I wondered whether it might be a bit soft and fluffy for me –…

Carpe diem

Mark 8 Comments

There were plenty of reasons not to do what I did yesterday; forecast heavy rain, forecast heavy seas and no certainty of success after 14 hours on a boat. On the other hand, yesterday was the only day this week, this month, this year, maybe this decade, when I could stroll down the road and…

Henry occupies another butt

Mark Comments Off on Henry occupies another butt

Henry looks sad. He thinks illegal raptor persecution is a blight on the uplands.   He feels sad for all the Hen Harriers that have been bumped off.   You could have your photo taken in a grouse butt too. Show your support for Henry and the hen harrier – occupy the butts. #HaveYouSeenHenry?  …