FoI request to Defra

Dear Defra   Did a Minister see and approve the Defra response to John Armitage’s e-petition on the licensing of grouse moors? If so, which Minister?    

Why isn’t this even bigger news?

The poisoning of 12 Red Kites and four buzzards in Ross-shire is shocking. See here, here, here, here and here. How long do we have to put up with this type of carnage? Red Kites by Don Macauley via wikimedia commons Buzzard by Andreas Trepte via wikimedia commons

Arctic Tern by Oscar Dewhurst

Oscar writes:  This was taken on the Isle of May last Summer. I’d never seen or photographed these birds before, so spent most of the day with them. Nikon D300s, Nikon 200-400mm f4 VR. Mark writes:  Quite by chance, I saw an Arctic Tern yesterday evening at Stanwick Lakes.  Although it’s often a bit of…

Sunday book review – The Art of Conservation by Gillmor, Davies and Appleton

This is an attractive book which tells some of the story of the 25 years of Bird Fairs at Rutland Water.  The story is told through the artwork of the posters of the different fairs. The first Bird Fair was in 1989 and raised £3000 for the ICBP ‘Stop the Massacre campaign (let us note…

The week in birding by Jonnie Fisk

  Mark writes: The reward for information about the deaths of 12 Red Kites and four Buzzards in Ross-shire keeps increasing; £5k from the RSPB, £5k from an anonymous donor and over £1k from the public so far.  To contribute, visit this Just Giving page. Do Wood Ducks cross the Atlantic sometimes? And did the…