Big Society and Small Government

Yesterday morning I was up early and doing my first Breeding Bird Survey visit of the year.  I started at 6am and it was all a bit dull weather-wise,  but by 730am the sun was out although the easterly wind was quite strong. I’ve written before about how this volunteer/NGO/government agency/government partnership is a good…

Guest blog – by ‘Mr White’

Dr Mark Avery – supporter of vulnerable creatures in the sporting field by Mr White, ‘Reservoir Cats‘ Mark Avery, who ‘died’ on April 28th aged 53, spent the best years of his working life as Director of Conservation for the RSPB. A public holiday has been declared in Norfolk to celebrate his loss. Arthur Balsam,…

A couple of old pluggers

Mike McCarthy, the Environment Editor of the Independent newspaper, rarely slips up, but today he gives a ridiculous amount of space to writing about me in his Nature Notes column.   He’s very kind; and I see he is off for the next few weeks to write a book . If Mike’s next book is…

Shooting Times fails again

Shooting Times was held up and then weakened a long way out in yesterday’s 3:20 at Perth – of course it’s a horse, what did you think?  Oh you were thinking about the magazine, were you?  Well, maybe, if you were then you’ll be amused that Western Bound won that race easily. I’ll be off…

Bye bye RSPB

Today is my last day at work for the RSPB.  After just over 25 years I am moving on. They have been a wonderful 25 years – I have so many stories from them I ought to write a book – now there’s an idea! My successor is Martin Harper – formerly of Plantlife and…