Defra challenged over ‘unlawful’ release of 57 million game birds in UK.
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BASC is a hapless bystander
BASC is probably under considerable pressure from its membership to ‘do something’ about Wild Justice’s potential further legal challenges of the general licences and actual legal challenge to gamebird releases. But there’s not a lot they can do except huff and puff. BASC will tell DEFRA (that’ll go down well) that there is no need…
Wild Justice seeks judicial review of 2020 gamebird releases
See here – https://wildjustice.org.uk/general/wild-justice-seeks-judicial-review-of-gamebird-releases/
Bird song (3) – mostly Song Thrushes
Yesterday morning, I filled the kettle but paused, before turning it on, to listen. Outside the back door I could hear a Song Thrush singing. Opening the door, and taking a step outside, this single bird’s song was almost the only sound. About 100m away I could see the bird in question near the top…
Raking over some embers
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I’ve been reading scientific papers about burning heather recently. They are a bit heavy going and there seems to be quite a lot of acrimony in this field of learned research – which does, in some ways, make it all the more interesting. I went back, almost four years, and re-read what I wrote about…
Nesting in the thrush hour – RSPB press release
A pair of mistle thrush has set-up home and are rearing their four chicks surrounded by the hustle and bustle of Leeds city centre in front of an amber traffic light. Otherwise known as the stormcock, this species is recorded as on the UK red list. The eggs were laid as early as late-January and…
Moorland Association again – questions, questions, questions
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In the same response to DEFRA in which the Moorland Association set out their shopping list for stopping damaging upland areas, they asked DEFRA a number, in fact 14 is the number, of questions about what they call the policy context. The actual policy context for stopping burning peatlands is the damage to blanket bogs…
Asking DEFRA questions
I indicated yesterday that I’d be asking DEFRA for information about the science that the Moorland Association instructed them to take into account. This is what I asked: This is an information request under the EIR and/or FOI regulations. Please reply well within the maximum 20 working days that is allowed – this is a…
Moorland Association demands payment
The following is an extract from the Moorland Association response to a DEFRA consultation on burning of blanket bogs, peatlands and heather moors. Payments, payments, grants, payments, payments… What does the Moorland Association want? It’s pretty clear – they want either to be left alone to damage priority habitats as they have done for decades…
Red Squirrel in spring trap
This distressing image, taken yesterday, is of a Red Squirrel caught in a spring trap near an area of game shooting in Scotland. Unfortunately, although the SSPCA attended, the animal died. The police are informed. I won’t say more at this stage.