Recent heather burning on Bradfield Moor, the Peak District leaves land looking like this… …which doesn’t act very well in holding water in the hills. A woodland would be much better at holding water. I wonder how we could get a woodland to grow in the Peak District? How about, stopping burning the land? The…
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Seven Worlds, One Planet (4)
Australia – another amazing programme. I’ve been to Australia once and I doubt I’ll ever go back. I was there in 2005 and we left Heathrow while the first of the Ashes tests was happening at Lord’s – England was obviously heading for a defeat. Just over two weeks later (after my first kangaroos, Duck-billed…
Racecourse diet
I went to Cheltenham racecourse on Saturday. There are several reasons for going to Cheltenham to the races. One, it’s a day out. Two, at this time of year, if lucky, then the drive that I take across the Cotswolds can be a spectacular scene of autumn colours. Third, I usually meet up with friends…
Famous Grouse advert
Here’s the Famous Grouse advert for 2019 Two species of grouse for the price of one. But what is that strange noise made by the Blackcock at the end of the advert? I know they make many strange noises but this one seems to be impersonating a Tawny Owl or maybe even a Lapwing… What…
Sunday book review – Neville Chamberlain’s Legacy by Nicholas Milton
What’s the first word that pops into your head when you hear the name Neville Chamberlain? Was it ‘appeasement’? Or ‘Piece of paper’? Or maybe ‘Peace for our time’? Chamberlain’s policy of appeasement was well-meaning but, in retrospect (and to be fair, at the time, in the minds of many), was fatally flawed. It didn’t…
Swift – Tim Melling
Tim writes: the scientific name Apus apus comes from the Greek “a pous” meaning without foot. Swift legs are so small that it was once believed that they did not have any feet. I remember the old Reader’s Digest book of birds illustrated Swift feet showing all four toes pointing forwards. But in fact the…
Fake news (7) by Diogenes
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Waiting for the train home – inconsequential thoughts
I was waiting at St Pancras Station one morning this week for the train home. I was early. I’m almost always early. St Pancras station, though it is large, feels more like an open air station than most London stations. Now I know there has to be some sort of hole to let the trains…
Remarkable Birds
Remarkable Birds is now published in five languages.
I’m not driving through there…
That flood, mentioned earlier this week, went away and then came back again. Only a fool would try to drive through there – even with all your handy tips.