RSPB statement on 2020 Hen Harrier numbers

Following today’s news from Natural England on breeding numbers of Hen Harriers in England this year, the RSPB says: The news that 60 hen harrier chicks have fledged in England this year is encouraging, and testament to the crucial monitoring from raptor workers. However, while 24 nests monitored is an improvement on the 7 nests in…

Natural England/DEFRA press release – Hen Harriers have record-breaking year (in England)

A record-breaking year for hen harrier breeding Natural England has recorded the best year for hen harrier breeding in England since Natural England’s Hen Harrier Recovery Project was established in 2002, with 60 chicks fledged from 19 nests across Northumberland, Yorkshire Dales, Cumbria and Lancashire in early summer 2020. The success has been down to…

RSPB press release – the planning system

The government is approaching a “fork in the road” that could “change the course of the future for nature” as it plans to shake up the country’s planning system, wildlife conservation charity the RSPB has warned. Today the UK’s largest conservation organisation the RSPB is asking people to speak up for nature and ensure wildlife…

Where are they now…?

I’m still worried about Amanda Anderson and the Moorland Association. I did hear that Amanda was sighted on a zoom call by DEFRA staff a while ago but the image was fuzzy and the normal incessant calling associated with this species was lacking – so it’s not really an acceptable record. The Moorland Association Twitter…

Keeping track after Lockdown

I’ve gone back to look at the BirdTrack reporting rate graphs for two species which I think exemplify Lockdown – House Sparrow and Little Egret. During Lockdown from 24 March until late May there was a big increase in reporting rate (% of complete bird species lists entered into Birdtrack) for House Sparrow. The simplest…