BLOG POSTS

Bird Photographer of the Year – Conservation Documentary Award

Mark Comments Off on Bird Photographer of the Year – Conservation Documentary Award

Paul Sterry writes: For the 2020 Competition cycle Bird Photographer of the Year has introduced a new Conservation Documentary Award. Photographers are invited to submit 3-6 images along with accompanying text (in the form of extended captions) to tell a compelling story about a bird-related conservation issue. The BPOTY team is thrilled that our fearless…

Tim Melling – Hobby

Mark 2 Comments

Tim writes: Hobbies are quite thin on the ground where I live in the Yorkshire Pennines so I was pleased when I came across this juvenile Hobby locally.    Hobby is a falcon, one of four species that breed in Britain, the others being Kestrel, Merlin and Peregrine.  But all others are resident, with Hobby being…

Sunday book review – Pat the Caterpillar by Rebecca and Nicola Bailey

Mark Comments Off on Sunday book review – Pat the Caterpillar by Rebecca and Nicola Bailey

This is an attractive book about butterflies written by one of the leading young nature enthusiasts. Rebecca’s seen one more butterfly species in her garden than I have in mine so I am envious of her knowledge and good fortune. This book – the first of many? – concentrates on the Small White Butterfly. This…

Tim Melling – Black Bear

Mark Comments Off on Tim Melling – Black Bear

Tim writes: this was a close encounter with a female Black Bear.  She had twin year-old cubs with her too (see below) but at this point she was so close I could only manage a head and shoulders shot.  I stumbled across them by the roadside at Coal Harbour right at the north end of…

Guest blog – The Climate Change Elephant by Ian Parsons

Mark 46 Comments

It is great to see so many people, young and old, getting involved in the climate change protests, highlighting the sheer scale of the problem to all. It is great that the United Nations are debating it, talking about the urgent need for action, although of course, some world leaders have their orange heads firmly…

Brexit – generally a bad thing for the environment

Mark 4 Comments

This blog has always maintained that Brexit is bad for wildlife and the environment. I stand completely by that position. Yes, it depends on what type of Brexit happens (might happen) but any Brexit is likely to be bad news for wildlife and the environment. Funnily enough, the worst type of Brexit, the crashing out…

Who are ‘we’?

Mark 8 Comments

I read a letter in Tuesday’s Guardian with interest. It was under the name of a former, highly respected, RSPB colleague of mine, Gareth Morgan, who now works for the Soil Association. Gareth’s main point is that radical change to farming is need, presumably including lots more organic farming, in order to have more wildlife…