RSPB calls for immediate halt to mountain hare culls on back of shocking new report Government agency statement on status of protected species and habitats shows alarming decline in species’ population New data published by the EU revealing the condition of Scottish protected species and habitats has revealed the country’s mountain hare populations have experienced…
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Bank Holiday Monday book review – Dancing with Bees by Brigit Strawbridge Howard
This is a book about rediscovering, and reconnecting with, nature, as an adult. The preface sets the book up well and establishes the engaging tone. The author rediscovers all sorts of wildlife but bees are the co-stars of this account. I know Brigit a little, and this book is just what I expected: enthusiastic and…
Paul Leyland – Rhingia campestris
Paul writes: Rhingia campestris is one of the most recognisable hoverflies, it’s often known as the Heineken hoverfly and was the subject of a very early post of mine on Mark’s Blog. I described it then as common and widespread throughout the UK. In only 2 years things have possibly changed dramatically. The drought of…
Song of the Skydancer by the Talkin Fellas
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From their album, Gather at the Lek, here is a track about raptor persecution by the Talkin Fellas (and see here too). Gather At The Lek by Ian Ryding, Nick Dodds, Mic Mayhew
Tim Melling – Cetti’s Warbler
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Tim writes: I’m old enough to remember when Cetti’s Warblers were a very rare bird in Britain. The first one ever to be recorded in Britain was in 1961 and breeding was confirmed in 1972. But since initial colonisation numbers have increased to around two thousand singing males. But most of these are in the…
Fake news (1) by Diogenes
This blog welcomes a series of news stories by Diogenes.
Saturday cartoon by Ralph Underhill
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A chat about the uplands between me and Charlie Moores
I wrote a short piece about the uplands in the Manifesto for Wildlife last year and a slightly longer piece on this blog a while later – click here (actually, I’ve just re-read it and I think it is worth re-reading, even if i say so myself). Charlie moores caught me in an unguarded moment…
A chat on a train
A fortnight ago, I set off to give a talk about driven grouse shooting at Walthamstow Wetlands as part of the London Wildlife Festival. I got off the tube at Tottenham Hale (a new experience) and walked to the site to find lots of glum faces as the Saturday and Sunday events had just been…
The very unlucky Mr Packham CBE
Yesterday, I indicated that Chris Packham’s e-petition to ban driven grouse shooting had experienced a long delay between the time that it acquired five signatures (as the process requires) and being published on the Westminster Parliament website. I’m very, very grateful to ‘a reader’ for this plot of the delays between moderation being completed (getting…