Where did June go? I know I was in Scotland for over a week (and you know I was there too as I wrote about the Flow Country here and here) but suddenly June is gone. I have added a species to my garden list for the year but not to the overall garden list…
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Guest blog – Hookpod by Paul Sterry
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. Bird Photographer of the Year and Hookpod by Paul Sterry As naturalists, photographers and conservationists, the Bird Photographer of the Year (BPOTY) team sees firsthand the mounting pressures on bird populations around the World. If bird photography is going to thrive and not become metaphorically speaking a dying art we must all do our…
A review paper in British Birds
Here are a few quotes from the paper; Since I am known for campaigning for a ban on driven grouse shooting, I should be clear that I am not in favour of banning Pheasant shooting. Pheasants are naturalised in all European countries except Iceland. The European population, as measured in spring by national bird monitoring…
Are you at the end of your tether Nicola Sturgeon?
The news of two young Golden Eagles, Adam and Charlie, disappearing in the Strathbraan grouse-shooting area within hours of each other on 18 April is truly shocking. Watch the video and you will see for the first time ever, that I can recall, the story being told so clearly, so quickly and by such a…
‘What can I do?’ – a video by Sir David Attenborough for the World Land Trust
World Land Trust website
Paul Leyland – Grizzled Skipper
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Paul Leyland: This is a new butterfly for me in the UK. I’ve seen plenty in mainland Europe but it was nice to find one closer to home. I saw it on 20 June at Lullington Heath on the South Downs in East Sussex. This is a lovely National Nature Reserve which consists of two…
Sunday book review – Winston’s Journey by Jane Murphy and Lorraine Berkshire-Roe
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When I was at Wheldrake Ings on Thursday I was given a copy of this book. Wheldrake Ings is one of the important staging posts for Whimbrels on spring migration. In late April and May, thousands of Whimbrel call in, feed up and prepare for the onward journey to their main breeding grounds in Iceland….
No whaling at all in Iceland this year
According to the usually reliable Reykjavik Grapevine, there will be no whaling at all in Iceland this year – the first time since 2003. Earlier this month it was reported that Fin whaling would not go ahead and now Minke whaling is off the menu too.
Tim Melling – Hourglass Dolphins
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Tim writes: here are two Hourglass Dolphins belting through the water alongside our ship. You cannot quite see the wavy, white hourglass flank marking that gives rise to the name on these individuals. They are only found in Antarctic and sub-Antarctic waters, usually in deep water. We saw several groups coming to bow-ride our ship…
The Tory leadership contest – readers’ views
Last Saturday I asked readers of this blog two questions: whether you had ever voted Conservative (I’m taking ‘yes’ to mean ‘actual or potential Conservative voter’ and ‘no’ to mean ‘much less likely to be a future Conservative voter’) and I asked whether you preferred Jeremy Hunt or Boris Johnson. And I asked you why?…