The RSPB has just released the news that there are four Hen Harrier nests in the Forest of Bowland on the United Utilities estate. this area is managed for water resources with low intensity farming and low intensity grouse shooting. The Forest of Bowland is a large area with several intensive grouse moors within its…
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Bransdale moor, North Yorks
Recently, Kevin Hollinrake MP, was singing the praises of grouse moor management after a visit to Bransdale Moor in his constituency. Henry and I went to Bransdale in 2015 on a tour of shooting estates – here’s what I wrote at the time. And here is what Raptor Persecution UK wrote about Bransdale at the…
Inglorious 12th
In two months time, on Monday 12 August, the grouse shooting season will open. This is a land use whose days are numbered. Intensive grouse shooting is underpinned by wildlife crime and that wildlife crime is widespread. Remember the long-term study of Peregrines across the north of England which shows that their numbers and nesting…
Wild Justice – further legal challenge
Wild justice, the not for profit company established by myself, Chris Packham CBE and Dr Ruth Tingay, has launched a new legal challenge to Natural England. Wild Justice, took a successful legal challenge against the general licences GL04, GL05 and GL06 which resulted in Natural England revoking those licences at very short notice, which caused…
Travelling thoughts
A couple of weeks ago I was srolling around Berlin on a sunny day, looking at the sights. Last week I spent a similar amount of time walking through similar parts of central London on another sunny day. In Berlin I strolled through parks and squares near museums and churches and in London I walked…
Yesterday in Edale
Yesterday I went to Edale and back. I met some old friends, and made some new ones, and had an interesting day – oh yes, and was called a liar by a gamekeeper. Not a bad day all round. This is an annual event which basically has the feel of a rather up-market village fete…
Tim Melling – Bittern
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Tim writes: I had some good fortune photographing Bitterns at Old Moor RSPB reserve in South Yorkshire recently. A brood of three nearly-fledged youngsters were clambering about in the reeds waiting for their mum to return with a crop full of fish. The photos show the adult female setting off on a foraging flight, plus…
Sunday book – Eagle Warrior by Gill Lewis
‘Bobbie is thrilled that a golden eagle has settled in the forest near her family’s farm. She loves to walk the hills with her granny and watch the bird soar through the sky. But not everyone shares Bobbie’s awe for the spectacular bird. When her granny’s beloved dog is killed by poisoned bait, it soon…
Tim Melling – Iceberg and Sheathbills
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Tim writes: this beautifully sculpted iceberg was floating in Antarctica’s Weddell Sea. I thought that the three birds would barely show as it was taken with a wide-angle lens but I now think they add a special something and they give it scale. The birds are Snowy Sheathbills, affectionately known as Shit Chickens because they…
New Natural England chair faces massive criticism on social media
Natural England’s new chair, my mate Tony Juniper, has been roundly criticised on social media for his support of Natural England’s licensing of brood meddling. Here is a selection of the comments to give you a flavour: To grant #broodmeddling licences to vested interests 4 one of England’s rarest breeding raptors on grounds that ‘if…