It’s going to be close, I think. Les Wallace’s epetition calling for a proper economic study of grouse shooting has passed 7,000 signatures. Fewer than 3000 signatures are needed in order to ensure that Defra have to respond on this subject. We should make them respond. There are nine days left until this epetition closes….
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Another farmland bird survey
It’s difficult to make my farmland Breeding Bird Survey square (now also an English Winter Bird Survey square) look very interesting. It’s value is that it is typically dull. It was being typically dull one slightly frosty morning this week when I surveyed it. Few birds and no Brown Hares. The ‘best’ bird of the…
Neonics in Swiss House Sparrows
I saw this study and thought it was pretty interesting. See here for some info on what IP Suisse means – it seems like it is a bit like LEAF farms in UK.
Today
Today I am going for a drive, going for a walk, going for a drive, giving a talk, going for a drive. I think I will pass through six counties, but it might be more. I think I will leave home before 8am and get home after 10pm. I think I might see some Marsh…
Today – a good day
Today has been a good day. First, I got quite a lot done early on in the day – this is always important to me. What is early on? Before 7am. Second, I saw Les Wallace’s epetition pass 6000 signatures before I left for Wellingborough station where the sun was shining. Usually, when it is…
Well done Les!
It will take a big shove to get Les Wallace’s epetition over the 10,000-signatures line by the end of next week – but it’s quite possible. Over 700 signatures have been added in the last 24 hours. A few more days like that would bring the required ‘run rate’ tumbling. The grouse shooting industry fears…
Bowland harriers
Stephen Murphy of Natural England is backing up the Moorland Association’s nonsense that having brood meddling is turning gamekeepers into good guys according to a report in the Lancashire Post. I’m looking forward to writing in some detail about brood meddling again when we receive judgement from Ms Justice Lang but as we said when…
Various
I went to the pictures last night – to see Mary Queen of Scots. Good film! I recommend it. She had her head lopped off down the road from here at Fotheringhay. The anniversary comes up on 8 February. It’s impossible for me to watch a film without noticing the bird noises. There were some…
Single use plastic
Shotgun cartridges haven’t always been made of plastic, and not all of them are now. I have no idea of the relative merits of plastic cartridges versus cartridges made of other materials, but this area certainly seems worth thinking about. I look forward to being told that plastic cartridges are ‘traditional’. Here are a few…
A milestone
Congratulations to Les Wallace for passing the 5000 signature milestone. It’s a big ask to think that this petition could get another 5000 signatures inside two weeks but it’s certainly not impossible. And every signature counts. I’m sure that a full economic appraisal of the impacts of driven grouse shooting including intensive burning of heather…