Has the EU been good for wildlife or not? My view, based on 25 years of working for the RSPB and so being closer than most people to the evidence and practice behind this question is a definitive ‘Yes, hell yes!’. My view is based on evidence (that’s coming soon in this post) but I…
BLOG POSTS
Still waiting for Waitrose
I’m waiting patiently for Waitrose’s response on the subject of the wording of their health warning on game meat (see here), although I did get a holding response from them today, as follows. Good morning Dr Avery. Thank you for your recent email regarding the labelling on our game products. I have asked for some…
Just asking…
Yesterday’s blog on the rather mindless comments of the NFU to the proposal to reintroduce White-tailed Eagles to the Isle of Wight attracted a lot of good comments. Thank you! And of course I agree that any such proposal needs proper evaluation and that should include public consultation with a wide range of people. How…
Conservationists
I’m sorry I won’t be able to go to the BTO Conference this year – it looks pretty good. I haven’t been for a few years now – maybe next year. I am a great supporter of the BTO and I’m looking forward to doing the English winter bird survey on ‘my’ two BBS squares…
European Hunters know the risk of lead in game meat
Our hunting organisations are dinosaurs compared with those elsewhere in Europe – and even in many ways compared with those in the USA and Canada. As Waitrose consider rewording their health warning on their packs of game meat on sale in their stores (see here and here) they should glance at the advice on consumption…
Go back in time on the IoW – particularly if you are a farmer
By Ordnance Survey – map from 1945, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org One of the attractions of visiting the Isle of Wight is that you just get a little taste of what the UK was like in the 1950s – that’s why the OS map above is so appropriate. You almost expect to see items in the…
Letter to my MP – we might agree on this!
Dear Mr Pursglove I hope you will vote against the Brexit deal agreed between the government and the EU. I suspect you may vote against it because you don’t feel it is a sufficiently hard Brexit. I feel it isn’t a sufficiently soft Remain. But, for once, I trust we can agree that it is…
Waitrose warnings on lead
I do think that Waitrose deserve some credit for having this heath warning about lead shot on their game meat even though it is very badly worded. I think they are leading (no pun intended) the way in telling the public that eating lead is an issue – I am not aware of any warnings…
Brexit will be a disaster for wildlife
Are you getting a bit bored with Brexit? You are aren’t you? I confess to feeling a little that way myself sometimes but I always shake myself out of it – and so I’m writing this to shake you out of it too. Brexit will be a disaster for wildlife – it doesn’t necessarily have…
Paul Leyland – Beautiful Demoiselle
Paul writes: Demoiselles are large damselflies and are easily told from other species by their coloured wings. There are two species in Britain, the Beautiful Demoiselle (Calopteryx virgo) and the Banded Demoiselle (Calopteryx splendens). The Beautiful Demoiselle, especially this male, is exactly what its name suggests. It is best seen on a sunny day; in…