Standing up for Nature
There are two similar species of Golden Saxifrage known as ‘opposite-leaved’ and ‘alternate-leaved’, the names helpfully highlighting their main distinguishing feature. This one is opposite-leaved and it is very common locally, forming a low, dense carpet in patches of woodland with heavy, waterlogged soils. It acts as a handy warning that you risk a…
Reviewed by Ian Carter This is a book I probably wouldn’t have read had I not been asked to review it. The name Willughby was not a familiar one – other than a vague notion that he, and his close associate John Ray, had something to do with birds a very long time ago….
Tim writes: Photographs of Red Pandas in the wild are so rare I have decided to post a second photograph. This one was high in a Berry tree, realising it was a little exposed as they normally feed on bamboo, so spend their time deep in bamboo thickets. They venture out in the autumn,…
Today British Birds publishes a paper on raptor persecution in the Peak District National Park by Tim Melling, Mark Thomas, Mike Price and Staffan Roos. Here is the abstract: Abstract: The Peak District National Park is the southernmost area managed for driven Red Grouse Lagopus lagopus shooting in England. Grouse-moor management includes intensive moorland burning…
Please sign this petition against the ridiculous cull of Ravens . And please email the chair of SNH to tell him to reconsider this daft decision: chair@snh.gov.uk
Dear Mr Cantlay Everyone makes mistakes, but I’m surprised that SNH has made this one. I’m also surprised that it hasn’t corrected it after a week of public outcry over your decision to license a mass cull of Ravens. SNH’s decision has damaged Scotland’s environmental reputation at a time when the Scottish Government has in…
The story so far: Defra FoI fail, 25 April Defra FoI continued fail, 26 April Defra FoI – less of a fail, 26 April This morning I received this response (or at least this is the bit that I am revealing at the moment): Thank you to Defra for apparently pulling out the stops once…
I wonder what Julian Huxley would think of this… It probably is better if I do not comment on this. If you are attending, please do feed back.
The EU has banned outdoor use of neonicotinoid pesticides on the grounds that they harm bees (and probably other insects and other invertenrates too). What they say: Buglife – ‘Today is a red letter day for the continent’s pollinators, we salute and thank all of the organisations, members of the public and politicians…