Iceland made a lot of fuss about selling frozen Red Grouse in their stores some time back (see Red grouse get to Iceland, 10 July and Iceland fail to demonstrate their grasp of the subject, 13 July) thanks to publicity in the Daily Mail (editor Paul Dacre – grouse shooter). On a recent…
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Bye bye Game Fair
I regret the passing of the Game Fair as I’ve had quite a lot of fun there over the years. But it was very obvious this year that there weren’t many folk around on the Friday at least. But Henry enjoyed his first, and apparently only, visit, very much (Henry’s Game Fair, 2 August). I…
Defra – a shameful department (2)
George Monbiot’s article in today’s Guardian reinforces the view that Defra has sunk to about as low as it can get. He points out that Defra announced the impacts of NOx pollution on human mortality and a consultation on how to fix it on the Saturday just before the media were swamped with the news…
Defra – a shameful government department
One of the more reasonable aspects of the dreadful government response to our e-petition to ban driven grouse shooting is that it regards the fact that there were a few more Hen Harriers this year (although many of the males disappeared of course) as encouraging. It is a little bit encouraging – but not very….
Just wondering…(2)
I’m grateful to various clever people for contacting me about yesterday’s blog about the extreme unlikelihood of so many male Hen Harriers disappearing from active nests with RSPB involvement. My brain was aching a bit so I am grateful for others’ input. The probability of 5 or more male Hen Harriers disappearing through ‘normal’ levels…
Badger consultation
The government is consulting on relaxing the criteria that need to be met for farmers to get licenses to kill badgers in trial areas. This government is dead keen to give the NFU and farmers greater ‘flexibility’ in killing badgers with the supposed aim of reducing bTB. We need to reduce bTB. We may need…
Just wondering…
The RSPB is being criticised by the usual suspects (The Daily Telegraph, the Daily Mail and also the shooting press) for the number of Hen Harrier nests that failed on its watch last season. We’ve been through this several times recently, including getting the Daily Telegraph to correct its earlier version and to apologise for…
Fineshade Wood
I’m glad that Forest Holidays have decided not to appeal the planning authoritiy’s decision not to permit a major habitat-destroying development in Fineshade Wood. But rumours are that a revised application is heading our way. It’s a pity that Forest Enterprise have not learned their lesson on this one, given that there is much to…
Gate zero and the West Pennine Moors
You may remember that I asked for information from NE about the West Pennine Moors (see here and here) some time ago. The delay in returning to this subject is not that NE were very tardy (just a little bit) about responding but that they sent me a piles of stuff and I have been …
Oscar Dewhurst – Little Egret
Oscar writes: This Little Egret was being chased around by another bird on a small pool in the reeds. This was taken just as it landed again in the water. Nikon D800, Nikon 600mm f/4 AF-S II lens, Nikon 1.4x TC