Belgrave Square has rarely, if ever, seen a six-foot Hen Harrier before, but last week we visited the London HQ of the Country Land and Business Association. Henry said that it all looked very posh – much posher than the Scottish Land and Estates little office block. Henry gave his plumage a special preen to…
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Today Inglorious is published
Big day for me – just a normal day for everyone else. There was a very nice review of Inglorious in The Independent by friend of mine, and friend of nature, Michael McCarthy (click here). ‘The logic is impeccable‘ There was a less favourable account of Inglorious in The Times by no friend of mine,…
Henry just had to stop
Henry and I were passing through the Oxfordshire countryside, somewhere between Banbury and Chipping Norton, at least I think it was Oxfordshire, maybe it was Northants. As I say, we were just passing through, when Henry said that he needed to consult Inglorious about a few things. So he did. For everyone else, Inglorious –…
At the Birdwatch offices
I popped into the offices of Birdwatch in north London last week – I’d never been there before. I’ve been writing a monthly column, The Political Birder, for Birdwatch more or less since I left the RSPB over four years ago. This is not an activity that will allow me to retire with a full…
Henry visits the Countryside Alliance
The Countryside Alliance is full of real country people – like Sir Barnie White-Spunner (who ran for cover from the Lead Ammunition Group). They didn’t seem to be in when we visited last week with the red London buses , black taxi cabs, and commuters in a traffic jam on the Kennington Road. Maybe they’d…
Butterflies
I haven’t mentioned Purple Emperors in this blog this year – because I haven’t been out looking for them. A combination of lots of work, lots of rain, lots of time with Henry and lots of MoT work being done on the car has meant that nipping out to see this glorious butterfly has been…
Henry goes to London – Defra
Henry has been keen to go to London for a long time – but we only flew down there a week ago. What a great day it was – so many photo opportunities – only some of which we can share with you this week. And so many friendly conversations with taxi drivers, tourists and…
It’s not really about money is it?
The deadline for responses to the consultation about the South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands is 31 July – Friday. Please respond as every response will count – as there won’t be very many. Something along these lines would be useful, I believe: Thank you for the opportunity to comment on…
Oscar Dewhurst – Chaffinch
Comments Off on Oscar Dewhurst – Chaffinch
Oscar writes: this Chaffinch was singing from the top of the gorse bushes in the car park at Minsmere. I was able to find a spot to photograph it from with a tree behind it, giving a nice clean green background. Nikon D800, Nikon 600mm f/4 AF-S II, Nikon 1.4x TC Mark writes: it’s not…
The first 5000 signatures
Last year it took 28 days to reach 5,000 signatures on an e-petition to ban driven grouse shooting. This year it has taken 6 days to get half way to the level where the government must respond. I wonder whether we could reach 10,000 signatures by Hen Harrier Day, or certainly by the Inglorious 12th?…