Oscar writes: Over the past few weeks I’ve spent a couple of days photographing Dartford Warblers. This particular bird was a male that hadn’t yet paired up with a female so was still singing to proclaim its territory. Early in the morning the light was brilliant, showing off the bird’s colours really nicely. Dartford Warbler:…
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Sunday book review – The Complete Naturalist by Nick Baker
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There is no such thing as the complete naturalist – that’s part of the fun of nature. There is always more to learn – more mysteries to unravel. And I doubt that Nick Baker would claim to be the complete naturalist. But when you get past the title of the book, and stop harrumphing about…
Seven weeks today
In seven weeks time, at 1930, an evening to celebrate the Hen Harrier will start in the Palace Hotel, Buxton. The event will feature Chris Packham, Mark Cocker, Henry the Hen Harrier and myself, and a cast of a thousands (or a few anyway). Tickets will go on sale in July and are likely to…
Saturday cartoon by Ralph Underhill
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Occupy this naked butt!
Doesn’t this butt look just right for occupation? A while ago someone tried to post a comment on this blog, and then followed up with another comment. Both are reproduced below in edited versions. I have edited the two comments to remove anything that might be libellous or offensive, and to protect the identity…
Access clarified?
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Further to my enquiries (see here and here) about how I, as a member of the public, find out about access to ‘open access’ land in the uplands I have received this email from the Peak District National Park: Thank you for your email and for providing a link to your blog. The restriction…
Pigeon plague on moorlands over Britain
There has clearly been a plague of pigeons attacking this valuable heather crop on an SSSI in the Peak District – that’s the only reason for employing bird-scaring devices such as this gas gun (and what are those white flags for?) in an SSSI during the breeding season. Obviously. Since a gas gun doesn’t fall…
Booming Bitterns
Good news on Bitterns yesterday from the RSPB – 11 males in 1997, over 150 males in 2015 after years of conservation science, habitat management, habitat re-creation and partnership working. And this was, no-one would deny, led by the RSPB. We await the congratulatory press release from YFTB. At Ham Wall, there are apparently 17…
This was not a fake review
When I criticised Rules restaurant on the site Tripadvisor it really was me, and I really meant it – even though some comments on similar sites are apparently fake ones. I asked Rules, having been there as a customer, about the provenance of its game meat and whether it was completely up to date with…
Ten reasons to take notice of the Pope’s encyclical on climate change
Isn’t ‘encyclical’ a nice word? The Pope has published his thoughts on climate change and they are well worth reading in full. But here is a good summary (taken from Time magazine). Climate change is real and it’s getting worse Human beings are a major contributor to climate change Climate change disproportionately affects the poor…