RSPB’s reaction to Government Watchdog’s report on environmental improvement progress The Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) has shown that progress remains far too slow on environmental improvement. This puts economic growth, net zero, and public health at risk. Beccy Speight, RSPB chief executive, said: “Nature in England is still in freefall, and the UK Government…
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RSPB press release – Yorkshire Buzzard basher pleads guilty
Gamekeeper filmed brutally killing protected Buzzard In March 2024, secret RSPB filming caught gamekeeper Thomas Munday brutally killing a protected Buzzard whilst it was caught in a cage trap on a pheasant shoot near Hovingham, North Yorkshire. Today, at Scarborough Magistrates Court, Munday pleaded guilty to killing a Buzzard and was fined £1,215. Although cage…
RSPB report on farming
The RSPB sets out vision for how farming can help save nature In a brand-new report, published at this week’s Oxford Farming Conference, the RSPB sets out how farming can help reverse wildlife declines. The RSPB calls on governments to make three key steps to support farmers in making this transition, as well as detailing how…
Guest blog – Let’s Ban Bio-beads by Chris Corrigan
Chris Corrigan is CEO of the Sussex Wildlife Trust and has worked in nature conservation for almost 40 years. He spent most of his career with the RSPB, most recently as Director England, but has also worked for BirdWatch Ireland and Butterfly Conservation and is a trustee of the South Georgia Heritage Trust. He is…
Twelfth Night wildlife round up
Opinions differ as to how and when one ‘should’ take down Christmas decorations, just as they do about how and when one should take down Venezuelan presidents. But on the former I stick to the Twelfth Night rule which gives me an opportunity to have a look at all the Christmas cards that have arrived….
Sunday book review – Pan-species Listing by Graeme Lyons
If your New Year resolution is anything to do with seeing more wildlife, becoming a little better at identifying what you see or getting to the top of the list of individuals who have seen the most species of wildlife in the UK then this book is for you. The author is widely recognised as…
Guest blog – Walshaw Turbine 16 by Nick MacKinnon
Nick MacKinnon is a freelance teacher of Maths, English and Medieval History, and lives above Haworth, in the last inhabited house before Top Withens = Wuthering Heights. In 1992 he founded the successful Campaign to Save Radio 4 Long Wave while in plaster following a rock-climbing accident on Skye. His poem ‘The metric system’ won…
Guest blog – The Blackcap and the Mistletoe by Nick Brown
The Blackcap and the Mistletoe – a garden experiment pays off. Nick Brown worked for the Wildlife Trust for many years but since retiring has continued his voluntary work helping to run projects on Swifts and urban Peregrines. Nick was also involved in the initial stages of setting up Hen Harrier Days, the first being in…
Lead in Leeds children
This study (which can’t really be that pioneering) is greatly to be welcomed, and indeed is overdue. Some would say, long overdue. See here for details. Blood lead levels in children will be examined in Leeds – apparently a lead hotspot. It’s a shame that the study isn’t a bit more rural in scope and…
Guest blog – Walshaw Turbine 19 by Nick MacKinnon
Nick MacKinnon is a freelance teacher of Maths, English and Medieval History, and lives above Haworth, in the last inhabited house before Top Withens = Wuthering Heights. In 1992 he founded the successful Campaign to Save Radio 4 Long Wave while in plaster following a rock-climbing accident on Skye. His poem ‘The metric system’ won…