RSPB’s Nature of Scotland awards

These are the shortlists for this year’s categories.  Lots of good contenders but I wish Ruth Tingay the best of luck in the political advocate category.  Given the judging panel, I would rate her odds of winning at around 9/4. We will learn the identities of the winners on the 22nd of November at a…

Iceland and the whales

Photo: The Whaling Station, Hvalfjörður It’s a beautiful setting for some less than beautiful deeds. Hvalfjörður means Whale Fjord and the group of white buildings at the foot of the pier into the fjord are where Iceland’s catch of Fin Whales are flensed and butchered under the eyes of a Japanese inspector – for all…

Defra/NE dragging their feet again on wildlife crime

If you are aware of the MoU between NE, NRW, the CPS and the National Police Chiefs’ Council then I doff my cap to you.  I’ve only recently been pointed in its direction. The document deals with how these organisations should and will work together covering the following areas: purpose of the agreement the parties…

Free food but no drink

On Saturday a few minutes in my favourite blackberrying patch provided an easy couple of ice cream containers of free food. Thee are plenty left and I must get out again before the weekend to harvest some more. The plan was to have a celebratory pub lunch afterwards, but the local pub, I found, is…