Red Grouse in Iceland?

No, we aren’t going back to that well-known place to buy frozen foods but to that well-known country of Gyr Falcons, King Eiders and Brunnich’s Guillemots. Apparently, the traditional Icelandic Christmas dish is a Ptarmigan, but numbers have declined and so Iceland has imposed strict quotas on numbers shot.  Birds should only be shot for…

Flowers we can pick (7) – Red Campion

Plantlife, the charity which speaks up for the nation’s plants, says that it’s OK to pick these 12 common flowers (provided you don’t go beserk in the woods and fields of the UK). Three things you might not know about Red Campion according to Plantlife. Another alternative name from the Wildlife Trusts probably relates to…

See you for a chat on Sunday (and Saturday looks good too!)

  Yorkshire Wildlife Trust have arranged a programme of events at Potteric Carr Saturday and Sunday 21st-22nd July in celebration of the reserve’s 50th birthday. Visitors can enjoy free entry to the site and trails, where there will be activities for all ages and reserve volunteers and wardens throughout, to help visitors spot wildlife and…

Guest blog – The Acceptability of Wildness by Ian Parsons

The Acceptability of Wildness? Whilst running my spring tours in Extremadura this April and May, I read Richard Mabey’s book, ‘A Brush With Nature’, a collection of some of his columns from BBC Wildlife Magazine. I am sure that many of you have read it (it came out in 2010), but if you haven’t, I…

Bowland Gull Cull 12 – I keep asking

Dear Natural England, In November 2017 you told me that the investigation of the gull cull in Bowland was entering its final stages and that you would answer my questions (of mid July 2017 and subsequently) ‘once the investigation is concluded’.  On 11 June you told me that ‘the investigation is in its final stages’….