Stephen Moss is a naturalist, author and course leader of the MA Travel & Nature Writing at Bath Spa University. This year he published Skylarks with Rosie: A Somerset Spring (Saraband) and The Swan: A Biography, (Square Peg). Here is his annual round-up of books about wildlife, nature and the environment. @stephenmoss_tv [Mark writes: where…
BLOG POSTS
Press release – Leicestershire & Rutland Wildlife Trust and the future of the Birdfair
Leicestershire & Rutland Wildlife Trust regret to announce that they will no longer run the annual Rutland Water Birdfair Over the past 31 years, Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust (LRWT), supported by our hardworking staff, volunteers and members, has been proud to run Birdfair, the foremost and internationally-renowned bird-watching, wildlife and conservation event. Working with…
Human Rights – #justiceforhenharriers
It was good to see this account of brood meddling in this legal blog – a bit of a surprise really! There are some mistakes in it, but of a biological nature. Very good to see this being talked about by lawyers, in a slightly jokey way, but bringing the issues to the fore. But…
Sunday book review – More Birds than Bullets by Geoffrey McMullan
Comments Off on Sunday book review – More Birds than Bullets by Geoffrey McMullan
This book is a very good read. It’s packed with stories of birds and other wildlife seen whilst being a serving soldier. McMullan travelled widely as a soldier including serving in the first Gulf War which is a particular type of ‘travelling’. We are regaled with birding observations from the Middle East, Falklands, Germany and…
Guest blog – How nature dies – part 2 by Alistair Gammell
Alistair Gammell worked for RSPB for 40 years and was closely involved in the drafting of the Birds and Habitats Directives and for growing RSPB’s international work. He was RSPB’s first International Director and retired from RSPB in 2009. He then worked successfully to establish large-scale fully-protected marine reserves in the seas around the British…
RSPB press release
New report reveals huge declines in Europe’s birds New data suggests around 600 million breeding birds have been lost in the EU and UK since 1980 A significant proportion of these losses are as a result of massive decreases in the more common and abundant bird species The largest drop in population is seen in…
Sunday book review – Vagrancy in Birds by Alexander Lees and James Gilroy
This is a scientific investigation and account of why and how birds turn up a long way from where they might be expected. It’s the science behind the biology which enables twitching to be a hobby. Both the authors are academics, both are birders – it’s a potent combination. The book begins with a review…
This ‘track’ must go
Bob Berzins wrote about this track in February 2017 and again in January 2019. This planning case has now been settled with the landowner having to remove the track, reinstate the vegetation and pay costs. This is a good result, though a slow result – see here for details.
Press release – Argaty Red Kites/Beaver Trust
Argaty Red Kites granted beaver translocation licence In a significant policy step, Argaty Red Kites in Perthshire has been granted Scotland’s first edge-of-range beaver translocation licence. Argaty, a working farm which is home to the award-winning red kite project, has been awarded a licence by the Scottish Government’s nature agency NatureScot for the release of…
Brood meddling challenge – some more
Following on from this morning’s blog, here is the court order. I may get it framed and put it in the loo. You’ll see from this that the RSPB did not, in the end, apply for permission to appeal whereas I did and was turned down – this is entirely normal as one is asking…