It was the snails that got me thinking… On my walks at Stanwick Lakes, at least on those fairly early in the morning, I am sometimes struck by the trails of snails, and the occasional slug, across the gritty tracks. Although almost all the molluscs are departed one can see where they have been on…
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But me no buts
I haven’t seen many butterflies yet this year – a few Peacocks, lots of lovely Brimstones and some very welcome Small Tortoiseshells. But I am keeping my fingers crossed for a sunny, warm summer with lots of butterflies on the wing. Last year, do you remember?, consisted of a grotty spring and then a fine…
Spring – time for the British to kill some raptors
As well as those dozen dead Red Kites and four Buzzards in Ross-shire there has been a poisoned Peregrine found in southern Scotland and a Buzzard trapped in the Peak District. What is it with some land managers in this country? It’s spring, time to kill off some wildlife. At least these examples have come…
Malmesbury revisited
The last time I was in Malmesbury there was a Fieldfare looking over the building site; this time there was a Chiffchaff. Whether the Chiffchaff’s song was celebrating the activity on the site of what will be a new Waitrose store is difficult to know, but there was certainly a lot going on with around…
FoI request to Defra
Dear Defra Did a Minister see and approve the Defra response to John Armitage’s e-petition on the licensing of grouse moors? If so, which Minister?
Why isn’t this even bigger news?
The poisoning of 12 Red Kites and four buzzards in Ross-shire is shocking. See here, here, here, here and here. How long do we have to put up with this type of carnage? Red Kites by Don Macauley via wikimedia commons Buzzard by Andreas Trepte via wikimedia commons
Arctic Tern by Oscar Dewhurst
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Oscar writes: This was taken on the Isle of May last Summer. I’d never seen or photographed these birds before, so spent most of the day with them. Nikon D300s, Nikon 200-400mm f4 VR. Mark writes: Quite by chance, I saw an Arctic Tern yesterday evening at Stanwick Lakes. Although it’s often a bit of…
Sunday book review – The Art of Conservation by Gillmor, Davies and Appleton
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This is an attractive book which tells some of the story of the 25 years of Bird Fairs at Rutland Water. The story is told through the artwork of the posters of the different fairs. The first Bird Fair was in 1989 and raised £3000 for the ICBP ‘Stop the Massacre campaign (let us note…
The week in birding by Jonnie Fisk
Mark writes: The reward for information about the deaths of 12 Red Kites and four Buzzards in Ross-shire keeps increasing; £5k from the RSPB, £5k from an anonymous donor and over £1k from the public so far. To contribute, visit this Just Giving page. Do Wood Ducks cross the Atlantic sometimes? And did the…
Saturday cartoon by Ralph Underhill
Mark writes: Ralph’s cartoon reminds me of a speech by Robert Kennedy as follows: University of Kansas, March 18, 1968 ‘Our Gross National Product, now, is over $800 billion dollars a year, but that Gross National Product – if we judge the United States of America by that – that Gross National Product counts air…