This is my latest letter to my MP – in line with my suggestion to readers of my Birdwatch column – ‘the political birder’. Why don’t you drop your MP an email along similar lines? Dear Andy First may I thank you for coming round and doing the Big Garden Birdwatch with me. You seemed…
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Two passings
I spent much of yesterday sitting at a computer and listening to the music of the late Pete Seeger on Spotify. As I travelled through the USA last summer I listened to his voice quite often and I found it inspiring. Many of us, of a certain age, will have heard songs such as Where…
Guest Blog – Top ten tips for getting a job in conservation by Nick Askew
Nick Askew has 15 years’ experience working in wildlife conservation in the UK and internationally. He runs Conservation Careers which is a social enterprise helping job seekers and conservation organisations to form lasting relationships. His website lists careers advice and job vacancies from within the world of wildlife conservation, and provides an opportunity for job-seekers…
It’s wet in my ‘back yard’
It was a bit of a toss-up whether to go out for a walk this morning or not. I’d been up since 5am and got quite a lot of work done – I’d written 700 words on Stanwick Lakes for a book that is being compiled about the Nene Valley so I felt pretty good. …
Doves of peace
When the ecological Pope Francis released some white doves as a sign of peace they were attacked by a corvid and a larid see here, here, here. How metaphorical can you get? My reactions were varied: 1. The nerdy birder: it’s not a ‘seagull’ – it looks like Larus michahellis to me with those yellow…
Petitions, petitions, petitions.
Tomorrow, wildlife cameraman and natural history presenter Gordon Buchanan will appear at the Holyrood Petitions Committee to ask the Scottish Parliament to support a RSPB campaign formally to adopt the Golden Eagle as Scotland’s national bird. The campaign calls for the adoption of the Golden Eagle as a new national symbol, alongside the lion rampant,…
Actions speak louder than words
Have you seen the RSPB’s latest Birdcrime publication which came out in December? It’s beautifully produced and has a lot of sense in it. Here are some quotes from Martin Harper’s introduction. ‘Persecution is so common and widespread that it is the most important factor limiting populations of some treasured and iconic species,including hen harriers,…
Oscar Dewhurst – Stonechat
Oscar writes: One October morning, just after dawn, while I was out photographing the deer rut, I came across a pair of Stonechats in a patch of bracken. This provided too much of a distraction, and I didn’t get another deer photograph that morning! I love the frost on the bracken, and the colours…
BGBW with my MP
I did the annual RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch with my MP, Andy Sawford, yesterday morning. I was grateful to Andy for popping in for an hour on his way to do some knocking on doors nearby. He seemed to bring some luck with him because the bird total was the best I recall for several…
The week in birding by Jonnie Fisk
Our Red-necked Phalaropes go to the Pacific and their loons come to Northern Ireland. Do you remember when getting BW Stilt for your year list just meant a walk down to the sea at Titchwell any day of the year? Kumlien’s Gull? Click here. Welsh for LB Dowitcher? Giach Gylfin-hir of course!