We are 12,200 ahead

We, by which I mean the supporters of a ban on driven grouse shooting, are now 12,200+ signatures ahead of the forces of conservatism who wish this unsustainable hobby of shooting birds for fun and profit to continue. But it’s not quite as simple as that, as there are three e-petitions including Ed Hutchings’s e-petition,…

Guest blog – Protecting Scotland’s honeybees by Callum MacGregor

Callum Macgregor is a postdoctoral researcher, currently based at the University of York. His research interests cover the ecology and conservation of pollinators (especially butterflies and moths) under the influence of human-induced environmental change. In his private life, that passion for insects extends to all wildlife, especially birds, and a particular enthusiasm for raptors and…

A fun quiz

  I quite like Country Life – I might take out a subscription. In this week’s magazine there is a quiz to see whether you are a real countryman (women need not apply).  It is quite fun, and consists of 100 questions set by Simon Lester, who is apparently a naturalist and former gamekeeper (an…

Tim Melling – Tibetan Fox

This beautifully ugly creature is also known as the Tibetan Sand Fox (Vulpes ferrilata).  They live on the high Tibetan Plateau where they feed on Plateau Pikas, which are superabundant in the area.  If you look just to the right of the fox you can see a Plateau Pika peeping out.  I took this one…