An amazing local reaction – I wish I could be there PRESS RELEASE On Sunday August 12th, flood-hit residents of Hebden Bridge and campaigners from across the country will set out from the town centre on a BAN THE BURN protest walk to the Walshaw Moor grouse-shooting estate. Following the walk, the BAN THE BURN national campaign…
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See you at the Bird Fair?
A week today it’s Day One of the Bird Fair. In a ‘summer’ in which many outdoor events have been cancelled because of wet weather it was reassuring to see this post of Facebook by Tim Appleton earlier in the week: Been a few stressful few weeks, what with highest reservoir levels ever, saturated fields,…
How are your holidays?
I’ve been wandering around Scotland recently and had a great time seeing scenery and wildlife. I think I may set you a little brain teaser about it in a while so I won’t give too much away. However, wildlife highlights have included otter, red squirrel, Scotch argus, bottle-nosed dolphin, leaping salmon and the occasional midge….
Tossers
I spent a few minutes looking at a fairly commonplace bird the other day – except no bird is commonplace, particularly if you watch them rather than just see them. This bird was on a beach, as they often are, and it was turning over pebbles as its name, turnstone, would suggest it does. Have…
Rare breeders
The issue of British Birds to which I probably look forward the most is the annual report of the Rare Breeding Birds Panel. In the July BB the Panel reports on 2010. It was a year of southern herons and southern warblers. If you read my article on climate change in the August Birdwatch you…
Going on holiday?
Do you want something amusing and entertaining to take on holiday – then take me? Or at least take Fighting for Birds. That Chris Packham knows a bit about wildlife and this is what he says about Fighting for Birds (click here). I am actually wandering around the north of Britain and so if this…
Flying ants
Last week there was a flock of black-headed gulls above my back garden and much higher there were swifts wheeling around. Both species were feeding on flying ants – so I contributed my observation to the Society of Biology flying ant survey. I wonder how many more of these I will see? This was good…
More hope from Hope
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Pheasants
Remember there was a bit of fuss about pheasants and buzzards back in May? Around that time I was writing an article for BBC Wildlife magazine about pheasants! Now the article is out in the September (!) BBC Wildlife. Pheasants are amazing birds. They are tasty, beautiful and interesting. They are also amazingly abundant in…
A chat with Charlie
Last week I had a chat with Charlie Moores about grouse shooting, hen harrier shooting, farmland birds, climate change, the honours system, the RSPB, whether I am happy, whether Charlie is any good at spotting birds, bluethroats, politicians, politics etc You can listen to our chat on Charlie’s podcast Talking Naturally (where you will also…