More inappropriate development in the Peak District National Park

Bob Berzins sends these disturbing-looking photographs from the Moscar estate – yes that name may well be familiar Snaring in the Peak District National Park 11 July, Peak District snares – what they say, 12 July. Bob writes, ‘Moscar Estate (owned by the Duke of Rutland) are constructing a surfaced road across Derwent Moor from…

I love this time of year…

The run-up to Hen Harrier Day and the #Inglorious12th is always a great time of year. It’s when the worst elements of the shooting industry, and their hangers on, show how rattled they are, and let a little nastiness out for us all to see. Here’s an example from last year.  Since then they have…

Guest blog – Love Vultures, Ban Diclofenac by Ian Parsons

Ian Parsons spent twenty years working as a Ranger with the Forestry Commission, where he not only worked with birds of prey and dormice, but where he developed his passion for trees.  Now a freelance writer, Ian runs his own specialist bird tour company leading tours to Extremadura.  For more details see www.griffonholidays.com This is…

Check out those Bee-eaters

On the spur of the moment, I headed off to see those Nottinghamshire Bee-eaters again yesterday evening.  At first it seemed the spur of the wrong moment – the journey was slow and included some diversions and delays. And then on arrival I had a brief, against the sun, distant silhouette view of one bird….

Soaked to UK extinction?

  The latest UK survey of Capercaillie, carried out last winter, estimates there to be only 1114 individuals – six years ago the estimate was higher at 1285 individuals.  We can regard this as a more-or-less stable population, given the inherent difficulties of counting this species.  The press release from RSPB, SNH and Cairngorms National…