Managing expectations

Let’s take a step back and look at the idea of a brood management scheme for Hen Harriers. The idea of ‘doing something’ to Hen Harrier eggs, chicks and/or adults, to reduce their impacts on driven grouse shooting has been kicking around for years.  If the shooting industry had not been so intransigent, and if…

So, what is the Hawk and Owl Trust’s position on brood management?

Yesterday I speculated on what might be going on in Tory ministers’ minds to lead them to consider making a highly contentious move in the highly contentious issue of Hen Harrier persecution. Rather than Ministers being exercised about how they could live up to their pre-election promises on marine protected areas, or recovering farmland bird…

It’s a wasteland for Bowland Beth

David Harsent has won the prestigious TS Eliot prize for poetry for his collection of poems, Fire Songs. He is, the judges said, a poet ‘for dark and dangerous days’. This might seem a little off-subject for this blog, although I do try to maintain the appearance of having  a thin veneer of culture. However,…

Hen Harrier Day 2015 – thoughts?

It’s time to start thinking about what to do on Hen Harrier Day 2015 – which will be Sunday 9 August (the Sunday before the Inglorious 12th). Birders Against Wildlife Crime are organising a conference in Buxton in March and I’m sure that the subject will come up there.   Here are some questions to…