Vote for the Hen Harrier

Today is general election day – you get to decide. It’s also the last day that you can vote in David Lindo’s fascinating poll for our national bird.  In this poll, voting closes at midnight (in the general election the polls close at 10pm). Why bother – it’s just a bit of fun isn’t it?…

Three Harriers go missing

The RSPB has just disclosed that three adult male Hen Harriers have gone missing from their ‘stronghold’ in the Forest of Bowland over the last three weeks. All three birds had active nests on United Utilities land and all three disappeared away from their nesting sites.  Two of the nests have failed (as the males…

Henry is game

Henry did tell me that he has eaten grouse in the past, and so we went to Yorkshire Game to see what they had to offer. But they’d all gone home when we arrived. So Henry did a few circuits of the car park to stretch his wings. As Henry told you earlier, North Yorkshire…

Henry knows the Rules!

Henry asked me whether I’d had a reply from Rules restaurant about the provenance of their game meat and the amount of lead that is contained in it (and see here, here and here for previous bizarre correspondence on this subject). I’m afraid that London’s oldest restaurant, which specialises in game, is remarkably tight-lipped about…

Thirsk and Malton constituency

This blog has mentioned before the deselection of the feisty Conservative MP, and chair of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee, Anne Macintosh. Now I don’t agree with Ms MacIntosh about everything, and obviously I have no knowledge of the ins and outs, ups and downs, of her relationship with her constituency party, but…

Henry the Hen Harrier at the gates of Sandringham

Phew!! It’s a relief to see you back again. You were just fooling around eh? I see you are a royalist, Henry. Good for you! Looking for anyone in particular? No, I haven’t see anyone called Harry either. #HaveYouSeenHenry? Remember to vote for the Hen Harrier in the national bird vote.   Just before I…

Oh no! One of our harriers is down!

Henry! I did tell you to be careful! Will Henry be back tomorrow? #WillYouSeeHenryAgain? I suspect Henry may be back tomorrow and he was just larking around – he’s such a wag isn’t he? Where might he turn up next? #HaveYouSeenHenry?

Hear hear! Hare hare!

Ten wildlife and conservation organisations are calling on the Scottish Government to impose a three year ban on all Mountain Hare culling on grouse moors until safeguards are in place to inform sustainable management, and to meet international conservation obligations. The organisations are: Highland Foundation for Wildlife John Muir Trust National Trust for Scotland RSPB…

Skydancer film

Henry says ‘Here is a link to the excellent Hen Harrier film made by the Haltwistle Film Project as part of the RSPB Skydancer project.  Look at it and see what all the fuss is about… …and then vote for me, the Hen Harrier in the national bird vote please.‘.  

Open letter to Marc Bolland of M&S

Dear Marc Congratulations on your increased profits and increased share price!  It can’t all be due to customers flocking back to you after your decision not to sell grouse meat last year, but I have certainly been doing my bit to increase your profits. Your wise decision not to sell grouse meat in your stores,…