Banning driven grouse shooting – a case example (or two?)

Today our e-petition passed 4600 signatures – thank you! On Friday the RSPB in Scotland issued this to the media: RSPB Scotland is calling for more sporting estates to take action to protect the country’s hen harriers during the breeding season. The conservation charity says grouse moor managers and gamekeepers must do more to prevent…

Hen Harriers in The Times

Our e-petition to ban driven grouse shooting in England is going really well – yesterday (we are still in Week Four) it passed 4500 signatures. Thank you to all who signed it and to Chris Packham, Tony Juniper, Brigit Strawbridge, The League Against Cruel Sports, Birdwatch magazine, Birders Against Wildlife Crime and Rare Bird Alert…

Thank you and ask a friend please.

Yesterday, ‘my’ e-petition, which is definitely ‘our’ e-petition, to ban driven grouse shooting in England, passed the 4000 signature mark.   We are still only half way through Week 3 of its existence so that is pretty impressive. Thank you to all who have signed it. Just to emphasise the initial success of this e-petition…

Is this pretty?

Heather burning is vitally important to grouse shooting.  Burning the heather on a rotational basis, every few years, creates a pattern of young and older heather.  The younger heather produces green vegetation that is eaten by Red Grouse whereas older heather provides more nesting cover.   This image from talented wildlife photographer Peter Cairns shows…

A bit of a round up – all good news

Virunga – good news here! And well done! to WWF. Hen Harriers in Bowland – some good news here – there are three pairs of Hen Harrier in England this year – that’s just under 1% of the number that there could be judging by the suitable habitat available. Hen Harriers on Springwatch – did…

Hen Harrier Day – 10 August in the Peak District

                I was in the Peak District for a few days last week  – after seeing a Hen Harrier in Snowdonia at 0643 on the 60th anniversary of the Protection of Birds Act becoming law. I celebrated with a big Welsh breakfast (see above)(and a whoop of joy,…

Arguments to make you pause before signing this e-petition

I’d like you to sign my e-petition to ban driven grouse shooting in England please. However, I’m not going to make out that all grouse moor owners, managers or gamekeepers are evil and hateful.  I quite like quite a few of them,  personally.  I can’t understand what they get out of shooting Red Grouse but…