Gamekeepers are asking themselves whether they are wonderful and are expected to say ‘Yes, we are!’. It’s a fairly obvious point but – wouldn’t it be more impressive if gamekeepers could get others to say how wonderful they are? And I don’t mean their employers! If the RSPB, Wildlife Trusts and other real conservation organisations…
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You don’t see this very often…
I went back to check on a paper on heather burning which was published a few years ago and found that something had been added to it. 10 January 2019In the version of this Article originally published, the authors neglected to include information on Competing Interests; this has now been included in all versions of…
Getting close
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The crowdfunder by The Seahorse Trust (see Guest blog here) has passed £10,000 and is heading towards its target of £12,000 with 8 days to go to raise the balance. I wish them success!
Two mornings of Sand Martins
I haven’t been out much recently but yesterday morning I had a walk around my local patch of Stanwick Lakes and the star bird was the Sand Martin – there were hundreds of them! Sand Martin – in flight meal. Photo: Tim Melling In fact, a local birder who gets out earlier than I, said…
Wind turbines – what do you think?
I do notice them, but they have become familiar now, whereas ten years ago they seemed strange and new. I can see this bunch from my house, although it requires a bit of neck-stretching and straining to do so. This morning they were whizzing round in the wind (apart from one of them – there’s…
Thinking of subscribing…
The current Shooting Times magazine is so full of interesting and puzzling articles I am seriously considering taking out a subscription. And it’s nearly time for the next weekly offering. Lindsay Waddell, retired gamekeeper from the Raby estate, writes about the new rules governing heather without actually telling us what they are. I assume he…
What will Glover review make of our environmental glories?
Our uplands are one of our environmental glories Michael Gove, Hansard 28 March In contrast, RSPB Chair, Kevin Cox, said National parks are not delivering for wildlife and are often in worse condition than areas outside the park . They aren’t being monitored, lack funding and have no clear purpose. Farming – plus grouse shooting…
What’s with the Irish butter?
Pure Irish butter in Scotland. Over the past few weeks I’ve been in far-flung parts of Scotland, England and Wales – but not Ireland (north or south). I keep coming across this Lakeland Dairies butter at my breakfast tables. I haven’t found anything wrong with this butter but I am a bit puzzled as to…
A good weekend
We gathered at Parkgate on The Wirral for the high tide at midday on Friday. As the tide comes in, particularly the highest tides (and this was an equinoctial high tide with a super moon!) the voles and mice on the saltmarsh swim for their lives and the predators gather for the feast (as do…
Operation Yellow Hammer
The petition Revoke Article 50 and remain in the EU is poised just below 5 million signatures and the Prime Minister is lacking poise on the edge of a precipice. A Yellowhammer from Tim Melling in West Yorkshire