Category: Uncategorized

The latest Breeding Bird Survey report – for 2015 – is out.  I collected data that went into this report, and I am proud that I did. I immediately turn to Table 4 – the summary of trends for the UK (and then look briefly at Table 5 – for England) – but this time…

  The Parliamentary recess at Westminster is from 21 July until 5 September – that’s a long time and was partly, a long time ago, so that MPs and peers could rush off to their grouse moors for some ‘sport’. This period, no doubt, won’t be one long holiday for MPs, just as it isn’t…

Who would you like as the next Secretary of State for Defra? Who would you hate getting as Secretary of State for Defra? Who do you expect to get as Secretary of State for Defra?   I really find it very difficult to answer any of those questions. That’s why I thought I’d ask for…

  Oscar writes: this was taken at Minsmere, where there are around 1500 pairs of Black-headed Gulls nesting on The Scrape this year. While I was there most pairs had chicks. These are the target of several predators, including big gulls and Marsh Harriers (see next week for this photo). Herring and Lesser Black-backed Gulls…

Tim writes: the Mountain Ringlet (Erebia epiphron) is our only truly Alpine butterfly, living high on mountains in Cumbria and Scotland.  It must have been one of the first butterflies to colonise Britain as the ice retreated, but ironically it was one of the last to be discovered (25th June 1809 on hills above Ambleside,…