RSPB/WTs/NT press release

  Photo: Andy Hay/RSPB   New study finds at least £4.4bn a year needed for nature and climate-friendly farming to meet legal targets UK and devolved governments must invest at least £4.4bn a year in nature and climate-friendly farming to meet environmental commitments. The RSPB, The Wildlife Trusts and the National Trust are calling for…

Significant ‘temporary’ ban on Fin Whale hunting by Iceland

An announcement by the government of Iceland https://www.mbl.is/200milur/frettir/2023/06/19/alraemdur_hvalveidaandstaedingur_maetir_a_islandsmi/  The whaling season for Fin Whales was going to open tomorrow but is now closed until 1 September – and let’s see what happens then. Icelandic media coverage of Sea Shepherd’s Paul Watson https://www.mbl.is/200milur/frettir/2023/06/19/alraemdur_hvalveidaandstaedingur_maetir_a_islandsmi/

Breeding Bird Survey report 2022

I’m a big fan of the Breeding Bird Survey – I describe it and comment on it in Chapter 2 of Reflections. I’m also a participant but even if I weren’t then I’d be poring over the annual report as soon as I could each year. And so I had my first look at the…

NEWS: Monitoring shows that whaling is inconsistent with Iceland’s animal welfare objectives

The Icelandic Food and Veterinary Authority (MAST) believes that the killing of many whales in Icelandic waters during last year’s whaling season did not comply with the objectives of Iceland’s Animal Welfare Act.  The headline in the Icelandic newspaper, Morgunbladid, reads ‘Whaling is inconsistent with animal welfare objectives’, In summary: 148 whales were killed; 38…

Barn Owl by Brian Leecy

Mark writes: Brian sent me this super photo of a super bird and it took me back to various places where I have seen Barn Owls regularly in my life – from the Somerset Levels to the North Norfolk coastal marshes. The Barn Owl is a ‘stand and watch’ bird. I find it difficult to…