Natural England is crowdfunding to carry out its statutory responsibilities. This public body is now crowdfunding for habitat management of sites such as Castle Hill National Nature Reserve (and Site of Special Scientific Interest and Special Area for Conservation for heavens sake!) on the outskirts of Brighton. According to Natural England this is ‘arguably the…
Tag: grouse shooting
Farming today, yesterday
Farming Today irritates me a lot – and it would iritate me often if I listened to it often but its timing means I am usually finishing the first piece of work of the day prior to making the first cup of tea of the day. But sometimes, as with yesterday morning, I give it…
A day’s birding in Norfolk
Comments Off on A day’s birding in Norfolk
A high tide on the Norfolk coast was the excuse for spending Saturday at Titchwell – but who really needs an excuse to be on the east coast in August (even early August)? For normal people, early August is summer – near the beginning of the school holidays and a break from work. For birders…
A Distant Call
The Artisans are an indie group based in the north of England. They released their debut album in April: “one of the guitar pop albums of the year” and “the most charming and quirky shimmering guitar pop.” You can download A Distant Call from Monday 12 August – to coincide with the Inglorious 12th. Email:…
Shameless spin from Moorland Association
It’s very touching to see Amanda Anderson trying to grab the credit for Hen Harriers nesting in Bowland for grouse moors. Yes, there are a few days shooting on the United Utilities land but, to the best of my knowledge, there were no Hen Harrier nests on the large areas of driven grouse moors in…
Hen Harriers in the news
The RSPB has announced that 22 Hen Harriers have fledged from five successful nests in the Forest of Bowland – all on land owned and managed by United Utilities where they own land to protect their water catchments. This land has a few days grouse shooting on it but, despite the fact that it comprises…
Yorkshire mum may not be doing the right thing by her children.
I blame the government, particularly Liz Truss (who dismissed the Lead Ammunition Group‘s report), the Food Standards Agency (chaired by a grouse moor owner, for not publicising their advice) and, of course, the shooting industry (who have known of the health risks of game meat shot with lead ammunition for years and years and years…
International Bog Day (yesterday)
Yesterday was International Bog Day which reminded me that I recently got an email from the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust thanking me for my donation to their peat appeal – an appeal which raised over £47,000 for peatland restoration work. And here’s the team saying thank you! You don’t get many 3-second videos! I notice there…
Ticks
Ticks – even talk of them is enough to make one itch. Remember that Mountain Hares are killed in enormous numbers, causing massive population declines, on grouse moors largely because they carry ticks. And the ticks carry the virus that leads to louping ill (in sheep and Red Grouse for starters). So I was interested…
Hen Harrier Day – 2 weeks today
If you want to learn more about the plight of the Hen Harrier and the motives of those who so ruthlessly persecute it, then read my book. My publisher tells me that the paperback (updated 2016) edition is down to its last 250 or so copies in the warehouse so they will soon be gone…