Hen Harrier Day, 10 August 2014 – general information (see below for info specifically on the Peak District ‘event’) Due to circumstances beyond their control, and rather frustratingly for them, Birders Against Wildlife Crime have had to cancel the planned Yorkshire Hen Harrier day event. Things are also looking doubtful for Cumbria, I believe. But…
Tag: grouse shooting
Calling all media
In a month’s time, if history is any guide, you will be publishing some puff pieces about grouse shooting and the Glorious 12th. Be aware, that this year is different – public opinion is turning against this ecologically damaging ‘sport’ and largely economically irrelevant ‘industry’. This is what…
Guest Blog – The Hen Harrier Affair by Tim Birch
The Hen Harrier Affair – a personal perspective Tim Birch is the Conservation Manager of the Derbyshire Widlife Trust. He has worked in nature conservation for many years, much of it abroad, but grew up in Derbyshire to which he has now returned. It’s now been almost 18 months since I’ve been back…
FoI Friday – 5
This is a copy of my earlier blog post but now including the Peak District National Park’s rapid and helpful response to points 1 and 2. They tell me that they are checking on point 3 now. Dear Peak District National Park This is a request under the Freedom of Information regulations, but in…
FoI Friday – 1
Dear Peak District National Park This is a request under the Freedom of Information regulations, but in any case you should be happy to answer it. Please answer the following: Did the PDNP contact The Times newspaper by email, letter or telephone concerning Simon Barnes’s articles about raptor persecution in the Peak District? I ask,…
What they say 1:
Yesterday’s Countryfile programme featured the Peak District (which is lovely – I was there on a couple of days last week) and shooting as a countryside pursuit. Andre Farrar, RSPB spokesperson (c14mins 40 secs into the programme) talking about grouse moor management: ‘…while the illegal persecution of birds of prey is tolerated, when the uplands…
The Shooting Times – don’t you just love ’em?
I did break the habit of a lifetime and bought The ST yesterday because I had been told it was full of jokes – and it was! As I flicked through it I couldn’t help but notice that there were about ( I stress ‘about’ – my eyes did begin to glaze over) 150 blokes…
This blog has Klout
June was quite a busy month for this blog what with all that stuff about Hen Harriers and grouse moors and the ever-growing number of signatures on this e-petition to ban driven grouse shooting in England. However, it was the two blogs about Simon Barnes’s imminent departure from The Times that caused the biggest stir…
Let’s be reasonable.
I don’t know how often readers of this blog go back a few days and read the comments that continue to accrue on earlier posts. And I don’t know whether I would recommend it either – sometimes a late post is the best of the lot, but not always. So, I have little idea how…
Talking to the deaf
Last week the RSPB wrote to the Moorland Association thus; Amanda Anderson Director The Moorland Association 16 Castle Park Lancaster LA1 1YG Dear Ms Anderson The RSPB has always sought to work with the sport shooting community to create grouse moors that are environmentally sustainable and provide a safe home for birds of prey and…