There’s a long review of Inglorious in October’s British Birds, by Chris Smout. ‘impassioned’ ‘singularly well-informed’ ‘the evidence he [that’s me] marshals for the deleterious effects of driven grouse shooting is impressive’ Where the good professor parts company with me is in my solution to the problems of driven grouse shooting, which of course,…
Tag: hen harrier
Satellite tags
Defra doesn’t have a plan for Hen Harrier conservation – if it did then the deployment of satellite tags on a large scale by private individuals and wildlife NGOs would have to be part of it. Of course, we taxpayers have paid for satellite (and radio) tags to be deployed on a moderate scale for…
Our Hen Harrier Study
Yesterday I received this reply from NE to a request for information about our Hen Harrier study. Dear Dr Avery, Access to Information Request – Request Number RFI 3112 Thank you for your request for information relating the Hen Harrier study which we received on 01 September 2015. Your request has been considered under…
Defra – a shameful government department
One of the more reasonable aspects of the dreadful government response to our e-petition to ban driven grouse shooting is that it regards the fact that there were a few more Hen Harriers this year (although many of the males disappeared of course) as encouraging. It is a little bit encouraging – but not very….
Just wondering…(2)
I’m grateful to various clever people for contacting me about yesterday’s blog about the extreme unlikelihood of so many male Hen Harriers disappearing from active nests with RSPB involvement. My brain was aching a bit so I am grateful for others’ input. The probability of 5 or more male Hen Harriers disappearing through ‘normal’ levels…
Just wondering…
The RSPB is being criticised by the usual suspects (The Daily Telegraph, the Daily Mail and also the shooting press) for the number of Hen Harrier nests that failed on its watch last season. We’ve been through this several times recently, including getting the Daily Telegraph to correct its earlier version and to apologise for…
Fineshade Wood
I’m glad that Forest Holidays have decided not to appeal the planning authoritiy’s decision not to permit a major habitat-destroying development in Fineshade Wood. But rumours are that a revised application is heading our way. It’s a pity that Forest Enterprise have not learned their lesson on this one, given that there is much to…
Awful government response to our e-petition to ban driven grouse shooting
To Rory Stewart, Defra Dear Minister The government response to the e-petition to ban driven grouse shooting is simply awful. It is partial and inaccurate. I have previously asked Defra whether responses of this sort are seen and signed off by ministers and have never received a response. Did you sign off this response?…
That government response – what you thought
Yesterday, as I was talking to the East Berks RSPB local group, our e-petition to ban driven grouse shooting passed 19,000 signatures. Last year it took over five months to reach this level – this year we got there in under two months. Momentum is building and we are gaining support all the time. Thank…
Misleading, errors, apologise – Daily Telegraph
Yesterday the Daily Telegraph admitted errors of reporting (see previous blogs: We’re not really the complaining type but… 14 August, A lie can travel… 6 August, It gets worse, or better, depending which side you are on 5 August, You forgot the truth 4 August) about the RSPB and Hen Harrier nests after a number of…