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…

Guest Blog by Ed Hutchings, ex-shooter

Born in East Anglia, but raised in the Arabian Gulf, Ed Hutchings was always going to have two things – itchy feet and an inquisitive mind. After leaving university with a degree in hospitality, he embarked on a career as a sommelier for a decade, working at various Michelin-star restaurants; in the process winning the…

Henry was at the Bird Fair

  When Henry was at the Bird Fair last weekend he had a satellite tag fitted to him. You can see that the tag correctly located Henry in Rutland, and correctly located him at the right end of Rutland Water, and correctly mapped his flights around the Bird Fair marquees.  You can see how detailed…

Useful reminder – bye bye Hawk and Owl Trust

The Talking Naturally podcasts are essential listening these days. I certainly enjoyed the latest one with Philip Merricks, chair of the Hawk and Owl Trust. And it was useful in jogging my memory. The whole thing was basically about brood meddling – a scheme promoted by a bunch of shooting organisations and the Hawk and…

Guest blog – A change in farming by Peter Cooper

Peter Cooper is a 21 year old naturalist, writer, zoology student and avid badger watcher. He has written both whimsical nature writing and ‘proper’ environmental journalism on his personal blog and for The Independent. Peter is currently going into his third year at the University of Exeter Cornwall Campus, where he is the editor in…

Guest blog – State of Nature by Ian Carter

Ian Carter has worked as an ornithologist for more than 25 years. He was involved with the Red Kite reintroduction programme in England and has a keen interest in the conservation of raptors, bird reintroductions and wildlife management more generally. He is particularly interested in what might be called the culture of nature conservation and…

Keep an eye on this disease

Bulgy-eye is a growing problem it seems on grouse moors in the north of England (see here, here and here). We hear that one grouse moor in the Peak District has cancelled all its grouse shooting days for this year because of an outbreak. It’s not totally surprising is it? When you are engineering unnaturally…