Members of the ‘Sodden 570’ at last year’s Hen Harrier Day event in the Upper Derwent Valley will recognise this area – we were getting soaked just off the left hand (western) side of the map on 10 August last year. The Countryside and Rights of Way Act provided open access to open ground (in…
Tag: Natural England
Natural England bleats
Natural England roused itself from slumber yesterday, perhaps after reading this blog (you never know – they do, you know!), and uttered a few weak words on the disappearance of a male Hen Harrier from Geltsdale in Cumbria. It’s good to know that Natural England is ‘very concerned’ about the state of a species on…
Geltsdale: another missing male Hen Harrier
Yesterday the RSPB released the news that there had been a pair of Hen Harriers nesting at their Geltsdale nature reserve in Cumbria, but that the male had gone missing and the nest had consequently failed (see here, here and here). This followed the news that three male Hen Harriers had gone missing in the…
That power list
The BBC Wildlife Power List is being talked about wherever I go – well, not in the Post Office, or the supermarket, or the garage… But talked about by the nature conservation community? It certainly is! Thanks very much to Ben Hoare for his Guest Blog on the subject on Tuesday – some interesting points…
The grouse moor industry
Henry is, by chance, very topical this week, seeing as how he is in the Forest of Bowland. Yesterday, Henry reminded us of how many Hen Harriers used to nest in that area in the recent past. The number of nests has often been in double figures – several times higher than the current whole…
Henry in Bowland 2
Henry is pining for a ringtail. He’d heard that the Forest of Bowland was his best chance for a hot date. ‘this one looks rather cute’ Henry told me. ‘I’m sure you’re right, Henry’, I said ‘They all look much the same to me’. Henry gave me a bit of a glare, I thought. He…
Henry in Bowland
Yes, Henry is in the Forest of Bowland – the so-called stronghold for Hen Harriers in England. Henry was pretty brave to show up here as three male Hen Harriers have disappeared from active nests in this area this season. There may be lonely ringtails around, but are the risks worth taking Henry? It was…
Really?
The Defra Press Office has just confirmed to me that Lord Gardiner has been appointed as their Lords minister. I phoned them just now. The Defra Press Officer seemed surprised I should ask, and seemed to think the appointment was made last Thursday. But the government website does not mention his name. Lord Gardiner is…
Occupying the butts
Henry took this photo of me in the North York Moors. Have you got some grouse butts near you where you could be photographed? ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ That was as far as I’d got with writing this blog when the news of three missing adult male Hen Harriers from active nests in the Forest of Bowland came…
Henry goes to Yorkshire
A large bit of heather moorland in the north of England? Must be lots of ringtails up here thought Henry! I told him that it might be a bit of a struggle to find any girlfriends up here but he was adamant. North Yorkshire (includes North York Moors National Park & Yorkshire Dales NP) is…