Nick MacKinnon is a freelance teacher of Maths, English and Medieval History, and lives above Haworth, in the last inhabited house before Top Withens = Wuthering Heights. In 1992 he founded the successful Campaign to Save Radio 4 Long Wave while in plaster following a rock-climbing accident on Skye. His poem ‘The metric system’ won…
Tag: RSPB
RSPB press release – Oldest Oystercatchers
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UK’s oldest known Oystercatchers discovered on England’s East Coast Wetlands Two record-breaking Oystercatchers have been found on England’s East Coast Wetlands, setting new records as the oldest of their kind in the UK. A new national record of 41 years and 8 months was beaten within weeks by a second bird confirmed as 43…
RSPB press release – White-faced Darter reintroduction
Rare dragonfly introduced into a hidden corner of Cumbria The introduction of the rare White-faced Darter dragonfly begins this week, at RSPB Campfield Marsh in Cumbria. The species has declined significantly in England due to habitat loss and other factors and is now found in only a few locations. The introduction involves translocating larvae from…
Guest blog – HS2’s Badly Behaved Little Brother by Euan Dunn
Dr Euan Dunn MBE is an ecologist who lives in Great Eversden near Cambridge. For 25 years he led on developing marine conservation policy for the RSPB and was awarded the Society’s medal in 2024. Not long after retirement he turned his attention from sea to land to assist Cambridge Approaches – click here –…
English Hen Harrier population increase modelled – brood meddled nests not a factor
A recent BTO report – click here – comes to the unsurprising conclusion that brood meddling of Hen Harrier nests made little or no contribution to the recent rise and fall of the Hen Harrier breeding population. As was predicted in advance, brood meddling is a distraction and an irrelevance. The drivers of the steep…
Press release – Mineral Products Association nature awards
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Top conservationists celebrate quarrying’s role in nature recovery Leading figures in UK nature conservation gather in London to celebrate the essential role quarrying plays in nature recovery and biodiversity gain. Leading figures in UK nature conservation gathered at The Royal Society, London this week to celebrate the essential role quarrying plays in nature recovery and biodiversity…
Guest blog – Short walks along streets that flood (and roads not taken) by Jenny Shepherd
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Ban the Burn rep to the Stronger Together to Stop Calderdale WIndfarm campaign group. On behalf of the group, named creator of the Parliamentary Petition, Ban WIndfarms on Protected Peatland in England – click here . Tend to carry a Grandmothers Against Bullshit placard – covers so much in so few words. Short walks along…
Sunday book review – The Marsh Tit and the Willow Tit by Richard K. Broughton
There was a time, a few decades ago, when the most difficult thing about Marsh and Willow Tits was to know which of these two very similar species one was seeing (the calls are much easier) but now the main difficulty is seeing either of them at all. The identification features are now better known…
RSPB press release – Stone-curlews
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Projects working with farmers to bring endangered bird back from the brink celebrate over double the number of Stone-curlew thanks to 40 years of effort Two projects working to benefit Stone-curlew, a threatened and unique looking bird, are celebrating their 40th anniversaries, with the population now having more than doubled in size since a nationwide population…
RSPB makes big move at Geltsdale
The RSPB is extending its ownership of land at Geltsdale in Cumbria and appealing for donations to secure the deal – click here. This is very good news. The emphasis of the RSPB text is on habitat restoration and the graphic produced is excellent – although the day I ever see all those species at…