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An EU r ed kite Action Plan has been written by the RSPB (on behalf of BirdLife International ) with input from raptor experts across the continent. It fingers poisoning as the main reason for big declines in the populations in Spain, France and Germany. Most European red kites travel down to Spain and...
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A report in the Independent on Sunday claims that wildlife crime has doubled in the last year. This includes poisoning of birds of prey as well as badger baiting, poaching, hare coursing and egg thefts. We regard ourselves as a nation of animal lovers, and tend to criticise Mediterranean countries for...
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Now why should I send you to another blog? Seems like a way to lose readers doesn't it? But in the hope that you might come back, and in the spirit of saying 'well done!' to a fellow blogger, do have a look at James Marchington's blog. James comes from the shooting community, and you'll...
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Last Thursday I travelled back from almost three weeks at political party conferences and was desperate for fresh air and the chance to see some wildlife. But I also wanted to listen to David Cameron's speech so I parked in the countryside near my home to listen to the radio. As I listened, two red...
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It's the party conference season and the RSPB will attend the Labour and Tory party conferences over the next three weeks but we are starting off in Bournemouth with the Liberal Democrats. Yesterday evening we had dinner with Shadow Environment Ministers Simon Hughes and Martin Horwood and other...
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Our date in the New Forest came to an end on the August Bank Holiday weekend. And it rounding off our busiest year since the project began in 2007, with a fantastic 22,000 visitors watching the goshawk and hobby nestcams at the Forestry Commission's New Forest Reptile Centre. The non-stop action...
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Do you have one of the new biometric passports ? Have you had a close look inside? I sometimes smile (and sometimes tell myself 'I wish!') when I am told that the RSPB is running the world! And I am sometimes told that we are obsessed by raptors. I think, on a casual glance, there is evidence...
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The Picos de Europa are a fantastic range of mountains in northern Spain. The scenery is great and the wildlife very good too. But of course I am glad to be back at work! Travel does broaden the mind for the naturalist, I think. Going somewhere different exposes you to different habitats and species...
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I remember being on The Oa on Islay with a group of colleagues and we saw a golden eagle, first perched on a sea cliff and then stooping down below us against the sea. Tennyson could have been standing next to us at that moment. The Eagle He clasps the crag with crookèd hands; Close to the sun...
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Well, I'm doing my best to give this programme a plug but the BBC has moved the hen harrier piece again! So it's not tonight! I know! Why not sign our bird of prey pledge if you haven't already - and over 140,000 of you have! Next week contains the 'Glorious 12th' when the grouse...
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It's not often that the RSPB is featured in the Sun, but when a star as big as Leonardo DiCaprio shows a keen interest in peregrine falcons and signs our bird of prey pledge then we are! DiCaprio visited our peregrine viewing scheme at Tate Modern this week. Usually the peregrines are the stars!...
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I've just been looking at the 2008 figures for lapwing, snipe and redshank numbers on lowland wet grassland RSPB nature reserves. That's reserves like the Ouse Washes , West Sedgemoor , Otmoor and Ynys Hir . Overall numbers increased from those of 2007 and were also higher than in 2005 - when...
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Well it rained a bit and the crowds seemed thinner than the previous two days but the RSPB stand was very busy. And I recovered my blackberry too! Lots of people signed our bird of prey pledge - I think we are over 500 for the three days which is much better than last year's Game Fair at Blenheim...
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A sunny day back at the Game Fair. I was part of a discussion about 'rewilding' - which was less about the type of habitat recreation the RSPB has done at Lakenheath, and more about species reintroductions and introductions, past and present. The subject of a reintroduction of white-tailed eagles...
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Arrived at Belvoir Castle at 0810 and left at 1940 - so quite a long day, interspersed with sun and showers and lots of talking. It was a good day. I was part of a discussion on windfarms where Maria McCaffery from the British Wind Energy Association was given a hard time by a vocal and well-informed...