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 for both these arguments if you do look through the pages of a new British passport. There are birds all over it!
Inside the front cover, under those fantastic words 'Her Britannic Majesty's Secretary of State Requests and requires in the Name of Her Majesty all those to whom it may concern to allow the bearer to pass freely without let or hindrance, and to afford the bearer such assistance and protection as may be necessary' there is a male marsh harrier.
Through the pages for visa stamps there are red kites, avocets (yes, our logo!), kestrels and curlews. And at the back there is a partly obscured red grouse pecking at my ear on the photograph page and a crossbill (is it a Scottish crossbill?) on the penultimate page. And, moreover, I've found a couple of gannet beaks in there too!
As far as I know, the RSPB had nothing to do with this avian feast. Having three raptors out of seven birds illustrated does seem a bit over the top to me. But I am struck by the fact that if raptors had passports then they could wave the 'without let or hindrance' phrase at anyone with ill intent!
Does anyone out there know who were the artist(s) who drew these birds or how were they chosen?
And which would be your choice of seven birds to share your passport for the next 10 years and why? I'll think about it too.
Hi Mark good to have you back and hope you pick up a few people to comment as to give you your due you still publish criticism.Now a question,I am assuming you are including the Red Kite as one of the three Raptors but is it a Raptor at all as surely it almost always eats carrion.