Tuesday 31 December 2019
A RIVER'S TALE - THE THAMES AND LONDON TOWN BY KIPLING
As I write this short note by son Matt is driving his cab around London Town. He sent me this and, in a way, it tells our tale.
I am British as I am old enough to remember a few things. English by birth and very proud. European by choice and possibly by DNA! And a remainer too. That's enough and may this next year be as good as you can make it. Each good day is a bonus.
The River's Tale
(Prehistoric)
TWENTY bridges from Tower to Kew -
Wanted to know what the River knew,
Twenty Bridges or twenty-two,
For they were young, and the Thames was old
And this is the tale that River told:-
"I walk my beat before London Town,
Five hours up and seven down.
Up I go till I end my run
At Tide-end-town, which is Teddington.
Down I come with the mud in my hands
And plaster it over the Maplin Sands.
But I'd have you know that these waters of mine
Were once a branch of the River Rhine,
When hundreds of miles to the East I went
And England was joined to the Continent.
"I remember the bat-winged lizard-birds,
The Age of Ice and the mammoth herds,
And the giant tigers that stalked them down
Through Regent's Park into Camden Town.
And I remember like yesterday
The earliest Cockney who came my way,
When he pushed through the forest that lined the Strand,
With paint on his face and a club in his hand.
He was death to feather and fin and fur.
He trapped my beavers at Westminster.
He netted my salmon, he hunted my deer,
He killed my heron off Lambeth Pier.
He fought his neighbour with axes and swords,
Flint or bronze, at my upper fords,
While down at Greenwich, for slaves and tin,
The tall Phoenician ships stole in,
And North Sea war-boats, painted and gay,
Flashed like dragon-flies, Erith way;
And Norseman and Negro and Gaul and Greek
Drank with the Britons in Barking Creek,
And life was gay, and the world was new,
And I was a mile across at Kew!
But the Roman came with a heavy hand,
And bridged and roaded and ruled the land,
And the Roman left and the Danes blew in -
And that's where your history-books begin!"
Monday 30 December 2019
DEAD FOX DEADENS THE FESTIVE SPIRIT
CHRIS PACKHAM PICKED ON AGAIN - DEAD FOX LEFT FOR HIM
Chris Packham
Image caption
Chris Packham posted a video on Twitter after the fox was left outside his home
TV naturalist Chris Packham has posted a video of a dead fox which he said had been left outside his home in the New Forest.
He said the body of a male fox found in his backyard showed injuries consistent with being snared.
He said that when he speaks out about fox hunting "unpleasant things happen".
Earlier this year, dead crows were left on his gatepost after he led a legal challenge to halt the licensed shooting of crows.
Dead fox found by Chris PackhamImage copyrightCHRIS PACKHAM
Image caption
Chris Packham said the male fox found in his backyard showed injuries consistent with being snared.
In the video posted on Twitter the BBC Springwatch presenter referred to recent media reports involving foxes, including prominent lawyer Jolyon Maugham killing one with a baseball bat, and Boxing Day hunts with "foxes killed left right and centre".
He said CCTV would be reviewed in an attempt to identify the culprit.
"It seems if you stick up for foxes, you get your comeuppance from people who still think it is a good idea to kill them.
"Wouldn't it be good if we could just stop this fox hunting once and for all. It's illegal but it carries on and when you campaign against it, unpleasant things happen."
Hampshire Constabulary has been contacted for comment.
In April some dead crows were left on Packham's gatepost after his Wild Justice campaign group mounted a legal challenge to halt the licensed shooting of crows.
The move provoked a backlash from farmers groups and others.
A Change.org petition calling on the BBC to "sack Chris Packham" has received more than 160,000 signatures.
But a counter petition was also set up opposing any potential sacking, saying "as a journalist [he] should be allowed to use his platform to inform everyone the reality of our dying planet".
Chris Packham
Image caption
Chris Packham posted a video on Twitter after the fox was left outside his home
TV naturalist Chris Packham has posted a video of a dead fox which he said had been left outside his home in the New Forest.
He said the body of a male fox found in his backyard showed injuries consistent with being snared.
He said that when he speaks out about fox hunting "unpleasant things happen".
Earlier this year, dead crows were left on his gatepost after he led a legal challenge to halt the licensed shooting of crows.
Dead fox found by Chris PackhamImage copyrightCHRIS PACKHAM
Image caption
Chris Packham said the male fox found in his backyard showed injuries consistent with being snared.
In the video posted on Twitter the BBC Springwatch presenter referred to recent media reports involving foxes, including prominent lawyer Jolyon Maugham killing one with a baseball bat, and Boxing Day hunts with "foxes killed left right and centre".
He said CCTV would be reviewed in an attempt to identify the culprit.
"It seems if you stick up for foxes, you get your comeuppance from people who still think it is a good idea to kill them.
"Wouldn't it be good if we could just stop this fox hunting once and for all. It's illegal but it carries on and when you campaign against it, unpleasant things happen."
Hampshire Constabulary has been contacted for comment.
In April some dead crows were left on Packham's gatepost after his Wild Justice campaign group mounted a legal challenge to halt the licensed shooting of crows.
The move provoked a backlash from farmers groups and others.
A Change.org petition calling on the BBC to "sack Chris Packham" has received more than 160,000 signatures.
But a counter petition was also set up opposing any potential sacking, saying "as a journalist [he] should be allowed to use his platform to inform everyone the reality of our dying planet".
Sunday 29 December 2019
BOOK REVIEW - by ABIR MUKHERJEE - SMOKE AND ASHES
I have just read Smoke and Ashes by Abir Mukherjee his third in the series with his two main characters Captain Sam Wyndham and his ‘native’ sergeant, Surrender-not Banerjee. The first two novels, The Rising Man and A Necessary Evil I enjoyed tremendously and since there is his forth book already sitting on the shelve ready for me.
I like history and his stories are woven around fact and this one is hung around several events. The sub-continent of India is a main player in all of his books and the consequences of British Rule too. In this one he tells of the rise of nationalism inspired by Gandhi. It is all happening in Calcutta and then something strange happens. The addicted Sam happens to come across a mutilated corpse. From there the story unfolds at a decent pace with numerous turns and events.
Historically based on events, of the time, and still with a reference to the Great War from which many people were still trying to deal with. Add into that civilian unrest and the murders which gives an opportunity for this writer to tell us about.
Sam and Surrender-not, are two wonderful people to tell this story through. Then there is the contrast with the behaviour of the military that shows the arrogance of the Empire. I won't say anything else about the plot.
Well written, a fast moving one, as the story tramped on to its conclusion. For me a wonderful read.
I like history and his stories are woven around fact and this one is hung around several events. The sub-continent of India is a main player in all of his books and the consequences of British Rule too. In this one he tells of the rise of nationalism inspired by Gandhi. It is all happening in Calcutta and then something strange happens. The addicted Sam happens to come across a mutilated corpse. From there the story unfolds at a decent pace with numerous turns and events.
Historically based on events, of the time, and still with a reference to the Great War from which many people were still trying to deal with. Add into that civilian unrest and the murders which gives an opportunity for this writer to tell us about.
Sam and Surrender-not, are two wonderful people to tell this story through. Then there is the contrast with the behaviour of the military that shows the arrogance of the Empire. I won't say anything else about the plot.
Well written, a fast moving one, as the story tramped on to its conclusion. For me a wonderful read.
BRITISH TRUST FOR ORNITHOLOGY
A thankyou note from the Trust
I am just writing to thank you for your support in 2019 and to wish you a happy New Year.
You can see a video highlighting some of the things you've helped make happen this year here
Your support through membership is invaluable to us as a charity; giving funds that enable us to do our core work of understanding birds and how they are affected by environmental change. Your subscription also enables us to engage people with birds; such an important part of our work in a world where sections of society are disconnected with nature. I hope that if we can inspire more people in, maybe, the simple act of watching the behaviour of birds in their garden, made awe inspring through an understanding of the complexities of birds lives and their capabilities, we can add to the number caring about the future of our natural world.
Thanks again for your membership
With warm regards
I am just writing to thank you for your support in 2019 and to wish you a happy New Year.
You can see a video highlighting some of the things you've helped make happen this year here
Your support through membership is invaluable to us as a charity; giving funds that enable us to do our core work of understanding birds and how they are affected by environmental change. Your subscription also enables us to engage people with birds; such an important part of our work in a world where sections of society are disconnected with nature. I hope that if we can inspire more people in, maybe, the simple act of watching the behaviour of birds in their garden, made awe inspring through an understanding of the complexities of birds lives and their capabilities, we can add to the number caring about the future of our natural world.
Thanks again for your membership
With warm regards
Thursday 26 December 2019
A THANKYOU FROM LEAGUE AGAINST CRUEL SPORTS
League Against Cruel Sports
Deer at Baronsdown Wildlife Sanctuary
Thank you for acting for animals
John,
I am writing to you today with my heartfelt thanks. Everything we have achieved this year was only possible because we have passionate and courageous people like you standing with us, speaking up for animals.
Our successes
Here’s to an even better 2020 for animals.
Deer at Baronsdown Wildlife Sanctuary
Thank you for acting for animals
John,
I am writing to you today with my heartfelt thanks. Everything we have achieved this year was only possible because we have passionate and courageous people like you standing with us, speaking up for animals.
Our successes
Here’s to an even better 2020 for animals.
BAN THE HUNTS - TRADITION HAS HAD ITS DAY
On this day in 1896 my great uncle George, aged only 16, died of peritonitis in the cottage in which he had been born. He must have been in agony and how would his parents and siblings have felt. No money, no doctor and then on Christmas Day ‘The Midwives’ dealt with exactly the same problem and she lived. How times change.
According to ‘ Throwback Thursday’ on this day in 1986 Hereford United won two nil against Wolves. How the fortunes of both clubs have altered their status!
On this day in 1994 I travelled to Ledbury to visit my father and to get there for the Boxing Day tradition of seeing the North Ledbury Hunt parading up and down the High Street. All colourful, beautiful with well turned out horses and the hounds, of course, looking happy and excited. That's to the onlookers, but let them loose in the fields and it is different. The dogs have been trained to scent, chase and kill the fox - ‘the vermin of the countryside’ as promulgated and believed. The old stories maintained it was a wanton killer and to be dispensed with. Some can still believe that, but whether they do or not is irrelevant because the hunters want to carry on as they have done for centuries.
The existing Hunting Act has done very little to stop ‘the meet’ and still allowing the hounds and huntsmen to carry on as they want with little or no supervision and scant regard for the legislation.
Blood Sports still exist in several forms and hunting with hounds and huntsmen is one that should be stopped.
Tradition and culture us slow to change, but change is happening. I will wait and see whether the tv channels carry pictures of the hunt and what the anti-hunt lobby have been able to do. The traditional meeting time is now. Already preparations will have been made to thwart the fox and have a successful kill.
Death is out there.
According to ‘ Throwback Thursday’ on this day in 1986 Hereford United won two nil against Wolves. How the fortunes of both clubs have altered their status!
On this day in 1994 I travelled to Ledbury to visit my father and to get there for the Boxing Day tradition of seeing the North Ledbury Hunt parading up and down the High Street. All colourful, beautiful with well turned out horses and the hounds, of course, looking happy and excited. That's to the onlookers, but let them loose in the fields and it is different. The dogs have been trained to scent, chase and kill the fox - ‘the vermin of the countryside’ as promulgated and believed. The old stories maintained it was a wanton killer and to be dispensed with. Some can still believe that, but whether they do or not is irrelevant because the hunters want to carry on as they have done for centuries.
The existing Hunting Act has done very little to stop ‘the meet’ and still allowing the hounds and huntsmen to carry on as they want with little or no supervision and scant regard for the legislation.
Blood Sports still exist in several forms and hunting with hounds and huntsmen is one that should be stopped.
Tradition and culture us slow to change, but change is happening. I will wait and see whether the tv channels carry pictures of the hunt and what the anti-hunt lobby have been able to do. The traditional meeting time is now. Already preparations will have been made to thwart the fox and have a successful kill.
Death is out there.
Tuesday 24 December 2019
GAME KEEPERS USING BANNED POISONS
Yesterday the Scottish Rural Affairs & Environment Minister, Mairi Gougeon, gave evidence to the cross-party Environment, Climate Change & Land Reform (ECCLR) committee which is currently considering Stage 1 of the Animals and Wildlife (Penalties, Protections and Powers) (Scotland) Bill.
We’ll come back to the wider evidence session in another blog because there were some interesting and important discussions but one point raised deserves an immediate reaction:
Possession of banned poisons.
Here’s the mini transcript:
ECCLR Committee Member Rachael Hamilton MSP: I will go back to the categorisation of wildlife offences and the different tiers of the penalty system. We heard evidence that perhaps possession of illegal pesticides should be categorised as a tier 1 offence, because they are currently illegal anyway. Do you have any comments on that point and do you have any plans to have an amnesty on illegal pesticides prior to the bill being passed? People should not possess illegal pesticides anyway, so using them in connection with animal crimes should attract the highest and severest category of penalty.
Environment Minister Mairi Gougeon: That has been the feeling behind that issue. As you said, possession of such pesticides is already illegal and there are offences in place to deal with that individual issue separately. Using such pesticides as part of another offence would attract the higher penalty. As they are already illegal and there are offences attached to them, using them in relation to any other offences could well attract severe penalties.
In relation to your amnesty point, I would be happy to consider looking at the matter.
Scottish Government Wildlife Management Team leader Leia Fitzgerald: Just to clarify, there was a previous amnesty, which was quite successful and resulted in a lot of pesticides being handed in. We could speak to stakeholders about whether that is something that could be done again. We would hope that we got all of what we needed after the last amnesty, but we can look at the matter.
Environment Minister Mairi Gougeon: I will happily get back to the committee and let you know how we get on with that.
ENDS
Is the Scottish Government seriously considering yet another amnesty for banned poisons, which would be the third amnesty in the 15 years since it became an offence to even possess these deadly toxins, let alone use them? (The Possession of Pesticides (Scotland) Order 2005).
The first amnesty took place in 2011 (see here), six years after the ban was first introduced. The second amnesty came four years later in 2015 (see here).
Since then poisoning crimes have certainly dropped in Scotland, probably thanks to the increase in satellite-tagged raptors, whose tags lead researchers to the poisoned corpses that would otherwise remain undetected, and also due to the introduction of vicarious liability legislation in 2012 which made it possible for landowners to be prosecuted for raptor persecution crimes committed by their gamekeeper employees. However, these poisoning crimes haven’t been totally eradicated and we’re still reading reports about illegally-poisoned birds (and some dogs) that have died after ingesting banned poisons in Scotland including some that were killed this year, and some even inside the Cairngorms National Park (e.g. see here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here).
[An illegally-poisoned buzzard found on the boundary of a sporting estate in Perthshire. Contributed photo]
We’ll come back to the wider evidence session in another blog because there were some interesting and important discussions but one point raised deserves an immediate reaction:
Possession of banned poisons.
Here’s the mini transcript:
ECCLR Committee Member Rachael Hamilton MSP: I will go back to the categorisation of wildlife offences and the different tiers of the penalty system. We heard evidence that perhaps possession of illegal pesticides should be categorised as a tier 1 offence, because they are currently illegal anyway. Do you have any comments on that point and do you have any plans to have an amnesty on illegal pesticides prior to the bill being passed? People should not possess illegal pesticides anyway, so using them in connection with animal crimes should attract the highest and severest category of penalty.
Environment Minister Mairi Gougeon: That has been the feeling behind that issue. As you said, possession of such pesticides is already illegal and there are offences in place to deal with that individual issue separately. Using such pesticides as part of another offence would attract the higher penalty. As they are already illegal and there are offences attached to them, using them in relation to any other offences could well attract severe penalties.
In relation to your amnesty point, I would be happy to consider looking at the matter.
Scottish Government Wildlife Management Team leader Leia Fitzgerald: Just to clarify, there was a previous amnesty, which was quite successful and resulted in a lot of pesticides being handed in. We could speak to stakeholders about whether that is something that could be done again. We would hope that we got all of what we needed after the last amnesty, but we can look at the matter.
Environment Minister Mairi Gougeon: I will happily get back to the committee and let you know how we get on with that.
ENDS
Is the Scottish Government seriously considering yet another amnesty for banned poisons, which would be the third amnesty in the 15 years since it became an offence to even possess these deadly toxins, let alone use them? (The Possession of Pesticides (Scotland) Order 2005).
The first amnesty took place in 2011 (see here), six years after the ban was first introduced. The second amnesty came four years later in 2015 (see here).
Since then poisoning crimes have certainly dropped in Scotland, probably thanks to the increase in satellite-tagged raptors, whose tags lead researchers to the poisoned corpses that would otherwise remain undetected, and also due to the introduction of vicarious liability legislation in 2012 which made it possible for landowners to be prosecuted for raptor persecution crimes committed by their gamekeeper employees. However, these poisoning crimes haven’t been totally eradicated and we’re still reading reports about illegally-poisoned birds (and some dogs) that have died after ingesting banned poisons in Scotland including some that were killed this year, and some even inside the Cairngorms National Park (e.g. see here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here).
[An illegally-poisoned buzzard found on the boundary of a sporting estate in Perthshire. Contributed photo]
Wednesday 18 December 2019
SHOOTING BANS HAPPENED AND WILL HAPPEN AGAIN
Major campaign wins you may have missed
FROM THE LEAGUE AGAINST SPORTS
Dear John,
Two of the League’s biggest successes of 2019 happened recently, but rather than try and tell you about them in amongst our six-week long general election campaign, we wanted to take the time to properly explain what we’ve achieved with your support.
University of Reading
Thanks to your action, University of Reading has taken the decision to make this shooting season its last as it has banned shooting on its land.
As well as supporting our direct action outside the university’s gates during the popular two-day Freshers’ Fayre event, more than 8,000 of you wrote to the Vice Chancellor calling on the university to commit to scrapping 'game' bird shooting rights.
Happily, following a full consultation that included both the League and the pheasant shoot, as well as other stakeholders, this is exactly what has happened.
This is just another nail in the shooting industry’s coffin. Following League campaigns, again supported by you, both the University of Wales and natural Resources Wales decided they would ban shooting on their land.
Share our press release. (Buttons below the article.)
Yorkshire Water
Since July 2018 the League, working with local campaign group Ban Bloodsports on Yorkshires Moors (BBYM), has been campaigning to end driven grouse shooting on Yorkshire Water’s land. Yorkshire Water is one of the largest landowners leasing moorland for grouse shooting, with the company actively allowing the practice on 13 different sections of moorland. Campaigning actions have taken place in a dozen different towns and cities across Yorkshire and in London.
Thousands of you contacted Yorkshire Water to urge the company to ban shooting on its land, and as a direct result the company has taken a new view on grouse shooting. Rather than automatically renewing grouse shooting leases, as had been the case, they will all be placed for newly-stringent review as the leases run out.
This is a landmark decision and paves the way for grouse shooting to end on Yorkshire Water land, which before was not even an option. The League does not believe that driven grouse shooting matches any of new criteria set by the company and that alternative land management options will have to be sought.
Share our press release.
We didn’t expect to be able to tell you about these victories until next year, but the fact that we can just goes to show that our campaigns work – and that’s down to you and your support.
However, there is still plenty of work to do, but I’m sure like me you are happy to end 2019 in raising a glass to the fact that that the shooting industry’s days are numbered.
Thank you and congratulations,
Nick
Nick Weston
Head of Campaigns
FROM THE LEAGUE AGAINST SPORTS
Dear John,
Two of the League’s biggest successes of 2019 happened recently, but rather than try and tell you about them in amongst our six-week long general election campaign, we wanted to take the time to properly explain what we’ve achieved with your support.
University of Reading
Thanks to your action, University of Reading has taken the decision to make this shooting season its last as it has banned shooting on its land.
As well as supporting our direct action outside the university’s gates during the popular two-day Freshers’ Fayre event, more than 8,000 of you wrote to the Vice Chancellor calling on the university to commit to scrapping 'game' bird shooting rights.
Happily, following a full consultation that included both the League and the pheasant shoot, as well as other stakeholders, this is exactly what has happened.
This is just another nail in the shooting industry’s coffin. Following League campaigns, again supported by you, both the University of Wales and natural Resources Wales decided they would ban shooting on their land.
Share our press release. (Buttons below the article.)
Yorkshire Water
Since July 2018 the League, working with local campaign group Ban Bloodsports on Yorkshires Moors (BBYM), has been campaigning to end driven grouse shooting on Yorkshire Water’s land. Yorkshire Water is one of the largest landowners leasing moorland for grouse shooting, with the company actively allowing the practice on 13 different sections of moorland. Campaigning actions have taken place in a dozen different towns and cities across Yorkshire and in London.
Thousands of you contacted Yorkshire Water to urge the company to ban shooting on its land, and as a direct result the company has taken a new view on grouse shooting. Rather than automatically renewing grouse shooting leases, as had been the case, they will all be placed for newly-stringent review as the leases run out.
This is a landmark decision and paves the way for grouse shooting to end on Yorkshire Water land, which before was not even an option. The League does not believe that driven grouse shooting matches any of new criteria set by the company and that alternative land management options will have to be sought.
Share our press release.
We didn’t expect to be able to tell you about these victories until next year, but the fact that we can just goes to show that our campaigns work – and that’s down to you and your support.
However, there is still plenty of work to do, but I’m sure like me you are happy to end 2019 in raising a glass to the fact that that the shooting industry’s days are numbered.
Thank you and congratulations,
Nick
Nick Weston
Head of Campaigns
Sunday 15 December 2019
LETS KEEP THE PRESSURES UP ON THE PRO-HUNTING BRIGADE
Will you stand with us and safeguard our animals?
YES I WILL
With the new government in situ, next year will be a critical time for achieving change. With you beside us we can focus on shaping our society to be more compassionate towards animals.
Snowy stag
OUR WILDLIFE WISHES FOR 2020
Beyond the festivity that Christmas often brings, people will continue to shoot, hunt and mistreat animals in the name of ‘sport’, beginning with the Boxing Day hunts. You and I both know that ‘trail hunting’ is just a façade for many of those who enjoy these illegal pursuits.
What’s more, we know from our polling that 85 percent of people in our local communities are in favour of keeping the ban too.
The League Against Cruel Sports is committed to keeping animal welfare at the top of the agenda in the coming year. Our wishes for wildlife in 2020 reflect this:
The League's wishes for wildlife
(Plain text version)
MY WISH FOR WILDLIFE
Let’s stand united and make sure our voice is heard in 2020.
YES I WILL
With the new government in situ, next year will be a critical time for achieving change. With you beside us we can focus on shaping our society to be more compassionate towards animals.
Snowy stag
OUR WILDLIFE WISHES FOR 2020
Beyond the festivity that Christmas often brings, people will continue to shoot, hunt and mistreat animals in the name of ‘sport’, beginning with the Boxing Day hunts. You and I both know that ‘trail hunting’ is just a façade for many of those who enjoy these illegal pursuits.
What’s more, we know from our polling that 85 percent of people in our local communities are in favour of keeping the ban too.
The League Against Cruel Sports is committed to keeping animal welfare at the top of the agenda in the coming year. Our wishes for wildlife in 2020 reflect this:
The League's wishes for wildlife
(Plain text version)
MY WISH FOR WILDLIFE
Let’s stand united and make sure our voice is heard in 2020.
A CRIME NOVEL, THE LONG CALL BY ANN CLEEVES
THE LONG CALL BY ANN CLEEVES
I have been a fan of Ann Cleeves for a long time. I have enjoyed her crime novels set in Northumberland with her creation of the interesting persona of Vera. I loved her as described in her stories, but the nation will probably only visualise the one portrayed by Brenda Blethyn. Whatever, I enjoyed both images. I can add to that, her Shetland series, where we were able to follow the very special character of Jimmy Perez. Again introducing people who are both good and very bad. Inserting them, mostly in our minds, from the power of her writing and in the locations she has set them in.
She was born in my home county of Herefordshire, but brought up in Devon. So, in a way she has returned ‘home’, and with her past she can understand the locations she has known and to include them in her work. She has moved south to beautiful North Devon where she chose to set this crime fiction novel in and, of course, it has to be near the sea. That, as well as the coast, performs as strong characters which are told to us in this tale. Mathew Venn is her chosen man and investigator to sort out this tale of death and power. This book is ‘littered’ with characters - all carefully chosen, of course by Ann. Never mind the story or the events it is the characters and this coastal location that grabbed me and immersed me in it. Of course the story is important and this accomplished author tells it well. I will never reveal a plot, but very often some can be seen on the front cover.for after all the publishers have to give an indication of what the book contains. The blurb on the back I avoid as I want to let the story come to me as I read it.
I did wonder if I could get back into another book by having read her previous work. I did and I enjoyed it. The question is will she write another one and will this be the start of another series? Would I recommend it? Of course, I enjoyed another creation and a new person on which she can hang her stories. I hope there is another one of Matthew Venn’s exploits to enjoy.
I have been a fan of Ann Cleeves for a long time. I have enjoyed her crime novels set in Northumberland with her creation of the interesting persona of Vera. I loved her as described in her stories, but the nation will probably only visualise the one portrayed by Brenda Blethyn. Whatever, I enjoyed both images. I can add to that, her Shetland series, where we were able to follow the very special character of Jimmy Perez. Again introducing people who are both good and very bad. Inserting them, mostly in our minds, from the power of her writing and in the locations she has set them in.
She was born in my home county of Herefordshire, but brought up in Devon. So, in a way she has returned ‘home’, and with her past she can understand the locations she has known and to include them in her work. She has moved south to beautiful North Devon where she chose to set this crime fiction novel in and, of course, it has to be near the sea. That, as well as the coast, performs as strong characters which are told to us in this tale. Mathew Venn is her chosen man and investigator to sort out this tale of death and power. This book is ‘littered’ with characters - all carefully chosen, of course by Ann. Never mind the story or the events it is the characters and this coastal location that grabbed me and immersed me in it. Of course the story is important and this accomplished author tells it well. I will never reveal a plot, but very often some can be seen on the front cover.for after all the publishers have to give an indication of what the book contains. The blurb on the back I avoid as I want to let the story come to me as I read it.
I did wonder if I could get back into another book by having read her previous work. I did and I enjoyed it. The question is will she write another one and will this be the start of another series? Would I recommend it? Of course, I enjoyed another creation and a new person on which she can hang her stories. I hope there is another one of Matthew Venn’s exploits to enjoy.
PHOTOGRAPHS FROM SAN PEDRO
Thanks to Bryan Thomas we have excellent images of two Pipits. The Meadow was so close you didn't need any Bins as it hopped around close to the boardwalk and with an ideal background for the photograph. Normally these are in a meadow or amongst some scruffy ground, but now a clear uninterrupted view.
On the edge of one of the lagoons was a Water Pipit feeding in and around the large stones. Again so close allowing an eyes only viewing. Both images are seen here where the two species can be compared.
On the edge of one of the lagoons was a Water Pipit feeding in and around the large stones. Again so close allowing an eyes only viewing. Both images are seen here where the two species can be compared.
Friday 13 December 2019
SOMETHING GOOD FOR THE YEAR END IN SAN PEDRO DEL PINATAR
Sometimes a quick email allows a few hours out with friends. On Friday 13th Trev, over from England, Bryan of the big lens and Michelle met for a close examination of the Salinas at San Pedro. In past years it has been good, but of late, not so. But with good eyes, good vision and excellent knowledge I think we nailed it.
Most of the areas of water were almost empty. There was not a Slender Bill Gull in sight, only a few Flamingos and not any sort of Grebe. We wondered what we could find, but we gave it a good go. There was very little on view in the lagoon by the large car park. A Dunlin and a Greenshank were identified in the distance. Stonechats flew and perched. A Meadow Pipit in fantastic plumage fed only metres away from the boardwalk. Such a treat and so close. We moved onto the beach and there were Turnstones on the waves edge. Eagle eyes spotted a Grey Plover and there were several seen feeding and flying. Further away were Sanderling. Needless to say Yellow-Legged Gulls were abundant. Over the dunes a Kestrel hovered and Sardinian Warblers entertained us.
Returning inland in a rocky corner a Water Pipit obliged close up. More Meadow Pipits too. In the distance a small cluster of Black-tailed Godwits and there was just one Ruff around. Also a distant Spotted Redshank and they are always good to see. Okay, a few Shelduck and scattered Avocets feeding were around too.
There was track renovation being carried out by the canal and so we parked nearby and walked back. Standing chatting on the bridge a kingfisher was heard and then it flew, perched, flew again and perched in the distance. Then another flew from behind us and onward in the same direction. Fast they were, but lovely to see. The odd Chiff, another Sardinian was there but then a Grey Wagtail flew onto the bank of the canal then really showed itself off by perching on a rock in the middle of the canal. Like both the Pipits we had clear and uninterrupted views with bright backgrounds to observe and photo. Also on the canal a Little Egret in breeding plumage even in December.
What a great couple of hours in great company. Thank you. Maybe photos to come and I expect them to be seen on Bryan’s blog on birdingcostablanca. See for yourself. And a merry and successful Christmas to all birders.
Most of the areas of water were almost empty. There was not a Slender Bill Gull in sight, only a few Flamingos and not any sort of Grebe. We wondered what we could find, but we gave it a good go. There was very little on view in the lagoon by the large car park. A Dunlin and a Greenshank were identified in the distance. Stonechats flew and perched. A Meadow Pipit in fantastic plumage fed only metres away from the boardwalk. Such a treat and so close. We moved onto the beach and there were Turnstones on the waves edge. Eagle eyes spotted a Grey Plover and there were several seen feeding and flying. Further away were Sanderling. Needless to say Yellow-Legged Gulls were abundant. Over the dunes a Kestrel hovered and Sardinian Warblers entertained us.
Returning inland in a rocky corner a Water Pipit obliged close up. More Meadow Pipits too. In the distance a small cluster of Black-tailed Godwits and there was just one Ruff around. Also a distant Spotted Redshank and they are always good to see. Okay, a few Shelduck and scattered Avocets feeding were around too.
There was track renovation being carried out by the canal and so we parked nearby and walked back. Standing chatting on the bridge a kingfisher was heard and then it flew, perched, flew again and perched in the distance. Then another flew from behind us and onward in the same direction. Fast they were, but lovely to see. The odd Chiff, another Sardinian was there but then a Grey Wagtail flew onto the bank of the canal then really showed itself off by perching on a rock in the middle of the canal. Like both the Pipits we had clear and uninterrupted views with bright backgrounds to observe and photo. Also on the canal a Little Egret in breeding plumage even in December.
What a great couple of hours in great company. Thank you. Maybe photos to come and I expect them to be seen on Bryan’s blog on birdingcostablanca. See for yourself. And a merry and successful Christmas to all birders.
IS THIS AN ANTI-HUNTING PARLIAMENT & WILL WILDLIFE BENEFIT ENOUGH
Anti-hunt parliament returns
Dear John,
The results are in, and thanks to your efforts another anti-hunting parliament has been returned to Westminster. Like the last parliament, there is a clear majority of anti-hunt MPs, and for the first time since the Hunting Act passed in 2004, the Conservative Party has dropped its pledge to repeal the ban.
Our focus now will be on ensuring the Conservative Party stands by the animal welfare and animal sentencing promises it made in its manifesto, including ensuring the Hunting Act is not overturned.
More than that, we’ll be insisting the party scrutinises the act with a view to strengthening it, to finally put a stop to hunting for ‘sport’.
This campaign has shown the power of the League and supporters when we stand united against hunting, and once again we have made hunting a key issue. Thanks to you, in the past month the League has, among other things:
Launched a new and innovative e-action, with supporters sending nearly 45,000 emails to candidates
Produced FOUR campaign films
Run SEVEN election roadshows across the UK
Had 15 supporter run street stalls
Celebrity support from Bill Oddie, Chris Packham, Ricky Gervais, Megan McCubbin, Maxine Peake, Gemma Collins, Gemma Atkinson, Lucy Watson
The League has appeared in more than 150 media stories
This is the power of what we can do together. Together, we will continue to campaign to strengthen the ban, and lobby land owners, such as the National Trust, to deny hunts access to their land.
Together we are United Against Hunting.
On behalf of myself, my colleagues, Vinny and the animals we all strive to protect, thank you.
Regards,
Nick
Nick Weston
Head of Campaigns
Dear John,
The results are in, and thanks to your efforts another anti-hunting parliament has been returned to Westminster. Like the last parliament, there is a clear majority of anti-hunt MPs, and for the first time since the Hunting Act passed in 2004, the Conservative Party has dropped its pledge to repeal the ban.
Our focus now will be on ensuring the Conservative Party stands by the animal welfare and animal sentencing promises it made in its manifesto, including ensuring the Hunting Act is not overturned.
More than that, we’ll be insisting the party scrutinises the act with a view to strengthening it, to finally put a stop to hunting for ‘sport’.
This campaign has shown the power of the League and supporters when we stand united against hunting, and once again we have made hunting a key issue. Thanks to you, in the past month the League has, among other things:
Launched a new and innovative e-action, with supporters sending nearly 45,000 emails to candidates
Produced FOUR campaign films
Run SEVEN election roadshows across the UK
Had 15 supporter run street stalls
Celebrity support from Bill Oddie, Chris Packham, Ricky Gervais, Megan McCubbin, Maxine Peake, Gemma Collins, Gemma Atkinson, Lucy Watson
The League has appeared in more than 150 media stories
This is the power of what we can do together. Together, we will continue to campaign to strengthen the ban, and lobby land owners, such as the National Trust, to deny hunts access to their land.
Together we are United Against Hunting.
On behalf of myself, my colleagues, Vinny and the animals we all strive to protect, thank you.
Regards,
Nick
Nick Weston
Head of Campaigns
Thursday 12 December 2019
IT WILL NEVER BE ENOUGH BECAUSE PEOPLE DONT LIKE CHANGE
Like most websites we use cookies. If you’re happy with that, just carry on as normal (close this bar) - otherwise click here to find out more.
11 Dec 2019
EU Green Deal - good for climate, bad for biodiversity
© BirdLife Europe and Central Asia
By Honey Kohan
Today, the European Commission announced their highly anticipated European Green Deal. The first of its kind in EU history, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has promised to deliver the Green deal in her first 100 days in office.
The document which has been described as a ‘growth strategy’, predominantly focuses on the current climate crises but fails to be a game changer for biodiversity and ecosystems. Despite several important and overwhelming major research papers which have been issued in the last few months confirming the biodiversity crises, with one million species threatened to go extinct – the EU green deal leaves much to be desired on the biodiversity front.
On biodiversity:
The Green Deal must have a biodiversity strategy that focuses on acting as soon as it is published. Nature in Europe has been degraded beyond recognition. Although vague, this Deal leaves the door open for the legislation nature actually needs, a set of legally binding restoration targets that Member States are obliged to meet. The Commission fails to mention any of the ecosystems beyond forests and fresh water that must be restored to fight climate change and preserve the EU’s biodiversity.
On enforcement:
Although the Commission commits to enforce environmental laws, the means they propose to do so are largely ineffective, as they focus on business as usual instead of focusing on holding Member States accountable for breaking the laws. In order to enforce the already existing nature laws we have in Europe, the Commission should firstly strengthen their own capacity to deal with Member States breaking the law.
On forests:
The Commission risks a continuation of the business-as-usual forest strategy which neither addresses degraded forest systems nor the fight against climate change. Increasing plantation forestry to simply provide biomass for energy will not address biodiversity or climate issues, in fact they could exacerbate both.
On agriculture:
The agriculture content of the EU Green Deal remains vague consisting of a vague commitment to sustainability, reducing pesticides and fertilisers, and boosting organic farming. The most
11 Dec 2019
EU Green Deal - good for climate, bad for biodiversity
© BirdLife Europe and Central Asia
By Honey Kohan
Today, the European Commission announced their highly anticipated European Green Deal. The first of its kind in EU history, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has promised to deliver the Green deal in her first 100 days in office.
The document which has been described as a ‘growth strategy’, predominantly focuses on the current climate crises but fails to be a game changer for biodiversity and ecosystems. Despite several important and overwhelming major research papers which have been issued in the last few months confirming the biodiversity crises, with one million species threatened to go extinct – the EU green deal leaves much to be desired on the biodiversity front.
On biodiversity:
The Green Deal must have a biodiversity strategy that focuses on acting as soon as it is published. Nature in Europe has been degraded beyond recognition. Although vague, this Deal leaves the door open for the legislation nature actually needs, a set of legally binding restoration targets that Member States are obliged to meet. The Commission fails to mention any of the ecosystems beyond forests and fresh water that must be restored to fight climate change and preserve the EU’s biodiversity.
On enforcement:
Although the Commission commits to enforce environmental laws, the means they propose to do so are largely ineffective, as they focus on business as usual instead of focusing on holding Member States accountable for breaking the laws. In order to enforce the already existing nature laws we have in Europe, the Commission should firstly strengthen their own capacity to deal with Member States breaking the law.
On forests:
The Commission risks a continuation of the business-as-usual forest strategy which neither addresses degraded forest systems nor the fight against climate change. Increasing plantation forestry to simply provide biomass for energy will not address biodiversity or climate issues, in fact they could exacerbate both.
On agriculture:
The agriculture content of the EU Green Deal remains vague consisting of a vague commitment to sustainability, reducing pesticides and fertilisers, and boosting organic farming. The most
WRECKING THE OCEANS AND OVER-FISHING
I’ve just finished packing my bags for Brussels - we’ve got briefings, banners, superhero costumes, and a petition to handover to the EU Commissioner for Oceans and the Environment, Virginijus Sinkevičius. The petition contains almost 500,000 signatures (including yours!) demanding an end to destructive overfishing. Thanks so much for supporting the campaign!
There’s a critical decision being made next week where politicians will set the fishing limits for next year. We desperately need them to listen to scientific advice, before it’s too late.
I’ve heard that the fishing lobby are pushing really hard to keep their dangerously high fishing limits, even if it means making the nature and climate crisis worse for all of us.
SHARE ON FACEBOOK!
This petition could make a big difference, by showing the strength of support for sustainable fisheries and healthy oceans from people across Europe.
Can you help strengthen the petition even more by getting a few of your friends and family to sign? You can share on facebook by clicking on the button, or if you prefer email we’ve provided a template one below which you can send to friends!
Thanks so much for standing with us for healthy oceans!
Rebecca, Dave and the Our Fish team.
There’s a critical decision being made next week where politicians will set the fishing limits for next year. We desperately need them to listen to scientific advice, before it’s too late.
I’ve heard that the fishing lobby are pushing really hard to keep their dangerously high fishing limits, even if it means making the nature and climate crisis worse for all of us.
SHARE ON FACEBOOK!
This petition could make a big difference, by showing the strength of support for sustainable fisheries and healthy oceans from people across Europe.
Can you help strengthen the petition even more by getting a few of your friends and family to sign? You can share on facebook by clicking on the button, or if you prefer email we’ve provided a template one below which you can send to friends!
Thanks so much for standing with us for healthy oceans!
Rebecca, Dave and the Our Fish team.
Wednesday 11 December 2019
POWER AND CRIMINALITY ENDANGER OUR WILDLIFE
It's that time of year for people to be wishing other people the best of the season. I should have written this as a poem, an ‘epistolary’ one but this is what I believe, without rhyme.
Dear Estate Owner
The division of class took our schooling to other places, but we were pupils of the same era.
We brushed shoulders but there was no leaping across that divide. Jaguar motor cars to Ford Prefects are an example of it. That's the way it was then. I have moved on and moved away and you will remember me although you have not replied to my letters. So, here I go again
I know your position as landlord and your perception that you have fiefdom to rule.
I write not in despair but to inform you of my continued intention to correct centuries of wrong.
It's nationalistic to sing ‘your land is my land’, but that tells of one side of the story and that is your side only.
My land is our land or so it should be. It is not what the evidence will show.
England, my land, has had the capability to historically absorb the invader. That's really brilliant when one can consider that we speak the same language, but the truth is that the invader absorbed my land. Took possession of it by force and the powers that went with it.
Your ‘country estates’ have become a shooting parlour for money. You do nothing for the rural communities. You don't drink in their pubs or shop in the remaining shops. You take and we have nothing in return to show for the misuse of my land.
You farm grouse and pheasant and even import them and sustain them with drugs in an attempt to keep them healthy. Moors are burnt systematically to promote fresh heather growth and in doing so you kill the inhabitants, the invertebrates and small mammals. You are killers.
To prevent natural deaths to your birds your keepers trap and poison indiscriminately our indigenous wildlife from Pine Martens to Hen Harriers, and beautiful Mountain Hares.
You throw the dead and dying into Stink Pits adding the unwanted grouse and pheasant carcasses too. Then you add the flavour of banned poisons to kill the hungry mammals that have escaped your keepers. Are you not aware of vicarious liability?
Crimes against wildlife have to stop. The mindset is changing. Common folk are moving against you. Crowd funding allows monies for legal actions and for legislative change.
You, the Estate Owner, land owner by gift, birthright and power can change before you are forced to. I know that the selfishness and arrogance of your class can only be removed slowly. Our game is a slow game too; to keep our land with beauty that you have continued over centuries to reduce and more currently to obliterate.
I am as the small seed that has lain dormant and in time gains strength to break the surface and grow. It is your choice now to change.
Your choice
A man of the land
European, British, born English and choosing to remain and will continue to redress the balance.
Dear Estate Owner
The division of class took our schooling to other places, but we were pupils of the same era.
We brushed shoulders but there was no leaping across that divide. Jaguar motor cars to Ford Prefects are an example of it. That's the way it was then. I have moved on and moved away and you will remember me although you have not replied to my letters. So, here I go again
I know your position as landlord and your perception that you have fiefdom to rule.
I write not in despair but to inform you of my continued intention to correct centuries of wrong.
It's nationalistic to sing ‘your land is my land’, but that tells of one side of the story and that is your side only.
My land is our land or so it should be. It is not what the evidence will show.
England, my land, has had the capability to historically absorb the invader. That's really brilliant when one can consider that we speak the same language, but the truth is that the invader absorbed my land. Took possession of it by force and the powers that went with it.
Your ‘country estates’ have become a shooting parlour for money. You do nothing for the rural communities. You don't drink in their pubs or shop in the remaining shops. You take and we have nothing in return to show for the misuse of my land.
You farm grouse and pheasant and even import them and sustain them with drugs in an attempt to keep them healthy. Moors are burnt systematically to promote fresh heather growth and in doing so you kill the inhabitants, the invertebrates and small mammals. You are killers.
To prevent natural deaths to your birds your keepers trap and poison indiscriminately our indigenous wildlife from Pine Martens to Hen Harriers, and beautiful Mountain Hares.
You throw the dead and dying into Stink Pits adding the unwanted grouse and pheasant carcasses too. Then you add the flavour of banned poisons to kill the hungry mammals that have escaped your keepers. Are you not aware of vicarious liability?
Crimes against wildlife have to stop. The mindset is changing. Common folk are moving against you. Crowd funding allows monies for legal actions and for legislative change.
You, the Estate Owner, land owner by gift, birthright and power can change before you are forced to. I know that the selfishness and arrogance of your class can only be removed slowly. Our game is a slow game too; to keep our land with beauty that you have continued over centuries to reduce and more currently to obliterate.
I am as the small seed that has lain dormant and in time gains strength to break the surface and grow. It is your choice now to change.
Your choice
A man of the land
European, British, born English and choosing to remain and will continue to redress the balance.
Tuesday 10 December 2019
ARE SPANISH FLEETS PILLAGING OUR OCEANS.?
Spain, one of the world’s big fishing nations, is hosting this year’s United Nations climate change conference on the health of our oceans. But its own record on damaging the marine environment, by trawling the seabed with huge nets and by removing vast tonnages of fish, is believed by many scientists to adversely affect the sea’s ability to act as a carbon sink. In this sense Spain is a deplorable choice as host nation.
Spain had by far the largest fishing fleet in Europe when it acceded to the EU in 1986. It still does. The reason why it is so large dates back to the “navalist ideology”, an imperialistic way of thinking which arose in Spain around the turn of the 20th century. But the Spanish fleet’s greatest expansion dates from the time of Generalissimo Franco, whose policy of protectionism and intervention favoured shipbuilding. The disproportionate size of the Spanish fishing fleet today is one of the unremarked legacies of fascism.
If Germany continued to drive its Panzer divisions over the plains of Europe, it would not go unnoticed. Yet hardly anyone makes the connection when Spain’s subsidy-driven fishing fleet works its way around the oceans of the world — and often turns a blind eye to the rules as it does so. That could be partly because these days it is dwarfed by the Chinese fleet, also built on subsidies and out of scale with the planet’s resource of wild fish.
The size of the Spanish fishing fleet was supposed to be capped by the EU’s Common Fisheries Policy. In fact, the Spanish fleet escaped limits by fishing in international waters as well as in the territorial waters of, and under the flags of, developing nations. Spain was penalised by the EU for catching too much yellowfin tuna in the Indian Ocean in 2017. Now experts have found the Spanish fleet to have caught 13,500 tons too much of this overfished stock last year, a catch worth tens of millions of euros, stolen largely from developing countries. Spain disputes the figures. The European Commission has opened an investigation.
The Spanish government recently removed Franco’s body from its mausoleum near Madrid to signal a break with the past. Its next step should be to curtail another part of his malign legacy: a fishing fleet that is still pillaging the oceans.
Charles Clover is executive director of Blue Marine Foundation, a conservation charity
Spain
Science
Global politics
European Union
Europe
Share
Spain had by far the largest fishing fleet in Europe when it acceded to the EU in 1986. It still does. The reason why it is so large dates back to the “navalist ideology”, an imperialistic way of thinking which arose in Spain around the turn of the 20th century. But the Spanish fleet’s greatest expansion dates from the time of Generalissimo Franco, whose policy of protectionism and intervention favoured shipbuilding. The disproportionate size of the Spanish fishing fleet today is one of the unremarked legacies of fascism.
If Germany continued to drive its Panzer divisions over the plains of Europe, it would not go unnoticed. Yet hardly anyone makes the connection when Spain’s subsidy-driven fishing fleet works its way around the oceans of the world — and often turns a blind eye to the rules as it does so. That could be partly because these days it is dwarfed by the Chinese fleet, also built on subsidies and out of scale with the planet’s resource of wild fish.
The size of the Spanish fishing fleet was supposed to be capped by the EU’s Common Fisheries Policy. In fact, the Spanish fleet escaped limits by fishing in international waters as well as in the territorial waters of, and under the flags of, developing nations. Spain was penalised by the EU for catching too much yellowfin tuna in the Indian Ocean in 2017. Now experts have found the Spanish fleet to have caught 13,500 tons too much of this overfished stock last year, a catch worth tens of millions of euros, stolen largely from developing countries. Spain disputes the figures. The European Commission has opened an investigation.
The Spanish government recently removed Franco’s body from its mausoleum near Madrid to signal a break with the past. Its next step should be to curtail another part of his malign legacy: a fishing fleet that is still pillaging the oceans.
Charles Clover is executive director of Blue Marine Foundation, a conservation charity
Spain
Science
Global politics
European Union
Europe
Share
Saturday 7 December 2019
KILLING TODAYS SPIES AND 'TRAITORS'
CHARLES CUMMING AND THE TRINITY SIX
Another spy story told brilliantly by Mr Cumming. It is a damn good read.
You could be mistaken that this is a story of decades ago. Of course, this novel is one of the past, as it was written in 2010. The basis of the story is given below, but if you the think that the activities of the espionage and counter espionage are all history just keep an alert eye out for what is being reported in this morning's papers. For today, my reading was the Times.
Angela Merkel is being urged to confront Putin over the assassination of Zelinkhan Khangoshvili, a Chechen exile who had sought safety. He was dispensed with. That's chilling, even deadly. Ben Macintyre in the same paper reports ‘Smersh spy-killers are back in business’. The name involving two names smashed together and then used by Ian Fleming with his Bond stories. It is interesting to think how real was Bond and how much Fleming knew.
As of last night we can now wonder where Jeremy Corbyn got his information from regarding his comments on Ireland. He did a ‘Chamberlain’ waving the intended ‘revealing’ pages at the cameras. Maybe this has been sourced from somewhere deep in the Kremlin? And, could both be fake? We are left to ponder again and to believe what you want. I prefer evidence, but in this murky world it's a guessing game.
Now to the book and you can decide how close any of it was, to yesterday's truth, and even let it become closer to this day.
The Cold War. The threat of nuclear war and the spy stories occupied governments, journalists and the media reveled in the subject. Kim Philby, Anthony Blunt, Guy Burgess, Donald Maclean and John Cairncross were the Cambridge Five. Recruited by Moscow to sell our secrets to benefit the communists.
The recruitment of these spies is regarded as the most successful penetration by a foreign intelligence service in the history of espionage. In Russia, the men from Trinity College were known as The Magnificent Five.
Now, those are the facts and then the story begins. Dr Sam Gaddis, a hard up Russian expert who receives something that he cannot leave alone. There is some one else out there that needs tracking down. Don't worry people get killed and he embarks on his mission to bring justice in the world of espionage.
The front cover announces ‘Utterly absorbing and compelling. A brilliant re-imagining of events surrounding the notorious Cambridge spy-ring’. So that's enough. Well, almost it's a chase around Europe and much further away. It reads well and moves rapidly. But if you do not like a spy story based on historical facts then it is not a book for you. I liked it and Charles Cummings always tells a very good story. I will be on the look out for one more of his books in another second-hand book shop. This copy, for just two euros, obtained from J and J Books and Coffee in Madrid. We love book shops, especially independent ones.
Another spy story told brilliantly by Mr Cumming. It is a damn good read.
You could be mistaken that this is a story of decades ago. Of course, this novel is one of the past, as it was written in 2010. The basis of the story is given below, but if you the think that the activities of the espionage and counter espionage are all history just keep an alert eye out for what is being reported in this morning's papers. For today, my reading was the Times.
Angela Merkel is being urged to confront Putin over the assassination of Zelinkhan Khangoshvili, a Chechen exile who had sought safety. He was dispensed with. That's chilling, even deadly. Ben Macintyre in the same paper reports ‘Smersh spy-killers are back in business’. The name involving two names smashed together and then used by Ian Fleming with his Bond stories. It is interesting to think how real was Bond and how much Fleming knew.
As of last night we can now wonder where Jeremy Corbyn got his information from regarding his comments on Ireland. He did a ‘Chamberlain’ waving the intended ‘revealing’ pages at the cameras. Maybe this has been sourced from somewhere deep in the Kremlin? And, could both be fake? We are left to ponder again and to believe what you want. I prefer evidence, but in this murky world it's a guessing game.
Now to the book and you can decide how close any of it was, to yesterday's truth, and even let it become closer to this day.
The Cold War. The threat of nuclear war and the spy stories occupied governments, journalists and the media reveled in the subject. Kim Philby, Anthony Blunt, Guy Burgess, Donald Maclean and John Cairncross were the Cambridge Five. Recruited by Moscow to sell our secrets to benefit the communists.
The recruitment of these spies is regarded as the most successful penetration by a foreign intelligence service in the history of espionage. In Russia, the men from Trinity College were known as The Magnificent Five.
Now, those are the facts and then the story begins. Dr Sam Gaddis, a hard up Russian expert who receives something that he cannot leave alone. There is some one else out there that needs tracking down. Don't worry people get killed and he embarks on his mission to bring justice in the world of espionage.
The front cover announces ‘Utterly absorbing and compelling. A brilliant re-imagining of events surrounding the notorious Cambridge spy-ring’. So that's enough. Well, almost it's a chase around Europe and much further away. It reads well and moves rapidly. But if you do not like a spy story based on historical facts then it is not a book for you. I liked it and Charles Cummings always tells a very good story. I will be on the look out for one more of his books in another second-hand book shop. This copy, for just two euros, obtained from J and J Books and Coffee in Madrid. We love book shops, especially independent ones.
Friday 6 December 2019
Hunting with horses and dogs
Do we need this anymore? Hunting with horses and dogs should be banned
Dear John, hunting season is in full swing and foxes are dying.
The need to strengthen the Hunting Act has never been more urgent, please take action today and contact your election candidates.
Take Action
There are 191 fox hunts operating in Great Britain today, 14 years after the Hunting Act was brought in to outlaw the practice.
In total, hunts can go out almost 10,700 times a year – and each time a fox’s life is put at risk.
Please do what you can and contact your candidates today.
Take Action
Dear John, hunting season is in full swing and foxes are dying.
The need to strengthen the Hunting Act has never been more urgent, please take action today and contact your election candidates.
Take Action
There are 191 fox hunts operating in Great Britain today, 14 years after the Hunting Act was brought in to outlaw the practice.
In total, hunts can go out almost 10,700 times a year – and each time a fox’s life is put at risk.
Please do what you can and contact your candidates today.
Take Action
Tuesday 3 December 2019
A DAY TO REMEMBER - ANOTHER ANNIVERSARY
I always sit on the bench with my back to Ledbury Church wall and look over the Garden of Remembrance where my mother's ashes lie. It is always a sad moment when I arrive. I talk and try to imagine her answers.
LEDBURY CHURCHYARD
GARDEN OF REMEMBRANCE
MONDAY 30th SEPTEMBER 2013
10 am to 11am
I can hear you, still see you
a faltering image now as
a leaf flutters down
its job done to
rest with a worn feather
on an everlasting green cloth.
a youngish oak leans towards
the west over rose bushes
and recycled headstones
silver birches glance the light
as the turn of the season
is announced
an unkempt back edge
provides charity for the wild
a coat for the unseen
quists coo, blackbirds call
they usually do. Others fly
over roofs and away
I am static as passers-by
say their 'good mornings' while
a church organ permeates
my thoughts. I listen, wait, watch
n the now. Memories flit in
and away at random
in front the continuing grass
sits and waits for tomorrow
in an everlasting afterwards
in a tiny space a box
in decay and concealment
hides a history of a life
sounds, birdsong, peripheral traffic
provide the music she will not hear
a tear spent well.
a bell that strikes the hour
time to go
Sunday 1 December 2019
LET's GET MORE ANTI-HUNT MPs INTO PARLIAMENT
Right now, foxes are dying. Hunting season has begun but the law is not strong enough to stop it. It’s time to strengthen the ban.
This general election, help get more anti-hunt MPs into parliament and end fox hunting for good.
Take Action
Two members of the Meynell and South Staffordshire Hunt have been convicted after pleading guilty to hunting fox cubs earlier this month. Sam Staniland and William Tatler were caught on camera by League Against Cruel Sports investigators, the footage of which you can see below.
YouTube video
But they were not sent to jail. Did you know that there are no custodial sentences under the Hunting Act? The convicted pair received fines of £535. This is not good enough. The law needs to change to reflect the severity of the crime.
Take Action
Only with an anti-hunting parliament will be able to strengthen the ban and stop hunting for good.
Thanks,
Nick
Nick Weston
Head of Campaigns
PS: Together, we can stop foxes dying for someone else’s sport. Please take action now.
This general election, help get more anti-hunt MPs into parliament and end fox hunting for good.
Take Action
Two members of the Meynell and South Staffordshire Hunt have been convicted after pleading guilty to hunting fox cubs earlier this month. Sam Staniland and William Tatler were caught on camera by League Against Cruel Sports investigators, the footage of which you can see below.
YouTube video
But they were not sent to jail. Did you know that there are no custodial sentences under the Hunting Act? The convicted pair received fines of £535. This is not good enough. The law needs to change to reflect the severity of the crime.
Take Action
Only with an anti-hunting parliament will be able to strengthen the ban and stop hunting for good.
Thanks,
Nick
Nick Weston
Head of Campaigns
PS: Together, we can stop foxes dying for someone else’s sport. Please take action now.
HELP END FOX HUNTING FOR GOOD
Most people would be forgiven for thinking that hunting is already banned. But the hunting season is underway right now and foxes are dying. 191 fox hunts will ride out nearly 10,700 times this year.
That can’t be right. That can’t be the type of country we are trying to be in the twenty-first century.
And that is why the Hunting Act needs to be strengthened.
Bill Oddie video
This election is a real opportunity to show unity where there has been division; to commit to a vision of Britain that is a kinder place for all of us to live. A country where there is an understanding of the importance of protecting the environment around us and all the wildlife that shares our land.
Please contact your election candidates today and help get more anti-hunt MPs into parliament.
Take Action
It is time political parties went further, not only to secure the Hunting Act but to strengthen it; to ensure there can be no excuses for harming wild animals for ‘sport’.
I am calling on all parties to include this pledge in their manifestos, to allow themselves to be judged on their compassion and their commitment to our land and our wildlife, as well as their willingness to ensure all those who seek to circumvent these rules are appropriately punished.
We know from polling commissioned by the League Against Cruel Sports that 85 per cent of the public think fox hunting should remain illegal. We ask that all political parties commit to strengthening this law and reduce those 10,700 hunting days to zero.
Please contact your election candidates today and help end fox hunting for good.
Take Action
Yours sincerely,
Bill Oddie
Bill Oddie OBE
Patron of the League Against Cruel Sports
PS: Together we have a stronger voice to make changes for our wildlife. Could you make a donation that will enable us to deliver a campaign that puts wildlife at the heart of this General Election? Thank you for standing on the side of animals.
That can’t be right. That can’t be the type of country we are trying to be in the twenty-first century.
And that is why the Hunting Act needs to be strengthened.
Bill Oddie video
This election is a real opportunity to show unity where there has been division; to commit to a vision of Britain that is a kinder place for all of us to live. A country where there is an understanding of the importance of protecting the environment around us and all the wildlife that shares our land.
Please contact your election candidates today and help get more anti-hunt MPs into parliament.
Take Action
It is time political parties went further, not only to secure the Hunting Act but to strengthen it; to ensure there can be no excuses for harming wild animals for ‘sport’.
I am calling on all parties to include this pledge in their manifestos, to allow themselves to be judged on their compassion and their commitment to our land and our wildlife, as well as their willingness to ensure all those who seek to circumvent these rules are appropriately punished.
We know from polling commissioned by the League Against Cruel Sports that 85 per cent of the public think fox hunting should remain illegal. We ask that all political parties commit to strengthening this law and reduce those 10,700 hunting days to zero.
Please contact your election candidates today and help end fox hunting for good.
Take Action
Yours sincerely,
Bill Oddie
Bill Oddie OBE
Patron of the League Against Cruel Sports
PS: Together we have a stronger voice to make changes for our wildlife. Could you make a donation that will enable us to deliver a campaign that puts wildlife at the heart of this General Election? Thank you for standing on the side of animals.
POLITICS WITH ANDREW MARR
PREJUDICE PREJUDICE PREJUDICE
This morning on BBC TV I thought that Andrew Marr lost it! I always try and watch his Sunday morning political show and I admire the way he deals with his interviewees. Even the bloody-minded ones who will never say yes or no, but let party rhetoric fall from their mouths like vomit.
That was my view until this morning and I watched him let the smooth talking Baroness Chakrabarti get away with saying about ‘that is too early to discuss what happened on London Bridge’. Okay she showed respect and regret. And he let her carry on with this calm and “wordless-meaning” approach to a too early discussion. She was correct in many ways and I listened intently to what it takes to supervise and maintain surveillance. It is costly, financially and with human time, to do the job well, but it will never be perfect.
Now the Prime Minister. The chat started smoothly enough. The guts of the conversation was about the release of the killer after only eight years in prison. The public will always have mixed views on sentencing and why prisoners are released before their full term. It is always political and party politics seems to blur or even conceal the factual extent of what legislation can allow or not.
Apparently the legislation under which are killer was sentenced was in the period of a Labour Goverment. That was convenient for our wild haired prime minister. You can either love him or hate his image or everything about him. He is the ‘marmite man’ to many.
According to Marr the Conservative governments have had ten years to change the law regarding release for convicted terrorists. There was more ‘toing and froing’ than usual with both talking at the same time. That's probably very easy to do when Boris Johnston is in full flow. At least eight times Marr asked the same question and there was hostility written across his face.
The first fact we should know is whether the killer could have been kept in prison or not. We did not know from this programme and I hold Marr accountable for this. Facts should be there for us. Maybe we will see.
I have been a fan of Marr for years, but today, I saw him let himself down. He may not like our current Prime Minister, but that was not his job on this Sunday morning. I even walked away from the screen. Why give one interviewee an easy ride and then become, even belligerent, to another one. I know that there is a huge political divide and on this Sunday morning is he showing his own politics? Maybe he is trying to influence the polls!
Come on Andrew Marr - you can be more even handed because you have done better than this.
This morning on BBC TV I thought that Andrew Marr lost it! I always try and watch his Sunday morning political show and I admire the way he deals with his interviewees. Even the bloody-minded ones who will never say yes or no, but let party rhetoric fall from their mouths like vomit.
That was my view until this morning and I watched him let the smooth talking Baroness Chakrabarti get away with saying about ‘that is too early to discuss what happened on London Bridge’. Okay she showed respect and regret. And he let her carry on with this calm and “wordless-meaning” approach to a too early discussion. She was correct in many ways and I listened intently to what it takes to supervise and maintain surveillance. It is costly, financially and with human time, to do the job well, but it will never be perfect.
Now the Prime Minister. The chat started smoothly enough. The guts of the conversation was about the release of the killer after only eight years in prison. The public will always have mixed views on sentencing and why prisoners are released before their full term. It is always political and party politics seems to blur or even conceal the factual extent of what legislation can allow or not.
Apparently the legislation under which are killer was sentenced was in the period of a Labour Goverment. That was convenient for our wild haired prime minister. You can either love him or hate his image or everything about him. He is the ‘marmite man’ to many.
According to Marr the Conservative governments have had ten years to change the law regarding release for convicted terrorists. There was more ‘toing and froing’ than usual with both talking at the same time. That's probably very easy to do when Boris Johnston is in full flow. At least eight times Marr asked the same question and there was hostility written across his face.
The first fact we should know is whether the killer could have been kept in prison or not. We did not know from this programme and I hold Marr accountable for this. Facts should be there for us. Maybe we will see.
I have been a fan of Marr for years, but today, I saw him let himself down. He may not like our current Prime Minister, but that was not his job on this Sunday morning. I even walked away from the screen. Why give one interviewee an easy ride and then become, even belligerent, to another one. I know that there is a huge political divide and on this Sunday morning is he showing his own politics? Maybe he is trying to influence the polls!
Come on Andrew Marr - you can be more even handed because you have done better than this.
Sunday 24 November 2019
WE NEED TREES SAY FRIENDS OF THE EARTH
I re-post this request from FRIENDS OF THE EARTH TO PLANT MORE TREES
Dear John
Scientists say we need billions more trees in the UK to protect our climate and wildlife. And trees can help offer a natural defence against extreme weather like flooding
But here in the UK spending on trees fell by £20 million a year between 2015 and 2018. That’s no way to respond to the climate emergency.
Our petition calling on the UK government to double tree cover already has over 90,000 signatures. As it's National Tree Week, can you add yours today to help us reach 100,000? Let’s make sure the next government has committed to double the UK’s tree cover.
I’LL SIGN THE PETITION
Only 13% of the UK is covered in woodlands – less than half the European average.
Our remaining woodland absorbs greenhouse gas emissions and provides homes for all kinds of wildlife. If the next government is serious about tackling the climate and ecological emergency, it needs to commit to doubling tree cover.
And right now we have a chance to change things. Under huge public pressure to act, political parties are making competing tree planting pledges in the run-up to the election.
Let’s take this opportunity to increase the pressure and secure a commitment.
Can you sign our petition to help double tree cover?
Dear John
Scientists say we need billions more trees in the UK to protect our climate and wildlife. And trees can help offer a natural defence against extreme weather like flooding
But here in the UK spending on trees fell by £20 million a year between 2015 and 2018. That’s no way to respond to the climate emergency.
Our petition calling on the UK government to double tree cover already has over 90,000 signatures. As it's National Tree Week, can you add yours today to help us reach 100,000? Let’s make sure the next government has committed to double the UK’s tree cover.
I’LL SIGN THE PETITION
Only 13% of the UK is covered in woodlands – less than half the European average.
Our remaining woodland absorbs greenhouse gas emissions and provides homes for all kinds of wildlife. If the next government is serious about tackling the climate and ecological emergency, it needs to commit to doubling tree cover.
And right now we have a chance to change things. Under huge public pressure to act, political parties are making competing tree planting pledges in the run-up to the election.
Let’s take this opportunity to increase the pressure and secure a commitment.
Can you sign our petition to help double tree cover?
Thursday 21 November 2019
SHOOTING TIMES & WOODCOCK KILLERS
Latest issue of Shooting Times seen in Sainsbury's - Woodcock, red listed bird of conservation concern, Common Snipe and Teal, amber listed. Unbelievable - what is wrong with these people! @MarkAvery @ChrisGPackham @_robsheldon @ASPaton
REQUEST FROM MARINE CONSERVATION SOCIETY
THE ELECTION IS COMING SOON
Our oceans are vital to all life on Earth and protecting them for future generations should be a key aim for the next government.
We’re in the midst of an environmental and climate emergency and our marine biodiversity is under constant threat. This comes from overfishing, plastic and other pollution, deep-sea mining and the effects of climate change. There is a pressing need for further action.
With a general election on 12 December all of the UK’s political parties and MP candidates will be setting out the legislation and policies that they would like to introduce. At MCS we’ve prepared our own Ocean Manifesto and we’ve identified key policy changes which would help protect our marine environment. We'll be examining each political party’s plans to see how they measure up against our priorities for the marine environment.
Our nine point policy plan sets out an ambitious agenda and MCS believes that any future government should implement the following:
Marine Plastics
Ban the loss of microplastics into the environment during the manufacturing and recycling processes
Introduce an all-inclusive deposit return scheme for drinks containers
Introduce extended producer responsibility so that manufacturers are responsible for the total disposal and recycling costs of their products
UK and Overseas Territories
Designate new Highly Protected Marine Areas to cover at least 10% of UK waters by 2023
Commit to a substantial increase in UK Overseas Territories funding to ensure we protect these vital ecosystems
Ban damaging activities from all UK Marine Protected Areas
Fishing
Implement measures to help vessels account for what they catch
Legislation to ensure no fishing above scientifically recommended sustainable levels
Support the roll out of CCTV cameras on vessels to record catches
Our full Ocean Manifesto highlights our complete policy plan which would set a bold agenda for our oceans and show ambitious leadership globally. Click below to read more.
Our oceans are vital to all life on Earth and protecting them for future generations should be a key aim for the next government.
We’re in the midst of an environmental and climate emergency and our marine biodiversity is under constant threat. This comes from overfishing, plastic and other pollution, deep-sea mining and the effects of climate change. There is a pressing need for further action.
With a general election on 12 December all of the UK’s political parties and MP candidates will be setting out the legislation and policies that they would like to introduce. At MCS we’ve prepared our own Ocean Manifesto and we’ve identified key policy changes which would help protect our marine environment. We'll be examining each political party’s plans to see how they measure up against our priorities for the marine environment.
Our nine point policy plan sets out an ambitious agenda and MCS believes that any future government should implement the following:
Marine Plastics
Ban the loss of microplastics into the environment during the manufacturing and recycling processes
Introduce an all-inclusive deposit return scheme for drinks containers
Introduce extended producer responsibility so that manufacturers are responsible for the total disposal and recycling costs of their products
UK and Overseas Territories
Designate new Highly Protected Marine Areas to cover at least 10% of UK waters by 2023
Commit to a substantial increase in UK Overseas Territories funding to ensure we protect these vital ecosystems
Ban damaging activities from all UK Marine Protected Areas
Fishing
Implement measures to help vessels account for what they catch
Legislation to ensure no fishing above scientifically recommended sustainable levels
Support the roll out of CCTV cameras on vessels to record catches
Our full Ocean Manifesto highlights our complete policy plan which would set a bold agenda for our oceans and show ambitious leadership globally. Click below to read more.
Wednesday 20 November 2019
KILLING ON MIGRATION ROUTES FOR THE SAKE OF IT
Thanks to Bryan Thomas at http://birdingcostablanca.blogspot.com
Birding Costa Blanca
A video everybody has to watch
Posted: 19 Nov 2019 07:16 AM PST
Hi there everybody
If you visit my blog for bird sighting and information could you
Please take the time to watch these 2 videos, you won't believe it and the scale of night poaching and slaughter. This happens every day and night through the Autumn migration
Click this link below
Large scale night poaching of migratory birds
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=55lZ23JOeu0
For the first time, our latest CABS video shows the large-scale indiscriminate night poaching of protected migratory birds occurring each autumn in northern Lebanon. During the recent CABS bird protection camp
I just don't get it? how can this be allowed to go on?
Click this link below
Blood on the Motorway of Migration: Raptor killing in Lebanon
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=hORiFG4f-Js
Comment anybody
Birding Costa Blanca
A video everybody has to watch
Posted: 19 Nov 2019 07:16 AM PST
Hi there everybody
If you visit my blog for bird sighting and information could you
Please take the time to watch these 2 videos, you won't believe it and the scale of night poaching and slaughter. This happens every day and night through the Autumn migration
Click this link below
Large scale night poaching of migratory birds
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=55lZ23JOeu0
For the first time, our latest CABS video shows the large-scale indiscriminate night poaching of protected migratory birds occurring each autumn in northern Lebanon. During the recent CABS bird protection camp
I just don't get it? how can this be allowed to go on?
Click this link below
Blood on the Motorway of Migration: Raptor killing in Lebanon
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=hORiFG4f-Js
Comment anybody
Monday 18 November 2019
PRINCE ANDREW ON THE MORNING AFTER
THE INTERVIEW OF HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS, PRINCE ANDREW DUKE OF YORK WITH EMILY MAITLIS
I hate prejudice. I prefer to go along the route of examining the evidence and then making a judgement. Sounds simple doesn't it? But where prejudice, subliminal or otherwise, is involved then listening can become a lost art and the tongue starts flapping and anything can come out. That's my stance? Why now and why this morning?
Yesterday evening BBC Two screened the interview with Emily Maitlis and his Royal Highness Prince Andrew, Duke of York. I know that it would not be everyone's idea of a good Saturday viewing and after Strickly it could be viewed as very bland.
We've had headlines to suck us into a segment of the truth or just to draw us in or even drag us away from a comment. Indeed reading the headlines this morning those ‘journos’ dug in and hammered in their comments. Well they have to make a living.
I watched the interview as dispassionately as I possibly could. Andrew Marr on his Sunday morning programme said that he squirmed. I did not. I wanted evidence if we were to get any or something that I could believe one way or the other. Yes, evidence works for both sides and that alas, will depend upon what we want to hear.
The Sunday papers are loaded with comment and it is essential that the nation gets to know as much as possible. Camilla Long in a lengthy article gets ‘stuck in’. Her headline includes ‘Poor St Andrew’. That's a cheap shot isn't it? In a side comment she says “Why do we speak of ‘standards’ when he appeared to have none”. Okay, he may not but neither may she! Her words are emotive and pathetic when she mentions ‘Brashest unrepentant carpet in the world’ when referring to the room where the interview took place. I think that she is showing her own prejudice here and I will watch out for her on TV.
Was there any evidence to absorb and take away for examination? Well, not much. There was the photo in Central Park. It looked like a long shot to me and it would not have been a close up as there would have been security to shoo them away. Was it intended for someone’s benefit? Then there is the photo with a smiling Prince and a young girl. Fake or real, but we will have to wait for that too. Then something unusual in that it was said that Prince Andrew was soaked in sweat in Tramps. Not possible, he says, since his experiences in the Falklands. The adrenaline stopped him sweating. Medical fact or not and that is something that can be proved or otherwise. Again we will have to wait.
The interview was good. Emily Maitlis examined and persisted. He answered and I thought he did well. I don't think we are nearer the truth than we were. It was a gamble for him and such an interview has not been done before.
One thing sticks out ‘like a sore thumb’ which is why did he need to visit Epstein just to tell him that their friendship was over. I find that strange and a poor decision. I met friends for lunch and they were not on the Prince’s side. The truth could come out and I am considering the point that Maitlis did not ask is what can his security people tells. Again we wait.
I hate prejudice. I prefer to go along the route of examining the evidence and then making a judgement. Sounds simple doesn't it? But where prejudice, subliminal or otherwise, is involved then listening can become a lost art and the tongue starts flapping and anything can come out. That's my stance? Why now and why this morning?
Yesterday evening BBC Two screened the interview with Emily Maitlis and his Royal Highness Prince Andrew, Duke of York. I know that it would not be everyone's idea of a good Saturday viewing and after Strickly it could be viewed as very bland.
We've had headlines to suck us into a segment of the truth or just to draw us in or even drag us away from a comment. Indeed reading the headlines this morning those ‘journos’ dug in and hammered in their comments. Well they have to make a living.
I watched the interview as dispassionately as I possibly could. Andrew Marr on his Sunday morning programme said that he squirmed. I did not. I wanted evidence if we were to get any or something that I could believe one way or the other. Yes, evidence works for both sides and that alas, will depend upon what we want to hear.
The Sunday papers are loaded with comment and it is essential that the nation gets to know as much as possible. Camilla Long in a lengthy article gets ‘stuck in’. Her headline includes ‘Poor St Andrew’. That's a cheap shot isn't it? In a side comment she says “Why do we speak of ‘standards’ when he appeared to have none”. Okay, he may not but neither may she! Her words are emotive and pathetic when she mentions ‘Brashest unrepentant carpet in the world’ when referring to the room where the interview took place. I think that she is showing her own prejudice here and I will watch out for her on TV.
Was there any evidence to absorb and take away for examination? Well, not much. There was the photo in Central Park. It looked like a long shot to me and it would not have been a close up as there would have been security to shoo them away. Was it intended for someone’s benefit? Then there is the photo with a smiling Prince and a young girl. Fake or real, but we will have to wait for that too. Then something unusual in that it was said that Prince Andrew was soaked in sweat in Tramps. Not possible, he says, since his experiences in the Falklands. The adrenaline stopped him sweating. Medical fact or not and that is something that can be proved or otherwise. Again we will have to wait.
The interview was good. Emily Maitlis examined and persisted. He answered and I thought he did well. I don't think we are nearer the truth than we were. It was a gamble for him and such an interview has not been done before.
One thing sticks out ‘like a sore thumb’ which is why did he need to visit Epstein just to tell him that their friendship was over. I find that strange and a poor decision. I met friends for lunch and they were not on the Prince’s side. The truth could come out and I am considering the point that Maitlis did not ask is what can his security people tells. Again we wait.
Sunday 17 November 2019
THE PRINCE BEING EXAMINED
THE INTERVIEW OF HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS, PRINCE ANDREW DUKE OF YORK WITH EMILY MAITLIS
I hate prejudice. I prefer to go along the route of examining the evidence and then making a judgement. Sounds simple doesn't it? But where prejudice, subliminal or otherwise, is involved then listening can become a lost art and the tongue starts flapping and anything can come out. That's my stance? Why now and why this morning?
Yesterday evening BBC Two screened the interview with Emily Maitlis and his Royal Highness Prince Andrew, Duke of York. I know that it would not be everyone's idea of a good Saturday viewing and after Strickly it could be viewed as very bland.
We've had headlines to suck us into a segment of the truth or just to draw us in or even drag us away from a comment. Indeed reading the headlines this morning those ‘journos’ dug in and hammered in their comments. Well they have to make a living.
I watched the interview as dispassionately as I possibly could. Andrew Marr on his Sunday morning programme said that he squirmed. I did not. I wanted evidence if we were to get any or something that I could believe one way or the other. Yes, evidence works for both sides and that alas, will depend upon what we want to hear.
The Sunday papers are loaded with comment and it is essential that the nation gets to know as much as possible. Camilla Long in a lengthy article gets ‘stuck in’. Her headline includes ‘Poor St Andrew’. That's a cheap shot isn't it? In a side comment she says “Why do we speak of ‘standards’ when he appeared to have none”. Okay, he may not but neither may she! Her words are emotive and pathetic when she mentions ‘Brashest unrepentant carpet in the world’ when referring to the room where the interview took place. I think that she is showing her own prejudice here and I will watch out for her on TV.
Was there any evidence to absorb and take away for examination? Well, not much. There was the photo in Central Park. It looked like a long shot to me and it would not have been a close up as there would have been security to shoo them away. Was it intended for someone’s benefit? Then there is the photo with a smiling Prince and a young girl. Fake or real, but we will have to wait for that too. Then something unusual in that it was said that Prince Andrew was soaked in sweat in Tramps. Not possible, he says, since his experiences in the Falklands. The adrenaline stopped him sweating. Medical fact or not and that is something that can be proved or otherwise. Again we will have to wait.
The interview was good. Emily Maitlis examined and persisted. He answered and I thought he did well. I don't think we are nearer the truth than we were. It was a gamble for him and such an interview has not been done before.
One thing sticks out ‘like a sore thumb’ which is why did he need to visit Epstein just to tell him that their friendship was over. I find that strange and a poor decision. I met friends for lunch and they were not on the Prince’s side. The truth could come out and I am considering the point that Maitlis did not ask is what can his security people tells. Again we wait.
I hate prejudice. I prefer to go along the route of examining the evidence and then making a judgement. Sounds simple doesn't it? But where prejudice, subliminal or otherwise, is involved then listening can become a lost art and the tongue starts flapping and anything can come out. That's my stance? Why now and why this morning?
Yesterday evening BBC Two screened the interview with Emily Maitlis and his Royal Highness Prince Andrew, Duke of York. I know that it would not be everyone's idea of a good Saturday viewing and after Strickly it could be viewed as very bland.
We've had headlines to suck us into a segment of the truth or just to draw us in or even drag us away from a comment. Indeed reading the headlines this morning those ‘journos’ dug in and hammered in their comments. Well they have to make a living.
I watched the interview as dispassionately as I possibly could. Andrew Marr on his Sunday morning programme said that he squirmed. I did not. I wanted evidence if we were to get any or something that I could believe one way or the other. Yes, evidence works for both sides and that alas, will depend upon what we want to hear.
The Sunday papers are loaded with comment and it is essential that the nation gets to know as much as possible. Camilla Long in a lengthy article gets ‘stuck in’. Her headline includes ‘Poor St Andrew’. That's a cheap shot isn't it? In a side comment she says “Why do we speak of ‘standards’ when he appeared to have none”. Okay, he may not but neither may she! Her words are emotive and pathetic when she mentions ‘Brashest unrepentant carpet in the world’ when referring to the room where the interview took place. I think that she is showing her own prejudice here and I will watch out for her on TV.
Was there any evidence to absorb and take away for examination? Well, not much. There was the photo in Central Park. It looked like a long shot to me and it would not have been a close up as there would have been security to shoo them away. Was it intended for someone’s benefit? Then there is the photo with a smiling Prince and a young girl. Fake or real, but we will have to wait for that too. Then something unusual in that it was said that Prince Andrew was soaked in sweat in Tramps. Not possible, he says, since his experiences in the Falklands. The adrenaline stopped him sweating. Medical fact or not and that is something that can be proved or otherwise. Again we will have to wait.
The interview was good. Emily Maitlis examined and persisted. He answered and I thought he did well. I don't think we are nearer the truth than we were. It was a gamble for him and such an interview has not been done before.
One thing sticks out ‘like a sore thumb’ which is why did he need to visit Epstein just to tell him that their friendship was over. I find that strange and a poor decision. I met friends for lunch and they were not on the Prince’s side. The truth could come out and I am considering the point that Maitlis did not ask is what can his security people tells. Again we wait.
Friday 15 November 2019
BIRDING ON THE COSTAS - AROUND ALICANTE
Winter has arrived and temperatures only get as high as mid-to-high teens. We have had rain too, but this is spasmodic and often local. Due to other events this was my first trip out for a month.
So, on Friday 15th, I again travelled to meet Bryan and also Mark whose efforts you can see on FaceBook via Spain and U.K. Bird Group.
We didn't expect to see anything exceptional, but our daily list was impressive. We decided to stay local and stick to our usual clockwise route to keep the sun behind us. The lagoons opposite Playa Lisa gave us:-
Zitting Cisticola
Crag Martins
Barn Swallows - three
Black-headed Gulls
Grey Heron
Little Egrets
Little Grebes
Kingfisher, Cetti’s Warbler called and a Water Rail screamed.
On the Salinas a mixture of Gulls
Yellow Legged
Auduoins
At the Salt Tower layby:-
Marsh Harriers - distant only
and on the lagoons opposite
Black-winged Stilts
Spotted Redshank
At the small turn-off with most birds distant we saw:-
Spoonbills - in excess of 60
Great Crested Grebes - in excess of 50
Sandwich Tern
Great White Egret
Little Egrets
El Pinet was disappointing and the beach only yielded:-
Shag
Cormorant
We saw neither a passing Gannet or Razorbills
We drove inland and searched the fields and the skies. Freshly cut and drying out Alfalfa provided us with sightings of both Meadow and Water Pipits. They were excellent views too and verified through the camera lens. We saw flocks of Linnets, Goldfinches, and one flock of Greenfinches of at least 50 strong. A flock of Serín matched that number too. Chaffinches and both Tree and House Sparrows were easily seen. A Little Owl perched for the photographers. Kestrels and Southern Grey Shrikes perched in the overhead wires. Glossy Ibis flew distantly. We checked out a perched Raptor and confirmed, Common Buzzard. From the usual channel a Green Sandpiper flew.
Santa Águada had been explored by Mark. Here we sat in the car and watched a male Kingfisher only meters away with Chiffs flitting only a car’s length away. A Blue Throat too. During this time we watched both dark morph and pale morph female and male Booted Eagles. They did put on a display! Marsh Harriers too. A Blackcap was clearly heard.
We returned home via Clot de Galveney. The scrapes were denuded of vegetation and as dry as a bone. One Purple Samphen and a lone White Wagtail was it. We quickly moved on to the hide where we had great views of Shovellers, Common Pochard and Teal. We checked out the Coots for a Red-knob but with no success. The edges now had no vegetation and no cover. It's a shame that the edges are not less steep which would give muddy margins. So no bloody waders! What a shame. A solitary Snipe bathed.
Okay not a bad list, but many missing and I have not mention again birds that we saw repeatedly.
So, on Friday 15th, I again travelled to meet Bryan and also Mark whose efforts you can see on FaceBook via Spain and U.K. Bird Group.
We didn't expect to see anything exceptional, but our daily list was impressive. We decided to stay local and stick to our usual clockwise route to keep the sun behind us. The lagoons opposite Playa Lisa gave us:-
Zitting Cisticola
Crag Martins
Barn Swallows - three
Black-headed Gulls
Grey Heron
Little Egrets
Little Grebes
Kingfisher, Cetti’s Warbler called and a Water Rail screamed.
On the Salinas a mixture of Gulls
Yellow Legged
Auduoins
At the Salt Tower layby:-
Marsh Harriers - distant only
and on the lagoons opposite
Black-winged Stilts
Spotted Redshank
At the small turn-off with most birds distant we saw:-
Spoonbills - in excess of 60
Great Crested Grebes - in excess of 50
Sandwich Tern
Great White Egret
Little Egrets
El Pinet was disappointing and the beach only yielded:-
Shag
Cormorant
We saw neither a passing Gannet or Razorbills
We drove inland and searched the fields and the skies. Freshly cut and drying out Alfalfa provided us with sightings of both Meadow and Water Pipits. They were excellent views too and verified through the camera lens. We saw flocks of Linnets, Goldfinches, and one flock of Greenfinches of at least 50 strong. A flock of Serín matched that number too. Chaffinches and both Tree and House Sparrows were easily seen. A Little Owl perched for the photographers. Kestrels and Southern Grey Shrikes perched in the overhead wires. Glossy Ibis flew distantly. We checked out a perched Raptor and confirmed, Common Buzzard. From the usual channel a Green Sandpiper flew.
Santa Águada had been explored by Mark. Here we sat in the car and watched a male Kingfisher only meters away with Chiffs flitting only a car’s length away. A Blue Throat too. During this time we watched both dark morph and pale morph female and male Booted Eagles. They did put on a display! Marsh Harriers too. A Blackcap was clearly heard.
We returned home via Clot de Galveney. The scrapes were denuded of vegetation and as dry as a bone. One Purple Samphen and a lone White Wagtail was it. We quickly moved on to the hide where we had great views of Shovellers, Common Pochard and Teal. We checked out the Coots for a Red-knob but with no success. The edges now had no vegetation and no cover. It's a shame that the edges are not less steep which would give muddy margins. So no bloody waders! What a shame. A solitary Snipe bathed.
Okay not a bad list, but many missing and I have not mention again birds that we saw repeatedly.
Saturday 9 November 2019
ELECTION CAMPAIGN TRAIL OF THE LEAGUE AGAINST CRUEL SPORTS
Join Us on the General Election Campaign Trail
Dear John,
Join us on the road this general election as the League Against Cruel Sports calls for political candidates to stand United Against Hunting.
We are calling on all political candidates to commit to securing and strengthening the Hunting Act, so that we can bring about an end to hunting with hounds for good.
We are hosting Election Roadshows across the UK and inviting candidates standing for election in each area to attend. These events will provide an opportunity for the general public to question their local candidates and ask them to clarify their stance on fox hunting.
Vinny will be present, as well as his fox family and League staff to answer all your questions and for you to collect materials.
The roadshows will take place on the following dates (specific locations tbc):
Cardiff - Saturday 16th November
Crewe - Saturday 23rd November
Wolverhampton - Sunday 24th November
Milton Keynes - Saturday 30th November
Peterborough - Sunday 1st December
Bristol - Saturday 7th December
TBC - Sunday 8th December
We also need your help to run local events in your area. We have a range of campaign materials to help you: new t-shirts, flags, leaflets, placards and specially branded tablecloths, all the tools you’ll need to support the campaign. Or, if you just fancy handing out leaflets in your local area, we can also provide you with the materials you need. Please drop us a line if you are able to help. Many thanks to those of you that have already volunteered. We will be in touch very soon with more details.
The League is determined to be a voice for animals and put fox hunting on the map this General Election. Join us in our efforts to be #UnitedAgainstHunting.
I will be emailing soon to confirm times and locations.
See you on the trail.
Best regards,
Nick
Nick Weston
Head of Campaigns
Dear John,
Join us on the road this general election as the League Against Cruel Sports calls for political candidates to stand United Against Hunting.
We are calling on all political candidates to commit to securing and strengthening the Hunting Act, so that we can bring about an end to hunting with hounds for good.
We are hosting Election Roadshows across the UK and inviting candidates standing for election in each area to attend. These events will provide an opportunity for the general public to question their local candidates and ask them to clarify their stance on fox hunting.
Vinny will be present, as well as his fox family and League staff to answer all your questions and for you to collect materials.
The roadshows will take place on the following dates (specific locations tbc):
Cardiff - Saturday 16th November
Crewe - Saturday 23rd November
Wolverhampton - Sunday 24th November
Milton Keynes - Saturday 30th November
Peterborough - Sunday 1st December
Bristol - Saturday 7th December
TBC - Sunday 8th December
We also need your help to run local events in your area. We have a range of campaign materials to help you: new t-shirts, flags, leaflets, placards and specially branded tablecloths, all the tools you’ll need to support the campaign. Or, if you just fancy handing out leaflets in your local area, we can also provide you with the materials you need. Please drop us a line if you are able to help. Many thanks to those of you that have already volunteered. We will be in touch very soon with more details.
The League is determined to be a voice for animals and put fox hunting on the map this General Election. Join us in our efforts to be #UnitedAgainstHunting.
I will be emailing soon to confirm times and locations.
See you on the trail.
Best regards,
Nick
Nick Weston
Head of Campaigns
Thursday 7 November 2019
Stop hunting of Foxes
United Against Hunting this general election
Dear John,
The general election is underway, and we at the League are busy preparing for a national campaign to ask candidates to stand United Against Hunting.
In 2017, our Votes for Vinny campaign succeeded in forcing the government to drop its pledge to have a free vote on repealing the Hunting Act. This led to the Labour party to call for a strengthening of the ban.
This election year, Vinny the fox is back!
You can follow Vinny on Twitter @VoiceforVinny. If you don’t have Twitter, don’t worry, a dedicated website will go live next week.
The United Against Hunting campaign is a vital opportunity to change the political landscape in favour of Britain’s wildlife. A successful campaign will help us bring hunting to an end – for good.
We did it in 2017, we can do it again.Vinny's Twitter avatar #UnitedAgainstHunting
Vinny will be asking the public to contact their election candidates to put their views on hunting with hounds on the record. We will share this information far and wide so everyone can make informed decisions on voting for animal welfare.
We will be running Election Roadshows up and down the country (dates TBC) throughout the campaign.
Most importantly, we need your help to run local events in your area. We have a range of campaign materials to help you: new t-shirts, flags, leaflets, placards and specially branded tablecloths, all the tools you’ll need to support the campaign. Or, if you just fancy handing out leaflets in your local area, we can also provide you with the materials you need.
The campaign materials are being manufactured as you read this. To make sure we print enough we need to know you are able to stand United Against Hunting and take part in the campaign.
If you can help, please reply to this email, or contact supportercare@league.org.uk with the below details:
Dear John,
The general election is underway, and we at the League are busy preparing for a national campaign to ask candidates to stand United Against Hunting.
In 2017, our Votes for Vinny campaign succeeded in forcing the government to drop its pledge to have a free vote on repealing the Hunting Act. This led to the Labour party to call for a strengthening of the ban.
This election year, Vinny the fox is back!
You can follow Vinny on Twitter @VoiceforVinny. If you don’t have Twitter, don’t worry, a dedicated website will go live next week.
The United Against Hunting campaign is a vital opportunity to change the political landscape in favour of Britain’s wildlife. A successful campaign will help us bring hunting to an end – for good.
We did it in 2017, we can do it again.Vinny's Twitter avatar #UnitedAgainstHunting
Vinny will be asking the public to contact their election candidates to put their views on hunting with hounds on the record. We will share this information far and wide so everyone can make informed decisions on voting for animal welfare.
We will be running Election Roadshows up and down the country (dates TBC) throughout the campaign.
Most importantly, we need your help to run local events in your area. We have a range of campaign materials to help you: new t-shirts, flags, leaflets, placards and specially branded tablecloths, all the tools you’ll need to support the campaign. Or, if you just fancy handing out leaflets in your local area, we can also provide you with the materials you need.
The campaign materials are being manufactured as you read this. To make sure we print enough we need to know you are able to stand United Against Hunting and take part in the campaign.
If you can help, please reply to this email, or contact supportercare@league.org.uk with the below details:
There is so much poison out there
of, linked to cancer, brain damage and nerve disorders — and it’s everywhere.
Chlorpyrifos is the chemical industry’s dirtiest secret, topping sales everywhere, but kept from the media spotlight. And it’s no surprise — it traces back to a Nazi lab! Now it’s in our food, air and drinking water.
Right now we have an amazing chance to get it banned. Europe could be about to block its use, and key decisions are coming up in major markets like Brazil and the US. Let’s make sure we win the ban in Europe, and then unleash the power of our movement to push for bans everywhere.
Sign now and share with everyone — when this is huge, we’ll team up with chlorpyrifos victims to deliver our voices to regulators around the world!
Sign to ban chlorpyrifos
Its defenders say chlorpyrifos is an effective pesticide — but that’s because it’s derived from a class of chemicals developed to make nerve gas! This could be one of the most toxic chemicals we’ve ever put on our food!
Chlorpyrifos is the chemical industry’s dirtiest secret, topping sales everywhere, but kept from the media spotlight. And it’s no surprise — it traces back to a Nazi lab! Now it’s in our food, air and drinking water.
Right now we have an amazing chance to get it banned. Europe could be about to block its use, and key decisions are coming up in major markets like Brazil and the US. Let’s make sure we win the ban in Europe, and then unleash the power of our movement to push for bans everywhere.
Sign now and share with everyone — when this is huge, we’ll team up with chlorpyrifos victims to deliver our voices to regulators around the world!
Sign to ban chlorpyrifos
Its defenders say chlorpyrifos is an effective pesticide — but that’s because it’s derived from a class of chemicals developed to make nerve gas! This could be one of the most toxic chemicals we’ve ever put on our food!
Badgers and Foxes and the League Against Cruel Sports
Badgers are a victim of hunting. Next week we are teaming up with the Badger Trust to increase awareness.
What happens
With the hunting season now upon us, terrier men will often be out early in the morning prior to a hunt meet, blocking up badger setts to stop the quarry, usually a fox from escaping down the hole and ruining the chase.
If a fox does escape into a badger sett during the hunt, the terrier men will often dig it out in order for the chase to continue. Digging out is not only cruel, but it’s also illegal as badger setts are protected by law (separate Act for Northern Ireland).
What you can do
As part of our campaign we are urging all of you to be our wildlife champions.
If you see someone interfering with a badger sett:
Dial 999 and ask for the police
Ensure you get a reference number for your call
Once you’re safe, also report it to the Badger Trust
If you discover a sett that’s already blocked:
Call the police on 101
Ensure you get a reference number for your call
Also report it to the Badger Trust
Here at the League Against Cruel Sports we also have Animal Crimewatch, our confidential hotline where you can report cruelty to animals in the name of ‘sport’ by telephone, email or using the online form.
Information you provide could:
Help our investigators bring offenders to justice.
Support our vital campaigning work calling for changes to the law to improve the lives of thousands of animals.
So please, if you see badger sett blocking, get in touch with us or the police straight away. Together, we can stop badgers being victims of cruel hunting activity.
Thank you,
Nick
Nick Weston
Head of Campaigns
What happens
With the hunting season now upon us, terrier men will often be out early in the morning prior to a hunt meet, blocking up badger setts to stop the quarry, usually a fox from escaping down the hole and ruining the chase.
If a fox does escape into a badger sett during the hunt, the terrier men will often dig it out in order for the chase to continue. Digging out is not only cruel, but it’s also illegal as badger setts are protected by law (separate Act for Northern Ireland).
What you can do
As part of our campaign we are urging all of you to be our wildlife champions.
If you see someone interfering with a badger sett:
Dial 999 and ask for the police
Ensure you get a reference number for your call
Once you’re safe, also report it to the Badger Trust
If you discover a sett that’s already blocked:
Call the police on 101
Ensure you get a reference number for your call
Also report it to the Badger Trust
Here at the League Against Cruel Sports we also have Animal Crimewatch, our confidential hotline where you can report cruelty to animals in the name of ‘sport’ by telephone, email or using the online form.
Information you provide could:
Help our investigators bring offenders to justice.
Support our vital campaigning work calling for changes to the law to improve the lives of thousands of animals.
So please, if you see badger sett blocking, get in touch with us or the police straight away. Together, we can stop badgers being victims of cruel hunting activity.
Thank you,
Nick
Nick Weston
Head of Campaigns
Sunday 3 November 2019
League Against Cruel Sports
This is the latest from The League Against Cruel Sports
Our Election Promise
Dear John,
As you are no doubt aware, there is going to be a general election on 12th December 2019.
This is a vital opportunity to change the political landscape in favour of Britain’s wildlife, and make significant forward steps to bring an end to hunting for good. It is for this reason that once again, the League will be hitting the general election campaign trail.
But what can the League realistically do?
Prior to the snap general election of 2017, the outlook was bleak. A pro-hunt majority being returned to parliament for the first time in more than decade was very much on the cards and signalled the death of the Hunting Act and all that the League had achieved. Despite pre-election predictions, 2017 became a landmark year for the progression of Animal Welfare. Fox hunting was a major part of that election campaign and in very large part due to the role that the League played.
Theresa May pledged her support for fox hunting and for a vote to make it legal again. After an intense campaign by the League, and a significant loss of votes, the pledge for a free vote on the repeal of the Hunting Act was dropped by the government.
The 2019 election is an opportunity to finally secure and strengthen the Hunting Act and put an end to the cruel sport that plagues Britain’s wildlife. There will be roadshows up and down the country, a website that allows you to contact your candidates, and all the tools you need to get out on the street and campaign for animals.
Expect to hear a lot more from me in the coming weeks.
Thanking you in advance for your support.
Nick
Nick Weston
Head of Campaigns
Our Election Promise
Dear John,
As you are no doubt aware, there is going to be a general election on 12th December 2019.
This is a vital opportunity to change the political landscape in favour of Britain’s wildlife, and make significant forward steps to bring an end to hunting for good. It is for this reason that once again, the League will be hitting the general election campaign trail.
But what can the League realistically do?
Prior to the snap general election of 2017, the outlook was bleak. A pro-hunt majority being returned to parliament for the first time in more than decade was very much on the cards and signalled the death of the Hunting Act and all that the League had achieved. Despite pre-election predictions, 2017 became a landmark year for the progression of Animal Welfare. Fox hunting was a major part of that election campaign and in very large part due to the role that the League played.
Theresa May pledged her support for fox hunting and for a vote to make it legal again. After an intense campaign by the League, and a significant loss of votes, the pledge for a free vote on the repeal of the Hunting Act was dropped by the government.
The 2019 election is an opportunity to finally secure and strengthen the Hunting Act and put an end to the cruel sport that plagues Britain’s wildlife. There will be roadshows up and down the country, a website that allows you to contact your candidates, and all the tools you need to get out on the street and campaign for animals.
Expect to hear a lot more from me in the coming weeks.
Thanking you in advance for your support.
Nick
Nick Weston
Head of Campaigns
Tuesday 29 October 2019
Friends of the Earth and Moorland Burning
Dear John
Amazing news – we’ve scored a huge win for nature and climate!
Last night, the government indicated that it’s working to ban the practice of moorland burning on blanket bog – a vital habitat that stores huge amounts of carbon. During a Westminster Hall debate Zac Goldsmith said that a voluntary system to protect the peatland “simply has not worked”.
After a decade-long struggle, the government finally agrees we need a “legislative response” to stop one of the UK’s biggest carbon stores going up in smoke.
Obviously, like all campaigns, this is one that many organisations and people have worked on over the years – from conservation groups to local communities who were affected by the resulting floods.
But hopefully you'll excuse a bit of pride, because Friends of the Earth’s Investigation Unit trekked over freezing, rain-soaked moorlands in Yorkshire to obtain footage of burning taking place, which brought much-needed attention to the cause.
TAKE A LOOK
While we won’t be satisfied until the ban is implemented, it’s a victory well worth savouring. Today, not for the first time, people power won.
Thank you so much for helping us get here,
Guy Shrubsole and Alasdair Cameron
Friends of the Earth’s Investigation Unit
PS Can you help fund our work? A donation could support our expert investigations team, and achieve even more wins for people and planet.
View this email in a browser
This email was sent to spanishjohnedwards@gmail.com
Want to change how you receive these emails?
Unsubscribe from this list
We send communications to our supporters who have opted in to receive emails from us.
Friends of the Earth Limited. Reg. No.1012357. Incorporated in England and Wales. Registered office: Friends of the Earth The Printworks 139 Clapham Road London, SW9 0HP United Kingdom
Copyright © Friends of the Earth Limited
Our supporter promise | Privacy Policy | Contact Us
Saturday 12 October 2019
THE INLAND PLAINS OF SPAIN
Great Bustards, Little Bustards and Golden Eagles
If you are into celebrating with bubbles then I could say that this was ‘a Champagne Birding Day’ and it was.
We changed our intended route to accommodate a friend who lives in Norway and who would like to see Bustards. Bryan and I were fortunate that we reversed our journey and what a terrific day we shared.
Higueruela is a great location to go to and at by the time we had arrived at ‘station corner’ we had watched a dozen Great Bustards and easily viewed one male and two females Little Bustards and also a group of nine females of the same. We were pleased that we had located these birds once more and were confidant that we will see them again.
Bryan spotted a low flying Merlin in the distance. Both species of Sandgrouse were heard first then with a fly past.
We travelled on through the small town of Higueruela and across the plains to where an expanse of water is located near a major railway line. We parked on the bridge to view water fowl and both a male and female Marsh Harrier were flying. However, we were soon distracted by the raucous voices of about thirty Red-Billed Choughs. They continued being noisy and we soon discovered why. Two Golden Eagles were flying above them. We had clear views and the camera chattered away. They flew around and disappeared over the ridge. Then our attention focused on a bird on that same ridge. The two birds flying were a Sub- adult and a 1st year/Juvenile. Sitting on the ridge was 1st Winter/Juvenile that sat and sat and we watched. Then it flew around and right over our heads. I have seen a perched one closer before, but these were stunning views of this magnificent species. Three such birds in the binoculars or scope or in sight at one time. Simply wonderful.
In the same location we had Common Buzzards too and then a Red Kite appeared. This has become one of our favourite spots and we have been lucky here before with a Black Kite on one occasion. And on another day, after discussion, it was confirmed that we saw a Spanish Imperial Eagle and does it get better than that!
We carried on to Lagunas de Petrola to find that this major water was devoid of birds and we reasoned that there has to be a problem with the water. This opinion is supported by an area of ‘run-off’ next to the farm buildings that held the following:
Common Sandpiper
Wood Sandpiper
Green Sandpiper
Two Dunlin
Two Little Stint
Lapwing
Ringed Plover
White Wagtails.
That's a good return for a ‘large puddle’ and suggests that the water there is not tainted.
Water levels are still good and outside Corral Rubio were some waders that included a Common Sandpiper, a Little Ringed Plover together with one Yellow Wagtail and several Meadow Pipits. We had hoped for more sightings of Bustards but they were not visible in some of their usual fields.
We returned home via Montealegre and the fresh water lagoon on route only contained Common Coot. We had high expectations for this water and perhaps the hunters have moved the birds on.
What a great day viewing great birds, but the reality is that many birds are endangered every day of the week. Today's news via RaptorPersecution is that a Common Buzzard was found dead with eight lead pellets in its body. Why? Maybe because they can, but it is a crime.
Obviously we saw many small birds and we enjoyed them too. It was a special day and our guest had many firsts. That's what we enjoy doing and Bryan’s photographic skills and his knowledge helps to sum up our day always.
If you are into celebrating with bubbles then I could say that this was ‘a Champagne Birding Day’ and it was.
We changed our intended route to accommodate a friend who lives in Norway and who would like to see Bustards. Bryan and I were fortunate that we reversed our journey and what a terrific day we shared.
Higueruela is a great location to go to and at by the time we had arrived at ‘station corner’ we had watched a dozen Great Bustards and easily viewed one male and two females Little Bustards and also a group of nine females of the same. We were pleased that we had located these birds once more and were confidant that we will see them again.
Bryan spotted a low flying Merlin in the distance. Both species of Sandgrouse were heard first then with a fly past.
We travelled on through the small town of Higueruela and across the plains to where an expanse of water is located near a major railway line. We parked on the bridge to view water fowl and both a male and female Marsh Harrier were flying. However, we were soon distracted by the raucous voices of about thirty Red-Billed Choughs. They continued being noisy and we soon discovered why. Two Golden Eagles were flying above them. We had clear views and the camera chattered away. They flew around and disappeared over the ridge. Then our attention focused on a bird on that same ridge. The two birds flying were a Sub- adult and a 1st year/Juvenile. Sitting on the ridge was 1st Winter/Juvenile that sat and sat and we watched. Then it flew around and right over our heads. I have seen a perched one closer before, but these were stunning views of this magnificent species. Three such birds in the binoculars or scope or in sight at one time. Simply wonderful.
In the same location we had Common Buzzards too and then a Red Kite appeared. This has become one of our favourite spots and we have been lucky here before with a Black Kite on one occasion. And on another day, after discussion, it was confirmed that we saw a Spanish Imperial Eagle and does it get better than that!
We carried on to Lagunas de Petrola to find that this major water was devoid of birds and we reasoned that there has to be a problem with the water. This opinion is supported by an area of ‘run-off’ next to the farm buildings that held the following:
Common Sandpiper
Wood Sandpiper
Green Sandpiper
Two Dunlin
Two Little Stint
Lapwing
Ringed Plover
White Wagtails.
That's a good return for a ‘large puddle’ and suggests that the water there is not tainted.
Water levels are still good and outside Corral Rubio were some waders that included a Common Sandpiper, a Little Ringed Plover together with one Yellow Wagtail and several Meadow Pipits. We had hoped for more sightings of Bustards but they were not visible in some of their usual fields.
We returned home via Montealegre and the fresh water lagoon on route only contained Common Coot. We had high expectations for this water and perhaps the hunters have moved the birds on.
What a great day viewing great birds, but the reality is that many birds are endangered every day of the week. Today's news via RaptorPersecution is that a Common Buzzard was found dead with eight lead pellets in its body. Why? Maybe because they can, but it is a crime.
Obviously we saw many small birds and we enjoyed them too. It was a special day and our guest had many firsts. That's what we enjoy doing and Bryan’s photographic skills and his knowledge helps to sum up our day always.
Sunday 6 October 2019
Great Bustards and More
Icons of the Plains.
The are are always good to see and great to watch.
Then the "toy" spot.
We always have fun on our trips and if you are familiar with Lagunas De Petrola you may have seen these images. We play "guess who?"
There is only one answer we have. It's a favourite Birder!
Spotted Flycatchers are so good to see, with several perched and flitting around.
The male Common Redstart made my day. A first for me and they are not "common" either. We saw them at two locations, fantastic.
It would be churlish not include a Theklas Lark. Crested are always abundant but Thekla's are always harder to spot and identify. Bryan always hard.
Next week we may investigate new territories in and around Almansa as we need to stay away from the marsh and the Mosquitos.
I am looking forward to another interesting day.
The are are always good to see and great to watch.
Then the "toy" spot.
We always have fun on our trips and if you are familiar with Lagunas De Petrola you may have seen these images. We play "guess who?"
There is only one answer we have. It's a favourite Birder!
Spotted Flycatchers are so good to see, with several perched and flitting around.
The male Common Redstart made my day. A first for me and they are not "common" either. We saw them at two locations, fantastic.
It would be churlish not include a Theklas Lark. Crested are always abundant but Thekla's are always harder to spot and identify. Bryan always hard.
Next week we may investigate new territories in and around Almansa as we need to stay away from the marsh and the Mosquitos.
I am looking forward to another interesting day.
Friday 4 October 2019
Estepas de Yecla
On Friday 4th October we decided to visit Estepas de Yecla. Two weeks ago we went to the areas north of Almansa and found an abundance of water in the lagoons and in the run-off areas. We wondered about Yecla but found it dry. We had a great day.
Just after 8am with the sun appearing, a chill breeze and the temperature a mere 10 degrees we were at it.
We were not to be disappointed. Choughs were heard as we entered this valley and we saw numerous Mistle Thrush, a sign that winter is approaching. Swallows fed over the fields and Rock Sparrows were seen in their usual place near the farm buildings at the Caudette end.
Many crops have been harvested and there were fields with natural vegetation. A good omen for seed eaters and with that in mind we did see Goldfinch.
There are vineyards here and close-by In a natural area of pines with open patches of grass and low bushes we had a great find. Perched in full sun was a male Common Redstart in company with two Spotted Flycatchers. They posed, Bryan was busy with the camera and I watched. Although common is in the name they are not easily seen. Indeed my first for Spain and I was delighted. Also to see them in company with Flycatchers was special for me too. In another location we located another Redstart and also more Flycatchers. It just goes to show the birds are out there and they can be found.
Early in the morning Bryan spotted what could have been a Sparrow Hawk which is a bird not usually seen here. Common Kestrels flew but not one Lesser was seen. We have regularly viewed Golden Eagles near the ridge overlooking Yecla and we later saw one in the distance and our search for them yielded a clear view of a circling Red Kite. Common Buzzards circled and called and again we had clear views.
It was a busy day and we left just after 2pm which was much more than we anticipated. It was longer as we spent our time well viewing and photographing wonderful birds. It is apparent that birds are passing through with the Flycatchers, Swallows and one Swift spotted. Northern Wheatears were in double figures and clearly seen.
I have not listed all the birds seen and some were clearly absent. Worth the miles and time spent- certainly. I wonder what the onset of winter will bring?
Just after 8am with the sun appearing, a chill breeze and the temperature a mere 10 degrees we were at it.
We were not to be disappointed. Choughs were heard as we entered this valley and we saw numerous Mistle Thrush, a sign that winter is approaching. Swallows fed over the fields and Rock Sparrows were seen in their usual place near the farm buildings at the Caudette end.
Many crops have been harvested and there were fields with natural vegetation. A good omen for seed eaters and with that in mind we did see Goldfinch.
There are vineyards here and close-by In a natural area of pines with open patches of grass and low bushes we had a great find. Perched in full sun was a male Common Redstart in company with two Spotted Flycatchers. They posed, Bryan was busy with the camera and I watched. Although common is in the name they are not easily seen. Indeed my first for Spain and I was delighted. Also to see them in company with Flycatchers was special for me too. In another location we located another Redstart and also more Flycatchers. It just goes to show the birds are out there and they can be found.
Early in the morning Bryan spotted what could have been a Sparrow Hawk which is a bird not usually seen here. Common Kestrels flew but not one Lesser was seen. We have regularly viewed Golden Eagles near the ridge overlooking Yecla and we later saw one in the distance and our search for them yielded a clear view of a circling Red Kite. Common Buzzards circled and called and again we had clear views.
It was a busy day and we left just after 2pm which was much more than we anticipated. It was longer as we spent our time well viewing and photographing wonderful birds. It is apparent that birds are passing through with the Flycatchers, Swallows and one Swift spotted. Northern Wheatears were in double figures and clearly seen.
I have not listed all the birds seen and some were clearly absent. Worth the miles and time spent- certainly. I wonder what the onset of winter will bring?
Friday 20 September 2019
GOTA FRÍA, FLOODS, WADERS AND GREAT BUSTARDS
TORRENTIAL RAIN, FLOODS AND THE MIGRATION
Days ago the rain came and drenched the earth and every living thing. The most water seen in decades descended upon the land. A Gota Fria - a cold drop, came and reduced fields to lakes, moved soil and boulders, made roads un-useable and killed. Homes and businesses ruined and livelihoods removed by the storm.
Less than one week afterwards we headed towards Almansa via A 31 not knowing what to expect or see or how far we could go. It was a great day.
This is how it unfolded. Coral Rubio, Bonete and Pedrola we have visited many times only to be disappointed by the low levels of water and with previously wet areas dry. Not so this morning for the lagoons were in good health and many folds in the land were flooded. This is what we wanted to see. The waders now had water!
This is Great Bustard country and, as always, they showed well. Just five to start with, then a group of eight followed a little later by thirteen and then two separate ones from the main bunch. We had splendid views of them walking, resting and flying. What a sight they gave us. I love to see them fly. We never push them and give them distance and the respect these grand birds deserve.
The migration is going on. Barn Swallows were evident and Bee-eaters were flying overhead.
On the water Gadwall, Shoveller, and numerous Mallard were seen. Lapwings too, a couple of Ruff, a small number of Black-tailed Godwits, a single Common Sandpiper was spotted and even two Greenshank. Okay, not an immense list with many species not seen or yet to arrive. We think that this winter could be good.
Smaller birds were Corn Bunting, Rock Sparrow, with occasional Goldfinches and then a large flock of Yellow Wagtails on passage. They helped to make it a great afternoon with superb views. We had clear sightings of Northern Wheatears too.
Common Kestrels with one Lesser male identified, several Buzzards and Marsh Harriers made up the raptor count with not an eagle anywhere to be seen. A rapid flying Peregrine Falcon was an excellent sighting to complete our day.
Our plan for this morning was different from other days that we had travelled towards this area. The Embalse de Almansa received massive amounts of water due to the Gota Fria and the news items that we viewed reminded me of its existence and the signposts I had seen for the Patano de Almansa. It is a massive area lying to the south of the town and between A31 and CM412 (signed Montealegre. We only ‘scratched the surface’ of it and we will return. We like to find new areas.
Days ago the rain came and drenched the earth and every living thing. The most water seen in decades descended upon the land. A Gota Fria - a cold drop, came and reduced fields to lakes, moved soil and boulders, made roads un-useable and killed. Homes and businesses ruined and livelihoods removed by the storm.
Less than one week afterwards we headed towards Almansa via A 31 not knowing what to expect or see or how far we could go. It was a great day.
This is how it unfolded. Coral Rubio, Bonete and Pedrola we have visited many times only to be disappointed by the low levels of water and with previously wet areas dry. Not so this morning for the lagoons were in good health and many folds in the land were flooded. This is what we wanted to see. The waders now had water!
This is Great Bustard country and, as always, they showed well. Just five to start with, then a group of eight followed a little later by thirteen and then two separate ones from the main bunch. We had splendid views of them walking, resting and flying. What a sight they gave us. I love to see them fly. We never push them and give them distance and the respect these grand birds deserve.
The migration is going on. Barn Swallows were evident and Bee-eaters were flying overhead.
On the water Gadwall, Shoveller, and numerous Mallard were seen. Lapwings too, a couple of Ruff, a small number of Black-tailed Godwits, a single Common Sandpiper was spotted and even two Greenshank. Okay, not an immense list with many species not seen or yet to arrive. We think that this winter could be good.
Smaller birds were Corn Bunting, Rock Sparrow, with occasional Goldfinches and then a large flock of Yellow Wagtails on passage. They helped to make it a great afternoon with superb views. We had clear sightings of Northern Wheatears too.
Common Kestrels with one Lesser male identified, several Buzzards and Marsh Harriers made up the raptor count with not an eagle anywhere to be seen. A rapid flying Peregrine Falcon was an excellent sighting to complete our day.
Our plan for this morning was different from other days that we had travelled towards this area. The Embalse de Almansa received massive amounts of water due to the Gota Fria and the news items that we viewed reminded me of its existence and the signposts I had seen for the Patano de Almansa. It is a massive area lying to the south of the town and between A31 and CM412 (signed Montealegre. We only ‘scratched the surface’ of it and we will return. We like to find new areas.
Thursday 5 September 2019
TRUMPETER FINCHES NOT ON THE MOUNTAIN
MONTNEGRE AND MAIGMÓ AGAIN
Another visit to an area that seems rooted in time. Deep ravines and gullies, steep sided and even sheer, with high rocky crags poking up into the sky. Here the landscape is exceptionally different. It needs to be viewed!
We knew it was the end of summer and both Bryan and myself certainly had the feeling we were between seasons. Nevertheless we had a clear objective in mind. So, it was Montnegre again to see if the Trumpeter Finches were around. They were not where they had been previously and although we spent time there, we heard and saw nothing. Have they dispersed for the winter? Maybe even dropping into the valleys or moving away to another location? Never mind we will look again in the spring.
The list for this area has never been huge and there were some noticeable absentees. For example the only Raptor in view was a Marsh Harrier flying high and no Griffin Vultures either.
Today's list is:
Thekla Lark - the camera does not lie! (And not a common sighting for us here)
Crested Lark
Blue Rock Thrush (at least two calling)
Black Wheatear (times three)
Greenfinch
Goldfinch
House sparrows
Red-Legged Partridge
Serin
Spotted Flycatcher - a super view too with a very plain chest and could it be an Balearic/Iberian one?
Iberian Green Woodpecker - call only
Crag Martins filled the air
Bee-eaters flying over and distant
We moved on and checked both river areas with nothing to report except we did hear Chiff-Chaffs, Sardinian Warblers and a Cetti’s too.
Maigmó loomed in front of us and we travelled to the top. On way the usual Crossbills called and flew and a Coal Tit called. It was all very quiet with only a few Magpies about and a Jay screeched.
Some rain had been forecast, but the sun was out and we stood at the top in 27 degrees, The sky was devoid of birds except for the Crag Martins.
We spoke of the absence of a response from any source regarding our reporting of the Spotted Flycatchers. We will pay more attention ‘to my bird of summer’, the Spotted Fly next spring.
These mountains will not beckon us until next spring and we definitely need to find more birds! Thankfully lower temperatures will bring in our over wintering birds. Therefore we will be going inland and once winter has lowered the temperatures then a trek up to see the Ring Ouzels on Sierra de Espuña will happen.
Another visit to an area that seems rooted in time. Deep ravines and gullies, steep sided and even sheer, with high rocky crags poking up into the sky. Here the landscape is exceptionally different. It needs to be viewed!
We knew it was the end of summer and both Bryan and myself certainly had the feeling we were between seasons. Nevertheless we had a clear objective in mind. So, it was Montnegre again to see if the Trumpeter Finches were around. They were not where they had been previously and although we spent time there, we heard and saw nothing. Have they dispersed for the winter? Maybe even dropping into the valleys or moving away to another location? Never mind we will look again in the spring.
The list for this area has never been huge and there were some noticeable absentees. For example the only Raptor in view was a Marsh Harrier flying high and no Griffin Vultures either.
Today's list is:
Thekla Lark - the camera does not lie! (And not a common sighting for us here)
Crested Lark
Blue Rock Thrush (at least two calling)
Black Wheatear (times three)
Greenfinch
Goldfinch
House sparrows
Red-Legged Partridge
Serin
Spotted Flycatcher - a super view too with a very plain chest and could it be an Balearic/Iberian one?
Iberian Green Woodpecker - call only
Crag Martins filled the air
Bee-eaters flying over and distant
We moved on and checked both river areas with nothing to report except we did hear Chiff-Chaffs, Sardinian Warblers and a Cetti’s too.
Maigmó loomed in front of us and we travelled to the top. On way the usual Crossbills called and flew and a Coal Tit called. It was all very quiet with only a few Magpies about and a Jay screeched.
Some rain had been forecast, but the sun was out and we stood at the top in 27 degrees, The sky was devoid of birds except for the Crag Martins.
We spoke of the absence of a response from any source regarding our reporting of the Spotted Flycatchers. We will pay more attention ‘to my bird of summer’, the Spotted Fly next spring.
These mountains will not beckon us until next spring and we definitely need to find more birds! Thankfully lower temperatures will bring in our over wintering birds. Therefore we will be going inland and once winter has lowered the temperatures then a trek up to see the Ring Ouzels on Sierra de Espuña will happen.
Saturday 31 August 2019
EMERGENCY ACTION FOR GROUSE
The call to ban driven grouse shooting has this morning received 88,000 signatures. The petition requires another 12,000 before Parliament is prorogued. If you hadn't signed it - please do so because I want the mindless slaughter of birds ended which negate the excuse for landowners to burn moorland and let their staff killing our wildlife. Spread the word after you have signed. Thanks.
Monday 19 August 2019
THE BIRD FAIR VIDEO INTERVIEW
TALKING TO THE ENEMY - LEGAL JUSTICE VERSUS FIELDSPORTS TV
Raptor Persecution UK have posted that the directors, Dr Mark Avery, Ruth Tingay and Chris Packham of Legal Justice were interviewed by Charlie Jacoby of Fields Sports TV at The Bird Fair. The latter being invited to an event that promotes wild life!
There is only 26 minutes of video to watch and there are many facts that can be heard. I will say that it is like ‘talking to the enemy’, but that dialogue is always necessary.
It was evident from the comments that there were two sides on the platform and it was clear that Charlie Jacoby was not going to ‘give an inch', but that is what he gets paid for!
It was not an anti-shooting conversation and this was reiterated by Chris Packham. There is a solution out there, somewhere and it just has to be found if we can find enough reasonable people!
Raptor Persecution UK have posted that the directors, Dr Mark Avery, Ruth Tingay and Chris Packham of Legal Justice were interviewed by Charlie Jacoby of Fields Sports TV at The Bird Fair. The latter being invited to an event that promotes wild life!
There is only 26 minutes of video to watch and there are many facts that can be heard. I will say that it is like ‘talking to the enemy’, but that dialogue is always necessary.
It was evident from the comments that there were two sides on the platform and it was clear that Charlie Jacoby was not going to ‘give an inch', but that is what he gets paid for!
It was not an anti-shooting conversation and this was reiterated by Chris Packham. There is a solution out there, somewhere and it just has to be found if we can find enough reasonable people!
Saturday 17 August 2019
BIRDING ON COSTA BLANCA IN AUGUST
THE SALINAS, EL PINET & EL HONDO IN ALICANTE PROVINCE, SPAIN
We didn’t expect it to be a ‘mega-bird-day’ and by our standards, it was not. But we saw some great specimens, so read on.
On Friday, 16th August we decided to stay local to see what was happening with our summer residents and what had already arrived from elsewhere. Before dawn, suddenly a Red-necked Nightjar flashed over the road, in front of us.
We saw the sun come up over Santa Pola when we stopped at the lagoons and salinas. It was relatively quiet, but the terns were active with some Little and Whiskered, two Common and a whole tranche of 200 Sandwich were viewed. A Little Bittern called, a large flock of House Sparrows flew and Little Grebes were on the water. We looked for Purple Herons, but only Grey was seen. There was nothing exceptional here.
Flying overhead we saw Swifts, Barn and Red-rumped Swallows together with a few Sand Martins. The latter was very good to see.
We moved on to The Salt Tower and the small area next to it. Flamingos were abundant. Mallards were in good numbers for the first time in a while. A Common Sandpiper and Redshank were viewed distantly. A lone Marsh Harrier flew in the distance.
El Pinet was much better, Black-tailed Godwits and Avocets were numerous. Other waders were Kentish Plover, two Greenshank, Redshank and the Pratincoles are still with us.
We then headed inland and at Pallet Farm Road we located Rollers. They are always good to see and some looked ‘tatty’ as they were moulting. As it was quiet we decided to try Sante Águada. It was bone dry and checking out the sky through 360 degrees, the search, yielded hardly any birds at all. In the same area eagled-eyed, Bryan spotted in the same dead tree a Roller, one Turtle Dove and a Little Owl. Hoopoes obliged too.
During the summer we have seen many Woodchat Shrikes and this species showed well today. They are a very neat bird! The Iberian Southern Grey Shrikes were on the high wires.
The Bee-eaters made our day. We could clearly hear them as they assembled on electric cables, and what a colourful sight they made. I love that noise and it suggests that they will be going south shortly. We had hoped to find a flooded field, but seasonally too early may be, and it appears that we will have to wait for the autumn.
The scrapes in front of the information centre had two metre high growth and others areas looked neglected. We ventured along the boardwalk more in hope than anything and were rewarded with excellent views of Moustached Warblers. Sadly, there was not much to see. Again this area disappointed us. Jackdaws were seen and we had several flypasts of Glossy Ibis with one group of thirty.
The summer season is about to change and there has been a drop from the high temperatures that we have been experiencing, Some birds are already moving. The Pallid Swifts have flown from San Miguel although we still have House Martins.
Summing it all up. That’s a great list without getting stuck in traffic and avoiding rain. But we are never satisfied as we alwaysEE want more and looking for another mega one. So, here’s to the next time!
AND PLEASE SIGN THE PETITION TO BAN DRIVEN GROUSE SHOOTING
We didn’t expect it to be a ‘mega-bird-day’ and by our standards, it was not. But we saw some great specimens, so read on.
On Friday, 16th August we decided to stay local to see what was happening with our summer residents and what had already arrived from elsewhere. Before dawn, suddenly a Red-necked Nightjar flashed over the road, in front of us.
We saw the sun come up over Santa Pola when we stopped at the lagoons and salinas. It was relatively quiet, but the terns were active with some Little and Whiskered, two Common and a whole tranche of 200 Sandwich were viewed. A Little Bittern called, a large flock of House Sparrows flew and Little Grebes were on the water. We looked for Purple Herons, but only Grey was seen. There was nothing exceptional here.
Flying overhead we saw Swifts, Barn and Red-rumped Swallows together with a few Sand Martins. The latter was very good to see.
We moved on to The Salt Tower and the small area next to it. Flamingos were abundant. Mallards were in good numbers for the first time in a while. A Common Sandpiper and Redshank were viewed distantly. A lone Marsh Harrier flew in the distance.
El Pinet was much better, Black-tailed Godwits and Avocets were numerous. Other waders were Kentish Plover, two Greenshank, Redshank and the Pratincoles are still with us.
We then headed inland and at Pallet Farm Road we located Rollers. They are always good to see and some looked ‘tatty’ as they were moulting. As it was quiet we decided to try Sante Águada. It was bone dry and checking out the sky through 360 degrees, the search, yielded hardly any birds at all. In the same area eagled-eyed, Bryan spotted in the same dead tree a Roller, one Turtle Dove and a Little Owl. Hoopoes obliged too.
During the summer we have seen many Woodchat Shrikes and this species showed well today. They are a very neat bird! The Iberian Southern Grey Shrikes were on the high wires.
The Bee-eaters made our day. We could clearly hear them as they assembled on electric cables, and what a colourful sight they made. I love that noise and it suggests that they will be going south shortly. We had hoped to find a flooded field, but seasonally too early may be, and it appears that we will have to wait for the autumn.
The scrapes in front of the information centre had two metre high growth and others areas looked neglected. We ventured along the boardwalk more in hope than anything and were rewarded with excellent views of Moustached Warblers. Sadly, there was not much to see. Again this area disappointed us. Jackdaws were seen and we had several flypasts of Glossy Ibis with one group of thirty.
The summer season is about to change and there has been a drop from the high temperatures that we have been experiencing, Some birds are already moving. The Pallid Swifts have flown from San Miguel although we still have House Martins.
Summing it all up. That’s a great list without getting stuck in traffic and avoiding rain. But we are never satisfied as we alwaysEE want more and looking for another mega one. So, here’s to the next time!
AND PLEASE SIGN THE PETITION TO BAN DRIVEN GROUSE SHOOTING
Wednesday 14 August 2019
BALMORAL - ROYAL GROUSE SHOOT CANCELLED
WILLFUL BLINDNESS IS NO LONGER AN OPTION THE PETITION STATES
This should be a ‘call’ to everyone that is a decent person. It is a call that should have the volume of a scream. Allowing the killers to have their own way for centuries is coming to an end, The monied that have the power, but not through their power only have been allowed to maintain that position because of history, tradition and culture. The mind-set needs to be changed!
Today at 2.45pm 22,859 names were the total of people that added theirs to a petition to BAN DRIVEN GROUSE SHOOTING. The target is 100,000 names so that it can be heard in Parliament.
We have organizations fighting hard to safeguard our wildlife and not allowing the good and the beautiful to be slaughtered at the behest of landed aristocrats, grouse moor owners and other shoot organizers. Their need to supply game birds is to the detriment of indigenous species.
There are killers out there who do it wantonly. Guns in the hands of game keepers and vicious traps make it deadly for any natural predator. On Thursday we saw a first year Golden Eagle flying with a trap on its leg. That was no accident, I believe, because in April two young Golden Eagles disappeared in the Crathie area of Deeside. The same area where the ‘trapped eagle’ was flying. It has not been seen since and what death did it suffer?
I spoke of the need for a change of mindset in an earlier paragraph. This is what we need to change not only for a group of people, but in the way that it is reported upon. The following is a straight lift from The Telegraph Newspaper. It says it in a ‘matter-of-fact-way’ that makes it sound so correct and proper. There is no balance in it that goes anywhere near to show how moors are mismanaged for the sake of the grouse industry.
The Guardian states
“It has long been one of the highlights of the royals’ calendar but it will be a less Glorious 12th for the Queen this year after grouse shooting was cancelled at Balmoral due to a shortage of birds.
The extreme weather and an outbreak of heather beetle, which has decimated food supplies in the Scottish Highlands, has been blamed for the decision to cancel all grouse shooting on Her Majesty’s estate in Aberdeenshire.
It comes after many moors in the north of England and the Scottish borders had to abandon planned events last year in order to allow the grouse stocks to recover.
But they have not recovered enough at Balmoral, where the Prince of Wales and the Duke of York shoot regularly during the grouse season from August 12 to December 10.
A royal source said: “It is a real blow to the royals’ summer holiday plans because grouse shooting is usually the main activity for the royals and their guests”.
Now it's me and I want to ‘spit feathers’ at this guff! To make any suggestion that it is glorious to kill defenseless birds on any day makes me angry. Do the people in the circles of royalty not know that there is a ground swell of opinion objecting to this antiquated ‘sport’. And if they did know it; it shows their arrogance in letting it continue.
For me, the quote from a royal source, - hopefully accurate - makes it plain that there is bugger all to do up there except carry on the Victorian habit of shooting birds. Come on, get real and move on. The visit of Boris will no doubt lift the gloom and boredom when he arrives later!
This should be a ‘call’ to everyone that is a decent person. It is a call that should have the volume of a scream. Allowing the killers to have their own way for centuries is coming to an end, The monied that have the power, but not through their power only have been allowed to maintain that position because of history, tradition and culture. The mind-set needs to be changed!
Today at 2.45pm 22,859 names were the total of people that added theirs to a petition to BAN DRIVEN GROUSE SHOOTING. The target is 100,000 names so that it can be heard in Parliament.
We have organizations fighting hard to safeguard our wildlife and not allowing the good and the beautiful to be slaughtered at the behest of landed aristocrats, grouse moor owners and other shoot organizers. Their need to supply game birds is to the detriment of indigenous species.
There are killers out there who do it wantonly. Guns in the hands of game keepers and vicious traps make it deadly for any natural predator. On Thursday we saw a first year Golden Eagle flying with a trap on its leg. That was no accident, I believe, because in April two young Golden Eagles disappeared in the Crathie area of Deeside. The same area where the ‘trapped eagle’ was flying. It has not been seen since and what death did it suffer?
I spoke of the need for a change of mindset in an earlier paragraph. This is what we need to change not only for a group of people, but in the way that it is reported upon. The following is a straight lift from The Telegraph Newspaper. It says it in a ‘matter-of-fact-way’ that makes it sound so correct and proper. There is no balance in it that goes anywhere near to show how moors are mismanaged for the sake of the grouse industry.
The Guardian states
“It has long been one of the highlights of the royals’ calendar but it will be a less Glorious 12th for the Queen this year after grouse shooting was cancelled at Balmoral due to a shortage of birds.
The extreme weather and an outbreak of heather beetle, which has decimated food supplies in the Scottish Highlands, has been blamed for the decision to cancel all grouse shooting on Her Majesty’s estate in Aberdeenshire.
It comes after many moors in the north of England and the Scottish borders had to abandon planned events last year in order to allow the grouse stocks to recover.
But they have not recovered enough at Balmoral, where the Prince of Wales and the Duke of York shoot regularly during the grouse season from August 12 to December 10.
A royal source said: “It is a real blow to the royals’ summer holiday plans because grouse shooting is usually the main activity for the royals and their guests”.
Now it's me and I want to ‘spit feathers’ at this guff! To make any suggestion that it is glorious to kill defenseless birds on any day makes me angry. Do the people in the circles of royalty not know that there is a ground swell of opinion objecting to this antiquated ‘sport’. And if they did know it; it shows their arrogance in letting it continue.
For me, the quote from a royal source, - hopefully accurate - makes it plain that there is bugger all to do up there except carry on the Victorian habit of shooting birds. Come on, get real and move on. The visit of Boris will no doubt lift the gloom and boredom when he arrives later!
Monday 12 August 2019
BOOK REVIEW - ANOTHER OUTBACK STORY BY JANE HARPER
JANE HARPER, THE DRY, FORCE OF NATURE AND NOW, THE LOST MAN.
A Sunday Times Top Ten Bestseller the front cover pronounces. It's not that I needed that quote as I have read two of her ‘outback’ books before. The Lost Man by Jane Harper matches in stature her previous two. She is a great story-teller.
Set in Australia in an immense area of hardship, extreme heat and loneliness. Families live there too and the way the interactions are formulated is very interesting to the point of being intense!
The story is mainly confined, to within the family, but that's a ridiculous comment as this outback farm is set in an area the size of Wales! The distances, burning glaring sun, wind driven sand and grit makes this a tough place to live. It's what it can do to people that add dimensions to her story that can be uncomfortable to live with. It's the location that drives the story on quickly.
Jane Harper takes a myth, maybe a legend, or even a bar-told-story and uses it for a focal point. Then she wraps it around her fingers and adds layers to it to finish up with a story as good as this one. But, for me, it is the telling that makes it a great read.
She acknowledges those that gave her the skeleton on which she hangs it all. There was a lot of research that prefaced her writing. As a footnote ‘The Dry’, her first book, has a script worthy of a film.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)