This weekend I did my second breeding wader survey of the year for the @rspbengland.bsky.social Bowland #Curlew recovery #ClaphamCluster. The first Curlew chicks of the spring on this farm 🥳. And for fans of #CrapBirdPhotoOfTheDay - I bring you a pair of Curlew and a Lapwing chick out in the open

Shocking and profoundly sad to see the illegal destruction of protected areas happening in real time in #Albania yesterday - the Wild West ahead of accession to the EU, while the EU turns a blind eye? 🤬😱😭

First @rspbengland.bsky.social @forestofbowlandnl.bsky.social #ClaphamCluster breeding wader survey of the year for me - it's looking busy on the farm🥳🤞and the #Curlew nest fencing team have already been out 💪

NEW REPORT: Today we publish Unprotected Nature, a report revealing Natural England's failure to designate any new protected sites. Read about it in the Guardian here: www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Two years on from a Westminster Government commitment to reform the purposes & governance of England's protected landscapes⏲️ 👀, this new CNP report makes recommendations for what a more nature-focussed, equitable and effective future for the governance of our #NationalParks should look like.

The ban on poisonous lead ammunition in outdoor shooting is law! Thank you to the thousands who spoke up. We’ve thrown wildlife a lifeline. Now, 100,000 waterbirds will be saved every single year. When we raise our voices together - we make change happen 👇 www.wwt.org.uk/about-us/new...

Great to see coordinated proposals from Westminster, Scottish and Welsh govts for stronger restrictions on shooting rare and Red-listed birds including Pochards, Goldeneyes and Woodcocks. UK-wide, joined up action will be critical for their recovery. www.theguardian.com/environment/...

The science is clear, and the public’s concern for nature is undeniable. Pulling back from the most extreme recommendations today has averted disaster. Now it’s time for the Prime Minister to follow the evidence, back up his words with real action, and ensure nature and growth succeed together.

For decades these laws have guided development away from the places wildlife depends on. And for good reason. Nature is not, and never has been, a blocker to growth. It is flood protection. It is food security. It is health and wellbeing. It is economic stability. It is national security.

Today, the Government stepped back from the most damaging recommendations that threatened to gut the laws protecting our most precious places for nature. With wildlife already in crisis, anything else would have been reckless. But avoiding the worst is not enough. Nature needs ambitious action.

I've called on the UK Government to license gamebird shooting in England and give Hen Harriers the protection they deserve. Please help spread the word - contact your MP today and help stop the illegal killing of these incredible birds! action.rspb.org.uk/page/185536/...

Second @rspb.bsky.social #BigGardenBirdWatch of the weekend complete - Mum's garden this time! We saw 20 individuals of 9 species - so a bit better than I did at mine!

We know what needs to be done to help nature recover – what we need is the UK Government to take positive action now – for the sake of nature – and of our futures.

A National Security Assessment highlighted nature as a national security risk earlier this week. Yet yesterday’s Habitats Regulations report shows many of England’s most important habitats are rapidly declining. Just 3% are in good condition. And half are in an unfavourable and worsening state 🧵

One @rspb.bsky.social #BigGardenBirdwatch complete! I'd like to thank the 14 individuals of 8 different species who showed up. And as for the rest of my regular visitors, including the c30 Starlings who flew over but failed to land - I'm not angry, I'm just disappointed! 😉🤣

Yet another appalling case of bird of prey persecution🤬, another ludicrously light penalty & yet another reminder of why licensing of shooting across the UK is so urgently needed! Prosecution once again based on evidence provided by @rspbinvestigations.bsky.social 🙏 www.rspb.org.uk/whats-happen...

Police investigate after white-tailed eagles go missing across UK

A sign of our (deeply depressing) times! 😔👇https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/dec/05/street-names-birds-britain-rise-populations-plummet?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

📢 The IUCN National Committee UK's Protected Areas Working Group response to yesterday's report on protected areas in England by The Office for Environmental Protection: @ruthchambers.bsky.social @jncc.bsky.social @jncc-ceo.bsky.social @naturalengland.bsky.social @tonyjuniper.bsky.social

Without legally binding targets, proper funding and urgent delivery, the Government’s own goals won’t be met and nature will pay the price.⚠️ Protected sites are the frontline of recovery but only if Government chooses to make them so. Fail nature here, and you fail everywhere.

The Office for Environmental Protection says stronger, statutory targets are needed for protected sites. We agree. Yet the Government’s revised “Environmental Improvement Plan”, published earlier this week, did the opposite: weakening targets & slowing the action nature needs.

England’s most important nature sites are being failed.❌ Protected sites can and should be driving nature’s recovery. But today’s OEP report exposes the real problem: years of weak delivery, underfunding and political drift have left them unable to do the job the law intended.

Thankyou to @keasdenkate.bsky.social @rspb.bsky.social for launching our new campaign #EyesontheSkies speaking out against the very illegal #persecution of #BirdsofPrey & thank you all that attended & supported🤩 Sign up to our enews for all future plans & events: www.friendsofthedales.org.uk

"if, the Government is serious about tackling bird of prey persecution connected to the game shooting industry, now is the time to introduce licensing, for both upland and lowland game bird shooting" @friendsofthedales.bsky.social @bucktonbirder.bsky.social

Final call for tonight's launch! @friendsofthedales.bsky.social

Still time to book 4 launch of #EyesontheSkies - our new #campaign - calling for an end to #birdsofpreypersecution - with Kate Jennings, UK Head of Site Conservation & Species Policy @rspb.bsky.social Book at: friendsofthedales.org.uk

Very happy to add my name to @guyshrubsole.bsky.social's and > 200 others calling on @Keir_Starmer to put a stop to rumoured moves within Government to weaken the laws protecting England's #NationalParks and National Landscapes. #NationalParksMatter www.cnp.org.uk/wp-content/u...

Thousands take legal action over ‘widespread pollution’ of Rivers Wye, Lugg and Usk - alleging that Welsh Water & two corporate chicken producers are responsible: www.theguardian.com/environment/...

If you need a little something to restore your faith in humanity (which I reckon we all do right now!) then I recommend this which I fell across by accident on the radio yesterday. #BemoreGander www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w...

Excellent news to start the week! 🥳. On peatlands if you fight 🔥with 🔥 you get .... more 🔥 - not to mention less peat, more climate change, worse air quality and less wildlife🤯. Huge thanks to Defra and to @marycreagh.bsky.social for recognising that #WetterisBetter

GOOD NEWS: the peat burning ban is being extended in the English uplands. 👏 Peatlands lock up carbon, protect water & support rare wildlife. We hope today's announcement signals a move to end this damaging practice for good, and thank our supporters for helping make it happen.

Fantastic news! Defra Ministers listened to the science rather than the hysteria & rhetoric of the grouse shooting industry. Ban comes in to force 30 Sept 2025. raptorpersecutionuk.org/2025/09/09/m...

The last of 'my' #Swifts left this weekend - good job as they were leaving it late & there were signs 👀⬇️that they were getting a bit big for the box! Such a privilege to have them & it blows my mind that the next time the babies land it will be to raise young of their own! 🤯 @rspb.bsky.social

Do you ever feel like you are being watched 👀 - from just now while I was boiling the kettle 😍 @gtalstonwader.bsky.social @heyjooode.bsky.social @hannahbournetaylor.bsky.social

Ridiculously excited - for today's #Crapbirdphotooftheday I bring you a swiftlet - the first I've seen poking it's head out of one of my #Swift boxes @rspb.bsky.social @hannahbournetaylor.bsky.social @penrhynbirder.bsky.social @gtalstonwader.bsky.social @mcg-hilary.bsky.social

For today's #Crapbirdphotooftheday I bring you an Oystercatcher on a rugby field.. @rspb.bsky.social

#crapbirdphotooftheday I swear that's a cuckoo chick, calling to being fed by an adoring (or long suffering?) meadow pipit. First time I've ever seen that! @keasdenkate.bsky.social

For today's #Crapbirdphotooftheday I bring you the best possible end to this season's #Curlew surveys for @rspbengland.bsky.social in the Forest of Bowland #ClaphamCluster - a Curlew chick being diligently guarded by a parent (out of shot!) & later taking flight 🥳❤️

So pleased to see Alan & Colin Price given the Ty Trophy @ Great Yorkshire Show for all they do for nature in general & for #Curlew in particular, working with @rspbengland.bsky.social 🥳👏💪 ‪‪ @mcg-hilary.bsky.social @gtalstonwader.bsky.social www.northernfarmer.co.uk/news/2530236...

I missed #SwiftAwarenessWeek, but after a week away, a pleasure to come home last night & watch 2 pairs of #Swifts returning at dusk to my #Swift boxes. Such a privilege to be playing landlady to these amazing birds! 😍🙏 @rspb.bsky.social @hannahbournetaylor.bsky.social @johncortes.bsky.social

You can read the RSPB's response to last week's Westminster Hall debate on the future of grouse shooting here👀: www.rspb.org.uk/whats-happen...

Another weekend and another @rspbengland.bsky.social #Curlew productivity survey - and although numbers are starting to drop now there are definitely still a few pairs guarding young - and 1 chick seen which is a rare treat!

1/2: Westminster-bound 🚆 for today's debate on the future of grouse shooting. The RSPB is calling on the UK Govt to introduce licensing of grouse shooting in England to provide a meaningful deterrent 🚨to wildlife crime. Action is long overdue 👀 and no change is simply not an option!

The illegal killing of our beautiful birds must stop. It’s good to see MPs will be debating this urgent issue on Monday. Thank you to everyone who's spoken up so far. We’re close to getting the change our upland wildlife needs.

For today's #Crapbirdphotooftheday I bring you this #Curlew, snapped while I was doing my @rspb.bsky.social Bowland Curlew productivity survey

Showers successfully dodged for the last @btobirds.bsky.social #Woodcock survey of the season & a morning of yellow rattle-filled meadowy loveliness for another #Curlew survey for the @rspbengland.bsky.social Bowland wader recovery project.

For today's #Crapbirdphotoftheday I bring you a baby #Lapwing from today's @rspb.bsky.social Bowland Wader Recovery Project productivity survey @mcg-hilary.bsky.social

Welcome back to Nature or No Nature! Rachel Reeves, your own experts say nature-friendly farming is vital for our food security, wildlife, & climate. Yet we hear you're set to slash the very funding it relies on. With the clock ticking, and our future to play for, can you answer this question...

Welcome to Round 1 of Nature or No Nature! Keir Starmer, you were elected on a promise to meet legally binding nature targets. Now, funding for nature, and laws protecting species and habitats, are at risk. So, for a chance to win back public trust, your first question:

❗The proposal on the EU ban on #lead in ammunition and fishing weights has already sparked debate. Some Member States argue that the ban might risk defence and harm the fishing sector, while lacking evidence. These claims do not hold up under scrutiny. Here’s why: banleadnow.com/news/lead-ba...