🍺 Marquis of Granby, Old Harlow, Essex: C18th century building with modernised interior, quiet save for Planet Rock radio and a customer delivering a horse-racing monologue. The guvnor told me he's not shifting much cask ale; my Bishop Nick Ridley's Rite, cloudy but drinkable, was Hobson's choice.

🍺 Griffin, Toddington, Beds: imposing pub by the church, where the Greene King offering is supplemented by three from Tring, the Thirst Responder a notch up on my last of their beers. I was second through the door at 3pm opening.

🍺 Fancott Arms, Fancott, Beds: beamed country pub, once a row of cottages, now a northern outpost of the Morgan Pub Collective. Miniature railway in garden. Tring's Side Pocket for a Toad was the obvious choice on the bar; it's so-so. A road closure and bus diversion meant a 30-minute walk here.🚶‍♂️

Morden Peregrines. The second egg was laid at 09.14 this morning, 61h 27m since the first (and allowing for the change to BST). She entered the box at 09.03, and the egg was laid just over 10 minutes later! #londonbirds

⚽️ Sutton Utd 1 Rochdale 2: after a largely composed performance against the table-toppers, taking the lead through a beautiful strike from academy graduate Charlie Bell, we then concede in the 89th and 97th minutes (five minutes having been announced as added).😕 Back in 17th.

🐦‍⬛ Female Kingfisher in Wandle Park this morning. After she started calling, her mate appeared briefly. Also in voice were two singing Blackcaps, likely to be recent arrivals from Africa.

🐦‍⬛ I thought it always was regarded as a distinct species. Anyway, it's on my life list. 😁

⚽️ Eastleigh 0 Sutton Utd 2: with the early gifts of a red card for their keeper and a goal, likely wind-assisted, direct from a corner, we made little of our extra man and superior possession until the last quarter-hour, the second goal arriving on 80 minutes. Up to 15th and almost safe now. 🙂

🍺 Raven & Bine, Southampton: smart bar (opposite the more traditonal Cricketers Arms), operated by the city's Dancing Man brewery, whose Jesus Hairdo, hoppy and hazy, won't turn many heads.

🐦‍⬛ Dick Focks Common, Effingham Forest, Surrey: finch heaven, with splendid views of Hawfinch and Brambling on same tree, plus Crossbills, Chaffinches, Redpolls, Goldfinches and Siskins. Also a probable Goshawk, soaring a bit too high for me to be sure.

Rather than turning up the heat on Iran, the USA needs to be turning down its own heat.

Played 3 of the bottom 4 the last 3 weekends. W0 L2 D1 F1 A9.

⚽️ Sutton Utd 0 Truro City 3: typical us, cheap match tickets and sunny weather enticing a bumper crowd of nearly 4,000, and we lose to the division's bottom side, their third goal the 17th penalty we've conceded this season. That's two big home defeats this month to struggling teams. 😟 Now 17th.

🍺 I'm enjoying this at the Bottle House, Leighton Buzzard, @rogerprotz.bsky.social.

Line of the year in the new edition of The Economist: "Although President Donald Trump says he has “destroyed 100% of Iran’s Military Capability”, the 0% that remains is playing havoc with the global economy..."

The full text version of Rayner's comments on Mahmood's "earned settlement" proposals is very good indeed. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Morden Peregrines. 1/2. The male appeared with a part eaten Black-headed Gull this morning, which was then taken by the female.

Eight year old Mustafa Bani Odeh. His parents and two siblings murdered in front of him by plainclothed Israeli soldiers, while he was beaten up by them. West Bank. The same unit executed two Palestinians three months ago after they surrendered. Every. Day.

⚽️ Gateshead 1 Sutton Utd 1: dull game, in front of a meagre crowd, though both goals were fine strikes, our out-of-the-blue equaliser not arriving until the 84th minute, a first league goal for substitute Dubem Eze. Following on from Tuesday's 2-1 win at Scunthorpe, we're up to 15th.

🐦‍⬛ The sides of the Tyne Bridge may be covered in scaffolding and sheeting, but Kittiwakes have found places to nest.

🍺 Redhouse, Quayside, Newcastle: one for adventurers, a C17th multi-roomed and rather gloomy hostelry that extends through to the adjacent Bob Trollop eatery. Some customers prefer the sunshine out front. My Redwillow Langley Pale (Faithless) is pleasantly hoppy but unexceptional.

Another species struggling northdownsandbeyond.blogspot.com/2026/03/lose...

🍺 Luther's, Newcastle-upon-Tyne: Wetherspoon pub doubling as the Newcastle University students' union bar, with a predictably youthful clientele, and named in honour of Martin Luther King. The Acorn Bourbon Vanilla Porter was the standout choice on the bar, smooth and flavoursome.

🍺 Naturally, I've fetched up here. On the oatmeal stout from Turning Point. 🙂

🍺 Two By Two Brewery Tap, Byker, Newcastle: barn-like, echoing taproom with standard bench seating and brewing kit immediately adjacent. Again, I'm the oldest customer. Two By Two don't fine their beers; my murky Mooch is (un)clearly brewed with New World hops, pleasant but rather one-dimensional.

🍺🐦‍⬛ Here's one for @stevewg.bsky.social. Of course, I'm drinking it. At the Chillingham PH, Heaton, Newcastle.

🍺 Elder Beer, Heaton, Newcastle-upon-Tyne: lively bottleshop and bar with a youngish crowd in (kids included), so middle class that I could almost be in Kentish Town. My Run Hop Run from Northumberland's Rigg & Furrow brewery is hoppy and refreshing.

Morden Peregrines. An unringed male has visited the box this morning. Assuming he is now the resident male, he is new this year. #londonbirds

🐦‍⬛ The link provided by John seems to work, though there's nothing currently going on at the nestbox. Peregrines should start to appear on camera during the next few weeks. 🤞😲🥚

🐦‍⬛ London Wetland Centre, Barnes: 5 Sand Martins, early spring arrivals already checking out the nesthole bank, overlapped with the winter shift of Siskins and a Bittern that emerged from the reedbed depths to take in the March sunshine. A Water Rail called, a Sparrowhawk burst through the trees. 🌞

The United States killed all these children last Saturday. 170 of them. Every. Single. One.

⚽️ Sutton Utd 0 Morecambe 5: worst result this season, a calamitous opening half-hour seeing us concede four times (twice direct from set-pieces) then have a man sent off (🟥 no.8 in 2025/26), erasing the glow that followed Tuesday's 2-0 win at Hartlepool. Now 18th, six points above Morecambe in 21st.

Early spring is by far the best time to record breeding Goshawks as they display over territories, particularly on calm and sunny days - here’s some encouragement from RBBP Secretary @markaeaton.bsky.social #ukbirding #ornithology youtu.be/hVgl6jYOX6A?...

Air pollution levels are expected to become very high overnight and through Friday morning across swathes of SE and East Anglia. Hazardous air for vulnerable groups. A combination of pollution from mainland Europe and Saharan dust. Cleaner N winds will arrive later in the day

🐦‍⬛ Crockham Hill Common, Kent: at the second attempt, and with help from another birder, I got to see the Red-flanked Bluetail (life ✅️), a rare visitor from northern Eurasia, found here in January. It was mobile but, with patience, not hard to re-locate. Also around: Bullfinch, Siskins, Buzzards.

🐦‍⬛ King George V Reservoir, NE London: the Slavonian Grebe and drake Smew swanned on the north basin, a female Goosander was in the eastern channel, a Peregrine surveyed from a pylon, 2 Buzzard and a Raven flew over and, in the paddock to the north, was what may be my earliest ever Wheatear (a male).

"Of those who voted Labour [in 2024], just 37% would vote Labour again". Read that again to absorb the full, astonishing weight of what it means. Starmer, Reeves and co have burnt their house down. news.sky.com/story/greens...

⚽️ FC Halifax Town 2 Sutton Utd 2: fair result, Sutton starting and finishing the stronger, Halifax equalising before half-time and beginning the second half with purpose. A point apiece edges each side back up one place, them to 7th, us to 19th.

🍺 And now for the Three Pigeons. 😀

The Green victory in Gorton & Denton sent shockwaves across British politics. Campaign insiders speak to PolHome about how they pulled it off The blocking of Burnham gave them an early confidence boost, and as polling day approached, voters "didn't buy" Labour's tactical voting claims, they said

Shockingly, the scientific evidence still points to a zoonotic origin of SARS-CoV-2.

If only there was some precedent in history of an "unsinkable" ship steering the wrong course at a potential hazard, at high speed, and not listening to warnings about the huge iceberg ahead....

🍺 A pleasure to return here, the Victorian Craft Beer Café, Halifax. Finishing on the Thornbridge Imperial Stout.

🍺 Market Tavern, Brighouse, W Yorks: bungalow-like pub serving an impressive range of Yorkshire beers, the Goose Eye Bitter in fine form. Seating in the main bar is at a premium, so I've settled on a bench in the lobby area with its war memorabilia, alongside a plastic fern and another solo drinker.

🍺 Puzzle Hall Inn, Sowerby Bridge, W Yorks: community local (and live music venue) tucked away between river and canal (I think I heard a Kingfisher). Conversation rules (two discussions were about cars) among a largely mature clientele. The Craven Yorkshireman Blonde (3.9%) was a pleasant opener.

Have you noticed the lack of frost? February 2026 will become the only third February in near 80-year record to fail to see a single air frost <0C. It joins 1961 and 2014 #Heathrow #London

Latest: #EnfieldOak felled by contractors for Mitchells & Butlers last April. Calls for criminal investigation. Report rubbishes reasons given for felling. Not their tree, no risk to health & safety, tree was healthy. The veteran oak, piece of ancient woodland, ecologically richer than Sycamore Gap.

7 days until publication of 'Wild Pavements - Exploring Britain's Cities with an Urban Naturalist' on 5 March. I've kept a record of each step as a #1stBookDiary in 7 chapters, and I'm planning to share one each day before 'P-day'. #writing #creativewriting #naturewriting #urbannature

⚽️ Yeovil Town 3 Sutton Utd 2: leading 2-1 on 90 minutes we end up losing, the winning goal the 16th penalty we've conceded this season, Yeovil having taken a first-half lead following the 15th. Shooting ourselves repeatedly in the foot hardly helps our survival hopes.🫩 We slip below them to 20th.

BREAKING: Sharp's Brewery in Cornwall, maker of UK's best-selling Cask ale, Doom Bar, to close, 50 jobs lost. US-Canadian owner Molson Coors, say it's financially unsustainable. Meanwhile MC investing heavily in relaunch of Carling Black Label. Fate of Burton brewed bottled version unknown #BskyBeer