Mark Avery

Race to contain suspected bird flu outbreak among Thames Valley swans Volunteer workers say increasing case numbers and dozens of dead birds raise fears spread is wider than recorded

It sounds as though Swan Support removed dead/sick swans - what did they do with them?

The official monitoring isn't very good but doesn't aim to count all cases of bird flu in all species - that'd be impossible.
See markavery.info/2026/01/14/b...

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

I’d also ask for their email address because you want to put down your understanding of the phone call afterwards. OR use the record option on your phone but you ought to tell them that you are recording.

A phone call is too easily denied without some evidence of what was you understood.

Whenever dealing with authorities (including utilities, shops etc!) ask for their name (rank and number) at start. You can say it is so that you can contact them if you get cut off. I think it makes them realise that their actions may be held accountable And I don’t always remember to do it myself.

You might consider a formal complaint. Just asking the police for the complaints procedure would be a good idea IMHO.

Did you get the name of the officer to whom you spoke?

1/3 This was hare hunting by my cottage a wk last Saturday - I phoned 999 & they didn't respond.
I eventually got a call on Saturday, a wk later - at 8am in the morning.
'Is it a convenient time to talk?'
'Not really'
'Then I'll make it brief, you have no footage of a hare actually being killed?"

Plan to allow fishing around Chagos Islands alarms conservationists Chagossian people would be allowed to fish in area that has teemed with life since ban was introduced in 2010

No fishing? What about a little fishing? Or a lot of fishing?

You’d need some pretty clever marine biologists to draw the line and wherever it was drawn couldn’t delight both fishers & the environment.

www.theguardian.com/world/2026/f...

Dunlin nesting in North Pennines - very cute aren't they? Wait for the second chick to appear.

More detail: blog markavery.info/2026/02/03/r...

#cumbria #peat #moorland #restoration

Tim @mothyblackburn.bsky.social I very much enjoyed the talk you’ve just given to the UK Moth Recorders conference. #moths

I don’t think that and if you read my comments you’ll see I didn’t say that either. My comment was about Ben G advising Reform on nature conservation. Have a lovely weekend.

Like what? What is your cunning plan for stopping Ben Goldsmith advising Reform?

I agree

Week in wildlife: a rescued owl, a brave blackbird and Fukushima boar babies This week’s best wildlife photographs from around the world

Pretty good week in wildlife. I love Mark Koster’s image of Bald Eagle and Red-winged Blackbird www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Rare butterflies bounce back after landowners in Wales cut back on flailing hedges More than 300 brown hairstreak butterfly eggs were recorded in hedgerows near Llandeilo this winter after decade of decline

Good news www.theguardian.com/environment/...

As I say, I’ll watch with interest.

I said I’d watch with interest. I will.

So don’t vote for them - nor will I. But others will. If enough do then we will get their policies imposed on us. Atm I’d say Labour and Conservative envt policies may be more irrelevant than Reform’s. We’ll see.

Gregory, that is a cheap jibe. My politics are at least as far to the left as yours, I’d wager. But the policies of any party polling strongly are important, not because we like them, but because we might get them imposed on us.

I think their climate change denial is unchangeable, I’m afraid. And is just one reason I won’t vote Reform. But others will - look at the polls. If we must endure Reform then if it brought a trawling ban that would not make up for the rest, but it would be better than the rest without trawling ban.

Sloppy thinking, I’m afraid. The green policies of any party performing strongly in the polls are relevant to the potential future of Marsh Tits, rewilding, nature-rich sites, river pollution and legal protection for Hen Harriers.

I won’t be voting Reform either but it seems many others will.

I don’t think he’s doing it for the money 😂

I’m more interested than optimistic. Let’s see. If Defra had signed Ben up as an advisor I would have been interested in that too.

My politics are, I guess, much closer to yours than to Ben’s.

I think the field is crowded to work on Reform’s ‘demented racism’ policies.

Competition for votes on environmental issues will be good for environmental progress.

If Reform get any sort of power then best that they have good green policies. Let’s see if Ben and Reform stay friends…

Reform UK enlists Boris Johnson ally to write party nature policies Exclusive: Ben Goldsmith will work on issues including fishing and green belt preservation to attract green Tories

This will be a challenge for all involved. Ben is a true friend of nature and Reform had laughable environmental credentials in general election. I will watch with interest. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Good news! RSPB press release. markavery.info/2026/01/29/r...

This shows how difficult it is to get successful, meaningful legal wins. Well done RSPB for this result. It moves things forward.

@yorkshiredales.org.uk

When will Defra act? Ban driven grouse shooting!

Guest blog #naturewriting by @jamesgilbertmr.bsky.social

Gullwing Hour markavery.info/2026/01/29/g...

High Court throws out Moorland Association’s legal challenge against new burning regulations Some good news! This morning, the Moorland Association’s legal challenge against Defra’s new burning regulations (which restrict burning on deep peat) has been thrown out by the High Co…

Good news!

High Court throws out Moorland Association's legal challenge against new burning regulations in England ⚖️🌍

New blog ⬇️

raptorpersecutionuk.org/2026/01/28/h...

Thnx @birdguides.bsky.social for review of Wings Across the Atlantic.

'a charming book that acknowledges & contemplates a wealth of current affairs'

'having access to the thoughts & opinions of two highly experienced knowledgeable individuals...gives the reader great insight'

Buy bit.ly/4sSRbJY

If you did #BigGardenBirdwatch #bgbw at the weekend plz remember to send in your results.

As with other science, citizen science doesn't count for much, except personal entertainment, unless the data are shared and published. Sermon over.

Rhinoceros Auklets flying past the boat in the Broughton Archipelago - these are the moments I wait for 🌊

#birdphotography #birds #birding #wildlifephotography #naturephotography #britishcolumbia