Mike Loades

Tooting Common: Heavy horses prepare ground for flowers Heavy horses are helping rewild Tooting Common by preparing soil for 33 native wildflower species.

So refreshing to see good sense prevailing in a gentle way in a world of chaos and stupidity . Small things matter. www.bbc.com/news/videos/...

UNPICKING THE BAYEUX TAPESTRY: # 3 Decoding the archery. One in the eye for Harold - perhaps - but if so, what type of bow shot it and who exactly were the archers in Duke William's army?

What type of bows are depicted on the Bayeux Tapestry? See my latest article on Substack. There’s more to this story than you might think.

This is No 3 in my series about the Tapestry and 1 (of 2) about the archery.

loadesofhistory.substack.com/p/unpicking-...

#bayeuxtapestry #battleofhastings

I've just published a new essay (8 min read) on my SUBSTACK
loadesofhistory.substack.com/.../the-mart....
It was prompted by some thoughts I had about medieval warhorses when visiting the Portuguese School of Equestrian Art in Lisbon last week.
If you don’t yet use it, do try Substack. It is free.

Rare sighting of massive bird of prey leaves North York Moors visitors stunned The white-tailed eagle, often referred to as the “sea eagle,” is a massive and imposing raptor with a wingspan that stretches up to 2.2 metres.

More good news for eagles

www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/2542967...

Brilliant. Really looking forward to reading this.

Attention dog lovers interested in history and history lovers interested in dogs….I have a tale of dogs on my new Substack that I think is worth barking about. I think it will also interest aficionados of Ancient Egypt.

My Substack column is FREE!

open.substack.com/pub/loadesof...

#dogs #history

I've started a SUBSTACK - I hope you'll join me there.

My first article incorporates my passion for the natural world and responsible rewilding with my love of medieval history.

It is FREE to subscribe. Do please take a look.

open.substack.com/pub/loadesof...
#wolves #rewilding #medievalhistory

Spotlight on Europe’s rarest bear: global conference in the Central Apennines | Rewilding Europe Steps taken to help people share space with bears in the Central Apennines of Italy mean the future of the Marsican brown bear now looks brighter. In 2026, an event in the Central Apennines rewilding…

rewildingeurope.com/news/spotlig...

Golden eagles poised for reintroduction in England Exclusive: Study expected to confirm there are enough suitable sites to support bird of prey’s return

It is a national disgrace that a creature as magnificent as the Golden Eagle, a species native to Britain, has been extinct in England for 150 years. I fully support these efforts for re-introduction. Let eagles fly where they belong.

www.theguardian.com/environment/....

Project to reintroduce ospreys at Rutland Water hits 300 milestone The Rutland Osprey Project said 2025 had been the "most successful" year for the project.

So wonderful to read about a success story like this. Ospreys are magical and captivating to see in the wild. www.bbc.com/news/article...

Rewilding charity seeks views on reintroducing storks to London - BBC News Storks disappeared from the skies above London centuries ago due to hunting and habitat loss.

I strongly support this initiative to re-wild white storks in London. I live in the Algarve where, where these extraordinary , wonderful birds inhabit the towns in abundance. They are a constant source of joy.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Lynx set to surpass wolf in numbers in Portugal Recent studies indicate a historic shift in the populations of two iconic Iberian species. For the first time in decades, the number of Iberian lynxes in Portugal may soon exceed that of Iberian wolve...

Happy to see continued success for the lynx in Iberian Peninsular but sad to see declining wolf numbers. The use of good flock guardian dogs should mitigate predatory attacks on domestic livestock whilst preserving the overall ecosystem balancing effects.

www.theportugalnews.com/news/2025-06...

More dogs - Tune into this podcast with myself and the wonderful Professor Suzannah Lipscomb chatting about ‘Tudors and Their Dogs’.

Podcast is called ‘Not Just The Tudors” and is available (free) on Acast, Spotify, Apple etc

shows.acast.com/not-just-the...

#dogs #tudors #sixteenthcenturygirl

YouTube video by NOVA PBS Official The World’s First Combat Submarine | NOVA | PBS

Those nice people at NOVA PBS have just released a snippet of me talking about The Turtle on You Tube. The segment was for the Lion television film 'Revolutionary War Weapons' which aired in the US earlier this week. I found it an extremely interesting assignment.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1Dr...

Part 2 of my series on dogs is now streaming on History Hit.

It tracks some of the intersections of canine and human history between 1760 and 1850.

Access History Hit on TV, laptop or phone via their App and FREE TRIAL subscription

www.historyhit.com/subscription/

#dogsofbluesky #historyhit

The 1st of my films about dogs in history ‘DOGS OF THE TUDORS’ has been a great success on History Hit.

The 2nd in the series - “DOGS IN THE AGE OF REVOLUTIONS’ - will be released on Thursday.

Meanwhile - do take a look at my other films available on this streaming channel?

#dogs #history

So sorry to read this. My thoughts are with you. Heartbreaking.

Reintroducing wolves to Highlands could help native woodlands, says study Researchers say the animals could keep red deer numbers under control, leading to storage of 1m tonnes of CO2

I understand that some livestock farmers may have some concerns about these proposals but the answer is Livestock Guardian Dogs, who have a tremendous track record of reducing % of stock lost to predators in many places throughout the world. The benefits are huge

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

I was very taken with these Phalènes during last years filming of ‘DOGS OF THE TUDORS’ (now streaming now History Hit).

They are a wonderful example of a Tudor style of Chamber Dog

Download History Hit app for phone, computer or smart tv

#dogsofbluesky #dogs #historyhit #history #tudors

Bison Ranchers Return Thousands of Animals to Native Lands and Witness Total Rejuvenation of Ecosystem The return of the bison means the return of the prairie, one of the three great grassland ecosystems on the planet.

This is heartening good news. Something very positive is beginning to happen quietly across the world. The power of natural systems to restore natural systems is self-evident. www.goodnewsnetwork.org/tribal-bison...

My new film ‘DOGS OF THE TUDORS’ is now streaming on History Hit.

You can view on your phone, computer or smart tv - just download the App and sign up for the FREE TRIAL subscription.

www.historyhit.com/subscription/

#dogs #dogsofbluesky #history #tudors #hevercastle #maryrose #historyhit

YouTube video by BBC Beavers return to Shropshire after 400 years | BBC Birmingham

Dam! This is good news. These eco-warriors lnow exactly what to do to create healthy waterways. youtube.com/shorts/Yz-K4...

So grateful to all the people who take the trouble to go to the comments section of my History Hit films and leave a positive review.

The response has been especially good for my most recent film ‘DOGS OF THE TUDORS’ Thanks everyone. It means a lot to hear directly from viewers.

Just a reminder, if you’re wondering what to watch on tv this weekend, that the first of my dog films is now available on History Hit. Download the History Hit App and watch on your tv. They have FREE TRIAL offers and it is a great streaming channel for anyone with an interest in history.

Tomorrow, Februay 6 sees the release, on History Hit, of the first of a couple of films I have made about the history of dogs. The first to be released is about the 'Dogs of the Tudors'. This will be followed in a couple of weeks by 'Dogs in the Age of Revolutions (1760 - 1850)'.

I’m all in favour of re-introducing Lynx to live wild in parts of Scotland. Rewilding Lynx in Iberia has been a success but I condemn rogue action such as the recent release of captive Lynx in Scotland. They cannot survive and it is therefore cruel. Rewilding needs to be done only by experts.

Merrie Christmas Bonnie x

It is beyond extraordinary that herds of Przewalski's horses are flourishing in the Chernobyl exclusion zone. Nature is clawing its way back in this devastated nuclear wasteland. The similarity of these horses to those painted on the walls of the caves in Lascaux c. 18,000 years ago is remarkable.

Delighted UNESCO has classified Portuguese Equestrian Art as an Intangible Cultural Heritage - "based on respect for the horse so that perfect harmony can be established with the riders”. UNESCO does the world great service by acknowledging the importance of such things; they too are treasures.