Michael Gove Made Orwell Prize Judge Despite Record of Attacking Journalists and Dodging Scrutiny Critics say "Orwell would have enjoyed the irony" of the former Conservative minister's appointment

I’m a past winner of the Orwell Prize & won partly because I exposed Vote Leave’s unlawful activities.

Michael Gove was its co-convener & refused to answer a single q. He’s now a judge of the prize & our world is truly one that Orwell would recognise

bylinetimes.com/2025/11/25/m...

Housing secretary tells Labour MPs to vote down planning bill amendment Amendment restricts protection for animals to allow faster house building

Watching Labour MPs take a wrecking ball to nature makes me so angry & so sad. Their action tonight voting down amendments to the #PlanningBill intended to protect wildlife & habitats from destruction is so reckless & so counterproductive. People didn’t vote Labour for this 👇

Hidden wonders: my fascinating encounters with the Bittern Elusive and majestic, the Bittern’s booming call echoes across Minsmere’s reeds – a symbol of hope and conservation success

Back in 1997, there were just 11 booming male Bitterns left in the UK – almost extinct. Thanks to conservation by @rspb.bsky.social and @naturalengland.bsky.social 283 booming males were recorded in 2024.

Les Cater shares his story and stunning photos of these rare birds ⤵️

Trees and bracken, recently provided with a nitrogen boost by yours truly

Poole Harbour with browning sea grass (perhaps) in the foreground and islands beyond

A beach with water to the left and salt marsh to the right

Looking out on an arm of Poole Harbour from on high

Today I went to RSPB Arne to hold my own, very low budget, Autumnwatch. Autumn was watched and, to an extent, heard and smelt...

A view of the Marsh awards being presented at the BENHS exhibition, with some of the audience watching the award winners on stage

Thanks @britentsoc.bsky.social for a great exhibition today, and congrats to @marshawards.bsky.social winners: @markgurn.bsky.social (weevils!), David Brown (moths!) and Laurence Clemons (tephritid flies!)

Lichen Running Spider at #RSPBArne today #Spiders @britishspiders.bsky.social

#RSPBArne @rspbengland.bsky.social

Good news on Dorset Cirl Buntings continues to arrive. Early data from the breeding season confirms they are continuing to re-establish a population in the county. Please submit any outstanding records now. 🙏 In winter our focus switches to feeding flocks - please send us all sightings. 🙏

#RSPBArne @rspbengland.bsky.social

#RSPBArne @rspbengland.bsky.social

#RSPBArne @rspbengland.bsky.social

Congratulations @penrhynbirder.bsky.social ,well deserved.

So many godwits in flight over Middlemere, RSPB Arne today. We thought they were spooked by a marsh harrier, but apparently, it was a peregrine.
@harbourbirds.bsky.social
@dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social
@rspb.bsky.social
@rspbengland.bsky.social

Richard Tice - "Please welcome to the stage... Nathan Gill"

So much for Tice's claim to have never met Nathan Gill.

Front cover of the European Butterfly Red List, showing Polyommatus humedasae. The report can be downloaded at https://www.bc-europe.eu/webpage.php?name=red-list-butterflies-2025

The new European Butterfly Red List is published today, with worrying findings. Over 1/4 (28%) of Europe’s 442 species are threatened with extinction or are close to being so. The situation is far worse for our 148 endemic species, 40% are now threatened or nearly so www.bc-europe.eu/webpage.php?...

Yesterday, IUCN declared the Slender-billed Curlew to be extinct.
How did we let this happen?
What lessons are there for the future?
WaderTales blog based on paper by Graeme Buchanan et al
wadertales.wordpress.com/2024/12/12/l...
#extinction #ornithology

20,000 new members have joined the Green Party in the past month.

This is the Green surge.

Want to be part of it? Join the Green Party today ⤵

National security threatened by climate crisis, UK intelligence chiefs due to warn Report by joint intelligence committee delayed, with concerns expressed that it may not be published

And Labour aren't exactly showing leadership in this area either! Worrying signs of a political race to the bottom.

National security threatened by climate crisis, UK intelligence chiefs due to warn www.theguardian.com/environment/...

but not wanting to do anything much about it. Just take a moment to think about that means for your children and grandchildren. Utterly morally bankrupt!

Badenoch makes false claims in attack on Climate Change Act - Grantham Research Institute on climate change and the environment Bob Ward unpicks Kemi Badenoch's announcement this week that the Conservative Party would repeal the Climate Change Act of 2008 if they win a majority at the next General Election.

Boris Johnson's only saving grace as a Prime Minister was his commitment to tackling Climate Change (imperfect as it was). But the Conservatives are now heading to a moronic position of accepting that Climate Change is an existential threat to humanity 1/2

www.lse.ac.uk/granthaminst...

Afraid not Julian! The only witness was my wife who by this stage of our walk was fed up with me stopping to peer into every bush (lots of chiffchaff!) and just carried on walking!

It's better than the photo I failed to get in spite of running around the grassland above Seacombe after a Clouded Yellow this afternoon!

My first and likely last Clouded Yellow of the year above Seacombe on the Jurassic Coast this afternoon. @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social

London Ulez reduced nitrogen dioxide to legal limit, mayor says The mayor of London says the fall in airborne toxins is due to the Ultra low emission zone expansion.

184 years earlier than predicted, London has met the legal limits for toxic NO2 for the first time.

This historic milestone proves that bold action like expanding ULEZ works, protecting children’s health and giving millions cleaner air to breathe.

Spotted Flycatcher and Willow Warbler still in the farm fields at #RSPBArne joined by a very smart Whinchat. @rspbengland.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @harbourbirds.bsky.social

UN Secretary-General: 'Clean is competitive, and climate action is imperative' Antonio Guterres hits back at President Trump's dismissal of climate science and clean tech, arguing 'science compels climate action' and 'clean energy is powering jobs, growth and sustainable develop...

UN Secretary-General unequivocal on what is needed from governments to tackle the climate crisis. Clear, concise, rooted in reality, and optimistic. The antithesis of the speech Trump gave to the UN yesterday.
www.businessgreen.com/news/4519488...

Americans I am begging you to sort this out. Your mad racist uncle has shat himself in public again.

Two spotted flycatchers and a pied flycatcher in one old willow tree, with willow warbler, chiffchaff, swallows and 12 stonechats at #RSPBArne today. All making the most of the insects on the wing in today's warm weather @rspbengland.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @harbourbirds.bsky.social

Nice afternoon on rspb arnes shipstal trail watching an osprey attempting to fish from the hide, then on way back to the car, we had a very quick view of the wryneck at the Dumbledore trail 🪶 @harbourbirds.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @rspb.bsky.social

Plans to build Solent Gateway 2 on Dibden Bay near Southampton ABP said the proposed new terminal between Marchwood and Hythe would not be used by container ships.

Sigh, here we go again... Dibden Bay is a SSSI, important for overwintering birds. #Solent