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To Bee Or Not To Bee
The importance of bees in our Countryside. By Graham Wellstead. It is often quite difficult to quantify the number and range of insect species which currently live, but may not necessarily thrive, in the UK. With the loss of habitat, and urbanisation, we should not be surprised to learn many small things have gone extinct…
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The Little Stinker! Polecats in the UK in Need of a Helping Hand.
Breed and Release – did it work? By Graham Wellstead. There are today many creatures in the UK, and indeed, World Wide, that are in need of a concentrated scheme dedicated to try and reverse their decline. As a private individual I have done my best with the use of my time and money (unsupported)…
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The Climate Crisis: Through Nature’s Eyes and Echoing Maxwell Knight.
In “The Climate Crisis: Through Nature’s Eyes and Echoing Maxwell Knight,” we examine the current climate crisis, drawing parallels with the early environmental warnings of Maxwell Knight. The post delves into the multifaceted nature of the climate emergency, including biodiversity loss and extreme weather events, as highlighted by the WWF Living Planet Report 2022. It…
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Breeding and Releasing British Wildlife (Before rewilding became the catchphrase)
By Graham Wellstead Introduction: Delve into a fascinating tale of dedication and innovation in wildlife conservation with our guest contributor, Graham Wellstead. In this blog, Graham shares his personal experiences from the late 1970s, focusing on the challenges and triumphs of breeding and releasing Barn Owls and European Polecats in the UK. Before the concept…
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Fork in the Road: Envisioning Earth’s Future in 2050
“Fork in the Road: Envisioning Earth’s Future in 2050” presents two divergent global scenarios (blogs) for the year 2050, each illustrating the profound impact of our environmental choices. These scenarios are not just about London but serve as a microcosm for the world at large. The first scenario paints a grim picture of a planet…
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“Where have all the flowers gone?”
By John and Margaret Cooper. On Monday 23rd March 2020, nine weeks ago, we started to “self-isolate” as over 70s in our tiny cottage in Norfolk. During our lockdown we have taken most of our government-sanctioned daily exercise by strolling down a nearby narrow country lane. We have used these walks to observe plants and…
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A more optimistic long view of our place in nature
By Dr Valerie Jeffries. Walking along briskly for my lockdown exercise I was watching the starlings congregate for their evening swarm on the TV aerials, and listening to quarrelling sparrows and the raucous yells of the seagulls way inland. Many birds have adapted to live alongside humans in our urban landscapes, some like the house…
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“Habitat is King”; look after the habitat and all will be well
By Mike Gadd. As a great lover of wildlife art and sculpture, I fell into the fascinating world of taxidermy and have tried to recreate the beauty of nature ever since. My morning walks always bring ideas and inspiration, as I see the seasons change and the amazing wildlife along the River Wharfe and woods…
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‘Over 1 in 10 UK species faces a real risk of extinction’
Written by Oliver Cottis. Spring is the best time of year and we are stuck at home. With such a depressing grind of negativity, I don’t think it’s ever been as important to connect with nature in any way that we can. For most of us, this means in our gardens. More people than ever…
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Bats are brilliant to watch at dusk
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What’s on the bird table?
A male Blackbird (Turdus merula) taking sunflower hearts:
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Introducing Haith’s Helpline
Visit https://www.haiths.com/haiths-helpline/ to find out more. Stay well. Simon
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We’re in The Herpetological Bulletin!
Courtesy of http://www.thebhs.org
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Take note of nature
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‘Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth…’
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From John and Margaret Cooper in Kenya
When we visited El Karama Ranch in Laikipia we expected to be shown a lot of large farm livestock and to see impressive wildlife, such as elephants. We experienced both but we were also consulted about a young white-browed sparrow-weaver (Plocepasser mahali) that had been found by Mrs Lavinia Grant (a long-term Kenya resident, renowned…
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Look deep into nature…
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A stop you in your tracks photograph
Image by Frank Winkler from Pixabay
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‘The Dynamics of Humankind’ – a new book exploring the comparative analysis between the natural world and the unnatural human world
Recently, I had the pleasure to meet British scientist Chris Middleton at Burlington House, Piccadilly prior to the two of us being formally admitted as Fellows of The Linnean Society of London (FLS). Chris and I were equally thrilled to have been elected a FLS and there we were, ready for the formal admission and poised…
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Admission of Simon H King as a Fellow of The Linnean Society of London (FLS)
It seemed like an age had passed since Margaret E Cooper FLS informed me that she intended to recommend me for election to Fellowship of The Linnean Society of London and emailed over the formal certificate of recommendation – listing my qualifications along with a lengthy reference dated 9 September 2019. Margaret wrote that it…
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As the sun sets on 2019
As the sun sets on 2019, we’re going to reflect on an exciting year for The Frightened Face of Nature (FFON) project and wish all our readers the very best for 2020. Hope to see you next year. Simon King, John and Margaret Cooper
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Lincolnshire looked like an oil painting this morning
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Latest news: An elected Fellow of The Linnean Society of London
I’m thrilled to be an elected Fellow of The Linnean Society of London. “The Linnean Society of London is the world’s oldest active biological society. Founded in 1788 by Sir James Edward Smith (1759–1828), who was its first President. The Society takes its name from the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus (1707–1778) whose botanical, zoological and…
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Presentation at Cambridge University Veterinary Zoological Society (CUVZS)
Thrilled to have given a talk to CUVZS students about feeding and nutrition of birds yesterday. It’s always a pleasure to share the stage with John and Margaret Cooper. John discussed the ‘importance of avian nutrition’, and Margaret the ‘legal and ethical considerations of feeding birds.’ We were also joined by Rosie Haith who gave…
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An autumn walk in pictures
