Studies of Woodcock and Swallows in Dales catch eye in sale of contemporary art in Yorkshire

 

Piers Browne's study of  Woodcock in Wensleydale on a summer evening  fetched £950 when it went under the hammer at auction of contemporary art  held last Saturday by Tennants of Leyburn in Yorkshire. This was well above the pre-sale estimate of £400 - £600. Earlier in proceedings his intense but slightly disturbing study of a new moon and Swallows, also set in Wensleydale, sold for £300 which was at the lowest end of the £300- £600 pre-sale guide price. A prolific artist who staged many one-man exhibitions, Browne died peacefully at home on July 8 last year. He was 74.

                                                    

                                             

RSPB's annual report reveals pay hike for highly-regarded chief executive Beccy Speight

                                                       

Beccy Speight (third left) with her top team - Katie-Jo Luxton, Andrew Cook, Russell Powell, Emma Marsh and James Robinson (Photo: RSPB Images)

A SHARP increase in the number of staff on annual salaries of £60,000 or more has been reported by the RSPB.

According to the recently-published annual report, the figure has  more than doubled  from 26 in 2024 to 54 in 2025.

The highest paid employee is chief executive Beccy Speight who has seen a boost in her annual total remuneration.

Including  salary, employer pension contributions and other benefits, it has swelled from  £200,069 to £212,169. 

It may seem a lot, but the pay rise indicates how highly the society thinks of Ms Speight and her inspirational leadership since taking over the reins in 2019.

Crimean War was still raging when Britain's 'first' Siberian Thrush was sighted - and shot - in Surrey

                                                           

The study of a pair of Siberian Thrushes in Gould's Birds of Europe

IF he had still been alive, this week's occurrence of a Siberian Thrush in Shetland would have intrigued a certain Mr Drewett of Surrey.

Back in February, 1855, at a time when the Crimean War was raging, he shot a female of this species at St Catherine's Hill, near Guildford in the county.

Some while after it had been stuffed and mounted, the bird ended up in the possession of Mr Bond.

It is the same specimen (to the right) that was subsequently depicted  in John Gould's masterwork Birds of Europe (1873).

Writes Gould: "It is certain that many birds have visited us of late years, both from the east and the west, which do not appear to have been known in the times of Gilbert White, Montague and Bewick."

The provenance of the Guildford bird belongs to history, and the first official British record of the species is the one that spent October 1-4, 1954, on the Isle of May.

Since then, there have been some 14 other records - most on islands off the Scottish mainland.

Discounting the Guildford bird, the first English record is of the male that was sighted in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, on Christmas Day in 1977.

Loadsamoney! RSPB reports huge increase in income ahead of its 2025 annual meeting

Resilient! The RSPB's finances have never looked healthier

THERE is good news on the finances of the RSPB ahead of the society's  annual meeting tomorrow morning (October 4).

Over the past 12 months, its income has soared by 14.8 per cent to a record £195-million.

RSPB bosses have described the growth, which is revealed in the 2024-25 annual report, as "excellent".

The uplift is attributable partly to increased membership, which now stands at almost 1,200,000, but more to monies generously left in their wills by deceased members and supporters of the RSPB.

This latter sum came in at a record-breaking £49.1-million.

The coffers were also swelled by record amounts of grants and donations from trusts, corporates and other benefactors.

Meanwhile, total expenditure on employing staff, maintaining its reserves, land purchases, education and other activities came in at £177-million

So the Bedfordshire-based charity ended its year in the black by £18-milllion.

Despite the robust financial position, the annual report strikes a cautionary note.

"We face  huge inflationary pressures on our running costs,"it says.

"We also continue to see global economic uncertainty, primarily through the threats, consequences, and escalation of events stemming from international tensions, conflicts and political instability, all of which are continuing  to have a knock-on effect on the global economy.

"The uncertain financial and external context has meant rapidly rising running costs. 

"The cost of  goods and services has continued to rise, and the National Insurance threshold change announced in the budget in October 2024 meant we now need to find over £2-million  extra in 

our budget every year. 

" The external volatility looks here to stay, and we must continue with careful financial management to maintain our financial sustainability for the future. 

"We remain financially resilient, and are within our policy reserves range."

The report ends on an upbeat note: "The support and commitment of our members and supporters remains strong.

"This gives us  a sound financial base to meet the challenges ahead in our mission to save nature."

After 10 years' service, Yorkshire Wildlife Trust calls time on its all-terrain Spurn wildlife safari vehicle

                                                                

Expensive to repair - the Spurn peninsula 'Unimog' (photo YWT)

IT is the end of the road for the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust's 'Unimog'.

Over the past 10 years, the 16-seater  all-terrain vehicle has been used for  three-hour long Spurn Safaris. 

But, alas, no longer.

The trust has issued the following statement: "Very sadly, it is no longer viable for us, as a wildlife charity prioritising nature’s recovery, to keep up with an increasing number of repairs to the aged vehicle. 

"This means we have decided to pause our Spurn Safari trips and the Unimog will no longer be in use at Spurn. 

"The Unimog has had a fantastic final summer season and we will be very sorry to see her go." 

The statement continues: "It is the best time to make this difficult decision  as we head into more challenging seasonal weather conditions, an ever-changing beach and a quieter season.

"We are now researching other ways to transport visitors safely and sustainably along the beach three miles to the end of Spurn and lighthouse to ensure we give visitors an amazing wildlife experience on our beautiful nature reserve."

It adds: "We would also welcome discussions with partners or transport organisations and businesses whose values align with ours and who would be interested in working with us."                               

Wotalotabirds! Fantastic views of waders in flight were sometimes to be seen from the 'Unimog'. (Full disclosure: this photograph was snapped in Cleethorpes on the Lincolnshire  side of Spurn  peninsula and the Humber Estuary

New editor of British Birds journal is experienced ornithologist and chair of Spurn Bird Observatory

 

Sarah - graduate of  Aberystwyth University 

IT'S good luck to Sarah Harris who has taken over as editor and content manager of  British Birds journal.

She is replacing Stephen Menzie who has stepped down after almost five years as editor.

Sarah is well-known in the birding world not least because she is chairperson and one of three directors at  Spurn Bird Observatory.

A graduate of Aberystwyth University with a degree in Countryside Conservation, her varied career has also involved being a seabird monitoring programme organiser with the BTO.

Previously, she has also worked variously as RSPB white-tailed eagle officer on Skye, as assistant warden on  the islands of Skomer and Skokholm for the Wildlife Trust of South & West Wales and as ornithological warden on the Calf of Man for the Manx Wildlife Trust.

Sarah's interests include witnessing and recording bird migration, bird ringing, supporting the work of bird observatories, patch birding in the Brecks, sea-watching, moth recording and travel, both home and overseas.

She also  also enjoys mountain biking, yachting, power-boating, yoga, gardening and keeping a large freshwater aquarium.

Meanwhile, her predecessor has described stepping down from the British Birds editor's chair as "a tough decision".  

He will stay involved with the organisation through his membership of the rarities committee.                                   

Established in 1907, the monthly journal is still going strong 

On the lookout for divers - the new British Birds editor

Natural England releases updated map on progress of King Charles III England Coast Path Trail