Don't try this on the cliffs at Bempton! Former Premier League striker recalls painful Iceland encounter with Puffin

FORMER Premier League footballer Matt Jansen has revealed how he once had a painful encounter with a Puffin.

While at Crystal Palace FC, he became friendly with an Icelandic teammate, Hermann Hreidarsson who, during the close season, invited to his home in the Westman Islands off the South Coast of Iceland.

In his fascinating autobiography, he writes: "After exploring part of island in a dinghy, with whales nearby, I was introduced to the great Icelandic art of Puffin hunting

"There were were hordes of them on the cliffs, and the technique involved lying down and stealthily sneaking up to one of the poor birds to catch it in a net.

"'Then you just grab it!'" exclaimed Herman.

"I crawled all over a rock, trying to catch one of these bloomin' Puffins and eventually managed to swipe at one with my net.

"It turned round and took a massive chunk out of my hand with its beak!"

Concludes Janssen ruefully: "As blood trickled down my wrist and the bird waddled off, I figured it was probably best to leave Puffin-hunting  to the experts."

Sadly, the top-flight playing career of Jansen, who also had a spell with Blackburn Rovers, was ended while on another holiday, this time with his girlfriend, Lucy, in Rome.

While the pair were riding on a moped, they were in collision with a taxi, and he had to be rushed unconscious to hospital with a  brain haemorrhage which kept him in a  coma for six days. 

Although his body recovered, it was not the same for his mind.

"Either neurologically or psychologically, or both , I was never the same again," he writes. "I was unable to to recover the same instinctive reflexes or bullet-proof self-confidence."

Matt Jansen - The Autobiography is published by Polaris Publishing.

RSPB's Abernethy nature reserve in peril as wildfire sweeps through Cairngorms mountain range

                                            

Charred eggshells tell the sad story

AS wildfire continues to sweep through parts of the wildlife rich Cairngorms mountain range in the Scottish Highlands, the RSPB has issued the following statement.

"Our staff and volunteers are continuing to work tirelessly to protect Abernethy nature reserve and try and save as much as possible from a serious wildfire in the Cairngorms National Park which began on Wednesday 15 July.

"While significant progress had been made thanks to immense support from the local community and surrounding estates, unfortunately, the fire threat has once again been growing following a change in weather conditions. 

"The situation remains serious and staff, volunteers and partners are at this time focused on doing all they can to support the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service who are co-ordinating the response. 

"It is important that everyone in the area continues to adhere to the guidance of the emergency services.

"The last few days have reflected how important it is that we have the support of our neighbours, partners and the local community and the deep care we all share for this precious place. 

"We are  particularly grateful to the teams on the ground including local volunteers, estate teams, gamekeepers, Forestry and Land Scotland, Wildland Ltd, the Cairngorms National Park Authority, Cairngorms Connect partners and many others."

The statement continues: "Like many, we are concerned for the wildlife, including Capercaillies,  that calls Abernethy home. 

"This landscape is an incredible place for nature, supporting more than 5,000 species including some of the UK's rarest and most threatened wildlife.  

"Its importance is recognised not just on a UK level but an international one by many protected area designations. 

"Right now, it is too early to understand the impact of the fire."

The society says most wildfires are caused by human activity, including BBQs, discarded litter fireworks and, in some cases, arson, making public awareness a key priority. 

Photos: RSPB

 

At what cost to wildlife? A fire-devasted Cairngorms landscape earlier this weekend

A firefighter gamely battles with smoke and flames

The entrance to the famous Scottish reserve

Wallcreeeper, Bee-eater and Avocet among six species being considered for new Euro notes

                    

Six bird species could be depicted in new Euro notes proposed by the European Central Bank. They are: Wallcreeper, Kingfisher, Bee-eater, White Stork, Avocet and Gannet. Members of the public are being invited to comment on the various designs, some of which are depicted above and below. 

                                                        

                                                    

                                                                     

                                                            

                                                  

 

                                                                 

                                                             

                                                                         

                                                     

                                                              

MP wades into controversy over alleged destruction of Swift breeding colony near a Surrey railway station

                                               

Chris Coghlan - seeking assurances on whether correct procedures were followed 

A SURREY MP is investigating an incident in which a colony of nesting Swifts was allegedly wiped out during demolition of an office block near Dorking Railway Station.

The email inbox of Chris Coghlan, Lib-Dem MP for Dorking & Horley has been flooded with furious protests about the timing earlier this summer of demolition of Regent House and adjacent buildings.

Since then, Surrey police, Mole Valley District Council, Surrey Wildlife Trust, a development company, demolition contractors and  an ecological consultancy have been exploring how things went so wrong.

Now, without attributing blame, the MP is seeking both an explanation and full transparency.

Says he: "Thank you to everyone who has contacted me about the demolition of Regent House and the potential loss of Swift nesting sites. 

"I am copying this update to a number of you due to the volume of correspondence I have received.

"I recognise how strongly people feel about this, particularly given the importance of Swifts and the timing during the nesting season.

"Many of you have also raised concerns about transparency and whether the correct processes were followed. I share the view that this situation warrants close scrutiny.

"I remain in contact with Surrey police regarding the status of their investigation and whether any offences may have been committed."

Mr Coghlan continues: "Separately, I have asked the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management to review the ecological work submitted as part of the planning process. 

"This is to assess whether the surveys and evidence provided by the developer met expected professional standards.

 "For clarity, the legal framework places responsibilities on several parties: developers must comply with wildlife legislation and submit appropriate ecological assessments; local planning authorities must consider these and apply suitable conditions or mitigations; and any potential offences are a matter for the police. 

"While MPs do not have a formal role in planning decisions, I am actively seeking assurances that the correct processes were followed in this case.

 "If it becomes clear that the current system has failed to protect known Swift nesting sites, I will press for changes - whether in guidance, enforcement, or seasonal protection - so that this cannot happen again.

 "I will continue to follow this closely and will provide further updates as more information becomes available."

                                        

By the light of a silvery moon - a Swift swoops by

                                                    

The office block prior to demolition

60-minute twitch: Weeting Heath, Norfolk

                                                              

Weeting Heath is managed by Norfolk Wildlife Trust

Date: July 21, 2026

Time: 3pm - 4pm

Weather: Overcast, warm

Target species (which went unseen): Woodlark

Star species seen: Stone-curlew

Other species seen included: 

* Hobby

* Woodpigeon

* Robin

* Rabbit       

Stone-curlew  preening

All eyes on the heath - birders in one of the hides

Distant view of perched hobby

Are Scotland's White-tailed Eagles gobbling up lambs? New tagging project could help answer the question

                                                          

This time a fish - next time a lamb? Photo of White-tailed Eagle: NatureScot

 A TOTAL of 35 satellite tags are to be attached to juvenile White-tailed Eagles as part of a forthcoming project to establish the extent to which the birds prey on young farm livestock.

The initiative has been sparked by angry (but possibly exaggerated)  claims from farmers and crofters in Scotland that their lambs, and even foals, are falling victim to beak and claw.

Says NatureScot; "We are providing funding for the satellite tags for this collaborative research project, which will bring together a broad team of experts to assess predation.

"The transmitter tags will improve understanding of the movements and behaviour of adult and juvenile White-tailed and how they interact with their habitat and other creatures within it."

Over the next two years, the eagle chicks will be tagged when they are about eight weeks old. 

By then, they are full-sized and getting ready to fledge from 10 weeks of age on. 

Target ranges for tagging will be within Argyllshire, The Highlands and the Western Isles.

In Scotland, there are reckoned to be about 200 pairs of White-tailed Eagles.

Farm managers who are comfortable hosting trapping work on their land may be encouraged collaborate with this work.

The research project is a partnership between NatureScot, RSPB, Scotland’s Rural College SRUC, Natural Research Ltd, and a collective of independent ornithologists.

The costs are being shared, and there will be policy input from NFU Scotland and the Scottish Crofting Federation. 

It is hoped the project will also help to indicate how White-tailed Eagles interact with windfarms.

The research group will report periodically to the National Sea Eagle Stakeholder Group, while NatureScot has pledged to provide  updates on its website.

Bygone birding: Edmund Selous reflects on the piratical hunting method of the Arctic Skua

                                                            

Ornithologist Edmund Selous was fascinated by the feeding behaviour of  the Arctic Skua. In his book, Bird Watching (1901), he describes it thus:

Suddenly a dusky form, slender and Swallow-like, though as large as a Pigeon, shoots over the rounded bastion of the heather.

Sweeping upwards as it nears the cliffs, it darts upon one of a group of  gulls. 

A second pirate follows. 

With wild cries and long, gliding sweeps, they press and harass the larger bird, who, doubling, twisting, avoiding, dodging, but never resisting, utters again and again a cry of distress. 

Its companions sweep and eddy about them, shooting athwart and between. 

They protest, they cry to heaven, their wild voices mingle in harsh, discordant unison with the rock-dash of the waves, and the everlasting notes of the wind. 

Suddenly something drops from the oppressed gull. 

There is a sinking towards it of one of the dark shadows - swift beyond telling, but so soft that the speed is not realised.

The falling object is lost from view but then, almost with a jerk, the eye - or rather the brain -  realises that it has been caught in the descent. 

Empty, and now unregarded, the robbed bird sweeps on, and the pirates sweep back to the heather.

Who troubles over a robbed gull? What moral nemesis concerns itself with the wrongs of some cheated, done-to-death savage or tribe of savages? 

Over both, there is some shrieking, some eloquence at the time, but both are soon lost in oblivion, the waves close over and the world jogs on.

Retribution, retributive justice - such fine things may exist, perhaps, but, if so, they are reserved  for showier matters. 

Had the Skuas robbed an Albatross, something, perhaps, would have happened.

Their sin might have found them out 

Thus closes one of nature's wild dramas. The gulls are circling again now, and all is as before.