This limited print of a painting of Balmoral Castle sold for £1,408 including the buyer's premium when it went under the hammer at an online autumn auction conducted by Bonhams. Measuring 280mm x 400mm, it was painted by King Charles in 2001 long before he came to the throne. Might the study have been livelier if a Golden Eagle or some other raptor has been included in the sky?
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| Although it is now almost mid-October, a few migrant passerines, such as the young Wheatear above, are still lingering in Britain. This bird was at Tetney Lock, near the coast in northern Lincolnshire yesterday morning. Nearby, a make Stonechat an autumn and winter visitor to this part of the coast was perched (left) next to a female Chaffinch. |
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| Rousay stoat caught but, on the mainland, the eradication programme continues |
THE RSPB and partner organisations are cockahoop after catching and slaughtering a stoat that, back in May, had apparently swum two miles from Orkney mainland to the small hilly island of Rousay where it was feasting on birds and small mammals such as the Orkney Vole.
Attempts to catch it had been in vain - and reportedly cost up to £200,000 - until late last week when it was finally trapped, prompting a jubilant announcement from the Orkney Native Wildlife Project which is part-funded by the RSPB and supported by NatureScot and Orkney Islands Council.
"We have some excellent news to share!
"The invasive non-native stoat in Rousay has been caught!
"Over the past months, we have been co-ordinating the response to find and remove this stoat, using response trapping, trail cameras, detection dog searches and other tools, with the support of trained local volunteers.
"Now all our efforts have paid off.
"The stoat has been confirmed as male which is more good news.
"It means that there are currently no signs of female stoats or stoats breeding on Rousay, and that this incursion was almost certainly limited to a single animal.
"This stoat has been removed before it could cause any serious harm to native wildlife on Rousay.
"But there’s still more work to be done.
"Over the coming months, the Orkney Native Wildlife Project and local community volunteers will continue to keep the island under observation, so we can be completely confident that no other stoats are present.
"In line with international best practice, monitoring will continue until up to two years after the stoat's removal.
"An episode like this only reinforces how important it is that we remove every single stoat from the Orkney archipelago, to keep it safe as a haven for its many different native species.
"It also shows just how much we can achieve for nature when we all work together.
"This would not have been possible without the efforts of the volunteers from the Rousay community as well as all the landowners who have worked with us to allow trapping and searching on their land, and the folk who have reported their stoat sightings to us.
""We couldn’t have got here without your support for native wildlife. Thank you all so much!"
The campaign to rid the mainland of stoats, not a native species to The Orkneys, continues, and the RSPB is currently recruiting for two trappers.
The Orkneys are important place for nature - from breeding seabirds to birds of moorland, peatland and lochans such as Curlews, Red-throated Divers, Hen Harriers and Short-eared Owls.
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| The invasive Rousay stoat - as captured on trail camera |
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| Red-throated diver - Rousay breeding species |
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| Inquiries continuing following lzarge-scale incident at Kent woodland (photo: Kent Wildlife Trust) |
There are hopes that songbirds and other wildlife will return to Hoad's Wood, near Ashford, Kent, following the removal of 39,500 tonnes of commercial waste - a project undertaken over two years by up to 50 employees of Acumen Waste Services Ltd at the behest of the Environment Agency.
Three men aged between 42 and 63 have been quizzed by about the illicit dumping but information from the public continues to be sought as inquiries continue.
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| Now cleared and awaiting natural regeneration, the waste had been dumped in the heart of the ancient wood which is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (photo: Environment Agency) |
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| What future the reserve's Kingfishers when the RSPB pulls out? |
THE RSPB has today signed off on imminent withdrawal from its Rye Meads nature reserve in Hertfordshire.
The message it has today posted on social media is sure to irritate many of its members.
It states : "As many of you will know, the RSPB will be withdrawing from Rye Meads in November, with management of the reserve returning to Thames Water.
" The reserve remains open as normal until Sunday 1 November, and we encourage you to continue enjoying this wonderful place for nature."
It continues: "We should like to thank everyone who has followed, supported and engaged with our Facebook page over the years plus as our staff and volunteers who have made Rye Meads so special.
"Your passion for Rye Meads and its wildlife has helped make this such a special community."
The statement has not gone down well with Rye Meads regulars with one responding that the RSPB's ‘cavalier attitude’ had prompted him to cancel his membership.
The Wryneck says: In today's statement, the RSPB describes Rye Meads as both 'wonderful' and 'special. Why then is it forfeiting management of the site to a company whose commitment to appropriate levels of management seems uncertain at best? The society is not an under-resourced charity. It has ample means to retain this important and prestigious reserve in its portfolio. It is not too late to change its decision - and that is what it should do.
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| Juvenile Siberian Blue Robin |
WHAT do you do if a mega-rare bird touches down in your own back garden?
After the first flush of exhilaration, comes the tricky dilemma.
Do you keep the information under your hat until the bird has gone? Or do you put out the word and invite twitchers to come see it - with all the domestic risks that might ensue?
Such was the situation birder and Shetland Wildlife tour guide Hugh Harrop found himself soon after breakfast on the morning of October 1.
After scrutinising an unfamiliar-looking bird for more than an hour, he realised his rose bushes were harbouring a juvenile Siberian Blue Robin.
To his immense credit, he released the news - not just to his 20 or so birding contacts, including former British Birds editor Roger Riddington, in the Shetlands, but also to the wider world.
Says Hugh in an article for the online site, Bird Guides: "Within minutes, the first birders arrived, and within an hour there were more than 100 people gathered in our garden.
"Clearly some kind of structure was needed, so I made sure the bird was given some space.
"This worked well on several occasions, with people getting some excellent views despite it being predictably elusive."
The bird was gone by later that morning, so Hugh's inconvenience was brief.
Doubtless, those who saw the vagrant are grateful for his hospitality, yet it was Hugh whose gratitude seems to echo loudest.
He continues: "Thank you to all that came into the garden to share this magnificent bird and for following all the on-site instructions and parking requests.
"Your co-operation was appreciated, not only by myself but by my neighbours and other local residents.
"Be assured that if I discover any more rarities in there, I would hope not to have any hesitation doing the same again and allowing people entry to enjoy whatever is making the headlines."
If accepted by various records committees, this will represent the fifth British example of Siberian Blue Robin.
Typically the species breeds in dense forests in Siberia and spends winter in South-eastern and Eastern Asia.
* Photographs: JJ Harrison/ Wikimedia Commons
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| Adult male blue Siberian Robin |
The have been plaudits aplenty for Jim Moir whose powerful study of the head of a White-tailed Eagle graces the 2025-26 annual report of the RSPB. The contents of the report include a section on the successful reintroduction to parts of the Britain of this impressive raptor.
