Bad news for England's deer but Whitehall initiative should reduce threat to Nightingales and other wild birds

                                                             

With no apex predator, England's population of deer has soared

CULLING of wild deer is to be encouraged in England in an initiative that is expected to benefit Nightingales and other songbirds.

One-third of the country's woodlands are estimated to have been damaged by deer, and the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs insists "urgent action" is needed to protect trees and wildlife from their grazing activities.

In a statement issued today, Defra says: "Landowners, foresters and farmers across England will benefit from this new 10-year plan.

"Deer are an iconic feature of the English countryside but their excessive browsing and trampling  prevents young trees from establishing, degrades habitats, and damages crops. 

"Without  action, this damage risks undermining woodland creation, nature recovery and domestic timber production."

It continues: "Overgrazing reduces the diversity of ground flora and scrub, including flowering plants essential for pollinating insects and fruiting shrubs that support birds and mammals such as dormice.

"Reducing deer pressure has been identified as a key management activity to support the recovery of England's  Nightingale population which has declined by more than 90per cent since the 1960s.

"Deer damage also affects wetlands, with recent surveys of the Norfolk Broads showing more than 10 per cent of rare fen habitat has been impacted.

"Three of the six deer species present in England are non-native

"Current management approaches have not kept pace with the rising impact. 

"There is a need to reduce reliance on fencing and tree shelters and to increase effective, active deer management at landscape scale."

Nature Minister Mary Creagh comments: "Our trees and native wildlife are under huge strain from deer damage.

"This new measure will also help restore nature, boost our home grown timber industry and protect the millions of trees we are planting across the country."

A package of proposed measures includes:

* Dedicated deer officers to provide clearer, more accessible advice and coordination

* Grant funding to support effective deer management activity

* Streamlined licensing processes to cut red tape and enable faster action

The Government will also support the domestic market for wild venison which is siad to be a healthy, high‑protein food, rich in essential amino acids and lower in cholesterol and saturated fats than many other red meats.

Forestry Commission chief executive Richard Stanford comments: "Action has been long overdue.

"We can all help in this endeavour by eating wild venison, the most climate-friendly red meat there is."

Today's statement follows Defra’s Grey Squirrel Policy Statement, published on 29 January, which set out measures to tackle damage to trees and woodlands caused by invasive grey squirrels.

It is hoped that managing the impact of wild deer and grey squirrels will support the Government’s plans to  plant millions of new trees - including three new national forests - thereby increasing woodland cover to at least 16.5 per centf total land area in England by 2050.

Support for the Government initative has come from celebrity naturalist Chris Packham who says:

"To ensure we establish the richest mosaic of habitats, we unfortunately have to make some hard choices - and managing a burgeoning population of deer is one of them. 

"This is not sports shooting or hunting - it is about management by culling.  

"If we want to re-forest, if we want woodland birds and butterflies, we currently have no other option." 

                               

The Muntjac deer is a non-native species

All you need to know about the birds of Dumfries and Galloway - Linda's lively presentation to RSPB group

                                                      

Never happier than when she is birding on the Solway Estuary - Linda Jenkinson

WHEN birders choose Scotland for their holidays, the favoured destinations tend to be the Highlands or the islands.

By contrast, lower-profile and perhaps less spectacular places such as Dumfries and Galloway, in the south-west,  tend to keep their delights to themselves.

At the February indoor meeting of Grimsby and Cleethorpes RSPB, it emerged from a show of hands that very few attendees had visited this region even though it is not much more than 100 miles north of the border.

However, things  might change following an inspirational presentation by Leeds-based teacher, tour guide and Galloway enthusiast  Linda Jenkinson who, in words and pictures, showcased the subtle beauty of this part of Scotland's  scenery and its wealth of birdlife, especially  in winter.

In just over an hour, she took her audience on a whistlestop winter tour of RSPB Mereshead, WWT Caerlaverock, Balcary Bay and various other wildfowl-rich locations on or near the wetland fringes of the Solway Estuary.

Many species of geese and duck, often in large numbers, are invariably conspicuous, not least the 33,000 Barnacle Geese that migrate here from their breeding grounds on the Norwegian archipelago, Svalbard (and Old Norse word meaning 'cold edge').

Among other birds often to be seen in winter are  Guillemots, Black Guillemots and Razorbills plus diver species, Whooper Swans, Slavonian Grebes and many kinds of wader, both short-billed (Ringed Plovers) and long-billed (Whimbrel).

Among Linda's favourites are Pintailed Ducks, especially the "elegant" females, Green-winged Teal and "playful" Purple Sandpipers as they splash among waves breaking on rocks.

Evidently, she also has soft spot for "industrious" Turnstones which, with their hunched gait, seem to be "carrying the weight of the world on their shoulders".

But perhaps the accidental star bird of her talk was a Kookaburra, an Australian native species and one of two that are thought to have flown from an animals and birds collection in Kircudbright. 

Linda runs her own company, Start Birding, which runs courses and field excursions tailored for beginners.

It was refreshing to have a female speaker (they are a relatively uncommon breed) at the February meeting.

Following a vote of thanks from Joy Croot, Linda was warmly applauded for her excellent talk.

A Shropshire lad - pioneering field guide author and illustrator who is now all but forgotten

Wilfrid Hodges - author and illustrator who loved birds

ALTHOUGH contemporary birders will never have heard of him, author and illustrator Wilfrid Hodges made a real contribution to the development of identification guides with his slim volume, Common British Birds - how to identify them.

Its limitations are obvious  - only 90 species are described, none of them seabirds, and including only two waders Curlew and Common Sandpiper.

Most of his drawings are black and white only and, at least by today's standards, not notably impressive .

But in style and layout, the book paved the way for the phenomenally successful Observer's Book of British Birds which was first published two decades later in 1937.

The book went into three editions between 1913 and 1919, and notable inclusions include species that, 113 years later, are far from 'common', among them Red-backed Shrike, Corncrake (Land Rail), Nightjar, Brambling, Marsh Tit and Lesser Spotted Woodpecker.

Also described is the Hawfinch of which Hodges writes: "Appears to be increasing in numbers in England."

Hodges, whose home was in Ellesmere, Shropshire, concludes his short introduction thus: "I should recommend all bird-lovers to obtain, if possible, a pair of field-glasses as these, even if only moderate in power, will prove of the greatest service."

One of only two colour illustrations - Water Rail (left) and Common Sandpiper

The other colour illustration - from left, Bullfinch, Brambling and Goldfinch

A sample of the text - similar in format to that adopted later by The Observer's Book of British Birds

First published in March 1913, there were subsequent editions in March 1916 and February 1919

Try collar-bells, thorny bushes and jet sprays! RSPB's update on how to reduce feline cat predation in gardens

                                                            

Mischief in mind? Cat stalking its prey in the long grass 

THE RSPB has insisted that it takes public concern about cat predation of wildlife "seriously" and  promotes measures to reduce the vulnerability of garden birds. 

In its latest utterance on the subject, it states: "Although it is very difficult to change cat behaviour, we try to make it widely known to their owners that fitting bells to collars and keeping them indoors overnight are simple ways to reduce the number of garden birds and other wildlife they catch. 

"As a science-led organisation, we continue to review new literature and other research to evaluate the direct and indirect impacts of cats on urban, rural and island populations of birds.

"We recommend using an ultrasonic deterrent device such as CatWatch. 

"These devices have proven to reduce both the number of cat visits and the amount of time cats spend in such protected gardens. 

"There are also other deterrents that can be used in combination such as jet sprays and some even have motion detectors." 

The society continues: "Strategically placing thorny bushes in borders or constructing simple climb-deterrent fences around feeding areas can also create cat-free areas. 

"Products such as Citronella  can also be effective for protecting small areas." 

The charity concludes: "We try to share these suggestions as widely as possible." 

RSPB reveals that 2,300 members registered for its 2025 annual meeting held online

                                             

Chance to meet staff - flashback to previous RSPB annual meeting held in central London

IT looks unlikely that the RSPB will revert to holding its AGMs in person.

In response to a member who expressed disappointment at no longer having "the opportunity to meet and converse with key people", the society responded:  "Following our move to an online AGM, we have had incredibly positive feedback, with people joining not just from around the UK but globally, too.

"For the 2025 event, we had more than 2,300 registrations - far higher than we could achieve with an in-person event. 

"In a survey we conducted after the AGM in 2024, which asked about the format of future events, only one person said that they would like to return to an in-person AGM." 

The society adds: "We continue to review the format of our AGM each year, taking into consideration feedback from members and ensuring value for money."  

Nature campaigner Chris Packham insists: 'I'm the most modest person you'll ever meet.'

The newspaper interview

HAVE conservation organisations lost their "campaigning edge"?

Yes, according to high-profile  naturalist and activist Chris Packham (64) who is subject of a full-page interview in last Saturday's edition of The Daily Telegraph.

In his assessment of environmental organisations (he does not specifically name the RSPB, of which he is a vice-president), he is quoted as saying: "There is a lot of fear and timidity."

The broadcaster goes on to express frustration that those "with the capacity to communicate with large numbers of people don't exercise it", regarding it as a "dereliction of duty".

He acknowledges that his style is sometimes confrontational and that, because he is straight-talking, he can come across as "aggressive" but he rejects allegations of "arrogance". 

He tells interviewer Ed Cumming: "I'm the most modest person you'll ever meet.

"I don't like myself. How can I be arrogant?"   

Delightful watercolour by His Majesty - but why did he not include a Golden Eagle or an Osprey?

                                                                     

There is certain to be interest when this 2002 painting by Prince Charles - now King Charles III - goes under the hammer at a sale of  contemporary art to be held on February 28 at the saleroom of Tennants auctioneers in Leyburn, North Yorkshire. Alas, its interest to birders is likely to be limited because of the absence of a raptor, such as a Golden Eagle or Osprey, or indeed any birdlife. The study of Ben Avon, near Braemar, is not an original but one of 20 limited edition prints. It is expected to realise between £500 and £700.  

                                                                            

Wessex population of Stone Curlews numbers about 150 pairs according to latest RSPB update

                                                      

A bird worth fighting for! RSPB determined to increase Stone-curlew numbers in Wessex. (Photo, via Wikimedia Commons, taken in Italy by Francesco Venonesi) 

ACCORDING to its latest tot-up, the RSPB estimates that the breeding population of Stone Curlews in  Wiltshire, Hampshire   and other parts of England's Wessex area is approximately 150 pairs.

For the past 30 years, this has been a target species of the society's conservation efforts, and it works with landowners, including the Ministry of Defence, to safeguard habitats.

For a five-month period this spring and summer, an officer - to be based at its Winterbourne Downs nature reserve in Gloucestershire - will be recruited to count birds and help safeguard habitats. 

Says the job description: "The postholder will be part of a small team working on the Wessex Stone-curlew Project and will be responsible for delivery of Stone-curlew monitoring and protection, mostly in the key area of Salisbury Plain and surrounding farmland, but possibly in the wider Wessex area as well.

"Excellent field skills are required for this tricky and inconspicuous bird, including experience with optics and the ability to spot minute details from a distance. 

"The work includes locating Stone-curlew pairs, monitoring breeding attempts, finding nests, liaising with farmers, contractors, and landowners, and carrying out intervention measures on vulnerable sites. 

"The work also has a strong data gathering and recording component with the need to record measurements quickly and accurately. 

"The field officer will also be required to maintain electronic records. 

"Although the postholder will often be conducting field work alone using their own initiative, they may also work alongside volunteers. 

"Lone working often in remote locations is commonplace in this role. Some evening and weekend work will be required. 

"The field officer will need to be comfortable driving a 4x4 vehicle off road and spending multiple hours per day in a vehicle. 

"Stone-curlew pairs are spread across a wide geographical area and a significant proportion of the monitoring is done from inside a vehicle using a window-mounted spotting scope.

More information from Julie Sims at: julie.sims@rspb.org.uk   

The Stone Curlew's other UK stronghold is the Brecks region of  East Anglia where there are are reckoned to be about 200 pairs.                                                            

Winterbourne Downs - photo: RSPB

Duke of Westminster may take a view on plans for windfarm in raptor-rich site near Cape Wrath

                                               

The remote site earmarked for up to 18 turbines each as high as 200 metres 

PROPOSALS to build a windfarm on a wilderness in north-west Britain could spark objections from birders and conservationists.

Although no planning application has yet been submitted by Edinbugh-based Galileo Empower, the company  is exploring the potential for installing up to 18 turbines, each  with a maximum height of up to 200 metres outside the coastal village of Kinlochbervie, near Cape Wrath which is the most north-westerly point of the British mainland. 

Subject to technical studies, solar photovoltaic panels are also being considered at the location along with a battery energy storage system to hold the renewable energy that would be produced on the site.

However, this rugged landscape is thought to be a foraging habitat for Golden Eagles, White-tailed Eagles and possibly Dotterel and other rare moorland-nesting species, all of which may be at collision or disturbance risk from such a project.

It is likely also that Ospreys frequent the nearby Reay Forest Estate which is part of the Grosvenor land and property empire owned by the Duke of Westminster who is understood to have misgivings about the potential impact on the impact on the scenery and wildlife of what is an uspoiled part of  Britain.

In advance of a planning application being submitted to the Highland Council, Galileo Empower says it will consult with statutory consultees such as NatureScot and Historic Environment Scotland.

It is likely that the RSPB Scotland will also be invited to comment.  

Watery and wonderful - eagle's eye view of part of the Reay Forest Estate

Hard-hitting dossier takes aim at RSPB over how it investigates allegations of bird crime

Pulling no punches - the new report

THE RSPB has come under fire in a new report commissioned by an organisation called the Campaign for the Protection of Moorland Communities.

Entitled RSPB Uncovered, the document  claims to expose misteps in how the society conducts wildlife crime investigations.

The study examines 14 investigations by the charity between 1990 and 2025, concluding that a pattern emerges of "routinely scapegoating rural communities".

In particular, it exanmines the activities of RSPB Senior Investigator Guy Shorrock and Head of Investigations Mark Thomas, working under the leadership of the charity's former Director of Conservation, Mark Avery.  

Says report author A.B. O’Rourke, a former deputy foreign editor of Hongkong's South China Morning Post: "It is shocking that charity workers, with no authority or legal powers, have seemingly been allowed to run amok through the countryside, firing accusations at anyone they believe is morally inferior for the sole purpose of furthering the agenda of their masters."

"Cases where gamekeepers, bird breeders or egg enthusiasts end up with criminal records based on the RSPB's flawed or non-existent evidence and misinformation ought to be re-examined and public apologies issued. 

"The fact this anarchy has gone on so long proves it is sanctioned by the charity's senior management."  

The report also explores the case of Paul Morrison, the former warden of Coquet Island, off Northumberland, who was controversially sacked in 2024 despite his efforts over quarter of a century to safeguard its  breeding colony of rare Roseate Terns.

RSPB Uncovered has received extensive coverage in the shooting Press, but not so far in the birding Press. It can be viewed online at:  RSPB-Uncovered.pdf 

It is not known if the RSPB will respond to the claims.

Headline birds - the three species making a splash on front covers of this month's ornithological mags

 

Goldfinch, Sparowhawk and Purple Sandpiper - the three species featured on front covers of  the February 2026 birding titles.  

      

                                

Impressive study of waterbirds taking to the sky likely to attract interest at March auction

                                        

Bids of up to £700 are expected for this watercolour (heightened with white), Evening Flight,  when it goes under the hammer (Lot 46) at the Salisbury saleroom of auction house Woolley and Wallis on March 3. It is the work of Edward Duncan (1883-1882)  who specialised in atmospheric landscapes. The framed painting measures 38 x 72.8cm (15 x 28.75 inches).

Predatory pumas taking their toll on Magellanic Penguins in Patagonia, say Oxford researchers

Vulnerable - Magellanic Penguins on a site in Patagonia (photo: Martin St-Amant via Wikimedia Commons)

A SURVEY has confirmed that Magellanic Penguins are falling prey to pumas in a wildlife refuge in southern Argentina.

According to a research paper in the Journal for Nature Conservation, more than 7,000 adult birds have become victims over a four-year period at Monte León National Park in Patagonia.

This figure represents about 7.6 per cent of the adult population of around 93,000 individuals.

It was about 130 years ago that the penguins began expanding their breeding range from islands off the coast to to the mainland.

This was a successful strategy while farmers were culling pumas and other potential predators to protect their cattle.

But in the wake of a decline in cattle ranching in southern Argentina in the early1990s, the pumas have returned and begun killing the defenceless penguins.

Marine birds are not normally the prey of  larger feline carnivores.  Many of the birds have only partially been eaten or not eaten at all, indicating that the killings were not solely for food. 

Says lead author Melisa Lera, a postgraduate student at Oxford University's Wildlife Conservation Research: "This is consistent with what ecologists describe as 'surplus killing'. 

"It is comparable to what is seen in domestic cats when prey is  abundant and/or vulnerable - ease of capture can lead to cats hunting more birds even when they do not end up actually eating them."

Study co-author Dr. Jorgelina Marino comments: "This study captures an emerging conservation challenge where recovering carnivores are encountering novel prey.

"Understanding how these dietary shifts affect both predators and prey is essential to inform conservation."

While the losses are dramatic, models show that pumas alone are unlikely to wipe out the colony.

 Greater dangers come from poor breeding and low survival among young penguins.

At Monte Leon National Park, researchers continue to  track both puma and penguin populations as they navigate the complex consequences of ecosystem recovery.

The report recommends that ongoing monitoring is essential to detect early signs of population decline and to guide management decisions before serious ecological damage occurs. 

* Another study, this time in the journal, Communications, Earth & Environment, suggests that droppings from penguins and other seabirds do their bit in addressing climate change by releasing ammonia which rises into the atmosphere and helps form clouds that deflect sunlight and protect sea ice. The research, by a team from the Unversity of Helsinki, was carried out in Antarctica close to a colony of 60,000 Adelie Peguins. 

Calling all tern lovers! Vacancy for a protection assistant exists at key breeding site in Cumbria

Home to breeding wetland birds - RSPB Hodbarrow ( Photo: The Wub via Wikimedia Commons)

A TERN protection assistant is being sought for summer 2026 at a former mine that has been converted to an RSPB reserve.

RSPB Hodbarrow is now a tranquil stretch of coastal lagoon and grassland near Millom in Cumbria and overlooking the Duddon estuary.

The wetlands are home to breeding terns, Ringed Plovers, Redshanks, Great Crested Grebes and Oystercatchers. 

Says the RSPB:  "Out on the lagoon island, we are working to give breeding Little Terns, Common Terns and Sandwich Terns the best chance. 

"This involves limiting plant growth and controlling the numbers of large gulls. 

"We also protect the area during breeding season from both boats and visitors."

The post being advertised is for three months only with a salary equivalent of up to £26,231.

The job description states: "We are recruiting for an Tern Protection Assistant who will help to protect and record one of North West England's most important tern colonies. 

"With a knowledge of breeding shore birds you will share your enthusiasm with visitors and locals. 

"You will work within a small dedicated team to ensure Hodbarrow tern colony continues its breeding successes of previous years. 

"The role will involve working with another  assistant to protect and survey the tern colony. 

"Hodbarrow is home to Sandwich, Common, Arctic and Little Terns and has benefitted from extensive investment over the past six  years through various funding streams which have enabled us to increase the available nesting areas, added new breeding islands and additional predator fencing. "

It continues: "This is an ideal opportunity for those starting out on their conservation career to gain some hands on experience and protect some of the UK's rarest species. 

"The successful candidate will have a knowledge of tern ecology and identification. 

"He or she will be effective and comfortable working alone  for periods of time but also happy to work with others. 

"Good communication skills are essential as you will be speaking to volunteers and the public on a daily basis."

Applications close on March 4, and further information is available from mhairi.maclauchlan@rspb.org.uk .

Typically brooding weather-dominated seascape by Turner - but what species is the bird off Hebridean island?

Anyone care to identify this seabird in the painting of Staffa island that is currently on loan from the Yale Centre of British Art and on display in an exhibition of works by  Turner and Constable at London’s Tate Gallery. The former is understood to have been commissioned to depict Staffa for the purpose of illustrating a collection of poems by Scottish writer Sir Walter Scott. The Hebridean island is summer home to Fulmars, Kittiwakes, Gannets, Arctic Terns and auk species including Puffins. We reckon the species Turner's bird most resembles is Arctic Tern.

                                                   

What would the Peregrines think? Controversy bubbles over proposed new tower block in Barbican

 

There is controversy over this proposed tower block in the Barbican  financial district of  London. Some claim that the demolition of an existing building on the site and construction of a new one (at an estimated cost of £450-million) might disturb a pair of Peregrine Falcons that are regularly seen perched on another tower block less than 20 metres away. However, there is no conclusive evidence that these birds are nesting. And could it be that the proposed new building might even represent a preferable site? The application, to which Natural England has offered no objection, is currently under consideration by City of London planners.   

Her one-woman compost campaign once earned garden centre ban for former RSPB chief executive

                     

Baroness Young - banned

A FORMER chief executive of the RSPB has revealed how she was once banned from garden centres in Bedfordshire where the society has its HQ.

Back in 1990 when she took the reins, Barbara Young - now Baroness Young of Scone - was active in campaigning for a ban on compost obtained from peat bogs.

In a debate on environment improvement in the Lords, she recalled:  "I used to go to the local garden centre and insist that its staff took all the peat-free or reduced-peat products out from the back of their compost displays and put them at the front. 

"I did that for nine months until I was banned from that garden centre. 

"I subsequently went around all the garden centres in Bedfordshire and was systematically banned from one after the other."

Peat products continue to be sold in some garden centres but have largely been phased out over the past 35 years because unharvested peat bogs are recognised to be an important  habitat both as home to specialist species but also in helping to soak up carbon from the atmosphere.

In response to Baroness Young's comments, DEFRA minister Baroness Hayman of Ullock said: "We are committed to ending the sale of horticultural peat and peat-containing products by the end of this Parliament. 

"That is part of our ambition for this Parliament. We are working very closely with the sector to look at how we can make that transition."

Film review: how Goshawk helped give shape and meaning to life of woman numbed by grief at loss of her dad

The film movingly explores the bond between a college lecturer and a Goshawk 

THERE has been quite a bit of buzz in birding circles about the film H is for Hawk - not least because of the dramatic sequences of an individual  Goshawk in rapid pursuit of its quarry.

In one, a rabbit is the prey; in the next, it is a cock Pheasant.

Other birds that feature (mercifully not falling victim to the raptor) include Rook, Blackbird, Robin, Great Tit and (in Stranraer Harbour) Cormorant.

This is not a film about birding, though many of the scenes  will strike a chord with many birders, especially bird-photographers - for instance, in the line: "When you look through the viewfinder, everything else falls away." 

Fleet Street photographer and birder - Brendan Gleeson plays the father

It is more a film about hawking - with its central theme about how acquiring and training  a hawk (which she names, Mabel - from the Latin, amabilis, meaning lovable) becomes the obsession  of Helen Macdonald a lecturer at Jesus College, Cambridge.

In some strange way, it seems to give purpose to her life following the sudden death from heart failure of her much-loved father, Alisdair, a photographer with the Daily Mirror.

The action is based on the true story recounted in a book of the same title by Helen who co-produced the film.

It has to be said that many parts of the book are heavy-going, but, despite the undergoing sadness, the film, by contrast, is tightly-edited and crisp.

The movie is also more successful in exploring both the touchingly tender bond between daughter and her father (it survives just as strongly after his death) and the warm, but less affectionate, relationship with her mother and brother.

There is some fine acting in the supporting roles, notably by Lindsay Duncan, as  the mother, but it is the performance of Claire Foy as Helen Macdonald which really excels - not least  because, to fit the role, she had to learn to engage with a live Goshawk, a large and energetic prey with fierce bill and talons.

There is a rough honesty about how Helen is portrayed. Far from being a paragon of soggytenderness she has plenty of ragged edges - she is self-centred, chain-smokes, swears  and  plays rap music at top volume in her late father’s car where, further to her discredit, she seems careless at the wheel.

With,  a somewhat slovenly approach to life and slightly cruel laugh, this character is not someone you would necessarily want as a reliable friend.

But  it is impossible not to sympathise with and admire a woman trapped in grief and loneliness, yet simultaneously able to find meaning to life through  her affection towards a bird that in no way can reciprocate.

Looking at the credits, the extent of  female involvement in the making of the film is conspicuous, and, perhaps in a nod to diversity, even the GP who diagnoses Helen’s depression is changed from a man in the book to a black woman in the film.

Plaudits to the director, Philippa Lowthorpe, who ensures the narrative is taut and almost entirely free of sentimentality apart from one moment when the Goshawk seems to be casting a tender eye on its owner as she sleeps.

Also creditable is a lecture hall sequence, late in the film,  which explores the ethics of hunting with raptors and whether, as in times gone by, there might today be a role for interaction between humankind and birds as an alternative to watching them with detachment from afar.

On a technical note, which might only be of interest to birders, the camera used by Helen’s father was a Nikon.

But mercifully, there is no obtrusive  'product placement' , for instance, with the spotting scope or with the Zeiss Jenoptem 10x50 binoculars (which seem extraordinarily clunky by modern standards' because the brand names are not shown.

It should be noted that though the theme is underscored throughout by grief, the message is emphatically not one of despair. 

The last word, spoken in a flashback sequence as Helen’s father asks her to pose for a picture is "Smile".

And before the credits roll, we see on screen (and are invited to interpret) the words written in 1373 in  Revelations of Divine Love by the ascetic, Julian of Norwich  (1343-1416): "All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well". 

What happened to the Goshawk, for which Helen had paid £800? 

It is not revealed in the film, but according to the book, the bird "flew for many more seasons before a sudden untreatable infection with aspergillosis - airborne fungus - carried her from her aviary to the dark woods where dwell the lost and dead."   

Wild Goshawks in pre-courtship display - opening sequence to the film

                                                  

Important birder's accessory - spotting scope

To kill or not to kill? Scottish MPs pause decision on slaughter of Gannet fledglings on Hebridean island

                                                             

Longstanding breeding site for Gannets - the remote island of Sula Sgeir (photo: John Macfarlane via Wikimedia Commons)

 

THE Scottish Parliament has put on hold a decision on whether to ban the annual 'harvesting' of young Gannets (known as 'guga') on the island of  Sula Sgeir, some 40 miles off Lewis in the Outer Hebrides.

MSPs decided to postpone debate at least  until after the elections in May  this year.

Almost  80,000 individuals are said to have put their signatures to a petition calling for an end to the practice which, under special licence from NatureScot,  allows for up to 500 fledglings  per season to be taken for subsequent consumption as a 'delicacy'.

The petition was launched by wildlife photographer Rachel Bigsby and a pressure group called Protect the Wild.

Says Ms Bigby: "Scotland holds some of the most internationally important Gannet colonies on Earth, yet one of them is still excluded from the basic protection that applies everywhere else. 

"After the devastating losses caused by avian influenza, the continued licensed bludgeoning of Gannet chicks on Sula Sgeir cannot be justified by conservation, science or animal welfare standards."

However, there is also another view - expressed by John Macleod in a column in The Daily Telegraph - that the activity should be respected and  preserved as a longstanding Gaelic tradition.

Mr Macleod describes those opposed to the hunt  - who include celebrity naturalist Chris Packham - as "sentimentalists" and "virtue-signallers".

Rachel Bigsby: 'bludgeoning cannot be justified'

                                            

John Macleod's column in The Daily Telegraph

Spot the Goldfinch and Macaw! Painting by Flemish Old Master sells for almost $108,000 at New York auction

                      

The painting is designed in such a way as to guide the viewer's eye through the garden to the trellis at the end of it

BIRDS seldom seem to feature in Old Masters' paintings.

Invariably, their landscapes are totally birdless apart, perhaps, from a few distant specks in the sky.

However, an exception is this 1620 work by the Flemish artist Abraham Govaerts (1589-1626).

It includes some doves, of unknown species, domestic pigeons and what look like they might be a Goldfinch and a Blue and Gold Macaw - though both hopelessly out of scale.

The painting is based on the myth of who Verumnus who disguised himself to gain entry to the home of Pomona, goddess of orchards and gardens, in order to woo her.

Earlier this week, it went under the hammer for $107,950  at an auction  of Old Master held by Christie's at their saleroom in New York.

This figure was at the lower end of the range of the  pre-sale estimate of $100,000  and $150,000.  

Global Birdfair 2026 will shine spotlight on critically endangered Dwarf Ibis and other rare island birds

THE focus will fall on one of the world's rarest birds at this year's Global Birdfair.

There may be fewer than 2,000 remaining Dwarf Ibises which all dwell on São Tomé and Príncipe, the second smallest country in Africa in the Gulf of Guinea.

The conservation project for the 2026 Global Birdfair - to be held between July 10-12 at Lyndon Top, near Oakham in Rutland - is Preventing Island Extinctions.

Although protected by law, the critically endangered Dwarf Ibis and the island's other endemic species are vulnerable  to predation and  habitat loss resulting from agricultural development and timber-felling.

Global Birdfair's organisers, Tim Appleton and Penny Robinson, are upbeat about the project.

Enthuses Tim: "This initiative presents a wonderful opportunity for the population of this  São Tomé and Príncipe as they become increasingly aware of their home’s unique biodiversity.

"Developing a sustainable tourism offer focused on avitourism and the country’s national parks can only be of long-term benefit  both to the people and birds of this precious island."

Tickets for Global Birdfair 2026 are now on sale 

More information at www.globalbirdfair.org 

Raptors with human heads - sale price of Egyptian mummy mask beats expectations at New York sale

      

Were ancient Egyptians among the world's first birders?

AN Egyptian gilt mummy mask sold for  82,550 American dollars at yesterday's auction of antiquities held by Christie's  at their saleroom in New York.

Among the prominent features of the mask, reflecting  the ancient Egyptians' fascination with birds, are two raptors with human heads.

The price achieved  was well above the pre-sale estimate of  up to $70,000 dollars.

At the same event, bidding for a  bronze and wood scuplture of a Sacred Ibis reached $44,500 before the hammer fell.

This was more than double the pre-sale guide price of  $15,000 - $20,000.

The identities of the successful bidders have not been disclosed.  

Sacred! High hammer price for ibis

RSPB spells out its policy on cafe closures on its reserves: 'We cannot run commercial operations at a loss'

Show me the way to the cafe! The reception area within the visitor centre at the RSPB's Frampton Marsh reserve near Boston in Lincolnshire 
 

THE decision by the RSPB to close cafes on certain of its reserves is continuing to cause discontent among some members.

Its rigorous approach to profitability has caused consternation to those who believe cafes are vital to enhancing the visitor experience.

The closure of the cafe at its Rainham Marshes reserve in Essex has  proved particularly contentious

In the wake of some challenging questions at the most recent annual meetings, the society has spelled out is overall policy thus: "We need our cafés to generate a profit to allow us to reinvest this in  conservation. 

"We operate them with the same commercial focus as any other business where optimising net profit is a key priority. 

"This is achieved through benchmarked pricing, competitive supplier agreements and robust control measures to deliver against key performance indicators to ensure maximum profitability and a high-quality visitor experience."

Our shops and cafés are an important part of the visitor experience, providing a welcoming space and enhancing enjoyment at our reserves. 

They also play a vital role in supporting the RSPB mission by generating unrestricted income for RSPB.  

"But we cannot run commercial operations at a loss when their purpose is to provide income for our charity to enable us to deliver our charitable objectives and mission."  

On the option of outsourcing its cafes to external caterers, it states: 

" If we were to contract our cafes out to a third-party provider, a significant proportion of that benefit would be lost as external companies would naturally retain a share of the profit."