Hello,
This is my a first blog post. A truly momentous day. It is thus only fitting that I commence this post the way that all good blog posts should commence: with a photo of two grown men sweating in bird costumes. One in orange pantaloons, the other in white leggings. Fortunately the photographer* has framed it to salvage (some) of their dignity:
*[To see more of this photographer's work, look him up on facebook - Ian Sloan Photography]
Unfortunately, one of these sweating men is me. I am the bespectacled man on the right, with the drooping beak, and my bearded, feathered, puffin friend is Ben Mitchell, the Assistant Warden at our beautiful Mersehead reserve on the Solway coast.
You'll be pleased to hear there was a good reason for the spectacular (!) get-ups. We were at the Wickerman festival near Dumfries a couple of weeks ago to increase support for the RSPB through signing up new members, selling pin badges, and very importantly with regard to my job, collecting signatures for our Stepping Up for Nature campaign. Specifically, we were collecting signatures for the marine element of the campaign, pushing for the creation of a network of marine protected areas. If you haven't already signed the pledge, what are you waiting for? Do it here - because behind the daft costumes there is a serious story - that of the decline of many of our seabird species and the lack of protection they currently receive at sea.
Thanks to your help and over a decade of campaigning by environmental NGOs including the RSPB, all the necessary legal tools now exist to protect important offshore areas for seabirds (although we're still working towards comprehensive marine legislation in Northern Ireland to complete the jigsaw). Now we need you to let your elected representatives know that it is time to use these tools to properly protect marine wildlife.
Around the world, different places are renowned for their wildlife specialties: South Africa has the big five, Brazil has rainforests and the Indo-Pacific has expansive and beautiful coral reefs. The UK has seabirds - literally millions nest here each year in internationally important numbers. 80% of the world's Manx shearwaters, 60% of the global great skua population and 56% of all northern gannets make their home here.
So - please take a couple of minutes out your day to sign the pledge to help protect what I consider to be our greatest wildlife spectacle - our seabird colonies. I'm not just asking because it'll make my job easier - I'm asking because it's critically important for the seabirds that make our coasts and seas so incredible.