Monitoring Montagu's harriers 

Written by Emma Tovell

Following in the footsteps of the satellite tracking of three Montagu’s harriers Mo, Madge and Mark in 2014, the project  to monitor the movements of the UK’s rarest breeding bird of prey is once again underway in East Anglia. The project is led by Dutch researchers from the “Montagu’s Harrier Foundation” alongside conservationists from…

Guest blog from Dr Rob Field & Dr Richard Bradbury RSPB Conservation Scientists

How do you put a value on a nature reserve like Wicken Fen?

Man — despite his artistic pretensions, his sophistication, and his many accomplishments — owes his existence to a six inch layer of topsoil and the fact that it rains. ~ Anon.

The natural world has always provided for us, and throughout history we have valued that…

Blogger: Adam Murray, Communications Officer

Well we have come full circle, my name is Adam and I love plants and gardening. I dismissed plants outright when I chose Zoology over Biology (including botany) for my undergraduate degree. My shoulders sank and I huffed at the thought of doing chores in the garden as a kid. Now look at me, #OperationWildTimes is up and running and you and I are now in a world of “plantification…

Blogger: Adam Murray, Communications Officer

How are you coping with the summer holidays? A bit soggy around the edges as you dodge the thunder storms? Noticed that the roads are quieter and your usual haunts are “full of screaming kids”/children having fun? Or have you managed to get away from it all and enjoy some natural spectacles like the wild geese that fly with the moon on their wings?

With my…

Blogger: Adam Murray, Communications Officer

In the words of Mr Meatloaf 2, out of three aint bad. In other words, I am so nearly there with completing our wildlife garden that keeps everyone happy. Last weekend I referred back to the Giving Nature a Home guide that I downloaded for free here. Below you can see our progress so far in reaching that Nirvana state... 

Step 1: Grow flowering plants

I have a increasing…

Blogger: Adam Murray, Communications Officer

Need a touch of Fiji Time

With this glorious sunshine I am really chuffed with how our new wildlife and family friendly garden is bedding in. However, I definitely need a bit of Fiji Time mentality. What is Fiji Time? From my time working over there you quickly find out about the laid back, don’t stress about the things you can’t change, things will happen when they happen…

Blogger: Adam Murray

Hard Landscaping – bringing in the big guns

I don’t know about you but the 1980s was never a good decade for fashion. I am sorry cool kids with your high waist jeans, stone-washed denim and patterned leggings – it was never cool. The same goes for technicolour paving slabs. I know that I will probably look back at this blog post in 10 years time and think the same about my contemporary-meets…

Blogger: Adam Murray, Communications Officer

Did you enjoy this year’s Hampton Court Flower Show (my 10 year old self would never thought I would be saying that)? Some top plants there and a bit of plant envy on my behalf. Which were your favourites? It is great to see such a variety of plants from around the world, inspiring the designs. I particularly liked A Space to Connect & Grow, Hedgehog Street  and the…

Blogger: Adam Murray, Communications Officer

If I had been lead to believe what I was told at school and that all I could have a job in conservation was as a scuba diving marine biologist or jungle living monkey lover (tried a bit of both – leeches and seasickness scuppered both) then I would have given up ages ago. I am a font geek/brand checking/queue watching/pop-up cafe loving conservationist. Not only that but at…

Blogger: Adam Murray, Communications Officer

Things are hotting up. Next step is looking at what you have in your garden and what you would like to keep and what would be on your new wish list of goodies.

Phase 2: Embrace the wildlife and removing the not very [wildlife] friendly stuff

□     Design your unique garden

□     Remove the non-native shrubs

□     Remove gravel and some concrete to improve drainage and stop my 3 year…

Blogger: Adam Murray, Communications Officer

So where do you even start! I have a packed week, sleepless nights and a walled south facing garden that is screaming out to be loved. Like a toddler, our garden can get unruly if you do not pay attention to it. So where do you go for advice to control your unruly child/garden? Like parenting, you can turn to How To books, ask your own wise parents and even your friends and…

Blogger: Adam Murray, Communications Officer

I grew up hating gardening. It was that chore my Mum and Dad made me and my siblings do to earn pocket money. Mow the lawn, do the weeding, dig a hole or two (don’t ask). When all we really wanted to do was go play on our spokey-dokey laden BMX bikes or run across to the field opposite to play in the little wood and get grubby.

I am now in my mid-thirties, have…

Blogger: Sammy Fraser RSPB Brecks Community Engagement Officer

A new exciting landscape partnership scheme is coming to the Brecks in the shape of the Breaking New Ground Project; this three year scheme was successfully awarded £1.5million by the Heritage Lottery Fund and will form the umbrella for 37 individual projects.

The aim of Breaking New Ground Project will be to deliver new landscape heritage and community…

Blogger: Lou Gregory, RSPB Volunteering Co-ordinator, Minsmere

In the world of wildlife, spring is that magical time of new growth, new homes and new families. In our world too, spring is bringing in the new!

This year, for the first time, we are excited to be the new home of BBC Springwatch at our flagship Minsmere nature reserve, nestled between Southwold and Aldeburgh on the beautiful Suffolk heritage coast.

Blogger: Lotte Large, RSPB Conservation Team

In the East of England, water is a major issue.  It’s fundamental to the environment, the economy, our health, agriculture... to life on earth.  What some people don’t realise however is that the East of England is the most water-stressed region in the UK, meaning there isn’t always enough to go around. 

An example of this would be at a site called Catfield…

We are so excited to be able to share with you the news that BBC Springwatch will be broadcasting from a brand-new home at our lovely RSPB Minsmere on the beautiful Suffolk coast this year!

The three-week long wildlife party, hosted by Chris Packham, Michaela Strachan and Martin Hughes-Games starts on Monday 26^th May and stretches right through to Thursday 12^th June.

With over 5,600 plant and animal species recorded…

In this final instalment, we hear about Mandy’s final few days on her epic fundraising adventure.  After nearly 12 days paddling 75 miles along Norfolk rivers in a toy boat, will her boat hold out?  What other wildlife will she see along the way? Will she make it all the way back to Norwich?  Read on to find out....

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Day 9

After a restful night floating on the river at Reedham I was joined by my friend Mr…

Over the next few days we are sharing Mandy Foyster’s incredible adventure, paddling 75 miles of Norfolk’s rivers in a toy boat over 12 days, all in aid of the RSPB and Norfolk Wildlife Trust.  Here’s the next instalment of her amazing feat:

Day 6

I awoke on Thursday tired but looking forward to a slightly easier day.  However a familiar hissing noise from my boat soon made me realise that today…

Today, we are so proud to have welcomed Mandy Foyster back from her incredible adventure, dedicated to raising funds for the RSPB and Norfolk Wildlife Trust in memory of her mother in law, Doreen.  As well as daily updates on BBC Radio Norfolk, she shared her experiences along her travels with us over email. Over the next few days we’ll be posting excerpts from her 12 day trip!

Mandy sets sail

Pre-launch upd…

Blogger: Gena Correale-Wardle, Community Fundraising

William Farrugia is one of nature’s heroes. Not only is he a fundraiser and advocate for the RSPB, standing up and speaking in front of dozens of his peers, but he’s also only 9 years old!

A few weeks ago on his walk to school he saw a dead blackbird in the road. Being William’s favourite bird, it made him very sad and spurred him into action to help…

Guest blog by Sarah Green, Project Co-ordinator, Natura People Partnership Project

In December 2013 seven nature and conservation organisations came together to study carbon reduction and renewable energy measures in the UK, Belgium and the Netherlands.

Climate change is a real problem in the world – we know this and you know this – but what is less clear is how we tackle the problem.  How can we work with…

Guest blog by Sarah Green, Project Coordinator - Natura People Partnership Project

Do you work in conservation? Are you interested in increasing visitor numbers?  Do you want to improve your educational programme?  Are you interested in working with local businesses but aren’t sure how to start?  Do you need to measure the economic impact of your nature reserve or heritage site?

If you said yes to any of these, please…

The Thames Estuary is an incredible place for wildlife and it has some of the rarest bugs and beasties in the UK aswell as being one of the most important migration routes in the country for hundreds of thousands of birds. It is a highly developed area with some great examples of sustainable development such as DP World’s London Gateway port development. Sadly, there are also plenty of potential threats to the wildlife…

Blogger: Jo Sampson, Project Manager

Calling all visitors and residents of North Kent, South Essex and London; The Big Picture – Greater Thames Photography Competition is open for entries!  With a break in the weather and a wealth of winter waders out on the marshes, what better time to get out and enjoy your local green space? – here to tell you more about it is Stef Lawrence:

The competition is open to anyone…

Blogger: Dr Rebecca Laidlaw

Last year Dr Jen Smart wrote a guest blog for Martin Harper called “Where have all the waders gone and how are we going to get them back?” In that blog, she identified some key things that will be important if our vision of landscapes with thriving wader populations, such as lapwing and redshank, are to be realised.

Wetland,  Mike Norton

Wouldn’t it be great if we had the…