Yesterday afternoon we held a Parliamentary reception with the Minerals Products Association. This celebrated the good work that a growing number of mineral extraction companies are doing to create wildlife-rich sites after they have dug big holes in the ground.
The Minister, Richard Benyon, was present and was given a bit of a poke by industry about the loss of the Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund (see earlier blog).
But I can't have a go at the Minister as he described this blog as 'very readable'. And he'd noticed that I said some nice things about him recently - but also noted that I don't always. This is the second time I've heard Mr Benyon mention reading this blog so I do believe he really does.
So, Sooty, redkite, BobPhilpott, nightjar, jockyshield and others you are in good company! Although wouldn't it be funny if one of you were Mr Benyon? Sooty - it isn't you is it?
A love of the natural world demonstrates that a person is a cultured inhabitant of planet Earth.
Thanks Gert - I'm sure you are right ....
And Sooty - you too! In all respects!
Well Mark like your sense of humour and think you have a very difficult job of putting the RSPB's case that inevitably I would guess is not exactly your own and also inevitable that one or the other of us will have a bit of a rant about and you still publish so I am going now as as well as being defeatist gone a bit soft but anyway thanks for hundreds of very good blogs and as is always the case with good people you realise how good they were after they have gone.Think if I am not Mr Benyon you may be in trouble if he reads comments for defamation of character.
I suspect this is the RSPB's position on Badger culling.....
www.rspb.org.uk/.../badgers.aspx
If only that was all that happened on heather moors instead of the continued removal of Birds of Prey. Mind you I have had falconers complaining that their birds were mobbed by wild Peregrines. Some thing that does not happen now as it is nearly impossible to find a Wild Peregrine on a Red Grouse Moor!
Hi Mark -Whilst you are thinking about a reply may I just say that I was re-reading a falconry book re Memories of the Old Hawking Club which had a quote from March 25th 1921
“….The eagle owl was used today for the first time, and with great success – the rooks coming in well to mob him in the open, thus affording Best (head falconer) some good slips ……..Six flights and five kills!
And there’s a photograph of the Eagle Own ‘perching’ calmly on a leather gloved wrist – fantastic – just imaging working a pointer with a falcon on the moors – wow!