RSPB England

Way back in 1979 the European Union, under pressure from the UK Government adopted the Birds Directive. This early piece of environmental legislation required all member states to offer basic protection to wild birds across the continent.  As part of this, each country was asked to designate “Special Protection Areas”; places of importance for breeding, migrating and wintering birds of significant conservation concern…

What a busy few weeks it’s been at Westminster!  Amongst all the Brexit to-ing and fro-ing, on Monday 14^th, a new Parliamentary Session began, complete with a new Queen’s Speech. The speech is a list of proposed new policy and legislation; basically the Government’s to do list for the year. 

We already know that we’re in the midst of a climate and nature crisis.  As I blogged recently, the State of…

Beth Markey, RSPB Communications Officer, describes some of the great autumn spectacles and events on our England nature reserves ... 

Although our feathered friends in sunnier climes might disagree, there’s nothing cosier than the warming autumnal ambience that only comes at this time of the year. The golden shades blanketing the landscape and familiar nip in the morning air; crunchy leaves underfoot and dew-covered spider…

On Monday I went along to the third Annual Awards reception of the MP Species Champions project in Westminster. Our Species Champions are a 59-strong group of MPs from across political parties working to support threatened species, through their roles at Parliament and in their constituencies. Their support is invaluable in our efforts to secure strong laws for nature’s recovery – essential at this time of ecological…

RSPB England Director Emma Marsh describes today's State of Nature Report and what it means for England ...

England contains a range of internationally important habitats, such as its lowland heathland, ancient woodland and chalk grasslands in the south, the blanket bogs along the Pennines, the coastal estuaries and saltmarshes that provide vital foraging habitat for wintering waterbirds, and the sea cliffs and offshore…

The RSPB's England Director, Emma Marsh, sets four key tests for the UK Government’s response to Julian Glover's Landscapes Review 

The beauty of England’s National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs) is lost if nature is lost – if curlews have gone or if wildflower meadows have been destroyed. Yet wildlife is vanishing at an alarming rate from these special places. This is the powerful conclusion…

Emma Marsh, RSPB Director England, welcomes the RSPB taking on management of a new site in Staffordshire ... 

I'm delighted to say that the RSPB have taken over the management of Consall Nature Park from Staffordshire County Council this month. Since the mid-1980s the RSPB has owned and managed RSPB Churnet Valley reserve, 100 hectares of broadleaved woodland and grassland adjacent to Consall Nature Park. This reserve…

The RSPB's England Director, Emma Marsh, responds to Julian Glover's Landscapes Review that has just been published by Government ...

“We are living in the beginning of a mass extinction and our climate is breaking down. But we can still fix this – you can still fix this. It’s simple. We need to protect, restore, and fund nature”.

These were the words of Greta Thunberg last week – the same…

Emma Marsh shares her thoughts on the first day in her new job as Director, RSPB England…

Over the past nine months we have been making changes at the RSPB to ensure we are in the best place to save nature. We are always looking at how we can do things better. The work we do, and the external context is constantly changing, and so are the skills and resources needed to respond. 

One of the clear needs we identified…

RSPB’s Morwenna Alldis encourages us to celebrate National Nestbox Week by giving your local birds a home this Spring. It’s National Nestbox Week from 14-21 February, led by the British Trust of Ornithology (BTO). So this month is the per...

For this was on seynt Volantynys day
Whan euery bryd comyth there to chese his make

(For this was on St. Valentine's Day,
when every bird cometh there to choose his mate)

- Chaucer, Parlement of Foules

In the spirit of Valentines Day, traditionally the first day of bird song and the bird nesting season, RSPB South West are letting nature sing by giving away a free blackbird song audio track. You can download it…

RSPB's Morwenna Alldis, offers some top tips on how to give your garden birds a home this Christmas... Photo 1: Robin in snow by Ben Andrew (rspb-images.com) Food - As temperatures start to drop our garden birds need a helping hand fin...

Damon Bridge, RSPB Somerset Project Manager, reveals some promising stats on how Somerset's cranes are faring after the Great Crane Project reintroduction... How are Somerset's Cranes doing? Well…we will know soon! The crane volunteers...

Katharine Lowrie, RSPB Exe-Teign Facilitation Fund Project Officer, and a group 13 Devon farmers, foresters and land managers, visit the inspiring Knepp Wildland in West Sussex to discover how their rewilding project is giving turtle doves (and lots of...

RSPB’s Morwenna Alldis reveals how even a mini garden pond can give nature a much needed home and count towards your family's Wild Challenge Award. Water is a vital source of life, covering around 71% of the planet. But you don’t...

Guest blog by Pip Goodwin, RSPB Parlimentary Officer... Three South West MP species champions, Kerry McCarthy, Derek Thomas and Peter Heaton-Jones, were presented with prizes by Mike Dilger, the wildlife reporter from The One Show, at the annual awards...

Tara Watson, RSPB Residential Volunteer, gives us the low-down on her experience so far... So far, volunteering on the Little Tern Project has been a really fulfilling experience. We’re enjoying learning about the fascinating behaviours...

Granville Pictor, RSPB Salisbury Peregrine Volunteer, gives us the low-down on the dramatic Salisbury Cathedral peregrine's battle for the skies - as featured on BBC Springwatch. Regular readers of our 2017 blog, and indeed viewers of last year's...

Now is the time of year when many people are getting busy repairing or improving their homes, with scaffolding or ladders becoming a common sight as windows, gutters and roofs get fixed or replaced. However, it’s also the time when birds are nesting...

In celebration of Mental Health Awareness Week (14-20 May), Rod Ferbrache - RSPB Guernsey Local Group member, gives a beautifully honest account of living with depression and how a connection to his local nature helped. I am blessed to be living...

One group who have a great interest in our new reserve are the RSPB Local Groups. Across the country these groups set up and run activities, talks and events for people with an interest in conservation and birds, representing the RSPB and supporting our...

Morwenna Alldis from the RSPB, talks about the do’s and don’ts of this year’s nesting season. At this time of year we get hundreds of calls from well-meaning members of the public about the seemingly helpless baby birds they’ve...

RSPB's Fiona Freshney, Dartmoor Moorland Bird Advisor, talks about the plight of our UK cuckoos and a new project on Dartmoor that is trying to help them. Despite unseasonably cool weather, those long distance migrants, the nest parasitizing cuckoo...

Nick Tomalin, Site Manager of our new New Forest Reserve, RSPB Franchises Lodge - chats about his plans to discover what wildlife calls the reserve home and the species he's confirmed so far! There are plenty of people surveying birds in the New...

Nick Tomalin, Site Manager of our new New Forest reserve RSPB Franchises Lodge, has been keeping a diary of his work on the site - and now that the land has fully been transferred to the RSPB, we can finally share his journey. Here are his first two installments...