PACKHAM'S PEOPLES' MANIFESTO FOR WILDLIFE

Ahead of tomorrow's People's Walk for Wildlife, Packham's team have produced this which is full of good ideas. 

Download full document HERE

Here's a concise version with the proposals stripped out 

Packham's Peoples'M... by on Scribd

So we've got at least three high profile proposal documents from the last few years that could form the basis for some kind of political manifesto for wildlife.
1) This one above from the people
2) This one the Conservation NGOs HERE
3) and the one from a conservation youth movement AFON which seems to have disappeared off the internet

So the eternal self consuming and regurgitating cycle and continuous repetition of conservation ideas over generations continues- hopefully eventually will all end up in some kind of stable political manifesto within a future nature friendly political system. One can only imagine how little wildlife will be left by the time we all get there. We haven't even finalised the master plan yet before we even start the full on attack on established power. I give it 20 years at least, and in between the darkest tyranny the world has ever seen will descend on us all- the Capitalists Apocalypse. Get your boiler suits ready! 

THE ROYAL SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF BIG BUSINESS

THE ROYAL SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF BIG BUSINESS 

ShitPost

Sid and I did the farmlands this morning, highlight was a Blackwit, otherwise pretty quiet in these unseasonably warm conditions. Walked along the path towards Irrigation Bridge for the first time since the winter- quite depressing to see the extent of the tree felling for the potential white elephant district heat network. 

Quite a good selection of moths last night- had the first Lunar Underwing of the year, 

Also paid homage to the sewage sludge beds on 100 acre which will be a thing of the past within 12 months as the sewage farm is being decommissioned. 

Juvenile Black-tailed Godwit moulting into first-winter plumage. I noticed most of the godwits on the Swale in the week were also all beginning to look very wintery. What with Pink-foots moving down the east coast recently and the first Redwings and Fieldfares appearing- as Ed Stark would say, Winter is Coming. 

Lunar Underwing- first for year 

The permitted footpath - a change in plan with the direction of the pipe meant that twice as many trees were felled as needed to be. At least there are some restoration works planned for this area. 

Just to prove you can post a massive pile of shit on facebook and it will get hundreds of views. Here's a video of the sewage sludge beds on 100 acre. 

Autumn bits

Things have been ticking along this week. Finally managed to get in the field this morning following a 45 hour work stint in the last three days. There were a few bits at the farmlands including the first Willow Emeralds of the year along the permitted path (I had 3) and the other guys had Blackwit and Greenshank. Here's a few pics from last few days.

 Chiffchaff- quite a few of these along the path 

 Willow Emerald Damselfly - word of the day is pruniosity. Willow Emeralds have a metallic green body without a bluish bloom (or pruniosity). 

 L-album Wainscot- a first for year (if I remember correctly- it's all blurring into one long session) 

 Black Rustic- first for the year (I'm pretty sure that this is a first for year) 

 Small China Mark- after only recording this following efforts to set up a summer trap by the lakes I now get one of these at the light trap negating any value in the effort I put in by the lakes this summer- as the old adage goes- hard work seldom pays off. 

 Short-cloaked moth 

 I've gone for Ancylosis oblitella on this 

What a triplet- Dewick's Plusia, Sallow and Ruby Tiger 

Campaign Update

Day in Kent

Spent the day at Shellness and Swale NNR today. Ebird list HERE

Highlight was the huge flock of Curlews- estimated 1000+.  I wasn't expecting much in the strong south west winds but it was good to get into a decent birding area and also reeced out an area for passerines . Fingers crossed now for some decent weather that coincides with some free time. Had a couple of Whinchats, 3 Wheatears, 1 Blackcap and about 60 Swallows and a few Sand Martins hawking in sheltered areas.

Had a flock of House Martins go low over the yard this morning but didn't see any on the coast.

Had a Grey Seal in the Swale too. 

Curlews - see below for some more pics of the impressive flock and some video 

Dunlin and Ringed Plover

I did a rough count of 1700 Oystercatchers at high tide

6 Common Terns included this juvenile 

Sandwich Tern 

The Old Vic Weekend

A couple more additions to the Old Vicarage Bioblitz this weekend- now at 589 species.

 Frosted Orange 

 Dusky Thorn 

 Went for Flounced Rustic on this one 

 

Lady's Bedstraw- growing in the lawn. 

The house is currently being re-furbished- hopefully a new lease of life for the house parts of which dates back to the C16th.