A Touching Portrait of Old Age

As I turned the last page of "A Blaze of Autumn Sunshine" The Last Diaries of Tony Benn and was listening in the background to Rachmaninov's 'Vocalise' I felt a sudden sense of irrevocable loss and melancholy. And I did shed a quiet tear for 'the best political diarist of our time'. Tony Benn, formerly 2nd Viscount Stansgate, turned his back on his inherited peerage in the early 60s and became someone who many considered to be the most dangerous politician in Britain in the 1970s.

My sense of loss is amplified by the fact that this is the first of the Benn diaries I have read. Can one really go back to earlier volumes? Would that perhaps change my opinion of this now gentle man who I had never had much time for? Perhaps. Tony Benn has always been a champion for left wing politics. He detested 'New Labour' and disliked Tony Blair. He entered politics in 1950 and during his career held several ministerial posts. He is now approaching the age of 90 and these last diaries clearly reflect that. He suffers bouts of depression, often thinks about death, which he believes is 'just around the corner', and he gets very tired. This inevitability is understandable as he reflects on his waning influence on political life.

But for all that the diaries are full of anecdotes about people that come up to him in the street and tell him how wonderful he is, about meetings and marches he attended during this late stage of his life, and his love for his family shines through every page.

I am not left wing but I do find myself agreeing with Tony Benn on several issues such as parliamentary sovereignty, civil liberties and Europe. The Last Diaries have endeared me to the man.

I wish I had met him.

Mega Month for Birds in Sussex

October saw some wonderful rarities in Sussex. In East Sussex a Gull-billed Tern flew past Telscombe Cliffs on the 3rd with a White-rumped Sandpiper there on the 29th. Wrynecks were seen at Seaford on the 3rd and Cuckmere Haven on the 5th (possibly the same bird). A Red-breasted Flycatcher was at Beachy Head on the 6th with a Pallas's Warbler on the 25th and 26th. Rye Harbour had a Great White Egret on the 6th and a Radde's Warbler was in the Sheepcote Valley (5 minutes from my home!) on the 12th.

In West Sussex a Semipalmated Plover was seen on the 19th and 20th at Thorney Island with a Red-breasted Goose on the 3rd at the same location. A Rose-coloured Starling was at Selsey Bill on the 1st, 7th and 8th and a Hoopoe was seen on the 12th at Chidham Point. A Spotted Crake was at Arundel WWT on the 24th (Wetland & Wildfowl Trust). Great Grey Shrikes were at Ambersham Common on the 17th, 18th and 25th, at Iping Common on the 19th and at Church Norton on the 30th. Glossy Ibises were seen at Pagham Harbour and Angmering on the 24th. And finally, a Pallas's Warbler was recorded on the 28th to the 30th at Climping.

As ever it is a case of being lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time.....

Pallas's Warbler

League Against Cruel Sports

The League Against Cruel Sports works to expose and end the cruelty inflicted on animals in the name of sport. The League is a charity that brings together people who want to stop cruelty to animals in the name of sport.

Established in 1924 the League successfully uses lawful investigations, campaigning and lobbying to make a difference in the UK and around the world.

Cruelty to animals at any time is upsetting and wrong.  The League was started by a group of people who felt strongly that cruelty inflicted in the name of sport was particularly barbaric and upsetting. The League has developed effective ways to thwart such sports gaining public support and causing difficulty for the people inflicting cruelty.

Ultimately the League does not bandage animals' paws. Instead it deals with the perpetrators of the cruelty by seeking effective ways to stop them for good.

I took out membership of the League today having supported it for some time with donations. Why don't you join as well if you feel passionately about this issue?

Bird Atlas 2007-11 The breeding and wintering birds of Britain & Ireland

My copy of this outstanding, weighty tome was delivered yesterday evening and has been well worth the wait. It must weigh around 10 kilos! Hard bound with 720 pages.

• The book is the result of contributions from over 40,000 volunteers and a total financial investment of £1.4 million.
• The advent of online data capture means that this atlas captured 10 times more data than any previous national atlas. It includes over 16 million individual observations of 214 million birds of 502 species.
• Advances in mapping and modelling technologies have enabled the BTO to pull even more meaning from the data - species accounts include new maps that are easy to interpret and will be even more useful to a broader range of users.
• Over 8,000 copies of the book have already been sold, so this looks like being the best-selling BTO book of all time.
• The book highlights some really striking changes to our bird populations over a worryingly short time frame, particularly the breeding abundance change maps for migrant passerines, waders and farmland birds. We need to understand these changes better and we need to do this fast - before it is too late.

Every serious birder should have a copy of this momentous work in their library.

Stop Live Exports Campaign

Compassion in World Farming has projected powerful images and messages regarding live exports onto the iconic White Cliffs of Dover in order to draw attention to the trade. The images were a potent reminder of the cruel trade that passes through the port. Compassion believes Dover to be the only English port currently used for the shipment of live sheep and calves for fattening and slaughter on the continent. Call on the government to change the law so animals are not considered simply goods and ports like Dover can decide whether or not they want to take live animals for slaughter.

ITV's I'm a Celebrity...

On a lighter note, does anyone still watch this programme? You know, the show where people you dimly remember humiliate themselves in exchange for wonga and the chance to be briefly recognised again. No, I don't. Whilst it was being aired last night I watched a marvellous programme on Sky 2 about the East Coast railway and East Coast Trains....

Being Annoying is now Illegal

The UK government is about to pass legislation which will make any behaviour perceived to potentially 'cause nuisance or annoyance' a criminal offence. The Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Bill also grants local authorities, police and even private security firms sweeping powers to bar citizens from assembling lawfully in public spaces. The Bill has successfully passed through the House of Commons without issue and is now in the latter stages of review by the House of Lords, after which it will receive Royal Assent and become Law. Those who refuse orders under the new rules will face arrest, fines and even prison time.

Read the full article by Scriptonite Daily here: http://www.scriptonitedaily.com/2013/11/11/the-birth-of-a-police-state-uk-police-to-be-granted-sweeping-new-powers-2/

These new powers present the most significant threat to lawful assembly and protest in modern history.

Be concerned, be very concerned....

The Stone Curlew on the South Downs

The largely nocturnal Stone Curlew is a bird that nests on open, bare, preferably stony ground or areas with vegetation height below 2cm. Arable land needs to have short or sparse vegetation before being accepted and is rarely suitable for nesting birds beyond May or June.

The Stone Curlew

In 1768 Gilbert White advised Thomas Pennant that in the breeding season 'I could shew you them almost any day; and any evening you may hear them round the village for they make a clamour which may be heard a mile'. In 1938 Walpole-Bond wrote that there were 'quite sixty pairs of Stone-curlews breeding in Sussex'.

Changes in agricultural practices that destroyed most of the semi-permanent grasslands and the arrival of Myxomatosis, that left vegetation ungrazed by rabbits, were almost certainly the principal reasons why, after a steady decline in the 1960s and 1970s, this fascinating bird ceased to breed in Sussex in the 1980s. Its return in 2007 and its continued breeding success in Sussex is therefore most welcome and is thanks to the enthusiastic support of the landowners and the stewardship of dedicated ornithologists. It is only with the co-operation of farmers and landowners that this highly specialised bird will thrive.

And these are the same farmers and landowners who do not support the badger cull....

Survey of Grantham Shoppers Shows Opinion on Badger Cull

A Grantham man concerned about the plight of badgers carried out a survey to gauge opinion after being told by Grantham MP Nick Boles that the majority of his constituents support the cull.

Philip Gadd took to the town centre last Saturday, joined by four other members of Grantham Wildlife Protection, to ask shoppers: "Do you support the badger cull?" Of 238 responses, 74% said 'No', 10.5% said 'Yes' and 15.5% were undecided.

The move followed Mr Gadd's receipt last year of a letter from Mr Boles, stating: "Most of my constituents support the Government's proposal for a careful, scientifically evidenced cull of badgers in TB hotspots. I cannot represent them and represent you. So I chose to do the democratic thing and represent the majority".

Mr Gadd said that this was reiterated during a recent meeting with the MP. He added: "Although only a snapshot survey it does appear that our MP is wrong and the majority of his constituents are in fact against the culling of badgers. We would like Mr Boles to reconsider his views and represents the views of Grantham people".

Mr Gadd puts this very politely. What he wants to say Mr Boles is that you are a lying Tory toad who runs in fear of the party whips. You have no idea how your constituents really feel about this vital issue and your constituents will remember this when it comes to the next general election. You are a typical example of current Conservative MPs who don't give a fig about our environment and our wildlife and who suck up to the NFU and large landowners to solicit their votes.

Watch your back Mr Boles.

London Grammar's live performance of Wasting My Young Years

http://www.youtube.com/v/c1rpiIDF3hs?autohide=1&version=3&attribution_tag=HfPqBTjbHw3HheUSbViyGw&autohide=1&showinfo=1&feature=share&autoplay=1

This tour-de-force by Hannah Reid of the band London Grammar is truly spellbinding. A year ago this trio from London hadn't released a note of music. Today their CV includes a number 2 album "If You Wait" and the attentions of the Radio One Breakfast Show. And the band has just returned from its first US tour.

This is fabulous music.

Culling of Badgers by means of CO Poisoning

This excellent article by Stephen Hadley is yet another damning report on the depths our government and the NFU are prepared to sink to, to continue the slaughter of our badgers. I am sending a copy of this to Simon Kirby MP, our local representative, who supported the badger cull and in so doing lost the support of my entire family and close friends.

Please read this: http://leanonus.co/blog/badgers/

Stop and Search? Carry the Card

In cases of Stop and Search by the police they often get it wrong. So, for protesters against the badger cull who are active in the cull areas, print this card and carry it with you (courtesy of Mark Thomas of the Guardian). You might want to offer this card to an officer before a search takes place.

Use it.

Life on Patrol during a Badger Cull

Here is another first class article from Judi Hewitt, the animal welfare campaigner from North Wales. Read about her first hand experience of the mindless morons who are out shooting badgers; aiming their infra-red sights at people who have every right to be where they are.

And once again the police do nothing....

http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/local-news/judi-hewitt-life-patrol-during-6285085

The Love of Cats

Most of you that know me know about my love of cats. Ros and I have shared our lives with cats for some 37 years and in that time we have experienced the loss of many as age has overcome them. The grief experienced when a cherished pet dies is always hard. None are ever forgotten. But we have always found space in our hearts to adopt rescues to fill the void of the loss of cherished individuals. We are all slowing down now, entering the September of our years. Our two 'boys' are approaching 14 and 13 years respectively. They enrich our lives every day, help us to grow older. Help us to remember why we love animals for the joy they bring to our lives. Here are our perfect two that currently hold sovereignty over us!

Oliver in his Vermeer pose

Wistful Bertie

Happy is the home with at least one cat......

Le Tricoteur Guernsey Sweater

I don't often wax lyrical about a garment but this is an exception. I have owned and worn a Guernsey sweater for some six years, bought on the island of Guernsey when Ros and I were there on holiday. It has served me well until a leak from the feeder pipe in the airing cupboard ruined it. I needed a replacement.

Le Tricoteur brand is recognised as producing the best Guernseys available. Whilst the components of the garment are now machine knitted the sweater is still finished by hand. Using the best English worsted wool. The garments are strong and long lasting, very warm and virtually windproof. If you enjoy outdoor activities in inclement weather then the Guernsey is a must as an outer layer. I cannot recommend the Le Tricoteur brand highly enough. Superb quality and a joy to wear. My new sweater is in the colour 'New Natural' and I have also ordered a second garment in 'Traditional Navy'.

Take a look here at these fabulous sweaters http://www.flamboroughmanor.co.uk/fm/guernseys.htm

New Species of Owl discovered in Oman

The Sultanate of Oman is a beautiful country and one I used to visit on business trips around the Middle East. The capital, Muscat, was one of my favourite places to stay over a weekend. Given this extraordinary new discovery it is a place I would like to visit again.

In a groundbreaking piece of research by The Sound Approach team a new Strix owl has been identified. A new species discovered in 2013! The team were studying Pallid Scops Owls Otus brucei at Al Jabal Al Akhdar, the central part of the Al Hajar Mountains in northern Oman. The team study birds recording their calls. One night, whilst listening to the Scops Owls in a dry wadi, Magnus Robb detected through his headphones a totally different owl call that sounded unlike that of any Palearctic owl species. He likened its four hoots to the opening bars of the famous wedding march from Richard Wagner's opera Lohengrin. The compound structure of its hooting suggested a Strix owl but one with a voice even deeper than Ural Owl Strix uralensis. Although the team made good quality recordings the bird was not seen on this visit. Subsequent visits proved to be successful when playback of the Strix call finally lured the mystery owl into their torch beams. The capture of good quality images however had to wait for a third visit. A series of good-quality images was taken in late May.

Further diligent research was completed and the team concluded: "Vocalisations and plumage characteristics demonstrate that the owls sound-recorded and photographed in the Al Hajar Mountains of Oman represent a new species, which we propose to name Strix omanensis, Omani Owl".

In a world of so many species becoming extinct this is indeed a discovery of great magnitude and significance.

The Omani Owl

The Wrinklies Club

We might be getting on a bit but we still know how to enjoy ourselves. Here we are, last Friday, having enjoyed a sumptuous dinner at The George Inn at Backwell near Bristol.

That's me, in the middle on the right and my wife Rosalind is sat in the middle on the left. The other members of the Wrinklies Club are my wife's sisters, Janet and Jean and brothers-in-law Mike and John.

The George serves up magnificent food and an excellent pint of Butcombe ale from the Somerset brewery http://www.butcombe.com/

Life is good.

Lazy Days of Autumn

Ros and I have just spent a lovely, lazy, restful, long weekend in Portishead, Somerset and arrived home late this afternoon in Brighton after a long drive via Cheddar, Frome, Warminster, Salisbury, Southampton, Portsmouth, Chichester.....

I will do some blog catching up tomorrow. Signing off with a large cognac...