Robert Farnon - Manhattan Playboy (1959)

This piece for me epitomises London in the swinging sixties, even though it's entitled Manhattan Playboy! This is an exuberant composition by Robert Farnon and conjures up images of Carnaby Street when I was a young man (I know, that was a few years ago now!) Jean Shrimpton was considered the symbol of Swinging London, while Twiggy was named The Face of 1966. Mary Quant herself was the undisputed queen of the group known as The Chelsea Set, a hard-partying, socially eclectic mix of largely idle ‘toffs’ and talented working-class movers and shakers. And then there was me - a young man who loved the good life (and still does) and was captivated by such delightful music.

Take a listen and see what you think. If you are my age that is.......

British Birds

Those lovely people at British Birds have just sent out the August 2014 edition of the journal (a must for any keen ornithologist) and included the full 80 page Official Programme 2014 to Birdfair which means that I can plan my visit well in advance rather than having to buy a copy on the day.

This will be the 26th annual Birdfair and this will be my fourth visit, staying as usual at the wonderful Crown Inn, Uppingham which has won many awards for the traditional ales it serves including Tiger Best Bitter brewed by Everards and serves excellent pub grub. I don't know what I look forward to most - the visit to the Birdfair or the Crown Inn!

Simon King Wildlife is an associate sponsor of Birdfair and I look forward to meeting him again along with many other personalities from the world of bird-watching and wildlife conservation. Simon King has worked in the field of natural history film making for over 30 years. He is the creator and presenter of many award-winning productions including Springwatch, Big Cat Diary, Planet Earth and Blue Planet. Simon is current president of the Wildlife Trusts.

Simon King

This year Birdfair has added a new Authors' Wildlife Forum Marquee offering the chance to meet the authors of some of this year's top titles. 

I just need to be careful not to splash out too much cash; easily done here particularly in the optics marquee. Nevertheless I shall have to take a look here: www.swarovskioptic.com and here: www.hawkeoptics.com .....

Hen Harrier Day

Join our thunderclap on Sunday 10th August, show your support for the Hen Harrier, more information here: http://birdersagainst.org/hen-harrier-day-overview/

Hen Harrier Day is organised and co-ordinated by a coalition of Birders Against Wildlife Crime, former RSPB Conservation Director and leading activist Mark Avery, broadcaster and conservationist Chris Packham, the country’s leading wildlife charity the RSPB, and the North West Raptor Protection Group.

Hen Harrier Day has attracted support from a wide selection of organisations and activists, including the Wildlife Trusts, the National Trust, the Hawk and Owl Trust, the League Against Cruel Sports, the Peak District National Park, South West Peregrine Group, Birdwatch magazine, Rare Bird Alert, Bird Information, Birdguides, Welsh Ornithological Society and Quaker Concern for Animals.

Ineo by Terje Rypdal

My brother posted this on his blog this evening. I had heard of the composer Terje Rypdal (born 23 August 1947 in Oslo) a Norwegian guitarist and composer but I had not listened to any of his music. Most of his music has been released on albums of the German record label ECM.

This piece, Ineo, is 18 minutes long (and not 26:10 as the YouTube clip indicates) and is a beautiful composition of quietly contemplative music that just gets under your skin. Fill your glass, don your headphones, sit back in a quiet room, or on a beach as it darkens, or above Oslo fjord - and listen to something quite exquisite....

If it flies, it dies

Chilling words aren't they? This is the Maltese hunter's chilling motto: "If it flies, it dies". Here is my opinion, morons of Malta: the wanton massacre of migrant birds is an act of desecration and sacrilege. It is not a sport or a tradition - it is mass murder. And many of the millions of birds you shoot are not killed. They are maimed and die agonising, slow deaths. You so called 'hunters' disgust me. You use our migrating birds for target practice. You don't shoot for food, you shoot for fun. Each year you kill millions of migrant birds as they arrive over Malta, often exhausted and looking for landfall to rest and feed. And then they come into your gunsights. And it shows that you don't give a fuck about the devastation you wreak with this appalling destruction of our wildlife.

Malta is a member of the EU, which has banned Spring Hunting and yet Malta has been granted permission to ignore the law. Why? The 'hunters' claim their traditional right to "harvest" Turtle Doves and Quail, which used to be amongst the commonest migrants. But not any more. I cannot recall the last time I saw a Turtle Dove or heard a Quail calling. No need to wonder why. You monsters shoot anything: hen harriers, marsh harriers, kites, kestrels, black winged stilts, herons - anything that flies.

There is however some hope. The people of Malta want to deal with this issue. Through the hard work of BirdLife Malta a public referendum has been called for, through the gathering of 40,000 signatures on a petition. The weak Maltese government is now looking to hold a referendum in Spring 2015 and this should, if people power wins, bring about a ban.

Bill Oddie visited Malta this Spring and made a film that can be viewed here: http://www.league.org.uk/our-campaigns/shooting/the-shooting-of-migratory-birds-in-malta/film-shooting-of-migratory-birds-in-malta-2014

Please watch this film and then if you can please donate to the cause to stop this cruelty once and for all.

Ben Watt - Forget

I came across this gem of an album purely by chance  and downloaded 'Hendra' from iTunes. This track, "Forget" is my favourite... 'the Sussex Downs after rain falls is as lovely as it gets...'

Ben Watt formed the band Everything But The Girl in 1983 with his long time partner Tracey Thorn. This album Hendra is Watt's first solo studio recording for 30 years. He wrote and recorded with Thorn for 18 years—together they created nine studio albums as Everything but the Girl (EBTG). This solo album contains ten great tracks. Take a listen...

8:59 to Bristol

No, it's not the title of an Agatha Christie mystery; that was '4:50 from Paddington' featuring Miss Jane Marple. The 8:59 to Bristol features my wife Rosalind, who is going to see her family and celebrate her niece's 40th birthday. She is on her way now travelling on First Great Western trains.

And I love train journeys. This one take 3 hours 45 minutes. Me? At home looking after 'the boys' - Oliver and Bertie. Keeping a mindful eye on Oliver who has not been well and is on a course of probiotics. So, it's a boys weekend for me and a fun weekend for Ros.

Do wish I was on the train though....