Davies Commission Report on Future of Aviation

The Davies Commission into the future of aviation has once again highlighted the environmental destruction an airport in the Thames Estuary would cause. In his report, Sir Howard favours new runways at existing airports with Heathrow ahead of Gatwick. But he has included a second-division level of a new airport on Kent's Hoo Peninsula in the Thames Estuary, which he acknowledges would be both expensive (up to £112 billion) and environmentally damaging.

The RSPB believes that further airport expansion will undermine efforts to reduce our climate impact in the UK and that further scrutiny of an option in the Thames Estuary will lead to it being ruled out completely. The tidal mudflats, saltmarsh and reedbeds that line the estuary are one of the most important wildlife habitats in Europe, home to a rich ecosystem that includes hundreds of thousands of threatened wintering birds. It is designated with the highest environmental protection available.

Sue Armstrong-Brown, RSPB Head of Policy, said: "Every time a spotlight is put on the Thames Estuary as a potential site for an airport it is revealed to be both an environmental disaster and economic lunacy. The more scrutiny put on this proposal the clearer it will be for all concerned that it is a non-starter. However, climate change remains the greatest long-term threat to wildlife. We believe that there should be no further airports in this country until the Government can demonstrate how they can be built and operated without busting our legally binding climate targets".

Time to end Japanese Dolphin hunt cruelty...

Nick Harvey MP has tabled an EDM concerning the hunting and slaughter of dolphins in Taiji, Japan. Lobby your MP to sign up for this. This horror has to stop. 

Time to end Japanese dolphin hunt cruelty - Nick

nickharveymp.com

Letter to Simon Kirby MP

Dear Mr Kirby

Re: Live exports can be stopped, and the law can be changed.

Recent statistics have revealed that in 2012 over 47,000 young calves and sheep were exported from the UK live on long grueling journeys to fattening farms and slaughterhouses abroad. These journeys cause huge amounts of suffering and are totally unnecessary.

As you may be aware, campaigners have called for amendments to the Harbours, Docks and Piers Clauses Act (1847) to allow individual ports in the UK to refuse the export trade in live farm animals. However, the UK Government has taken absolutely no action to stop this cruel trade and instead hides behind EU legislation. Inaction is not an option, while thousands of animals suffer needlessly.

Defra Minister George Eustice has said “Achieving a ban [on live exports] by means of amending national legislation to allow port authorities to restrict trade as they see fit would … be illegal under EU free trade rules.”

It is true that this is a complex area of law, but I believe that the government would have a reasonable argument if it made amendments to the 1847 Act and was challenged under EU law. This case is not as simple as Defra portrays it to be; a court may conclude that no breach of  EU law on free movement is involved in  amending the 1847 Act to enable individual ports to choose not to allow their facilities to be used for live exports. The problem here is lack of political will. 

Examples of earlier court cases which are often cited in defence of inaction are arguably of limited relevance. One was only in relation to UK law*; the other revolved around EU law** but predates the enactment of Article 13 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (Lisbon Treaty) which requires the EU and the Member States, in formulating and implementing EU policy on agriculture, transport and the internal market to “pay full regard to the welfare requirements of animals”.

The UK Government must act as a leader on live exports and amend the 1847 Act. If they are taken to court they should defend the case as vigorously as possible. The Government must take action to stop this trade in line with public opinion that it is inhumane and unnecessary. 

As my representative in Parliament I would be grateful if you would press for amendments to the 1847 Act. Please write to George Eustice and urge him to reconsider the blanket-view that this legislation cannot be amended. We must stand up for the thousands of animals that face suffering at the hands of this totally unnecessary trade and fight this case in the European Court if necessary. 

Thank you in advance for your time and interest in this matter, which is of great importance to me. I look forward to hearing from you regarding any action you take following my letter.

* R v Dover Harbour Board (ex parte Gilder), R v Associated British Ports ex parte Plymouth City Council

** C - 1/96 R v MAFF ex parte CIWF

Yours sincerely

Michael J Sumner

RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch

No, it doesn't mean that you have to have a big garden to participate. 'Big' refers to the extraordinary number of people across the UK who do take part over this weekend. All you need to do is set aside one hour, either today or tomorrow, and record which birds and in what numbers, you see in your garden. Then send your record to the RSPB. This approach requires discipline. So, you start at 10:00am; that means you stop recording at 11:00am. You can almost guarantee that a bird you do not have on your list, suddenly appears at 11:10am. No, you mustn't!

So, I started at 9:00am this morning and almost inevitably birds I have been seeing all week decide to disappear or visit someone else's garden during my nominated hour! So, for what it's worth, here is my record for this morning:

10 x Goldfinch
8 x House Sparrow
2 x Blue tit
2 x Woodpigeon
8 x Starling
1 x Dunnock
2 x Feral Pigeon
1 x White Dove

And I haven't seen a Robin or a Blackbird or a Chaffinch or a Greenfinch or a Thrush - all day!

Weather - Forecast or Fantasy

I should not have taken notice of the local weather forecast this morning: 80% chance of rain all day. So, I postponed my visit to Warnham Nature Reserve and busied myself preparing all the garden bird feeders in readiness for the Big Garden Birdwatch that occurs this weekend. And I did all this in the dry - no sign of rain and it is now 12:30pm. I should have stuck to my original plan. Oh well...

I was watched closely by a Robin as I topped up the feeders - the first Robin I have seen this year. And a juvenile Dunnock showed keen interest in the food that finished up on the ground.

And the Goldfinches got stuck into the sunflower seeds as soon as I disappeared indoors.

Meanwhile I shall have lunch and then continue reading the book about Bletchley Park and the wartime code-breakers......

Warnham Nature Reserve, West Sussex

All being well (including the weather) I intend to visit this local nature reserve tomorrow, located to the Northwest of Horsham, West Sussex. A Mealy Redpoll was recorded here today feeding amongst a small flock of Lesser Redpolls. That alone makes it worth a visit. But will these birds still be there tomorrow......?

Birding at Brighton Marina

I took my car for a spring-clean this morning to the carwash at Brighton Marina. As I had 1½ hours to kill I took a stroll along the Marine Parade fronting Brighton Beach, with a pair of trusty Zeiss binoculars. Not much to report on the birding front; this is a spot where my scope would have come in useful for looking out to sea. I did manage to record Cormorant, Turnstone, Pied Wagtail, Black-headed Gull, Meadow Pipit and Herring Gull and what I suspect was an Oystercatcher but too far away for certain.

A cold, sunny morning, a pleasant walk, a few birds and a pristine car. Not bad...

Photos taken with iPhone 5S