Autumn winds

I made an unexpected return to the Wye valley a week or two back. A celebration for Nick’s 50th to which I was generously invited. I only fished for the final couple of days but missed very little earlier in the week. On the Monday, Nick and Tony had arrived to find a river inContinue reading “Autumn winds”

A peregrination

Sue came back from her walk a couple of days ago and tapped on the window excitedly. I slipped my wellies on and nipped outside to find her cupping her hands to her ears and grinning. I tuned in and heard it immediately. ‘Ke-ke-ke-ke-ke‘. We used to hear it regularly, when a pair nested onContinue reading “A peregrination”

The State of Nature

Today saw the publication of the latest State of Nature report – a ‘stock take’ of our wildlife made by over 50 of our conservation organisations. Unsurprisingly, the results do not make for pleasant reading. Well over half of our native species have declined since 1970 and one in ten are under threat from extinction.Continue reading “The State of Nature”

A glorious weekend in the country…

This weekend my friend Martin made his now annual escape from London life in order to kick back in the Dorset hills. In past years we have squeezed a bit of fishing in, but this time we spent two and a half days hunting birds. On Friday afternoon we were at Morden Bog hoping toContinue reading “A glorious weekend in the country…”