Kevin Thornton
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lowcarbonkev.bsky.social
Kevin Thornton
@lowcarbonkev.bsky.social
Posts on:
#LowCarbon / #climate.
A lapsed purposeful birder, just #BareNakedBirding (no longer carry binoculars/telescope) just camera for a few pics.
Exploring n/ne #Kent by #train/ #bike.
Centred on #Medway towns/ estuary .
#Allotment holder.
All lunch benches very wet in Faversham y/day, stood and stared in high st windows instead 😉 Town Council's display an interesting one..

favershamtowncouncil.gov.uk/save-ham-mar...
November 11, 2025 at 8:30 AM
In case you miss it, in my reply in thread on Red Kites used screengrab from a Spanish welfare-based org. Where they feel Swifts already taking a bit of a pounding from climate change - (in their top 3 spp).

🤔Part of why really shouldn't just be 'bricking it' when talking about threats to Swifts🤔
then 2) translation via Google, a lead site (as per NE blog) - animal welfare heavy-org it seems.. that does at least have a bit on "cambio climático"..

🤔 IMHO work on if this is some sort of sink-hole death-trap (my phrase, think a fair translation 😉) for any relocated birds ongoing it seems.

2/2
November 11, 2025 at 7:14 AM
In east #Kentbirding news: "About 3.7 miles (6km) of a stream known as Sarre Penn and the adjacent River Wantsum, near Canterbury, have been affected"

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Swans and several thousand fish die amid Kent pollution incident
The affected area is Sarre Penn and the adjacent River Wantsum, near Canterbury, say officials.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 11, 2025 at 6:41 AM
Reposted by Kevin Thornton
Spotted Redshank on Bowling Green Marsh this morning (along with another Spot Red, Ruff and lots of other waders).

#DevonBirds #Birding
November 10, 2025 at 6:57 PM
Reposted by Kevin Thornton
According to Mohammad-Ali Moallem, the manager of the Karaj Dam, rainfall has plummeted dramatically.

"We had a 92% decrease in rain compared to last year," he said. "We have only eight per cent water in our reservoir — and most of it is unusable and considered 'dead water.'"
Iran faces unprecedented drought as water crisis hits Tehran
The government is pleading with Iranians to save water as reservoirs dry up and rainfall is at a record low.
www.bbc.com
November 10, 2025 at 1:46 AM
In UK exports news:
"In Spain, the relocation project in Extremadura has seen three mating pairs so far that have produced two surviving chicks..
..There are still huge areas of southern Spain where the red kite was common three decades ago and is now almost extinct.."
UK red kites bring Spanish cousins back from the brink
A project to revive red kite populations in south-west Spain sees new mating pairs and chicks.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 10, 2025 at 4:37 AM
Another convo this wk; county winter bird atlas, Grey Wag www.kentos.org.uk/atlas/2007/G...
I've redrawn, yellow circles= 'probably absent'.
It's present in *all*.

🤔 But in Nat'l atlas (p66, 4.1.1 False absences); gaps should be referred to as 'not detected'
🤔 Better county wording next time?
November 9, 2025 at 5:42 PM
Did have one nice chat on seawall today. Retired couple watching Dunlin, not knowing what they were.

In 25 mins talked usual birdy guff PLUS estuary history, climate, bikes, trains, ticket deals, urban regeneration, how nice Medway is if you look..

Yup. That'll do Kev, that'll do 😇
November 9, 2025 at 4:28 PM
Saddle, saw.

All #bike caution gone now back has been good walking for a couple of weeks. Today's lunch bench old fave 'Kev's Bench' in Country Park.

Another saddle in full view. Nasal saddle on a Pintail. That pic came in handy for an 'interesting' chat that followed..

WARNING: rant follows

1/9
November 9, 2025 at 3:48 PM
For Remembrance Sunday (from yesterday's walk at Halling).
November 9, 2025 at 10:47 AM
Reposted by Kevin Thornton
All those people who think they can dodge the effects of the climate crisis because they live in a nice developed country are about to get punched in the face. It’s coming in hard everywhere.
England facing drastic measures due to extreme drought next year
Government and water companies are devising emergency plans for worst water shortage in decades
www.theguardian.com
November 8, 2025 at 9:04 PM
Reposted by Kevin Thornton
Fireworks used to be special. Now I'd be quite happy to never hear another one.
November 8, 2025 at 8:31 PM
Reposted by Kevin Thornton
I kept a bird list using @btobirds.bsky.social BirdTrack as I ran around the loops. I recorded a satisfying 52 species on my 52km run. Highlights were a calling Firecrest near the cricket pitch & three lovely Goosanders.
November 8, 2025 at 9:05 PM
Reposted by Kevin Thornton
'Iran’s president warns Tehran may have to be evacuated amid worsening crisis...

...“If it doesn’t rain, we will have to start restricting water supplies in Tehran next mth. If the drought continues, we will run out of water & be forced to evacuate the city,” he said'

www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-ea...
Iran’s president warns Tehran may have to be evacuated amid worsening water crisis
'If it doesn’t rain, we will have to start restricting water supplies in Tehran next month, 'says Masoud Pezeshkian - Anadolu Ajansı
www.aa.com.tr
November 8, 2025 at 11:28 AM
Reposted by Kevin Thornton
'Amazon lakes hit ‘unbearable’ hot-tub temps

The temp of one lake >40C (104F) as water levels plummeted... The extreme heat triggered mass die-offs among endangered Amazon river dolphins & fish, which cannot survive in such high temps'

www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Amazon lakes hit ‘unbearable’ hot-tub temperatures amid mass die-offs of pink river dolphins – study
Droughts and heatwaves causing water in some areas to reach 41C, killing fish and endangered dolphins, say researchers
www.theguardian.com
November 8, 2025 at 11:56 AM
Great lunch benches I have known, #257.

Halling, w. chum, for Bishop's palace. Just enough time to watch the Redshanks leave the saltings for the reedy depths..

1/2
November 8, 2025 at 4:23 PM
A reminder. Current nos. of Arctic tern sightings not the norm.

Mig Atlas: "After fledging, there appears to be some slight n'ward and e'ward movement of some juvs toward the Baltic area before moving s'wards.. but main post-breeding movement similar to that of adults.."
app.bto.org/birdtrack/ex...
November 8, 2025 at 8:19 AM
"For now" doing some heavy lifting there.

And down in the body below the headline: "Not all species are equally flexible: species with more stop-over opportunities are adjusting more readily, whereas those that fly longer stretches or cross seas with fewer rest points show less ability to respond."
Arctic-breeding wildfowl keep pace with climate change – for now
A new study reveals that Arctic-breeding waterfowl, including Barnacle, Brent, Pink-footed and White-fronted Geese and Bewick's Swan, still manage to hasten migrations in spring by shortening fuelling...
www.birdguides.com
November 8, 2025 at 7:10 AM
Reposted by Kevin Thornton
Short interview on the BBC Today programme with Amol Rajan, discussing the upcoming Brazil COP and how the so-called “cost of living crisis” is being (mis)used by leaders and high emitters to avoid taking meaningful action on climate change.

Starts at 2.36.30. www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
Today - 07/11/2025 - BBC Sounds
News and current affairs, including Sports Desk, Weather and Thought for the Day.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 7, 2025 at 10:24 AM
Reposted by Kevin Thornton
Refreshing to hear this on a mainstream news programme.

A great interview from Kevin that directly addresses the issues of COPs, climate, equity and how we choose to spend our wealth as a nation. 👍
Short interview on the BBC Today programme with Amol Rajan, discussing the upcoming Brazil COP and how the so-called “cost of living crisis” is being (mis)used by leaders and high emitters to avoid taking meaningful action on climate change.

Starts at 2.36.30. www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
Today - 07/11/2025 - BBC Sounds
News and current affairs, including Sports Desk, Weather and Thought for the Day.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 7, 2025 at 11:45 AM
Today's lunch bench.

Bumped into ol' chum Trev, talked plants of all things. Even on the #Medway @stevewg.bsky.social is famous it seems ("Oh I know that name, from back in the '80s when I did a few building jobs at Dunge Obs..").

Trev then tried to show me Yarrow. I had none of it 😉
November 7, 2025 at 3:05 PM
Reposted by Kevin Thornton
All because some of you out there are still buying Teslas from a Nazi.
It’s horrifying to think how much more damage he can inflict on liberal democracy with all this money.
November 7, 2025 at 7:47 AM
Reposted by Kevin Thornton
How the hell is it 16c at night in November.
Really feels like we’ve pushed past the point of no return on the climate. 🫠 thanks boomers. You had my entire life to fix this shit, you got rich instead.
November 6, 2025 at 8:28 PM
Reposted by Kevin Thornton
🔥 Town of Lewes stages BIGGEST message yet — they’ve built and paraded a giant effigy of Nigel Farage with two of his “racist rioters” on leashes at this year’s bonfire night.

#Farage #LewesBonfire #FarageRiots
#ReformUK #PutinsPuppet #PutinsPet #FarRight
November 6, 2025 at 10:10 AM