Matt Livesey
@mlivesey.bsky.social
Wildlife photographer; conservationist and countryside-lover. Photographs represented by RSPB Images. Cambridgeshire.
https://www.mattliveseyphotography.com/
https://www.mattliveseyphotography.com/
The mink cull has been successful in wiping them out from East Anglia, to the benefit of water voles. Now looks like it might be repeatable nationally. Ruddy Duck cull has also been successful. But obviously for Curlew culling is a short term measure, & not a substitute for more fundamental action.
September 12, 2025 at 7:19 AM
The mink cull has been successful in wiping them out from East Anglia, to the benefit of water voles. Now looks like it might be repeatable nationally. Ruddy Duck cull has also been successful. But obviously for Curlew culling is a short term measure, & not a substitute for more fundamental action.
In the short term this is likely necessary and the only pragmatic option to prevent local extinction in some areas, but in the long term we will only really solve the problem if we tackle the route causes of why UK has such abnormally high mesopredator numbers
September 12, 2025 at 7:16 AM
In the short term this is likely necessary and the only pragmatic option to prevent local extinction in some areas, but in the long term we will only really solve the problem if we tackle the route causes of why UK has such abnormally high mesopredator numbers
Generally BirdTrack best for birds, iRecord for all else
August 30, 2025 at 2:39 PM
Generally BirdTrack best for birds, iRecord for all else
Hi - are you able to follow me so I can drop you a message? My colleagues at Natural England working on the Swallowtail recovery programme are keen to speak to you and Rick about this! Matt
August 25, 2025 at 10:18 AM
Hi - are you able to follow me so I can drop you a message? My colleagues at Natural England working on the Swallowtail recovery programme are keen to speak to you and Rick about this! Matt
I wasn’t aware they had ever been documented using anything other than milk-parsley in the wild? So either implication would seem quite ground breaking?
August 25, 2025 at 9:57 AM
I wasn’t aware they had ever been documented using anything other than milk-parsley in the wild? So either implication would seem quite ground breaking?
The slash denotes "not appropriate" OR "self sustaining", but I agree could have been clearer
August 7, 2025 at 2:45 PM
The slash denotes "not appropriate" OR "self sustaining", but I agree could have been clearer
They don't exist close to sensitive sites unless you build houses nearby. Sites further away from built up areas have less disturbance. Access to nature is only a good thing if both the people & nature benefit, if the former damages the latter then it isn't. Most of that is an education thing though
July 23, 2025 at 7:22 AM
They don't exist close to sensitive sites unless you build houses nearby. Sites further away from built up areas have less disturbance. Access to nature is only a good thing if both the people & nature benefit, if the former damages the latter then it isn't. Most of that is an education thing though
It's not at the moment (we can thank agricultural intensification for that by a long shot), but it will steadily rise up the ladder. And of course the impact of housebuilding isn't just from the buildings themselves, recreational disturbance is also becoming a rapidly growing issue.
July 23, 2025 at 7:14 AM
It's not at the moment (we can thank agricultural intensification for that by a long shot), but it will steadily rise up the ladder. And of course the impact of housebuilding isn't just from the buildings themselves, recreational disturbance is also becoming a rapidly growing issue.
Barn owls were added to Schedule 9 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act, to get on top of all the releases. I believe the same could be done for any species, although obviously requires legislative change
June 21, 2025 at 7:53 AM
Barn owls were added to Schedule 9 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act, to get on top of all the releases. I believe the same could be done for any species, although obviously requires legislative change
Yep. Risks jeopardising the whole recovery programme, just for some instant gratification.
June 20, 2025 at 10:49 PM
Yep. Risks jeopardising the whole recovery programme, just for some instant gratification.
How many nests across the country is that now? Must be approaching a record!
June 1, 2025 at 7:28 AM
How many nests across the country is that now? Must be approaching a record!