Simon Huggins
@shufgy.bsky.social
Geek in Reading into birding, cryptic crosswords, walking, beer, GIS 🌈
Reposted by Simon Huggins
Birdos the world over tugging nervously at their collars
Despite Austria’s declared neutrality and its refusal to send weapons to Kyiv, the country’s Swarovski Optik has continued supplying high-end rifle scopes to Russia throughout the full-scale war.
meduza.io/en/feature/2...
meduza.io/en/feature/2...
How Swarovski Optik is still sending sniper scopes to Russia, despite Austria’s policy of ‘permanent neutrality’ — Meduza
Despite Austria’s declared neutrality and its refusal to send weapons to Kyiv, the country’s Swarovski Optik has continued supplying high-end rifle scopes to Russia throughout the full-scale war,…
meduza.io
November 20, 2025 at 5:03 PM
Birdos the world over tugging nervously at their collars
Redpoll at Moor Green lakes this morning #berksbirds #ukbirds
November 18, 2025 at 1:35 PM
Redpoll at Moor Green lakes this morning #berksbirds #ukbirds
Male pintail at Moor Green lakes #berksbirds #ukbirds
November 18, 2025 at 8:32 AM
Male pintail at Moor Green lakes #berksbirds #ukbirds
Reposted by Simon Huggins
NEWS JUST IN! A new book will in fact solve all your problems
November 17, 2025 at 9:17 AM
NEWS JUST IN! A new book will in fact solve all your problems
Happy remember-where-your-hat-is day to all who celebrate! #BitNippyOut
November 17, 2025 at 10:14 AM
Happy remember-where-your-hat-is day to all who celebrate! #BitNippyOut
Reposted by Simon Huggins
When Tommy Robinson is celebrating your policies it is time to take a long hard look in the mirror and then quit politics forever.
Not everyone is unhappy about the Government's descent into anti-refugee politics
November 16, 2025 at 10:01 AM
When Tommy Robinson is celebrating your policies it is time to take a long hard look in the mirror and then quit politics forever.
Reposted by Simon Huggins
“So we asked ourselves: how could we make the common bicycle heavier, more dangerous and, ultimately, reliant on electricity”
From the new Private Eye, in shops now.
From the new Private Eye, in shops now.
November 12, 2025 at 12:17 PM
“So we asked ourselves: how could we make the common bicycle heavier, more dangerous and, ultimately, reliant on electricity”
From the new Private Eye, in shops now.
From the new Private Eye, in shops now.
But the real star today was this bittern from the appropriately named bittern hide at Lavell's lake (Dinton pastures) today #berksbirds #ukbirds (don't tell @jabaddams.bsky.social)
November 11, 2025 at 3:50 PM
But the real star today was this bittern from the appropriately named bittern hide at Lavell's lake (Dinton pastures) today #berksbirds #ukbirds (don't tell @jabaddams.bsky.social)
Reposted by Simon Huggins
Quick thread on the BBC and the political and societal significance of recent developments:
One of the main reasons the UK has historically been so much less polarised than the US, is that Britain has a shared source of information, consumed and trusted by most people regardless of their politics.
One of the main reasons the UK has historically been so much less polarised than the US, is that Britain has a shared source of information, consumed and trusted by most people regardless of their politics.
November 10, 2025 at 1:43 PM
Quick thread on the BBC and the political and societal significance of recent developments:
One of the main reasons the UK has historically been so much less polarised than the US, is that Britain has a shared source of information, consumed and trusted by most people regardless of their politics.
One of the main reasons the UK has historically been so much less polarised than the US, is that Britain has a shared source of information, consumed and trusted by most people regardless of their politics.
Reposted by Simon Huggins
What you’re witnessing is a populist assault on the BBC.
This is not an institutional scandal in any meaningful sense of the word. It is an attack on public service broadcasting.
iandunt.substack.com/p/extra-edit...
This is not an institutional scandal in any meaningful sense of the word. It is an attack on public service broadcasting.
iandunt.substack.com/p/extra-edit...
November 10, 2025 at 10:52 AM
What you’re witnessing is a populist assault on the BBC.
This is not an institutional scandal in any meaningful sense of the word. It is an attack on public service broadcasting.
iandunt.substack.com/p/extra-edit...
This is not an institutional scandal in any meaningful sense of the word. It is an attack on public service broadcasting.
iandunt.substack.com/p/extra-edit...
This meadow pipit posed in beautiful light the other week on my way back from Fobney meadow #ukbirds #berksbirds
November 4, 2025 at 9:14 AM
This meadow pipit posed in beautiful light the other week on my way back from Fobney meadow #ukbirds #berksbirds
Reposted by Simon Huggins
Lots of hints in Rachel Reeves' speech (e.g. at broad-based tax rises, a chunky OBR productivity downgrade, an increase in headroom) but nothing concrete. It was largely a scene-setting and blame-shifting exercise. Until we see the detail on 26 November, there's not much we can say.
November 4, 2025 at 8:48 AM
Lots of hints in Rachel Reeves' speech (e.g. at broad-based tax rises, a chunky OBR productivity downgrade, an increase in headroom) but nothing concrete. It was largely a scene-setting and blame-shifting exercise. Until we see the detail on 26 November, there's not much we can say.
Reposted by Simon Huggins
Midnight and temperatures still widely in the teens.. in November
November 4, 2025 at 12:05 AM
Midnight and temperatures still widely in the teens.. in November
Reposted by Simon Huggins
Yes
That’s exactly it.
George has done his “time”, but shows absolutely no understanding of or remorse for the harm he has done. (Alice on the other hand did, for her part).
Nobody will begin to forgive, trust, or respect him until he can do this.
#TheArchers
That’s exactly it.
George has done his “time”, but shows absolutely no understanding of or remorse for the harm he has done. (Alice on the other hand did, for her part).
Nobody will begin to forgive, trust, or respect him until he can do this.
#TheArchers
October 28, 2025 at 8:13 PM
Yes
That’s exactly it.
George has done his “time”, but shows absolutely no understanding of or remorse for the harm he has done. (Alice on the other hand did, for her part).
Nobody will begin to forgive, trust, or respect him until he can do this.
#TheArchers
That’s exactly it.
George has done his “time”, but shows absolutely no understanding of or remorse for the harm he has done. (Alice on the other hand did, for her part).
Nobody will begin to forgive, trust, or respect him until he can do this.
#TheArchers
Reposted by Simon Huggins
💯
Cryptic crosswords are a great hobby to get into because in your mid-forties people will call you 'young'.
October 26, 2025 at 5:44 AM
💯
RSPB Pulborough Brooks was amazing. Such a great site! A pretty chiffchaff in the early light, lots of marsh harrier action and some great ducks like these fancy pintails. #ukbirds
October 21, 2025 at 4:27 PM
RSPB Pulborough Brooks was amazing. Such a great site! A pretty chiffchaff in the early light, lots of marsh harrier action and some great ducks like these fancy pintails. #ukbirds
Mostly took pictures of animals it seems at @kneppwilding.bsky.social today. Not sure what I did to upset the deer but the pigs were falling over themselves to be close up to scoff all the acorns.
October 21, 2025 at 4:23 PM
Mostly took pictures of animals it seems at @kneppwilding.bsky.social today. Not sure what I did to upset the deer but the pigs were falling over themselves to be close up to scoff all the acorns.
Was surprised to see a hobby at @kneppwilding.bsky.social today as practically the first bird I saw. But at more of less the same time back in Berkshire a friend saw one at Moor Green lakes. Late departure? #ukbirds
October 21, 2025 at 4:20 PM
Was surprised to see a hobby at @kneppwilding.bsky.social today as practically the first bird I saw. But at more of less the same time back in Berkshire a friend saw one at Moor Green lakes. Late departure? #ukbirds
Reposted by Simon Huggins
![1
Nurse:
It’s become a real problem in this area
2
Nurse:
We’ve seen the whole community lost to addiction
3
Show a building sign posted:
Westminster ‘X’ Addiction Clinic
With various Westminster people or looking at their phones outside it
Nurse:
Ministers, Spads, Researchers…
4
Nurse:
Most mornings we’ll get a call about someone acting strangely
[Nurse on phone taking a call]
Ok - we’ll be right over
5
Nurse:
We just have a gentle chat
[Nurses approach a minister –Robert Jenrick? - standing in the Palace of Westminster
Minister:
I understand your concerns…
6
Nurse:
Are you OK love?
Minister:
Yes I’m just hearing legitimate concerns from real voters
7
Nurse:
That’s a robot, a Nazi and a poorly-disguised Russian
[Show that the people he is talking to are precisely these characters]
Nurse 2:
Give us your phone, love
8
Nurse:
At the clinic we put them in a Grass-Touching Pod, with a real voter to talk to
[We see them back at the clinic, holding the minister's head and pushing him into a glass isolation booth with a grass floor. And it is a baffled looking woman, on a chair, ready to talk to him.]
9
Minister:
YOU MUST BE WORRIED ABOUT THE COMING CIVIL WAR
[woman looks baffled]
10
woman:
I just want a bus service
Minister:
LOOK AT MY FLAG
[produces a St George's flag]
[ends]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:4m3we4apbjayclzcnhwe3pfp/bafkreicahofq6s4xow7vowj7dx6odw6ejdwr4kwcmzta7qwi4hg2nvywji@jpeg)
Buzzard being mobbed by crows at Lea Farm lake this morning #ukbirds #berksbirds
October 20, 2025 at 9:36 AM
Buzzard being mobbed by crows at Lea Farm lake this morning #ukbirds #berksbirds
This is worth 25 minutes of your time. A beautiful film about white-tailed eagles and how they were reintroduced.
Who else could claim today’s #FlyDay spotlight but the magnificent White-tailed Eagle? 🦅
Their breathtaking story of loss and recovery takes flight in RETURN, an RSPB film, released today.
Watch now on YouTube: brnw.ch/21wVi9V 👈
Their breathtaking story of loss and recovery takes flight in RETURN, an RSPB film, released today.
Watch now on YouTube: brnw.ch/21wVi9V 👈
October 16, 2025 at 8:33 AM
This is worth 25 minutes of your time. A beautiful film about white-tailed eagles and how they were reintroduced.
Reposted by Simon Huggins
Our team has published a new study in Avian Conservation Ecology showing that #cats kill between 19–197 million #birds each year in Canada!
In the time it has taken you to read ~3 posts (1 min) 114 birds have been killed at the paws of cats in Canada.
ace-eco.org/vol20/iss2/a...
1/4
In the time it has taken you to read ~3 posts (1 min) 114 birds have been killed at the paws of cats in Canada.
ace-eco.org/vol20/iss2/a...
1/4
October 16, 2025 at 12:53 AM
Our team has published a new study in Avian Conservation Ecology showing that #cats kill between 19–197 million #birds each year in Canada!
In the time it has taken you to read ~3 posts (1 min) 114 birds have been killed at the paws of cats in Canada.
ace-eco.org/vol20/iss2/a...
1/4
In the time it has taken you to read ~3 posts (1 min) 114 birds have been killed at the paws of cats in Canada.
ace-eco.org/vol20/iss2/a...
1/4