Keeping track of the gannets of the Bass Rock
The Bass Rock, East Lothian As more offshore wind farms are built, the scientists want to know how high the birds fly before diving down to fish Just over a mile off the coast of Scotland, within sight of the Forth Railway Bridge, is a truly wild place. The Bass Rock, 100m at its highest […]
Swimming with seals in Anglesey: Country diary 100 years ago
Originally published in the Manchester Guardian on 21 July 1916 I had no intention of commenting upon a highly sensational account of a “Lady’s Thrill” which appeared in one of the papers, but when it was copied into several others I felt that it was time to protest. The account stated that a lady, when […]
Close encounters with the seabirds of Orkney
“Although I found the remains of this ancient settlement fascinating, I was constantly distracted by the array of birds along the beach” From the way the bird was moving, it was obvious she was distressed. One wing held out at an awkward angle, tail fanned, she piped loudly to attract my attention. But I knew […]
Decaying carcass of Wally the whale may have returned to California beach
Officials say a dead whale keeps floating to the southern coast The humpback whale’s body has already been towed back to sea twice Officials say a dead whale that keeps floating to the southern California coast after being towed out to sea may have returned to the shoreline again. Encinitas lifeguards say a whale body […]
Fracked! review – Alistair Beaton's environmental satire has rampant energy
Minerva, ChichesterAnne Reid and James Bolam star in Beaton’s dark comedy about fracking that becomes an outright plea for direct action Alistair Beaton’s forte is topical satire. His most recent piece, The Accidental Leader, pre-empted events by showing the shadow cabinet rebelling against Jeremy Corbyn. Now he takes on the topic of fracking (helpfully defined […]
An industrial strategy is hard to achieve. But at least laissez-faire is over
The new business secretary, Greg Clark, may or may not match up to Heseltine, Mandelson or Benn. But, significantly, he has an explicit licence to intervene Over the years, politicians of all stripes have had big ideas for Whitehall’s business department. When he was industry secretary in the 1970s, Tony Benn thought state ownership, planning […]
After decades in dire straits, Whitley Bay leads renaissance of northern resorts
Inspired by the reinvention of southern seaside towns, the pleasure beach immortalised by Mark Knopfler is enjoying a multimillion-pound revamp Dire Straits sang in 1981 about Whitley Bay’s Spanish City pleasure beach, where lead singer Mark Knopfler first heard loud rock music. Twenty years after the song, Tunnel of Love, hit the charts, Spanish City’s […]
A different kind of tea party: how US farmers are brewing up a new industry
Unchon Ramos has kickstarted an American tea farming revolution right from her farm in Virginia – but growers say the industry is still in ‘the wild west’ stage of development As a girl growing up in South Korea, Unchon Ramos recalls her mother would always give her green tea to drink at bedtime when she […]
Carbon-free banking: where to save, invest and borrow
We look at the range of options available if you want to move away from companies connected to fossil fuels If you are worried about climate change, it has never been easier to move your money away from companies connected to fossil fuels, with plenty of carbon-free banking and investment options available. So says the […]
US Navy banned from using sonar that harms dolphins and walruses
Low-frequency sonar used for training and testing can injure whales and other marine life, and disrupt their feeding and mating A federal appeals court ruled on Friday that the US Navy was wrongly allowed to use sonar in the nation’s oceans that could harm whales and other marine life. The ninth circuit court of appeals […]