Simon Tucker
@simonrtucker.bsky.social
7 years in farming. Went to Uni, 2:1 in Zoology, 31 years working as an IT consultant then 10 years as my own boss doing IT and eco-consultancy. Keen birder & conservationist, bird ringer & ringing trainer & blogger. Politically left wing.
I have had to update my report from yesterday as I forgot to include two very important people! It only struck me as I was dozing off last night! Shouldn't write these things when you are knackered!
braydonforestringing.uk/2025/11/15/a...
braydonforestringing.uk/2025/11/15/a...
A Record Morning for the Firs: Saturday, 15th November 2025
After our rather good catch at Somerford Common on Thursday, our best catch there for 5 years, and our second best ever at the site, I was interested to see what we might find at the Firs this morn…
braydonforestringing.uk
November 16, 2025 at 11:04 AM
I have had to update my report from yesterday as I forgot to include two very important people! It only struck me as I was dozing off last night! Shouldn't write these things when you are knackered!
braydonforestringing.uk/2025/11/15/a...
braydonforestringing.uk/2025/11/15/a...
Nice to break the odd personal ringing record or two: one a site record another a species record:
braydonforestringing.uk/2025/11/15/a...
braydonforestringing.uk/2025/11/15/a...
A Record Morning for the Firs: Saturday, 15th November 2025
After our rather good catch at Somerford Common on Thursday, our best catch there for 5 years, and our second best ever at the site, I was interested to see what we might find at the Firs this morn…
braydonforestringing.uk
November 15, 2025 at 7:17 PM
Nice to break the odd personal ringing record or two: one a site record another a species record:
braydonforestringing.uk/2025/11/15/a...
braydonforestringing.uk/2025/11/15/a...
First round at Somerford Common this morning: 5 Marsh Tits, 4 new, taking us to our highest annual total since the start of my project in 2012!
November 13, 2025 at 9:05 AM
First round at Somerford Common this morning: 5 Marsh Tits, 4 new, taking us to our highest annual total since the start of my project in 2012!
It's #TimeForChange now! Please contact your MP and ask that they call on the Environment Secretary to #EndHunting quickly to protect all its victims.
takeaction.league.org.uk/page/169468/...
takeaction.league.org.uk/page/169468/...
Help me tell the government to protect the forgotten victims of hunting with dogs
Wild animals are still cruelly hunted with dogs and killed for ‘sport’. I’ve emailed my MP to make sure the law is strengthened quickly to protect all the animals persecuted by hunts. Will you help by...
takeaction.league.org.uk
November 12, 2025 at 12:34 PM
It's #TimeForChange now! Please contact your MP and ask that they call on the Environment Secretary to #EndHunting quickly to protect all its victims.
takeaction.league.org.uk/page/169468/...
takeaction.league.org.uk/page/169468/...
Our "justice system" is seriously lacking when dealing with wildlife crime. This is a very sombre read.
Lack of wildlife crime convictions opening the door to other serious crimes raptorpersecutionuk.org/2025/11/11/l...
Lack of wildlife crime convictions opening the door to other serious crimes raptorpersecutionuk.org/2025/11/11/l...
Lack of wildlife crime convictions opening the door to other serious crimes
Press release from Wildlife & Countryside Link (Wildlife Crime sub-group) Lack of wildlife crime convictions opening the door to other serious crimes Wildlife and Countryside Link has today rel…
raptorpersecutionuk.org
November 11, 2025 at 2:43 PM
Our "justice system" is seriously lacking when dealing with wildlife crime. This is a very sombre read.
Lack of wildlife crime convictions opening the door to other serious crimes raptorpersecutionuk.org/2025/11/11/l...
Lack of wildlife crime convictions opening the door to other serious crimes raptorpersecutionuk.org/2025/11/11/l...
Even now they cannot admit that their bias has been pro-Israel, pro-Trump, pro-Reform and against common decency!
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Katie Razzall: A seismic moment that shows rift at top of BBC
There may be more to this than meets the eye, says the BBC's culture and media editor.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 10, 2025 at 2:22 PM
Even now they cannot admit that their bias has been pro-Israel, pro-Trump, pro-Reform and against common decency!
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
This government clearly hates nature: building consent given to destroy a designated nature reserve!
c.org/tmYpkMGvjY
c.org/tmYpkMGvjY
Decision Update for Crossness Nature Reserve's Future
Dear Crossness Nature Reserve Supporters,
We are devastated that on 5 November the Secretary of State approved the carbon capture plant to be built by Cory Energy on Crossness Nature Reserve, it was r...
c.org
November 9, 2025 at 10:58 AM
This government clearly hates nature: building consent given to destroy a designated nature reserve!
c.org/tmYpkMGvjY
c.org/tmYpkMGvjY
Given how bad results have been elsewhere in Wiltshire I am reasonably happy with this year's Barn Owl Breeding results.
braydonforestringing.uk/2025/11/06/b...
braydonforestringing.uk/2025/11/06/b...
Barn Owl Breeding Review: Braydon Forest 2025
In a year when Barn Owls in Wiltshire have generally struggled, due to a lack of voles and other small rodents early in the year, I am relatively happy with what we have found in the Braydon Forest…
braydonforestringing.uk
November 6, 2025 at 1:40 PM
Given how bad results have been elsewhere in Wiltshire I am reasonably happy with this year's Barn Owl Breeding results.
braydonforestringing.uk/2025/11/06/b...
braydonforestringing.uk/2025/11/06/b...
Good to see a proper sentence for this criminal. If only our judiciary would do the same!
4 Northern Bald Ibis were killed with an air rifle in Extremadura in 2019. Covid caused issues with the police investigation, but they continues & last month the guilty party was sentenced, 1 year prison term, banned from hunting & fishing for 3 years & a 20,000Euro fine. @raptorpersuk.bsky.social
November 5, 2025 at 12:51 PM
Good to see a proper sentence for this criminal. If only our judiciary would do the same!
Reposted by Simon Tucker
And the grift goes on...
November 2, 2025 at 9:37 AM
And the grift goes on...
Reposted by Simon Tucker
There are around 1,500 rivers in Britain, so the government’s manifesto pledge to create a mere 9 river walks is simply pathetic.
Give the public a right of responsible access to all rivers & the wider countryside.
Our @righttoroam.bsky.social trespass on BBC news:
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Give the public a right of responsible access to all rivers & the wider countryside.
Our @righttoroam.bsky.social trespass on BBC news:
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Walkers protest over riverbank access
Campaigners take to the banks of the River Dart, calling for the right to access all English rivers.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 2, 2025 at 7:14 PM
There are around 1,500 rivers in Britain, so the government’s manifesto pledge to create a mere 9 river walks is simply pathetic.
Give the public a right of responsible access to all rivers & the wider countryside.
Our @righttoroam.bsky.social trespass on BBC news:
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Give the public a right of responsible access to all rivers & the wider countryside.
Our @righttoroam.bsky.social trespass on BBC news:
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Reposted by Simon Tucker
UK and Ireland endemic rather.
The eBird taxonomic reshuffle is still underway, but Lagopus has been processed, and Red Grouse is now a UK species-level endemic #UKBirding
macaulaylibrary.org/asset/609783...
macaulaylibrary.org/asset/609783...
November 2, 2025 at 2:53 PM
UK and Ireland endemic rather.
Just done a quick update on my Marsh Tit piece: our insignificant population rose to 3% of the national ringed population in 0.15% of the suitable broadleafed woodland.
braydonforestringing.uk/2025/09/06/b...
braydonforestringing.uk/2025/09/06/b...
Braydon Forest Marsh Tits: How Insignificant is Insignificant?
For issues that might become public in the near future, depending upon a couple of responses I am waiting on, got me back onto my favourite hobby horse: the Marsh Tit population of the Braydon Fore…
braydonforestringing.uk
October 31, 2025 at 9:45 PM
Just done a quick update on my Marsh Tit piece: our insignificant population rose to 3% of the national ringed population in 0.15% of the suitable broadleafed woodland.
braydonforestringing.uk/2025/09/06/b...
braydonforestringing.uk/2025/09/06/b...
Insanity, corruption, cowardice or all three?
Imagine being a Minister in Scottish Govt & sanctioning 6 months of torching this sensitive & important carbon-sequestering habitat, in a climate emergency & against will of Parliament, just so a handful of wealthy elites can get off on killing Red Grouse.
raptorpersecutionuk.org/2025/10/30/s...
raptorpersecutionuk.org/2025/10/30/s...
Scottish Govt fiddles while grouse moors burn
Earlier this month the Scottish Government announced a delay, for the second time, of the implementation of muirburn licensing after caving in to pressure from aggressive lobbying by the grouse sho…
raptorpersecutionuk.org
October 30, 2025 at 4:21 PM
Insanity, corruption, cowardice or all three?
I am pretty fed up with the lies and dishonesty that supports the shooting industry. Why does government ignore science in favour of forelock tugging to the rich landowners?
parkswatchscotland.co.uk/2025/10/30/t...
parkswatchscotland.co.uk/2025/10/30/t...
The Dava Moor mega-fire/s - did muirburn mitigate the damage? - parkswatchscotland
I thought we lived in a world where science guided our decisions about how best to protect nature and the planet. Sadly this would appear not to be the case. Vested interests and the voices of the pow...
parkswatchscotland.co.uk
October 30, 2025 at 2:05 PM
I am pretty fed up with the lies and dishonesty that supports the shooting industry. Why does government ignore science in favour of forelock tugging to the rich landowners?
parkswatchscotland.co.uk/2025/10/30/t...
parkswatchscotland.co.uk/2025/10/30/t...
Apart from Morrisons, all of these supermarket chains make huge profits. How about cutting those a bit and not passing on any increase to your customers?
Time to bring back price controls! The fee market is a con: they are cartels:
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Time to bring back price controls! The fee market is a con: they are cartels:
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Tax rises could push food prices higher, warn supermarkets
The bosses of the UK's largest supermarkets warn the chancellor against imposing higher taxes on the industry.
www.bbc.co.uk
October 26, 2025 at 11:51 AM
Apart from Morrisons, all of these supermarket chains make huge profits. How about cutting those a bit and not passing on any increase to your customers?
Time to bring back price controls! The fee market is a con: they are cartels:
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Time to bring back price controls! The fee market is a con: they are cartels:
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
And the meat of what I posted yesterday: I have tried to put the boring stuff at the end.
braydonforestringing.uk/2025/10/26/a...
braydonforestringing.uk/2025/10/26/a...
Adult survival and mortality trajectories differ in four tit species in the Braydon Forest, Wiltshire: 2
I have included the rest of the paper that I posted the abstract of yesterday. That includes all of the tables and statistical analysis: none of which I claim to understand but, as they are tried a…
braydonforestringing.uk
October 26, 2025 at 11:23 AM
And the meat of what I posted yesterday: I have tried to put the boring stuff at the end.
braydonforestringing.uk/2025/10/26/a...
braydonforestringing.uk/2025/10/26/a...
I couldn't get out ringing this week due to a mix of ill health, bad weather and inaccurate weather forecasts. Instead I have spent some time dealing with a matter that has been a source of frustration to me for quite a while:
braydonforestringing.uk/2025/10/25/a...
braydonforestringing.uk/2025/10/25/a...
Adult survival and mortality trajectories differ in four tit species in the Braydon Forest, Wiltshire: 1
In 2022 I was approached by a Dr Will Jones, then at the University of Debrecen, Hungary, after the events outlined in my post, “When Science Imitates Religion”: He asked if I would be …
braydonforestringing.uk
October 25, 2025 at 5:19 PM
I couldn't get out ringing this week due to a mix of ill health, bad weather and inaccurate weather forecasts. Instead I have spent some time dealing with a matter that has been a source of frustration to me for quite a while:
braydonforestringing.uk/2025/10/25/a...
braydonforestringing.uk/2025/10/25/a...
Reposted by Simon Tucker
🚨 2nd master’s project!
Interested in bird migration & genomics? 🧬🐦
Use whole-genome data to trace the recent colonization of Ouessant Island by Blue Tits and explore how irruptive migratory events can shape colonization dynamics. Please share! #ornithology
www.vogelwarte.ch/de/wir/mitar...
Interested in bird migration & genomics? 🧬🐦
Use whole-genome data to trace the recent colonization of Ouessant Island by Blue Tits and explore how irruptive migratory events can shape colonization dynamics. Please share! #ornithology
www.vogelwarte.ch/de/wir/mitar...
October 24, 2025 at 4:05 PM
🚨 2nd master’s project!
Interested in bird migration & genomics? 🧬🐦
Use whole-genome data to trace the recent colonization of Ouessant Island by Blue Tits and explore how irruptive migratory events can shape colonization dynamics. Please share! #ornithology
www.vogelwarte.ch/de/wir/mitar...
Interested in bird migration & genomics? 🧬🐦
Use whole-genome data to trace the recent colonization of Ouessant Island by Blue Tits and explore how irruptive migratory events can shape colonization dynamics. Please share! #ornithology
www.vogelwarte.ch/de/wir/mitar...
A quick question: can something that has never been published be subject to copyright?
October 24, 2025 at 2:05 PM
A quick question: can something that has never been published be subject to copyright?
Highland Cops on BBC2 tonight: 10 minutes in, rural crime officer gets report of a Goshawk nest that has been damaged. Well worth a watch: he puts the blame for raptor persecution squarely on the shooting estates.
October 23, 2025 at 7:18 PM
Highland Cops on BBC2 tonight: 10 minutes in, rural crime officer gets report of a Goshawk nest that has been damaged. Well worth a watch: he puts the blame for raptor persecution squarely on the shooting estates.