With his last words at Prime Minister’s Questions – “hasta la vista, baby” – and in his final Downing Street speech – when he referenced the ancient Roman statesman Cincinnatus who resigned and went back to his farm, only to return as a dictator – Boris Johnson told us he would be back.
What fools we were to think even the current Conservative party would never consider such a foolish and damaging move. The man who was forced to relinquish office by his own MPs because of serial dishonesty is now a serious contender to replace his own replacement, the hapless Liz Truss. Perhaps they plan to take it in turns until they have eked out every last minute of the 2019 election’s mandate – drunk on power, living it up on the state’s tab and intermittently squabbling amongst themselves while the country’s economy goes down the toilet.
Rory Stewart, a former Conservative Cabinet minister, lamented: “Only a nation which was gripped by pessimistic despair and no longer believed that there could be a serious response to its unfolding tragedies would want to take refuge in the leadership of a clown.” Once we could have relied on Tories like Stewart, Dr Sarah Wollaston, former Attorney General Dominic Grieve, Anna Soubry and Heidi Allen to steer a vaguely sensible course. [ . . . ]
This series focuses on different accents from the United Kingdom. Many thanks to Tom for providing him fabulous WEST COUNTRY accent. Useful links are below: Want to sound British? Take our Pronunciation course: https://englishlikeanative.co.uk/onli…
If lockdown has made you more appreciative of the birds in your neighbourhood, why not further your interest with a visit to a bird reserve during your staycation?
Birdwatching doesn’t need to be an expensive hobby – you don’t need to buy a huge telescope like you see some twitchers carrying, just as you don’t need to sit for hours munching on sandwiches, praying for that one elusive bird to show up!
If lockdown has made you more appreciative of the birds in your neighbourhood, why not further your interest with a visit to a bird reserve during your staycation?
Birdwatching doesn’t need to be an expensive hobby – you don’t need to buy a huge telescope like you see some twitchers carrying, just as you don’t need to sit for hours munching on sandwiches, praying for that one elusive bird to show up!
A good pair of binoculars (many reserves offer them for sale, or check out second-hand pairs on sites such as eBay), a bird book or app so you can identify what’s in front of you, and a little bit of patience will reward you with an absorbing day out.
Although spring and summer are great for spotting birds during the breeding season, autumn and winter also offer a great deal of variety as many species prepare to migrate.
Bird-watching is truly a year-round activity the whole family can enjoy.
Here are our top nine bird-watching sites in England.
Farne Islands
Farne Islands. Credit: DomWPhoto
A 20-minute boat trip will take you to the dramatic Farne Islands off the Northumberland coast.
Once home to saints and monks, today the tiny archipelago supports breeding colonies of several species of seabird. At the height of the season (May to June), you could see around 70,000 Puffins!
The islands are also a haven for Eider Ducks, Razorbills, Little Terns, Arctic Terns, and Sandwich Terns. Look out for seals basking on the rocks or swimming, too.
Find it: Boat trips to the Farne islands run from Seahouses. Check out Serenity, Billy Shiel’s or Golden Gate. The National Trust cares for the islands; non-members must pay a landing fee in addition to the cost of the boat trip.
Known locally as Seabird City, the towering white cliffs at Bempton, near Bridlington, in East Yorkshire, attract up to half a million seabirds every year.
Between March and October, they come to nest and raise their young, making this place a must-see for any bird-watcher.
The cries (and smells!) are unforgettable as thousands of birds swoop around you.
Look out for the Gannets with their startling blue eyes and large grey bills. True romantics, Gannets mate for life – and often the male will offer the female little gifts of flowers.
Bempton is the only mainland seabird colony in England, so you’re guaranteed to see ‘the big eight’ of species that visit our shores: Gannet, Guillemot, Puffin, Razorbill, Kittiwake, Fulmar, Shag and Herring Gull.
A lovely oak woodland in a steep-sided valley, this Staffordshire spot provides an ideal habitat for migratory birds such as the Pied Flycatcher, Redstart and Wood Warbler to nest.
A trail leads you around the site – look out for Dippers and Willow Tits in summer, and in winter, hundreds of Redwings and Fieldfare descend to feed on the berries.
A steep climb will take you to open moorland and pasture, where you may see Woodcock and Sparrowhawks.
