Jesus Lock - Cambridge

I have visited the city of Cambridge many times but my journey across the city this time took me to a part of town that I have not seen before. This included Jesus Lock on the River Cam. the only lock in the city. There is also a well-established community of house-boats near by known as the "camboaters".

Jesus footbridge built in 1892.

Camboaters dwellings by the willow

Jesus Lock (1836)

Some fine houseboats

Jesus Lock again

River Cam with spring blossom and a green sheen starting to break out on a willow.

The Winter Fox

A vixen comes visiting

And a bonus badger

Solitary Sociable Dolphins - new paper

What happens to dolphins and other small whale species when individuals become isolated from their own groups, families and societies? Sometimes people reach out to befriend them. Then what happens?

This paper looks at the history, spread and fates of what have become know as solitary-sociable dolphins. The paper is free and available HERE.

Bath in Winter Spotlight

The low winter sun picks out some architectural details in a snowy Bath city.

Big Garden Bird Watch 2019

Carrion Crow

One hour looking at the back garden yields 17 species:

Blackbird (1), House sparrow (2). Blue tit (3), Great tit (2), Long-tailed tit (1), Chaffinch (3), Dunnock (2), Robin (2), Wood pigeon (2), Carrion crow (2), Black cap (1), Coal tit (4), magpie (4), Feral pigeon (2), Willow tit (1), Wren (1), Goldfinch (1).

About RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch HERE

Magpie

Black cap (female)

And turning up a few minutes after the one hour session ended:

Scenes from the Anti-whaling Rally in London Today.

Several hundred protesters gathered on this cold wet winter's day in Cavenish Square in London and then - after speeches - marched down Regents Street (through throngs of bemused shoppers), around Piccadilly Circus, along Piccadilly to the Japanese Embassy. Here are some images.

And click HERE for a Blog explaining what this is all about. 

Protesters gather in the Square - here Team WDC being photographed

Two of the organizers - Peter Hall (black hat) and Dominic Dyer (in blue)

Veteran whale campaigner Stanley Johnston in mid-speach

Wil Travers OBE also speaking

Sixteen year-old Bella Lack addresses the rally

The march moves off

Massed outside the Japanese embassy

Why is the little midwinter badger looking so disgruntled?

It's cold. The little badger has ventured out from his warm den but when he gets to one of his favoured foraging spots (my back garden), he sits down and looks around. All is not as it should be.

Just a little earlier a stranger has been in the garden - here is the first image taken by the camera trap:

Enter the fox! Who eats well and leaves. Hence the unhappy badger.

The badger does his best to find what is left. He is not unsuccessful. 

Does is matter that Japan is leaving the International Whaling Commission?

Yes it does and if you tap on this link =  HERE are some reasons why.

Japan Announces it will leave the International Whaling Commission.

My Boxing Day Holiday (the UK celebration on December 26th) was interrupted by Japan's announcement that it will

i. leave the International Whaling Commission;
ii. stop whaling in the Southern Ocean; and
iii. continue whaling in the North Pacific.

You can find the statement issued  by Japan HERE

I did a series of TV interviews discussing this through the day and a couple have been preserved on the web and can be found

CNN HERE

CGTN HERE

Christmas Visits to Amsterdam and London

It has been many years since I have been to Amsterdam but I was just fortunate enough to visit. for a couple of days. The weather was wet and windy but the city is still fun and the public transport really great.

Whilst there I was privileged to be a guest at the awards ceremony for the Prince Claus awards.

Then I returned 'hot-foot' back to London for an event in the House of Lords.... 

Here are some photos:

Amsterdam has more canals than Venice - and many houseboats

Another canal view

The Rijksmuseum

An Amsterdam tram dressed up for Christmas - sadly without Father Christmas inside

A view of central station (itself looking rather like a palace)

A wonderful cheese ship just off Dam Square

The Royal Palace (lets go inside)

The People's Hall in the Royal Palace where the Prince Claus Awards ceremony is about to begin.

A detail of the wall of the People's Hall

Award winners from Brazil

Award winner from South Africa

Host of the Awards and Honorary Chair of the
Prince Claus Awards, Prince Constantijn 

More about the Prince Claus awards HERE.

And then to London.....

The Palace of Westminster

The Christmas tree in front of the House of Commons and
Ben Ben Tower wrapped in scaffolding and lights behind.

Inside Westminster Hall

Christmas travellers - St Pancras International Terminal