Annette J Beveridge

#trees Over the years, I have heard of many people moving into properties and just cutting down established trees or hedgerows. Sadly, there is no legal date to state when trees or hedges cannnot be cut, but there are rules between March 1 and 31 August when birds nest. Please remember, under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, it is an offence to intentionally damage or destroy the nests of any wild bird - includes if being built or used. You are supposed to have a qualified ecologist check for nests. If any are found, work stops! Please think about nature. 💚

When will we start taking #climatechange seriously? The last 11 years were the Earth's 11 warmest years in records stretching back to 1850, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) says. UN Secretary General António Guterres reiterated his call for countries to move away from fossil fuels to renewable energy to "deliver climate security, energy security and national security". "Planet Earth is being pushed beyond its limits. Every key climate indicator is flashing red," he warned, in a typically punchy video address. More in comments

How trees wake up in Spring 💚💚💚 If you are a nature lover like me, then you will probably have a deep respect and love for trees. But have you ever wondered how they wake up in Spring? We often think of trees as being dormant - sleeping the winter months away but trees are still sensitive to what is happening around them i.e., how much water they have or the temperature around them. The moment new leaves appear is an indicator to us that Spring is on its way. It always lifts my mood when I see those early leaves and I know we have come through much of the bleakest months. The date that this happens isn't fixed - you will notice the miracle of new growth from March through April although sometimes, it can happen earlier. When you spot early buds, know that there are hormones within - including cytokinin and auxin. These instruct the cells to begin to divide and then, grow. But this miraculous growth actually starts the previous year. Trees continue working to produce new growth in preparation for the following year and some trees will have several generations of buds and leaves on the same limb. So as we continue to appreciate trees, spare a thought for its continuous growth and reliability as we mark our seasons.

#nature news Are sharks losing their bite? When you think about sharks generally, what is your immediate thought? The sleek perfectly designed body, unblinking eyes or that mouthful of sharp teeth? Sharks are the most feared predators in the ocean. There are hundreds of species, all playing an important role in the ocean ecosystems. Their predatory skills have been finely tuned over millions of years but sharks are under pressure. The overfishing of sharks is a huge issue with an estimated 100 million sharks killed each year but ocean acidification is yet another threat - one that scientists are studying closely. More in comments

Why nature is at the bottom of the heap when decisions are made. I honestly believe that most people care about animal welfare and environmental issues but life is too busy for many to really think about nature's plight or to do something that makes a difference. Why are we so busy? The answer is simple. We are on a treadmill of an unhealthy lifestyle balance. I know people who are working several jobs, not because they want to but because they need to. Unless you are in a high-powered well-paying job, you juggle life and have little time for family and friends. This takes away something rather special as well as adding copious amounts of stress, it deprives us of being out in nature. More in comments

This is bloody amazing. 💚 A monarch butterfly with a damaged wing was given a wing replacement! Seriously. 👇 Take a look at this video, 'monarch butterfly wing replacement' share.google/f3lRDqjD2YUMoK…

Sperm whales appear to have a weird defence mechanism. Pods of sperm whales have been recorded dropping bubbles of poo and wafting the poo with their tails towards predators! 💚

Fun nature fact 💚 To me, ring-tailed lemurs are stunning animals and so distinctive with their long back legs enabling them to skip and jump across terrain and that long ringed-tail of course. But did you know that ring-tailed lemurs have two tongues? The second tongue is known as a sublingua. As a sociable animal, these lemurs groom each other and the muscular sublingua removes hair from the tooth comb. The more we know about nature, the more fascinating it is 💚

@ZackPolanski Just horrific. Those poor children, teachers and families.

Will set the record straight. It looks increasingly likely that it was the US that bombed a school in Iran - a horrific war crime.

I am going to say this CLEARLY for the thick people who still think fossil fuels are the solution! If we drilled more in the North Sea, the production would be small by comparison to global supply. Therefore, it will not dramatically reduce costs. Actually, there would be little to any reduction in costs. Richard Tice and Nigel Farage @reformuk don't tell you about the donations THEY GET from Fossil fuels companies. These companies or the people associated with them don't give donations just to be nice. It is why Reform UK wants to keep us locked into fossil fuels. New oil fields take up to 20 years to develop, the only benefit for us really is jobs and more in taxes to the Government. So even if we produce more oil here, the price WE PAY is tied to global prices so don't fall for the political hogwash! Plus, fossil fuels are highly damaging to the environment and impacts our fight against #climatechange but even if you don't care about that, (although you should) know that climate change impacts everything in life from our ability to get to work, to be healthy, to the food we can eat. Chasing after fossil fuels is like going to a gunfight and shooting yourself in the foot! Frankly, it is moronic. So bluntly, if you want to be a fossil fuel dinosaur and keep harping on about our saving on energy bills, re-read this and tell me which bit isn't clear enough! We do not benefit from more North Sea exploration! We must invest in renewables which will lower bills.

Please remember that birds are nesting so do not just go and cut back hedging. With nature so under pressure, every new chick counts 💚 Let's help nature.

Just binge watched Vanished starring Kaley Cuoco and it was bloody briliant. #PrimeVideo Great story - lots of twists and turns and addictive viewing. #Streaming

Pigeons can be seen as an annoyance as they congregate in great numbers in our city centres. But I have a lot of time for the humble pigeon. Here's why: I grew up in a family where racing pigeons seemed to be a weekly activity - my father used to collect the birds from our pigeon loft, placing them in a hamper and would drive away with them. I hated this. I worried about them getting back. Very few birds were lost much to my relief, but there were other predators - people trying to catch birds for consumption when released in foreign countries and of course, natural predators such as peregrines. But pigeons are pretty incredible. The sounds of pigeons wings flapping overhead and circling the garden was an incredible site after their long journey...then came the all-important clocking in. I have never wanted to participate in pigeon racing as an adult but I still love pigeons. They are greatly misunderstood and I will soon share some very personal stories of my time with pigeons. You may be surprised. These birds have an amazing navigational skill and I will also discuss this in more depth in One Planet News. It will help you understand and admire the humble pigeon in your town centres next time you see them... Sign up for free here: 1planet.substack.com

Just watched the finale of Stranger Things.....hmmm. I have loved the series but really don't think it was a good ending. Too drawn out. #StrangerThings5

Did you know that the beautiful beluga whale sheds its skin annually? i didn't but WOW. Nature continues to surprise and it is why we MUST keep learning.

Here's an interesting fact about robins, (a bird I absolutely adore). Did you know the first name for it was RUDDOCK? An Anglo-Saxon word, it means little red one. 💚

Independent journalism with a dash of psychology. Whattheheadlinesmiss.substack.com

This is our last Inside Salisbury of 2025, so we hope you enjoy it, but don’t worry, we will be back, raring to go on Saturday, January 3. We wish all our readers a Happy and Healthy Christmas and New Year.... Insidesalisbury.substack.com

When you read the news today, what do you usually get? Headlines tell you what happened, they reveal scandals, a political decision, or a celebrity power play. They give you events, quotes, and statistics. But rarely do they tell you why it happened, or why it matters... 1)