Simon Tonkin

This week we’ve been enjoying several day tours with visiting guests witnessing the incredible early spring passage of soaring #Birds in full swing! Black Kites continue to flow across The #Straits, now joined by squadrons of Short-toed #Eagles making their perilous journey despite some testing adverse weather. Large groups of White Storks are being joined by the much rarer Black Storks as they successfully make the crossing, while Common Cranes continue their majestic patrol of the local rice fields. Local icons, the splendrous Northern Bald Ibis, have now arrived at their nesting cliffs—though they never actually left the area, it's always a highlight to see them back on the rocks with their iridescent plumage and punk-rocker crests. The magic of nature’s greatest commute is on, and there’s nothing quite like seeing these incredible nomads complete their journey against all odds! #IngloriousBustards #BirdMigration #StraitOfGibraltar #ShortToedEagle #NorthernBaldIbis #BlackStork #BirdingSpain #SpringMigration #WildlifePhotography #Flyway #BirdWatching #Andalucia #VisitSpain #NatureLovers #Ornithology #RaptorMigration #WhiteStork #CommonCrane #Cadiz #BirdingTours #WildlifeConservation #MigrationSpectacle #EcoTourism #BirdingEurope #AvianMigration #NaturePhotography

@Thejoker98hd @sanchezcastejon En serio ???? Qué repugnante utilizar el sufrimiento de las víctimas de violación y violencia de género para promover tu perversa agenda política y agenda racista. En Cataluña? Hombre!!!! Estás en Nevada, Estados Unidos no?

@sanchezcastejon Hombre , a ver si dejas que entre todo el mundo sin papeles y sin conocer quien entra en nuestro pais normal que cada vez nos encontremos con mas casos de violaciones y asesinatos , en cataluña la mayoria de los que estan la carcel son de afuera , algo pasara no ? Dimita ya !!

Es insoportable tanto dolor. Todo mi cariño y mi sentido pésame para las familias de las dos mujeres asesinadas por la violencia machista en Madrid y Barcelona. No daremos ni un paso atrás. Unidad y firmeza hasta acabar con esta violencia estructural. igualdad.gob.es/comunicacion/s…

On our recent #BirdingTwoContinents tour this adult female #Osprey flew over our boat in the middle of the fabled Merja Zerga lagoon in Morocco and we were able to read the colour ring. Thanks to @timmackrill of the @RoyDennisWF we now know that this Osprey was ringed by Roy Dennis at a nest near Loch Insh in northern #Scotland on 10/7/18. She was one of a brood of three chicks and this is the first time she has been recorded in over 7 years since her first migration! #FlywayBirding - ingloriousbustards.com/birding-two-co…

This ringed Caspian #Tern we encountered recently on our #BirdingTwoContinents #Tour on the fabled Merga Zerja lagoon in #Morocco was ringed as a chick on the Kvädö peninsula in Sweden! 3,101km away, 7 years and 118 days before our observation! #FlywayBirding

Our second zone on our #BirdingTwoContinents tour and deep into the ornithologically under-explored #Rif #Mountains of #Morocco Mountain side cork #forests bustling with endemic wild Barbary #Macaques and Levaillant's #Woodpeckers. River valleys with Maghreb #Owls and Black-crowned Tchagras and high mountain passes with gorgeous Moussier's #Redstarts!

@McCallaPE @djlange @ChrisGPackham Yeah that’s gone well so far and before !

@djlange @simontonkin @ChrisGPackham Educate people and let them be free to make their own choices. It really is that simple. No policy or laws needed.

Whilst these damned things are a problem let’s get some perspective - letting the emissions generated by animal agriculture go into the sky is , errr , trashing our planets climate and driving global biodiversity loss . Just stating the science , but hey , cue the trolls !

@edbarkerAIC @CommonsEFRA @Minette_Batters @WillJAgri Reduction in intensive meat / dairy consumption policies?

Great to be able to give evidence to @CommonsEFRA on Food Security with @Minette_Batters and @WillJAgri. Farm and pre-farm sectors in clear alignment on where overall challenges lie, but more importantly what can be done about them!

@sean_nixon Nice 😊 - None Scopoli’s?

Cory's shearwater, Europa Point, Gibraltar.

The ethos behind Inglorious Bustards´ #NatureTourism has always been to use #travel to bring positive outcomes for #biodiversity in the places we visit and beyond. Our latest #sustainability report for 2021 - 2023 is now published: ingloriousbustards.com/2025/07/10/sus…

The flow of migratory soaring #Birds continues dominated, by the peak flow of Booted Eagles, joined by the continued passage of Short-toed #Eagles and Black #Kites bolstered by Montagu´s and Marsh Harriers, Egyptian Vultures and the air full of European Bee-eaters migrating north! We got news of a dead cow and then also found a dead horse. Griffon Vultures in their hundreds also attracted this gorgeous adult Rüppell´s Vulture - a particular delight for our guests here. #FlywayBirding

@djlange @ChrisGPackham Also read the WWF reports and proposals for future proofed consumption

@simontonkin @ChrisGPackham How do you propose that should be implemented?

@djlange @ChrisGPackham Reduce meat consumption, higher prices (tax) the most unsustainable processors and growers and implement incentives as well as regulations to reduce unsustainable meat production. This will give an advantage to smaller producers raising animals more extensively

@shug2610 @helenlloyd222 @ChrisGPackham It’s not what you “need” - it’s more about what we collectively need to do to address all the land management/climate/bio-d issues or do you refute the peer reviewed science? How do I know your current consumption ? = You are here arguing why you want to keep it unsustainable

@simontonkin @helenlloyd222 @ChrisGPackham Get off your high horse. How do you know what I need or what my current volumes are? What "health benefits" will I get exactly?

@djlange @ChrisGPackham You can follow the peer reviewed science to determine for yourself how much of a disaster this is, it’s a huge issue that needs addressing ….not aimed at smaller farms it’s simply involves eating less meat…

My concern is the current multi-pronged attack is largely aimed at the smaller farms. They are the more natural and biodiverse providers in our countryside. Agree, globalisation adds to the problem of inefficiency and wasted energy - all driven by profit. No reason we can't be more self sufficient. My primary fear is that we are being sold a catastrophe that isn't as acute as we are told in order to garner more control at this critical time in civilisation (the 4th industrial revolution). Rather than looking to measure C02 - a convenient numeric value to enforce, we should be focussing on safegaurding and restoring the environment imo.

@djlange @ChrisGPackham Despite what some may think the UK isn’t isolated in this issue, impacts are global- imports of feed & produce from other countries leading to deforestation. +Depends on how you value living in a country in biodiversity collapse, clean water issues, soil degradation I could go on

I'm aware it's a complex situation, but in the grand scale of things, reducing UK agriculture is a blip in any attempt to affect the global climate. You only need to do the maths to see this. If those who ultimately hold all the power were that concerned, war would be the first to go.

@shug2610 @helenlloyd222 @ChrisGPackham Reduce intensity of meat production and consumption leading to climate, soil, biodiversity and health benefits - but you didn’t read or value the references then? Nobody is telling YOU not to eat meat but you certainly don’t need it in the current consumption volumes

@simontonkin @helenlloyd222 @ChrisGPackham Oh I noticed. Tell me what's going to be on my plate in this utopia?

@shug2610 @helenlloyd222 @ChrisGPackham It’s all very well not noticing the references in the screenshot either right?

It's all well and good winging a few screenshots into a discussion. But what's behind the data? What do the calculations include and exclude? Is it "tailpipe" emissions only? Genuine question. Is all agricultural land suitable for crops? Are these monocrops which are proposed? How are you going to fertilise the land? Chemicals?

@djlange @ChrisGPackham CO2 is only one - nitrous oxide release from inorganic fertiliser use which is one of the most potent. Added to this soil degradation causing the release of carbon dioxide to grow for animal feed and the resulting deforestation in other countries for imported feed …

@ChrisGPackham Do the sums. it doesn't take many Bill Gate's private jets to equate to the same as the entire UK agricultural output of C02 equivalent. We're talking a few 1000 jets. Plant more trees & ground Gate's & all the other menaces claiming agriculture is the problem. We need food!

Rebuilding the area of Los Angeles destroyed by global warming-induced wildfires is expected to cost a minimum of $250 BILLION with costs rising due to the need to remove vast amounts of toxic waste. If you think 'net zero costs too much', I have some terrible news for you.

@Alexander_Lees Although occurrences of sub-Saharan Vulture species are likely linked to their massive declines with increases in youth dispersal of Eurasian Griffon Vultures and their return to Europe acting as a conveyor belt they get caught up in

A very distinctive footprint of climate change in shaping the species composition in the Spanish rarities report - with increased in tropical and subtropical seabirds, Afrotropical waterbirds and raptors and range expansions in passerines from the Maghreb.