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Reposted by Tony Kennelly

Howard Vaughan - blueeyedbirder.com @howardvaughanbeb.bsky.social · 1d

#estonia for @oriolebirding.bsky.social - 5th October 2025
A day on the Sõrve Peninsular watching migration happen all around us. A notch up on Puise and a taste of things to come. @birdinghaapsalu.bsky.social blueeyedbirding.blogspot.com/2025/10/esto...

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Reposted by Tony Kennelly

Simon Patient @simonpatient1.bsky.social · 1d

This Great White Egret flew E over our Colchester garden today and was a nice garden ✅. Also our first autumn Siskins and y’day 4 Redwings over #essexbirding

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Prem Sikka @premnsikka.bsky.social · 1d

It would take the average UK earner 52 years’ worth of earnings to join the richest 10%.

Up from 38 years in 2006-08. Rich buy political influence.

Govts help the rich. Bottom 20% pay higher proportion of income in than the richest 20%.

Inequalities obstruct economic growth, fuel social unrest.

Lifetime of earnings not enough for UK workers to join wealthiest 10%, report says

Research finds it would take average worker saving all their earnings for 52 years to match wealth of richest 10th of society

www.theguardian.com

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Prem Sikka @premnsikka.bsky.social · 1d

Tory Badenoch to set out new rule to cut borrowing and taxes.

A code for more austerity, public service cuts. What do they think will happen when £47bn is removed from the economy?

Silence on taxing the rich, windfall taxes, ending corporate welfare, tax havens.

Same old Tories.

Badenoch to set out new rule to cut borrowing and taxes

In a conference speech, the Tory leader will say the Conservatives are the only party

www.bbc.co.uk

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Prem Sikka @premnsikka.bsky.social · 1d

Democide in our times

Austerity, wage & public service cuts kill, but are govt policy.

Millions can't get good food, housing, education, healthcare, pension.

Men in poorer UK areas live 9.7 yrs less than those in least deprived areas. Women 8 years.

Govts silent on the human cost of fiscal rules

The government must ensure fair distribution of income

'The average real wage of workers has hardly moved from the 2008 level whilst bosses never had it so good.'

leftfootforward.org

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Prem Sikka @premnsikka.bsky.social · 1d

1,611 homeless Britons died last yr, including 11 children & babies under the age of one.

Contrary to Suella Braverman, homelessness isn't a lifestyle. It is a failure of society.

Yet govts cut wages/benefits, public services, local council funding; no curbs on profiteering.

How civilised are we?

'Abject failure' as UK's homeless deaths rise - including children

The government's homelessness minister, Alison McGovern MP, has described the increased number of deaths as an "abject failure that cannot be tolerated".

news.sky.com

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Eoghan Daltun 🌍 @irishrainforest.bsky.social · 1d

I came across what looks to me like a bunch of pheasant feathers on the woodland floor, indicating a kill.

Since these are invasive predators of native wildlife, in one sense, that's great.

But it's also a major contributor to the highly damaging artificially high densities of species like fox.

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David Morrison @morry57.bsky.social · 1d

Rather unusual sight of a Curlew going up and mobbing a female Sparrowhawk on the Thames over the weekend.

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Prem Sikka @premnsikka.bsky.social · 2d

The NHS and social care would cease to function under UK govt’s new rules on foreign staff.

Workers will have to wait – from 5 to 10 years – before they can apply for indefinite leave to remain, claim any benefit, childcare, or housing support, despite paying taxes

Govt appeasing Reform.

NHS could cease to function under Labour’s new visa rules, say nurses

Exclusive: Royal College of Nursing says plan to tighten rules for foreign workers is ‘pandering’ to Reform UK

www.theguardian.com

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Portland Bird Observatory @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social · 1d

...also on the ringing front: we've received notification of a fantastic recovery of a Firecrest ringed here last October that was controlled a few days ago by a ringer in the Czech Republic - the first movement of a UK-ringed Firecrest to the Czech Republic or indeed to anywhere in central Europe

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JR Tomlin (she/her) @jrtomlin.bsky.social · 1d

Scottish Government urged to prevent the super-rich from 'hoarding' land

Indeed!

www.thenational.scot/news/2552536...

Scottish Government urged to prevent super rich from 'hoarding' Scotland's land

THE Scottish Government has been urged to prevent the super wealthy from hoarding Scotland’s land ...

www.thenational.scot

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Portland Bird Observatory @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social · 1d

Ringing gathered a bit of momentum at the Bill today: 180 new incl 74 Swallows, 22 Chiffchaffs and 18 Blackcaps; nice variety of other seasonable movers incl 7 Pied Wagtails, 5 Long-tailed Tits, 4 Redpolls and a Firecrest...

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Portland Bird Observatory @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social · 1d

www.portlandbirdobs.com/2025/10/7th-october.html

7th October

Everything ticked along nicely in extremely benign and, by the afternoon, really warm conditions but ultimately the day's migrant selection ...

www.portlandbirdobs.com

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WWF UK @wwf.org.uk · 2d

For the first time, renewables has overtaken coal as the world’s top electricity source. ⚡👏

Great to see so many countries taking positive steps for our world. Let's keep this momentum going! 🌏

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article... #NetZero

Renewables overtake coal as world's biggest source of electricity

Developing countries lead the historic clean energy charge but the US and EU rely more on fossil fuels than before, a think tank study shows.

www.bbc.co.uk

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Stansaid Airport @stansaidairport.bsky.social · 2d

Ryanair asked us to update their logo so it better incorporates their brand values. Michael O'Leary is on the phone going apeshit, no idea why.

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Howard Vaughan - blueeyedbirder.com @howardvaughanbeb.bsky.social · 1d

#estonia for @oriolebirding.bsky.social - 4th October 2025
We made our way towards Saaremaa & memories of a frozen landscape 14 years ago came flooding back but were soon to be eclipsed by 300 bugling Cranes @birdinghaapsalu.bsky.social #BirdsSeenIn2025 blueeyedbirding.blogspot.com/2025/10/esto...

Red Kite - one of two - a scarce Estonian bird

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George Monbiot @georgemonbiot.bsky.social · 2d

No sudden rupture is now required for the far right to take power in this country. For what we're seeing is a steady normalisation of extremists by the Conservative and Labour Parties, BBC, Telegraph, Mail and others. A shift once considered unthinkable beings to look acceptable, even inevitable.🧵

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Eoghan Daltun 🌍 @irishrainforest.bsky.social · 2d

This is not the far side of the Atlantic, but just across the Irish Sea. In fact, some of the worst consequences may well be in the north of our island.

As George says, nothing is inevitable, but right now this seems to be where the UK is heading. It feels very much like the 1930s all over again.

George Monbiot @georgemonbiot.bsky.social · 2d

No sudden rupture is now required for the far right to take power in this country. For what we're seeing is a steady normalisation of extremists by the Conservative and Labour Parties, BBC, Telegraph, Mail and others. A shift once considered unthinkable beings to look acceptable, even inevitable.🧵

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Reposted by Tony Kennelly

James Collis @jamescollis.bsky.social · 2d

EU countries prove more renewables make electricity cheaper.

Mark Gongloff @markgongloff.bsky.social · 6d

"Spain’s rapid renewables build-out means its power prices were set by fossil generation just 19% of the time, down from 75% in 2019. As a result, wholesale electricity was almost a third cheaper than the EU average"

Imagine having cheaper power

Gift link: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

Spain’s Renewable-Energy Boom Loosens Gas’s Grip on Power Prices

Soaring renewables output in Spain is weakening gas’s grip on electricity prices, setting the country apart from much of Europe where fossil fuels still dictate the cost of power.

www.bloomberg.com

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Prem Sikka @premnsikka.bsky.social · 2d

15 UK banks ordered to snoop on state pensioners and other benefit claimants under DWP crackdown.

No court order needed. No right of appeal.

Banks will pass cost to other customers.

Those accused of fraud won't get legal advice. The making of another Post Office type scandal.

15 banks ordered to snoop on state pensioners under DWP crackdown

The Telegraph newspaper reports banks will be required to monitor pensioners’ bank accounts and share payments data

www.birminghammail.co.uk

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Simon Patient @simonpatient1.bsky.social · 2d

10+ Crossbills flew low east over my garden here in Colchester, NE end of Fridaywoods just gone 11am. #essexbirding

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Portland Bird Observatory @portlandbirdobs.bsky.social · 2d

Resumption of ringing activities today after the weather-enforced hiatus. Relatively quiet with just 66 new birds between the Obs, the Crown Estate Field and Culverwell; 15 CCs and 13 Bcaps the only numbers but 6 more Redpolls and the first Siskin of the year amongst some nice variety

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Prem Sikka @premnsikka.bsky.social · 2d

More evidence of Private Equity disaster in US healthcare

PE bought hospitals, GP practices, nursing homes.

Cut wages, staff, investment, care; load with debt; extract profits; deaths, injuries rise.

Why is UK govt handing healthcare to PE/corporations?

Say NO to privatisation of the NHS.

Private Equity in Health Care - ACHI

This explainer examines the rise of private equity in healthcare, the financial structures behind private equity transactions, what the evidence shows about the impacts of these transactions on the he...

achi.net

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Prem Sikka @premnsikka.bsky.social · 2d

The UK household debt is over £2 trillion.

Debt once public now loaded to households e.g. student debt. Energy debt rising. People borrowing for healthcare.

Mortgages 7 times salary being issued. Soaring rents.

Real average wage stuck at the 2008 level.

What could go wrong?

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Prem Sikka @premnsikka.bsky.social · 2d

Richest 1% has more wealth than 70% of UK population combined.

Top 20% own two-thirds of wealth, receive 36% of income.

Bottom 20% own 0.5% of wealth, receive 9% of income.

Can't grow economy or have social stability.

Poverty is political choice. Which political party wants to address this?

The government must ensure fair distribution of income

'The average real wage of workers has hardly moved from the 2008 level whilst bosses never had it so good.'

leftfootforward.org

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