David Bradley – Page 69

Before Brexit: Were Cameron’s EU concessions full of holes

Swiss researchers have looked at the pre-Brexit settlement negotiated by then UK Prime Minister David Cameron with the European Union and suggest that this was very much a missed opportunity for all parties that might have avoided the need for a referendum on the UK leaving the EU and all that ongoing problems to which that has led, despite the referendum being technically only advisory.

The voting turnout for the referendum in June 2016 was not particularly high and the result was almost equally split with a very narrow margin for the leavers rather than the remainers. Nobody was more shocked by the result than many of those who campaigned to leave other than perhaps the person who called the referendum in the first place – Cameron. He had negotiated many concessions for the UK within the EU.

The question of whether the UK should have retained its membership of the EU had vexed politicians for many years but was not particularly high on the public’s agenda despite the advent of a so-called “independence” party and the agitations of far-right, xenophobic groups with their own political agendas. Even many of the purported Eurosceptics could see the benefits of membership over the country leaving, not least avoiding the likely problem of a renewed call for Scottish independence from the UK and the issue of the border between the Republic of Ireland and the part of the UK that is Northern Ireland.

To quote Cameron:

The decision to hold a plebiscite on quitting the EU is the biggest risk taken in recent British political history.

Max de Boer of Bern Welcome and his colleagues used multi-stakeholder theory and multi-actor negotiation theory to some shed light on the negotiation process between Cameron’s government and the EU. Fundamentally, they say, “the creation of strong issue packages avoided a distributive bargain and therefore made it possible to reach an integrative bargain package based on the common interest that the negotiations are addressing European issues and not only British issues.” The negotiations were to temper the concerns of citizens regarding the politically critical and emotional topics of sovereignty and mobility. Unfortunately, the negotiations had little effect on public opinion, which was swung sufficiently towards voting to leave.

The researchers conclude with a quote from Martin Schulz, then President of the European Parliament who offered that:

"The method that 'I tell you what you have to give me so that we stay' won't work'.

There is now bitterness on all sides and at the time of writing the situation is yet to be resolved not least because the UK itself is now in complete political turmoil wherein the current Prime Minister, the second since the referendum vote, does not hold a majority nor have the confidence of parliament with regards his approach to the UK’s departure from the EU.

De Boer, M., Hausmann, N., Mendelberg, M. and Stammbach, D. (2019) ‘Cameron’s pre-Brexit settlement for the UK within the European Union: failure or missed opportunity?‘, European J. International Management, Vol. 13, No. 5, pp.662—677.

Bridge of Sighs

I’ve resequenced my latest bunch of songs into a 14-track “album” for streaming/download from BandCamp. At the time of writing, it’s “name your price” which makes it priceless or worthless, depending on your perspective

Bridge of Sighs – An immigrant song
Shifting Sands – Funk rock folk
Running Out of Favours – Doobiesque
When the Beat Hits Your Heart – Funk out
Almost Heaven – Nostalgic Americana, 30 years in the writing
Watch Your Step – Vocal noodles on a Fender Rhodes riff and hiphop beatz
Shooting Waste – Acousto-electric un-southern rock
On reflection -Laid-back, collaborative, blue-eyed soul
The Heat – Get back to the 60s
La Gaffe de PÃ©niche – Electronica gone wrong
The Spate Gatherers – A modern Geordie folk song
A Northern Boy – What if Billy Joel were a guitarist from Chicago?
C6 Deev – Open tuned instrumental acoustic
One by One – Acoustic rocker starts like Zep, ends up like Coldplay

Espresso Portobello

UPDATE: Mrs Sciencebase in action with the minipresso

Sciencebase has had various gadgets to review over the years most of them computing peripherals and related technology. Today, a minipresso from Wacaco Ltd arrived special delivery. As the name would suggest it’s a mini/portable espresso maker. Basically, a container with the requisite metal filter and a push-button pump to build up a head of steam to force hot water through the filter loaded with coffee granules into a receptacle.

All looks very easy to use, although I persuaded Mrs Sciencebase to find the instructions online and she followed through with the Youtube demo. Seems like an ideal device for camping where a full-blown expresso machine might be a little over the top, but where you can usually boil water on your camping stove and bring with you your favour coffee granules.

The claim is to a nice 70-millilitre espresso with a decent crema (the syrupy froth so beloved of many espresso drinkers. Camping season is at an end for us for 2019, but this would definitely be required kit in our big camping box for any future trips.

Once I’ve made myself one, I’ll update the blog with a report on the taste test…

Can you hear me, Mother?

Back in the day, Mrs Sciencebase worked for an innovative and aspirational electronics company. One of the developments they were working on at a time long before mobile phones were ubiquitous was how to make phone calls clearer. They wanted to get rid of the squelch and muffled tones that are commonplace. The idea had to be to do this without increasing the signal bandwidth that is needed to transmit the mutterings of caller and receiver.

The problem was never solved and so remains a serious issue particularly for those who have hearing problems. Turning up the volume doesn’t cut it as that simply makes the mid-range muffle mufflier and squeezes the squelch so that it becomes unbearable. A novel solution has been developed by a startup, Audacious, in conjunction with leading hearing specialists, Brian Moore and Michael Stone.

Potential users do a special hearing test, which they call a Sound Check using their current phone and a web browser. Based on their responses, Audacious can then tweak the sound at source before it is compressed for transmission as usual via the phone network. This, they suggest, improves the sound quality for the recipient and gives them a much better experience than they would have with a standard call that isn’t tailored to their hearing profile.

You use your own phone, but switch to their SIM and all the calls you receive via their system are essentially tweaked so they’re clearer for you. You can retake the audio test periodically and the EQ and compression algorithm will update your account so that you continue to get the best out of your phone.

Now, I know for a fact I’ve got some left-right hearing discrepancy and while I’ve still got pretty got top-end for some in their sixth decade, I know that my mid-range hearing leaves a bit to be desired and given that that is the range at which most of the characteristics of speech are heard. I tried the test and when I’d finished, the system played some speech as it would be with an Audacious SIM card and lets you hear how it was before and after. It did seem to make a significant difference to hear the call with the Audacious treatment as opposed to the muffled and squelchy calls I hear on my phone with my current provider.

I’ve tried doing the built-in Samsung EQ sound improvement in advanced sound settings that also involves a simple hearing test on your phone, but that’s not really improved things enough to give me clearer calls. Until audio/video messaging is as accessible as conventional phone call this does sound like the way forward.

You can take the Audacious sound check here and hear the difference for yourself. The assumption is that you have some kind of hearing deficit, which most of us of a certain age, and especially musicians and concertgoers often do, and anyone who has a career in a noisy environment. Find out more on their website or via their Facebook.

Can you hear me, Mother? Can now, son!

The Newcastle Kittiwakes

Kittiwakes live on the tidal river Tyne as far inland as my hometown, Newcastle itself. In fact, this is the farthest inland-dwelling colony of this small gull, known internationally as the black-legged kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla) anywhere in the world.

We were in Newcastle for a university graduation ceremony in July, so it seemed somewhat churlish not to get photos of the seabirds in between family photos of us and the graduate and the great city itself. As Stephen Rutt points out in his excellent book The Seafarers, nobody has figured out why these Kittiwakes have come so far inland.

The world-famous Tyne Bridge, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England

Kittiwakes nesting on the Tyne Bridge, Newcastle

The Baltic Flour Mills (left of frame on opposite bank of the river — The Baltic Flour Mills (left of frame, on opposite bank of the river) Gateshead

Kittiwakes nesting up high on the Baltic Flour Mills, Gateshead

Gateshead Millennium Bridge over the River Tyne between Newcastle and Gateshead

Kittiwakes on the upper deck of the Baltic Flour Mills, Gateshead

Kittiwake outside the top-floor restaurant, the Baltic Flour Mills, Gateshead

A local safari around an English country village

Mention going on safari to most people and the assumption is that means a trip to a reserve somewhere far-flung, usually southern Africa, snapping photos of lion, giraffe, elephant, impala, and other big game. A wit might mention in passing the once-trendy concept of a safari supper, but let’s forget foodie affectations and take a safari around our local patch. What are you likely to see on a local safari?

Well, aside from the various birds we usually refer to in this column, the buzzards, kestrels, peregrines, hobbies, red kites, marsh harriers, and all those smaller specimens, there are quite a few large animals around. There’s no point offroading it and rocking up in a “Landie” like you might do on that African safari, the watering holes are not so scarce and there is almost as much chance of spotting your something in your back garden as on the farmland that surrounds the village and the local, small woodlands.

reeves muntjac — Reeves’ Muntjac on farmland behind Victory Way

Depending on the time of day, a walk through Les King Wood will often have you stumbling on and perhaps startling a Muntjac or barking deer. Specifically, the non-indigenous species originating in South Asia of Reeves’s muntjac were captive on the Woburn Abbey Estate in the roaring 20s and have since gone feral. Watch out for females with young, they will often make a noise and run out into a field as a decoy leaving their offspring out of sight in a hedgerow. They aren’t confined to the Wood though, you might spot one in and around the village at almost any time of year. Similarly, the various small herds of Roe Deer, which are more prominent on the farmland along Beach Road and in the fields beyond the Cottenham Lode.

An early morning run, as reader Andrew F will tell you, almost always has him stumbling over badgers on the “Birds Estate” in the village. Andrew tells me he sees them a lot and often with young. Foxes too are a common sight for walkers and runners especially in the photographers’ golden hours just as the sun comes up or when it is setting. That said, the inspiration for my Nature Watch report this issue was seeing a red fox in the wide open and newly mown hayfield alongside Rampton Spinney at midday.

fox 1 e1503862361313 — Fox pouncing on prey at dusk, farmland between Cottenham and Rampton

The fox spent a lot of time staring at the hay, perhaps hoping for insects or small rodents to make an irresistible appearance. I watched him for ten minutes or so before he skulked off into the trees, presumably still very hungry. Some of the older residents will tell you of frequent sightings of foxes in gardens along the High Street backing on to the Lode and elsewhere in the village. They also might point out that fewer and fewer are seen even out in the more “countryside” areas beyond. Although chicken-keepers still have to be vigilant and several have lost their birds to the local vulpines nevertheless.

There are plenty of rabbits around these here parts, although thankfully they are not endemic to the allotments. That site does, however, have a European hare that makes a periodic appearance. There are plenty of that particular species around, often to be seen haring about in the fields beyond the Les King Wood and even on the back field of the recreation ground.

Moles are a little bit more an elusive target of our local safari, given their general subterranean existence. I have, however, once seen one of these velvetine mammals pop its head up from its hole. Seen slightly more often are stoats. If spotted these animals will often dart into the undergrowth but then come back out for a second look, just to check how feeble a predator you really are. There are water voles too, living in burrows in the banks of the Lode. Unfortunately, the Grey Heron sees this small swimming mammal as just another snack and I have seen one these birds standing atop the bank gulping down a water vole whole.

Meanwhile, the maintenance work the Environment Agency carries out there always takes the water voles into account and their work is done very much with protecting this species’ habitat in mind. I spoke to one of their engineers recently who told me as much and also pointed out some otter scat on stones beneath the Rampton Bridge, so there’s another mammalian target on our local safari.

Of course, if you’re unable or unwilling to venture out on our local safari, you might still be able to see some of the small game that lives alongside us in the village. Hedgehogs, once a frequent sight in their two-dimensional form on roads across the country, are seen far less often. It is important to make routes for them to traverse our gardens and to ensure ponds have escape routes to prevent drowning. Leaving gardens with some unkempt areas will give our prickly friends a place to hide and hibernate. Hedgehogs are lactose intolerant though, so don’t put milk out for them. They are omnivores, however, and will see a bit of soft cat food as a treat, although it is best to leave them to their natural diet of invertebrates.

Oh, and there are lots of American immigrants in the form of the grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) in our environs as well as the melanistic form, the black squirrel.

If you have seen any interesting natural happenings in and around the village do let me know, you can email me [email protected] Photos and additional nature reporting on my website https://sciencebase.com

Large Yellow Underwing

The Large Yellow Underwing is the kind of moth we used to call a logger when I was a bairn; Northern dialect word, short for loggerhead. On a warm summer’s evening there would almost always be a logger that would be attracted to a kitchen light and come in through an open window. I must confess I don’t ever remember seeing this species, Noctua pronuba (Linnaeus, 1758), specifically, and certainly don’t recall ever noticing any big moths that revealed brightly coloured hindwings when they were startled or fly. Like most people, until they learn, it’s assumed butterflies are colourful and moths are all brown, grey and dowdy. Simply not true.

Anyway, I’ve more than made up for any childhood failings in terms of moth observation over the last year or so. This summer alone I have caught and released more than 1000 moths of just this one species in my scientific trap, the peak was 148 specimens on the night of 26th August 2019. I’ve recorded their numbers and occasionally photographed them along with more than 300 other species of Lepidoptera (the word means scaly winged and also applies to the butterflies, which are really just a type of moth, anyway, there’s only any real distinction made in British English, because of the bipolar nature of our language with its Germanic and Latinate roots).

Anyway, I wanted to know the etymology of logger/loggerhead. Obviously, there’s the whaling term referring to a large post at the prow of a whaling vessel around which the harpoon rope would be slung to hold fast the catch. There are loggerhead turtles and the word is sometimes used to refer to a foolish person, someone thick as two short planks, and apparently, tadpoles.

Bill Griffith in his Dictionary of North East Dialect (Northumbria University Press, 2nd edn 2005). Refers to a logger as being a coloured butterfly. And mentions that it might also be used to refer to moths. He quotes its usage:

A've been doon the born coppin loggerheads

A literal translation from the Geordie would be: I have been to the burn looking at coloured butterflies/moths. But, figuratively it is a way of responding to the question “Wheor hev yee been?” (Where have you been?) with a curt “Mind your own business!”.

How did moths and butterflies get their names?

I’ve mentioned Peter Marren’s book on Lepidoptera nomenclature before – Emperors, Admirals, and Chimney Sweepers. It’s a fascinating read, especially if you love words and lepidoptera. But, if you enjoy either one of those things you’ll enjoy his book. Anyway, this morning, I had need to refer to it and put my various moth pots from the scientific trap next to it…ooh, I thought as I did so: photo opportunity. There are seven actual moths posing on my copy of the book in the photo immediately below. Can you spot them?

On the upper picture there is an Angle Shades, a Canary-shouldered Thorn, an Orange Swift, a Green Carpet, a Ringed China-mark, a Coronet, and a Garden Carpet. Did you spot them all?

Categorising Lepidoptera

I’ve simplified my Imaging Storm “Mothematics” photo galleries. We now have – Butterflies, Hawk-moths, Macro Moths, and Micro Moths instead of dividing the macros between geometers, owlets, erebidae, notodontidae, lasiocampidae, drepanidae, and everything else.

Ruby Tiger, a member of the Erebidae family of moths

Peppered Moth – one of the geometers

Copper Underwing, the owlet (noctuid) moth that got me started on mothing in July 2019

You can take a look at my detailed mothing records for 2019 here.

Hot Moths #MothsMatter

The mercury had been rising for a few days, nudging up the little iron shims on the garden’s max-min thermometer by mid-afternoon. Three days on the trot it has peaked at a little over 30 Celsius in the shade despite it having been a Bank Holiday Weekend. Nights have been sultry, as they say in a certain kind of pulp fiction. Humid, and the mercury not nudging the iron bars below about 16 Celsius.

Face to face with an Old Lady, Mormo maura

Of course, these are not extremes, these are puny temperatures when compared to much of the rest of the world. But, this is England and our weather is tempered by the Gulf Stream and admonished of late by global warming. It’s been good for the night-flying creatures you know I love. Both the bats and the moths.

Face-on view of Burnished Brass, Diachrysia chrysitis

The moths far outnumber the bats of course. In the scientific trap, drawn to the 40 Watt actinic, UV light, there were at least 421 leps of more than 43 species (highest density but not diversity so far for me in my garden in 2019).

I keep a detailed record, but some of the micro-moths, the grass veneers, for instance, don’t always get segregated in my logs, so where I say Satin Grass-veneer or Chrysoteuchia culmella, it is possible that I’ve overlooked a distinct species of the 2000 or so micro moths of the British Isles.

Setaceous Hebrew Character and Swallow Prominent

For the macro moths, I’m 99.9% certain I’m naming them and logging all of those correctly, albeit with an occasional escapee before it is ticked. There are around 500 macro moths in this country. Worldwide there are some 170,000 species of moths. #MothsMatter. I lodge rarities, interesting migrants, and vagrants that turn up with iRecord and the Cambridgeshire County Moth Recorder. Amazingly, of this morning’s haul not one of the specimens was new to the garden nor even new for the year, I’ve seen and photographed all of the species listed below several times.

Oh, by the way, in case you didn’t know, Lepidoptera means “scaly winged” and butterflies are essentially a sub-group of moths, they all having a common moth ancestor way back in evolutionary history. All leps are descended from a common ancestor with the caddisflies (of which many often turn up in the trap too).