I've won an important award

Discovered this week that I've been awarded the Royal Entomological Society/Marsh Award for Insect Conservation. I did'nt see that one coming and I'm overwhelmed. What tickles me is that much of the insect conservation I pursue is of a fairly unconventional nature. Where it is possible, I like to side-step the beauracracy associated with formal nature conservation and force my data and enthusiasm on the key people who can make a difference on the ground. I guess this award recognises that there are different ways to crack a nut, and even nutcases like me get it right sometimes.

Aside from this, I'm putting huge numbers of hours into my growing Flickr site. I've found an on-line vehicle for my photos and information that could have been designed for me. I adore it. Thanks Yahoo! Watch the site grow, gasp at the beauty of some of the plants and animals it features and enjoy some of the special features like the Hedgerow Surveying section under British Habitats. Louis (my 7-year old) now has his own Flickr area within my site. He takes some astonishing photos, and I've put the best in his folder. Spring is now firmly here and I've been doing lots of photography, but not much hard surveying yet. I have a major Oil-see Rape study to do in April & May and need some decent spells of weather.