In his fortnightly column MARK SEDDON reflects on the death of Major Oak and why such ancient trees matter to us
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The cunning wren – king of the birds
Wrens were often ritually slaughtered at the turn of the year. PETER FROST unravels the politics and mystery of these tiny but amazing birds
Wrens are famous for their singing voices
[Natural England/Allan Drewitt/Creative Commons]
The world’s largest communist party marked its 105th birthday this week — and remains true to its principles and firm in its course, says OLIVER VARGAS
The left has become too reliant on persuasion and too detached from the workplaces and communities it seeks to represent, argues NICK TROY
RAMZY BAROUD highlights how Israel’s ambassador sought to shut down UN officials documenting sexual violence and abuses against Palestinians
The US-Israeli conflict with Iran has had far-reaching consequences, including a boost to Pakistan’s regional standing, argues ROGER McKENZIE
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The drive to strengthen European defence is reshaping relations between France, Germany, Italy and Britain, says NICK WRIGHT
I HAD a few wrens (Troglodytes troglodytes) picking among my holly bushes the other morning.
From my kitchen door I thought at first they were mice hunting berries, but the binoculars showed tiny chestnut-coloured birds that looked remarkably like microscopic emus. OK, a bit of a romantic view but the wren is certainly one of our most romantic birds.
Weigh a pound coin in your hand. That’s what a fully grown adult wren will weigh. It isn’t actually Britain’s smallest bird — that honour goes to the goldcrest (Regulus regulus) — but the wren is Britain’s most common wild breeding bird.
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