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Soothing birdsong to sweep the nation
The Let Nature Sing Takeover is being held by the RSPB to raise awareness of declining bird populations.

RSPB event to raise awareness of declining bird populations

Commuters, shoppers and office workers across the UK today (17 October) will be greeted by the sound of soothing birdsong.

Westfield Shopping Centre, Co-op stores and transport hubs including the London Underground are among more than 5,000 unexpected locations where the event will be taking place. Added to this will be organised community events where people can get together with family and friends and enjoy the relaxing sounds of nature.

The Let Nature Sing Takeover is being held by the RSPB to raise awareness of declining bird populations in the UK, along with losses seen in much of the UK’s most loved wildlife. 


It comes in response to new figures which reveal that, for UK adults aged 18-44, addressing climate change and the environment is the number one issue for today’s politicians to secure the long-term legacy of their government.

The RSPB hopes that, following its summer top 20 chart hit Let Nature Sing - a music track of pure birdsong - it will once again bring birdsong back everyone’s life, acting as a reminder of what could be lost if the crisis facing nature is not addressed.

RSPB’s director of communications, Rebecca Munro, said: “Earlier this year Let Nature Sing got the public talking about what birdsong means to them and the shocking fact that the UK has lost over 40 million birds in just half a century. We all need birdsong in our daily life, but our natural world is in crisis, our wildlife is falling silent.

“This summer there have been deeply concerning reports and warnings published by IPBES and the IPPC. And the State of Nature report has revealed that a quarter of our mammals and half of the UK’s bird species are threatened with extinction.

“When looking at the evidence it is no surprise to see that more people recognise that something is not right with our natural world and that the public feel strongly that addressing climate change and the environment should be a top issue for today’s politicians looking to create a legacy future generations will be proud of.”

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Equine Disease Surveillance report released for Q4 2025

News Story 1
 The latest Equine Disease Surveillance report has been released, with details on equine disease from Q4 of 2025.

The report, produced by Equine Infectious Disease Surveillance, includes advice on rule changes for equine influenza vaccination.

Statistics and maps detail recent outbreaks of equine herpes virus, equine influenza, equine strangles and equine grass sickness. A series of laboratory reports provides data on virology, bacteriology, parasitology and toxicosis.

This issue also features a case study of orthoflavivus-associated neurological disease in a horse in the UK. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
NSA webinar explores sheep tailing and castration

The National Sheep Association (NSA) is to host a free webinar on the castration and tail docking of lambs.

The webinar, 'Understanding the tailing and castration consultation: A guide for sheep farmers', will be hosted online on Monday, 2 March 2026 at 7.30pm.

It comes during a government consultation into the methods used for these procedures. Farmers are encouraged to engage before the consultation period closes on Monday, 9 March 2026.

The webinar offers clear and actionable guidance to support farmers to contribute meaningfully to the consultation and prepare for potential changes.

On the panel will be former SVS president Kate Hovers, farmer and vet Ann Van Eetvelt and SRUC professor in Animal Health and Veterinary Sciences Cathy Dwyer. Each panel member will utilise their own specialism and expertise to evaluate risks and outcomes to sheep farming.

Find out more about the webinar on the NSA website.