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Marsh Harriers: The wetland-loving bird that defied the odds to reconquer British skiesMark Cocker's first ever sighting of the bird was at Minsmere, Suffolk, in 1976 — and he's never forgotten it.
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Louis Wain: The Edwardian artist who was 'perhaps the best PR cats have ever had'The artist's fascination with cats is the subject of a show at Chris Beetles Gallery which will feature 25 previously unseen works by Wain.
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The Irish wolfhound: Meet the loyal and strong gentle giant that won the hearts of John F. Kennedy and the British ArmyFrom its roots in ancient Ireland to its present-day role as the Irish Guards' official mascot, the Irish Wolfhound shows that loyalty, strength, and grace are qualities worth celebrating.
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‘Though she be but little, she is fierce’: Everything you didn't know about sparrowhawksScourge of the bird feeder and a master of ‘shock and awe’ assassinations, the sparrowhawk pursues its quarry with such tenacity and unpredictability that it often blindsides its prey.
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'Calm, beautiful, loving, and intelligent — everything about that dog was pure majesty': The greyhound is Country Life’s first dog breed of the weekFrom ancient hunting dogs to royal symbols in medieval Britain, greyhounds have captured the hearts of many — including Jilly Cooper and Twiggy.
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The white-tailed eagle is crafty, controversial and has wings the size of a barn doorA penchant for spring lamb saw the raptor species ruthlessly exterminated, but the beguiling white-tailed eagle — also known as the sea eagle — is now back on our shores.
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'He unleashed a series of war cries, then intercepted the vole mid-air': There's nothing remotely common about the common kestrelKnown in Orkney as ‘moosie-haak’, kestrels are fierce hunters but have seriously declined and are now an amber-listed species.
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14 ways to keep your dogs cool in the heat, by A-list dog trainer Ben RandallDogs can't regulate their body temperatures as well as humans can, so at this time of year they need your help keeping cool, whether you're on the road, out and about or leaving them with someone else while you go away.
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Sophia Money-Coutts: Is it ever okay to throw your dog a birthday party?Sir Lewis Hamilton did it, so why not throw a birthday party for your canine companion, Sophia Money-Coutts asks.
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Canine muses: Lucian Freud's etchings of Pluto the whippet are among his most popular and expensive workIn the third edition of our limited series, we meet the dogs who've inspired some of our greatest artists.
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Peregrine falcons went to the edge of extinction in the 1960s — today, there are more of them than at any time since the Middle AgesIn the latest instalment of Mark Cocker's 'Winging it' column, he looks at the peregrine, a bird of prey with astonishing speed and super strength.
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Rogue sellers and puppy farmers are exploiting Government licensing loopholes at the expense of responsible dog breeders, says The Kennel ClubThe Kennel Club launched a report in the House of Commons last week calling for an urgent review of current licensing regulations.
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The hound with the wind in its hair: Country Life Quiz of the Day, July 1, 2025Heatwaves, bridges and dog breeds in Tuesday's Quiz of the Day.
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Hot dogs: How to keep your dog healthy in a summer heatwave, by expert trainer Ben RandallWith hot summer weather here it can be a challenge keeping your four-legged friend cool and happy. Ben Randall shares his tips on how to keep a dog safe in a heatwave.
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Canine muses: David Hockney's chocolate dachshunds who wanted for only two things — food and loveIn the second edition of our limited series, we meet some more of the dogs who've inspired our greatest artists.
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The golden eagle: One of the Great British public's favourite birds of prey — but devilishly tricky to identifyWe are often so keen to encounter this animal that ambition overrides the accuracy of our observations, writes Mark Cocker.
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From turtles to pink sea fans: Why Mediterranean marine life is drifting into British watersBoth leatherback sea turtles and the soft corrals’ presence near our shores coincides with our warming seas, Lotte Brundle writes.
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Canine muses: The English bull terrier who helped transform her owner from 'a photographer into an artist'In the first edition of our new, limited series, we meet the dogs who've inspired some of our greatest artists.
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Hen harriers: The 'marvels of evolutionary adaptation' that are 'ballet and theatre and poetry inscribed on air'The hen harrier is one of the most glorious birds of prey in Britain — yet it provokes fierce debate. Mark Cocker unpicks why this breed is among the most controversial of all British birds.
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Death, taxes and Country Life on dogsA new book celebrates the many dogs that have appeared on the pages of this magazine, and chronicles our love affair with our four-legged friends.
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What do 32 pigeons, 38 dogs, four horses and one cat have in common? They've all been awarded a Dicken medal, and now you can have one tooPunch and Judy, two brave boxer dogs, saved the lives of British officers in Palastine. Now Judy's PDSA Dickin Medal will go under the hammer at Noonans on June 11.
