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January 2019

Spotted Redshank - Lago di Alviano - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Spotting a Spotted Redshank

There are a couple of Spotted Redshanks close by. I take a hasty photograph and smile at the acrobatic leg stretching: There’s …

Spoonbill - Lago di Alviano - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Spatula

The Lago di Alviano in Italy is one of my favourite places. Whether it’s cold and foggy or bright and breezy, there’s …

Robin - Lago di Alviano - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Pettirosso

European Robins are fascinating. This one is the forest in Italy looks like a youngster, as it has a pale band on …

Blue Tit - Lago di Alviano - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Ultra Violet Tits

There are Blue Tits galore in the trees in this Italian forest. Their Italian name is Cinciarella, pronounced Chin-char-ella. Their beaks are …

Kingfisher - Lago di Alviano - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Queenfisher

I’ve just spent my birthday sitting in a small wooden shed. Last year we were here looking at Red Squirrels in the …

Panaeolus semiovatus - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Egghead Mottlegills at Hound Tor

A trip to Hound Tor on Dartmoor reveals a special fruiting sensation of Egghead Mottlegills, Panaeolus semiovatus, or at least that’s what I think they are. I’d probably need to destroy …

Black Headed Gull - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Last night’s mascara

Black Headed Gulls are so beautiful at this time of year. Looking closely at their eyes reveals long dark bristles. In summer …

Squirrel - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

When you really need a scratch

There’s a Grey Squirrel high on the branch above. It’s really enjoying a scratch. It’s making me feel itchy just looking at …

Bracken - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Toxic raindrops

Bracken is such a successful fern that it grows all over the Earth, except in deserts and in Antarctica. Here in South …

RSPB Ham Wall - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Somersettee

We’ve had a trip to Somerset. We left sunny Devon on the only sunny day forecast this week and arrived to thick …

Robin - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

One bauble left

It appears I haven’t managed to take all the Christmas decorations down in time. There’s one bauble still left: A Robin’s life …

Lordly Tree - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Lordly Tree

There’s a particularly impressive oak tree in Abbotskerswell in South Devon. As the old joke says, it’s out standing in its field. …