There’s a beetle-shaped hole in our lives
In the UK the species Trichodes alvearius and another, the Bee-Eating Beetle, Trichodes apiarius, “Have not been seen since the 19th century and are likely to be extinct.”
Diplomatic ambassadors of life from deep time
You can’t boil it, fry it, roast it or casserole it. There’s nothing you can do to make an Osage Orange edible. …
The advantages of species extinction
It was both sad and entertaining to see that BBC Bitsize, the BBC’s resource for school children, had a list of the …
The Overconsumption Chronicles – Volume 1
When people complain about overconsumption there’s an inalienable truth at play. It’s the same truth that governs people’s attitudes to income. The …
Birch Brackets and extinct elephants
This Birch Bracket fungus is Piptoporous betulinus. It looks like a bicycle saddle here. I almost expect it to have springs underneath like …
Do you give a Spectacled Flying Fox?
Eight years ago I was offered half a day’s work in Australia, all expenses paid. That’s not something I was expecting. All …
You’re Next
I’ve collaborated with the musician John Bentley to create this video for his song ‘You’re Next’. It’s a song-list of extinct species, …
Sunset Puffins
It’s a distinctive silhouette which has graced the shores of the UK for thousands of years. But now, due to marine pollution …
Bempton birds – Cousin Puffin and the Ancestral Auk
Non-scientists often think the mysteries of the living world have been solved. Nothing could be further from the truth. There’s plenty of …
The Earth is having its features rearranged
This tweet from the RSPB South West caught my eye: “Due to climate change & improvements to the way our land is …
Kittiwakes are calling
Kittiwakes are the most beautiful and delicate of the gulls. Their yellow beaks, black legs, dark eyes and plaintive call are so …
I’ve flown 6,000 miles and all I can see are Sparrows, Starlings and Pigeons
I’ve travelled from the UK to Washington DC. It’s 6,000 miles. I’m hoping to see some exotic birds and photograph them. The …
One that walks or haunts the stones, calling loudly
As I walk along the bank of the creek I keep hearing loud plops. Each time, I’m startled and can see nothing …
Witness for the Extinction
There’s a new report out on the State of the World’s Birds. It reports the science that 1 in 8 bird species …
A Caution to Everybody – The tragedy of the Great Auk
The Great Auk, Pinguinus impennis. This magnificent bird was made extinct by humans in the 1850s. Were all those feather pillows worth their death?