Theft, Lies and Instagram
Have you ever been robbed? It’s a horrible feeling. My family was burgled when I was a child. We were on holiday …
Portraits in beautiful light
What are the chances that a period of time when many people have to stay indoors to avoid a deadly pandemic should …
The river walk
Here are a few familiar faces from my social distancing walk. This Mute Swan is one of the aggressive pair which have …
Coot kerfuffle
I’m looking up a tree when there’s a bit of a kerfuffle on the lake. Coots are deeply territorial birds. Or terror-torial. …
A grey day on the Teign
I’m out with my son in the early morning. He has a camera too and takes a photo of me. As we …
A teetering Common Sandpiper on stiff wings
There’s a tail-flicking little wizard on the tideline. That tail-flicking is called teetering. It’s a Common Sandpiper, Actitis hypoleucos: There’s what looks …
Babies!
I was recently informed on Facebook (if that’s even possible) that young birds are called chicks and not babies. Someone responded with …
Blackcap
There’s a beautiful song coming from the bush in front of me. It’s the ‘Northern Nightingale’, the Blackcap: Blackcaps practice leap-frog migration: …
Chaffchiff
There’s a Chiffchaff in the tree. At some stage a predecessor of the Willow Warbler and the Chiffchaff had a strange egg. …
The Caterpillar Service – Day Eight
I only have a snatched hour with the Long-Tailed Bushtits today. I still get some lovely views. I’ve been trying to get …
The Caterpillar Service – Day Seven
Today the Long-Tailed Bushtits are working as hard as ever to gather invertebrates: After a week I’m much happier with my photographs …
The Caterpillar Service – Day Six
Here’s the scene next to a busy public footpath: It may appear tranquil but deep within the brambles is a Long-Tailed Bushtit’s …
The Hall of Einar Sunday Review #7
Hello and welcome to my Sunday Review. Every week I read great wildlife and nature books, see engrossing websites and hear wonderful …
The Caterpillar Service – Day Five
The caterpillars keep on coming. Beak-fulls of them. Green ones, brown ones, grey ones and orange ones; they’ve all been carefully plucked …
The Caterpillar Service – Day Four
It’s Day Four of photographing Long-Tailed Bushtits for me. After all, what is there to do when I’ve got no work and …
The Caterpillar Service – Day Three
It’s Day Three of following the Long-Tail Bushtit family on waste ground near my house in South Devon. I say ‘waste ground’ …
The Caterpillar Service – Day Two
Yesterday I spent five hours on a public footpath overlooking a Long-Tailed Bushtits’ nest. I’m happy that I wasn’t disturbing them. They’re …
The Caterpillar Service – Day One
The call of the Long-Tailed Bushtit is quite distinctive. It must be, because even I can recognise it. ‘Tsurp’, they say, to …
Destruction
This was one of my favourite places for wildlife. Whether it’s standing entranced, listening to the pure pulsating power of a Wren …
Huge bird up a tree
We’re cycling early in the morning in South Devon when I spot a huge bird in the top of a tree. It …
Lime Nail Galls
Those look like Lime trees. I’m not sure though. They’re in the grounds of Forde House, a luxury Jacobean manor house in …
Little Egret choking on a flatfish
It’s over 20 years since Little Egrets colonised South Devon. I’m on the banks of the River Teign and one has caught …
Deadly poison or tasty celery?
I’ve just downloaded the Google app to my phone and am trying the Google Lens feature. It allows you to take a …
Greenfinch and the Teign
Pronunciation is such a local thing. Who would have guessed that the River Teign would be pronounced “teen’. Or that when pronounced …
Pigeons
I’m slightly worried about my local pigeons. I don’t expect to get much sympathy. They’re usually fed by a motley assortment of …
The Hall of Einar – Sunday Review #6
Hello and welcome to my Sunday Review. Every week I read great wildlife and nature books, see engrossing websites and hear wonderful …
Male Blackbird
This early morning sun is beautiful on my bicycle ride. So is this male Blackbird. Just look at the rictal bristles surrounding …
Chicks
The Mallard’s chicks have hatched. That’s very exciting.
Primrose on stilts
There’s a single plant in the middle of a lawn at the back of one of the industrial buildings nearby. It’s standing …
Blossom
Apples are members of the rose family. Their flowers make sense once you know that. Is that what these are? These trees …