About turn
I love the way that Hen Harriers can turn so quickly. The combination of strong wings and a long tail mean they …
Up to your ankles
There’s a Grey Heron up to its ankles in the River Tone. Snacks are on its mind. Fishy ones. Or maybe I’m …
Watching a Grey Wagtail
It’s not just me watching this Grey Wagtail:
Heron on the weir
There’s a Grey Heron at the base of the weir. It appears to be a good place for fish as it’s scooped …
Victoria amazonica
Giant Waterlilies are so fabulous that Kew Gardens built a Waterlily House just to house them. I like the way that Kew …
Bamboo at Kew
The Giant Bamboo at Kew looks like Asparagus to me. They’re both monocotyledonous plants, which means they’ve only got one leaf in …
A load of rubbish
Plastic. It’s everywhere. The only solution is not to produce it in the first place. Much of it seems to be drinks …
Leaves on the Tone
As another leaf heads down the River Tone and is about to swoosh down the weir, I think of all of the …
Yes, I’m still here, waiting
More than a leaf or three have headed down the River Tone as I’ve sat here awaiting the arrival of a Kingfisher …
Woodland gem-studded marvels
It’s 47 years ago today that I first noted down Common Puffballs in my nature notebooks. The tiny gem-like spikes on the …
Leaf boats
Watching autumn leaves float by on the River Tone is hypnotic. It’s almost a fitting seasonal compensation for sitting here for hours …
Autumn leaf
An autumn leaf on the weir on the River Tone. I’ve had a great weekend with my friend Martin in Taunton. We …
‘Tis the season for Shaggy Scalycaps
It’s 47 years today since I first saw Shaggy Scalycaps and wrote about them in blue biro with a pencil sketch in …
Ripples
I’m exploring the north coast of Scotland and it’s stunning. The weather has been wonderful, the people are friendly, the roads well …
Bumbarrels
I can hear the Bumbarrels calling. There’s a distinctive contact call which they use as family groups move from tree to tree. …
Yellow Brain Fungus
There are Gorse bushes here in Emsworthy Mire with Yellow Brain Fungus, Tremella mesenterica, growing on them. Fabulous, isn’t it? It’s a fungus …
Slow Worm
It was the 10th October when I lifted a piece of corrugated iron to see if there might be a reptile still …
Rotten post
Travelling around the Flow Country in the north of mainland Scotland I spotted a post with a lot to say.
Figures in a rainbow
Figures in a rainbow on Dartmoor.
Whoopers
I’ve not seen a Whooper Swan before so it’s a thrill to spot a couple on the Loch of Swartmill. They’re handsome …
Harrying
My favourite sight is a Hen Harrier harrying.
Lookout
Northern Wheatear are powerful birds and migrate to Africa for our winter. It’s astonishing that so soon after being an egg they …
Diving Arctic Tern
Something I enjoyed this summer was taking multiple exposures of some of the bird species on Westray and creating composite images from …
The Flow Country
RSPB Scotland Forsinard Flows is part of Europe’s largest blanket bog. It’s mile after mile of damp, squishy preserved vegetation, in many …
Flatfish
What’s actually happening isn’t what appears to be happening. It’s laughing at the other one’s fish flapping in the wind, isn’t it? …
A family affair
An Arctic Tern family from this summer. I wonder where they are now? I suspect they’ll be somewhere on the way to …
Crab for dinner
Crabs are powerful crustaceans and can give anyone a nasty nip. Eider Ducks, or Dunters as they are known here in Orkney, …
Swallow shuteye
When the sun shines in Orkney, it’s best to make good use of it. This Swallow agreed.
Working Westray #8
Mike restoring the stone well in the village, watched over by Nessa. There’s an old capped well, overgrown with plants in a …
Aerial ballet
I’ve been enjoying reviewing some of my images from Orkney Mainland taken this summer and this one, from a sequence I took …