Westray Coast 50 – Day Two
My adventures on the second of five days walking the entire coast of Westray.
My adventures on the second of five days walking the entire coast of Westray.
My adventures on the first of five days walking the entire coast of Westray.
I’m wandering the shore at Kirkwall Harbour for an hour before the ferry takes me to Westray. I’m loving the complex singing …
I’ve just woken up in a Viking city. A city which is only part of the UK, and not Norway, because King …
When I first arrived in Orkney 11 years ago I hated it. I had high expectations of an interesting and historic place …
I’m back in the UK after a trip to Italy looking for Little Owls. We didn’t see them apart from a brief …
This tweet from the RSPB South West caught my eye: “Due to climate change & improvements to the way our land is …
The bird above us is a Snake Eagle. To be precise, it’s a Short-Toed Snake Eagle, Circaetus gallicus. If only it would come …
There are blackberries everywhere in the hedges here in Italy. They taste wrong though. They’re drier, harder, less juicy and far less …
It’s been a dream of mine to see a Little Owl again. When I was a young teenager my friend Michael had …
I see a tiny speck of a bird circling over a ruined building in Tarquinia: We drive the car in its direction …
There’s a Painted Lady butterfly in the garden on the Abbey here in Tarquinia in Italy. It’s high up and nicely isolated …
We’re driving round Italy with telephoto lenses and the windows down. There’s a tiny brown bird on a branch beside us. It’s …
It’s a glorious day here in Italy. I’ve climbed to the top of a hill and can see across the valley: There’s …
Our friend Paolo is driving us round some of his favourite birding spots in Tarquinia in Italy. It’s hot, I’ve got the …
There’s a Lizard on the wall in the grounds of the Abbey, Abbazia San Giusto, near Tarquinia in Italy. It’s not green; …
I love the hills and fields in Tarquinia. We’re here on a Little Owl hunt. That’s hunting with cameras and good intentions, …
We’re driving around Monte Romano near Tarquinia in Italy looking for Little Owls. They’re the number one species I’m looking for. The …
It’s blisteringly hot at the Abbazia San Giusto in Tuscania in Italy today. There’s not much wind and precious little shelter. Tucked …
We are up at 6am, politely yawning. Today is our most recent attempt to see Little Owls. As a child I helped …
I’ve arrived in Italy at exactly the wrong time. Birds have just finished breeding and are on the move. Many are preparing …
We arrive home late to our rented room in Tuscania in Italy. As we get the key out we notice a huge …
The River Tevere in Rome looks great today. I’d love to explore it. It’s such a grand river that it’ll take me …
We drive past an animal circus in Italy. I look up the size of a Tiger’s natural territory. “A tigress may have …
We’re driving around Tarquinia in Italy. Our guide is our new friend Paolo, an incredibly enthusiastic and endlessly patient local birder. He’s …
Donkeys are fascinating creatures. There’s a field full of them, here in Tuscania, north of Rome: It’s not just me that’s fascinated …
We’re staying in an Abbey in Italy for a few days as we tour around Tuscania. It’s the Abbazia San Giusto. Here’s …
I’m thrilled to see a Little Grebe appear in The Regent’s Park with a big fish in its bill: It’s powering along …
There’s a female Tufted Duck on the lake at The Regent’s Park in London. Looking at it I marvel at how brilliant …
There’s a Pochard on the pond at The Regent’s Park. It’s a male, with a beautiful brown head and its bright red …