Distal rhynchokinesis
Two Black-Tailed Godwits are interacting at Seaton Wetlands. It’s fascinating. The one on the left is the male. He’s dominant, flying and …
Pochard
The Pochard, Aythya ferina, has been called Pochard since the mid 1500s but the origin of its name is lost in etymological …
The Golden Lion
This town centre pub was originally called The Oxford Arms. Its foundations were laid in 1623 and its name was changed to The Golden Lion in 1722.
Life within life
Lichen is hardy. The salt spray, the desiccating sun, and the bitter wind don’t discourage it at all. They simply slow its …
Pineapple Weed
After finding an endless supply of Pineapple Weed on Westray last summer I’m now very keen on making some Pineapple Weed Posset. …
The River Exe – Dunlin
Dunlin are one of the commonest shorebirds found around the UK’s coastline. They form glorious flocks which twist this way and that …
Ye Olde Cider Bar
Ye Olde Cider Bar is one of only a handful of remaining cider houses.
The River Exe – Grey Plover
We call the Grey Plover, Pluvialis squatarola, the Grey Plover in the UK because they are, most definitely, grey. They’re a beautiful, …
The River Exe – Spotted Redshank
Spotted Redshank, Tringa erythopus, are such elegant birds. I love their long necks, precision bills and patterned plumage. It was a thrill …
The River Exe – Red-Breasted Mergansers
Red-Breasted Mergansers are saw-billed diving ducks. They’re spectacular in flight. We’re on a River Exe Cruise with Stuart Line Cruises. It’s sold …
Angelica
There are two species of Angelica on Westray. There is Wild Angelica, Angelica sylvestris, known as Caiko, which is a native species …
Alpine Swifts
Here’s an entertaining shot I forgot to post when I took it back in April 2023. The word went out that a …
Jacksons the Fishmongers
Jacksons is the place I get my fish and chips from when I’m in Devon, as the best alternative to Jacks on Westray when I’m in Orkney.
“As daft as a Coot”
I always thought that the common idiom was “As bald as a Coot”, so when my dad said “As daft as a …
Bluebells and Woodpeckers
For some reason I never did post this photograph in May last year. That’s odd, because it’s one of my favourites. A …
Return to Bass
Whenever I take a large quantity of photographs there’s an even larger amount of selecting, importing, editing, exporting, selecting and uploading before …
Chiaroscuro
The interplay of light and dark with strong contrast obsessed many painters. Caravaggio was one of them. The drama of intense lighting, …
Rose-Ringed Parakeet in The Regent’s Park
Many of the parks in London are busy with a naturalised species of Parrot. The Rose-Ringed Parakeet is so successful that it …
The Railway Station
Newton Abbot railway station is a relatively new building, dating from 1927. The original building was from 1846, when they completed the line from Teignmouth along the River Teign.
Hello down there
Ever felt glad you’re not a fish? This Northern Gannet was so close I felt I could reach out and touch it.
Another introduced species
The Egyptian Goose, Alopochen aegyptiaca, is another species introduced into to the UK to the estates and parklands of stately homes by …
A tracery of droplets
A visit to Chard Reservoir is always a welcome trip. I’m here because my son and his partner are using it as …
Long neck, long bill and long tail
The Northern Pintail, Anas acuta, has a long, elegant neck, a long beautifully curved beak, and a long pointed tail. It also …
An Arctic Tern colony
There’s an Arctic Tern colony on Westray which is next to a road with a couple of parking spaces. It’s possible to …
Olde Forde House
Olde Forde House was bought in 1978 by Teignbridge District Council who utterly ruined it by building the ugliest modern headquarters building possible in its grounds.
Collapsed sea cave
There’s a strange depression on the coastal walk in the north of Westray. I finally realised what it was. It’s a collapsed …
Wigeon
I love how beautiful Wigeon are close-up. Their patterns and colours are a delight. Many come to the UK from Iceland, Scandinavia …
Smew two
The Smew in The Regent’s Park in London are a thrill to get close to, even if they are in shadow: Here’s …
Finally, a Little Owl
It’s been a dream of mine to see a Little Owl again, ever since I looked after a juvenile one when I …
An Arctic Tern with a Lumpfish
Lumpfish grow to be large fish, sometimes washed up on the beaches of Westray. To see them as tiny fish, brought in …