A little piece of South America in Devon
We’re walking down the River Otter looking for Otters (no, we didn’t see any) when I notice what looks like a plastic …
Duckling time
It’s duckling time and a splishy and splashy grand parade of cuteness is heading my way. I think there are seven or …
Look at the nictitating membrane on that!
Birds have several superpowers. One is that they can blink and still see, even when in the middle of blinking. Just look …
Fire! Fire!
The scientific name of the Eurasian Bullfinch is Pyrrhula pyrrhula. It means Fire! Fire! That’s certainly what I think when one appears …
When you’ve peaked too early
We had a trip to Aylesbeare Common to see the Dartford Warblers. It was successful. Just take a look at this beauty: …
Sand Martins on the River Otter
There’s a Sand Martin colony on the River Otter. It’s a consolation prize for me, as there are no Otters here at …
Coot cuties
Last week this Coot was sitting on six eggs. I waited until the incubating parent had a brief rearrange of their eggs …
A Kestrel hunting lizards in the Gorse
There’s a male Common Kestrel on Aylesbeare Common. It’s remarkable how far away from a potential meal it begins its wing-folded descent. …
Stock Dove flypast
I remember the shock of finding out that Stock Doves exist.
How do you get this close to a Jay?
How do you get this close to a Jay? They’re famously reclusive birds, often only seen after they’ve seen you, and showing …
Return to the Drumstick Truffleclub
Here’s a fungus from last October which escaped my editing until now. It’s the Drumstick Truffleclub; a fungus which grows on a …
So good they hunted it twice
I was in the British Museum when I noticed this mosaic pavement showing a Wild Boar being confronted by a hunting dog. …
Learning the lore of the lores with a Little Egret
Little Egrets are large birds. In a previous century they wouldn’t have been called birds at all, since anything larger than a …
Vogue
I love it when a Nuthatch strikes a pose!
Joy, unconfined
Robins don’t just sing in spring, but when they do it really is a fantastic symbolic moment. Here’s one giving it its …
An inexperienced male
The female Great Crested Grebe at Stover Country Park has been making all the right moves. She’s been prostrating herself on their …
11 grammes of joy
Blue Tits weigh 11 grammes, although it’s a little more when one’s fully laden with an egg. Try describing a Blue Tit: …
Supplementing their diet
Great Crested Grebes eat fish. Here’s a shot from the weekend showing just that: What I didn’t know is that they supplement …
An unhappy face
Fish never look very happy when they’re about to be eaten. This Norwegian Topknot for instance, isn’t terribly amused at being caught …
Running late
Having a family is a stressful time. It’s particularly difficult if you’ve laid six eggs and have to incubate them and turn …
Great Crested Grebes
The pair of great Crested Grebes on Stover Country Park lake are getting frisky: They’re in full breeding plumage, with their spectacular …
Nesting Coot
The scientific name of the Eurasian Coot is Fulica atra. There are currently ten species of Coot worldwide; there were eleven species, …
Chaffink
The word finch comes from the Middle English word fynch. This, in turn, comes from the Old English work finċ. And that? We can trace …
Prunella modularis
I recommend looking. Seeing the ordinary and realising it’s extraordinary is a habit which can bring you much joy. This Dunnock is …
Grebe action
A little bit of sunshine meant I got up with a spring in my step and hot-footed it to Stover Country Park. …
Treecreeping
I’m waiting for Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers when I see a familiar sight. It’s a Treecreeper. Lovely, aren’t they?
Hatching
Can you believe that a fossil Nuthatch has been discovered? It was found in Italy and was dated to 20 million years …
Blue Tits
The Blue Tit’s scientific name is Cyanistes caeruleus. Cyanistes is from the Ancient Greek World kuanos meaning dark blue, which is the …
Ruddy Shelduck
Followers of this blog will know my love for ducks. As soon as I saw this gorgeous ginger specimen, I knew what …
Egyptian Ibis mummy
The British Museum is full of curiosities. Here’s the Easter-egg-like sarcophagus of an Ibis mummy. It’s made of gilded wood and bronze …