Blue Tit blue day
I’ve not been out of the house for a few days. I’ve been sitting in listening to the spout of water coming …
Bathing Blackbird
There are puddles all along the footpath on the River Teign past the scrap metal works. This male Blackbird is making full …
Redbreast frisky time
The territorial squabbling continues: It’s nearly frisky time for this Robin. And it needs all the neighbours to know about it. What …
The waterworks Buzzard
On a previous walk through the industrial estate I met a couple who said they’d seen a Buzzard at the waterworks on …
Dunnock babble
A Dunnock babbling is a beautiful sound.
Black Headed Gull in a moving work of art
The reflections of the bridge across the River Lemon make wonderful dancing patterns around this Black-Headed Gull.
Cherry pie, almond or vanilla? What do Winter Heliotropes smell of?
There’s a plant I think I recognise on the industrial estate. It’s Butterbur; except it isn’t. The flowers look right but they’re …
Dunsford Daffodils
This year I haven’t been able to travel onto Dartmoor to see the Daffodil display at Dunsford Wood. They grow in profusion …
Black Headed Gulls
Gulls always look great against urban backdrops and bright colours. I photographed Herring Gulls on Bristol’s docks and loved the results. In …
Jackdaws
There’s a Jackdaw on the picnic lawn at Decoy Country Park. They’re endlessly entertaining, intelligent and wary. I’m waiting for it take …
One of my favourite photographs
This is one of my favourite photographs: Why? I like the shape of the body against the negative space which surrounds it …
Achenes of Old Man’s Beard
Old Man’s Beard is a plant I’ve never consciously seen in flower before. I’m determined to look for it this summer. I’ve …
Rats!
As we walk through the industrial estate I see a small, very cute, brown face with whiskers staring out of the undergrowth. …
One of the most important plants in the UK is also one of the most hated
Beautiful, isn’t it? Recognise it? It’s Ivy. It flowers when little else does and provides an essential stop-gap of nectar. It has …
1380 kilometres from home
We amble down to Newton Abbot Quay. There’s a raucous squabble under the bridge as Black Headed Gulls compete for food. “Look …
Whitethroat
Here are a couple of photographs of a Common Whitethroat, Curruca communis, which I took last summer. It’s a chunky warbler with …
A Sparrowhawk amongst the Pigeons
We’re at Newton Abbot Quay again for a daily walk. Something has to be done, given the amount of pasta we’re eating. …
Return of the vagabond waif
We’re back in the tiny scrubby woods for our daily walk. It’s full of litter. Imagine a world where every sip and …
Bumbarrels on parade
There’s a small group of Long-Tailed Bushtits calling overhead. They’re vibrating a ‘Tseee-Tseee’ call amongst the empty branches as they move through. …
The Elder jellies
I’m tramping through scrub on a path used by dog walkers and alienated teenagers. It’s only rubbish which catches my eyes and …
From Siberia with love
The Puffin Whisperer comes back from a walk and turns the back of her camera towards me to show me a bird …
Crossed mandibles
Beak deformities are quite common amongst birds. This Woodpigeon has crossed mandibles. I’d expect it to interfere with eating but it doesn’t …
Take off
It seems that only one day in every seven is sunny at the moment. And the days are short. So I’ve got …
Catkins
On my walk I grabbed a few shots in passing of glorious catkins in warm evening light. It’s reassuring to see trees …
Blushing
One of the most common fungi in UK woodlands is The Blusher. I’ve just found this photograph I took of one back …
Herring Gulls
Herring Gulls are fabulous to watch. I’ve enjoyed taking photographs of them in urban areas. There’s something quite alien about their presence. …
There are no words
If you ask this swan what species it is, it won’t tell you. It’s Mute.
Black-Headed Gulls at the Quay
Staying local for your exercise is difficult if brownfield sites are built upon, public spaces are full and green spaces are privately …
Sexton
This summer in Orkney we met up with two friends and fellow enthusiasts for a moth-trapping evening. I loved setting up their …
Staying local
In the first lockdown it was revealing just how much nature was all around me. I didn’t need to spend ages preparing …