The Caterpillar Service – Day Five
The caterpillars keep on coming. Beak-fulls of them. Green ones, brown ones, grey ones and orange ones; they’ve all been carefully plucked …
The Caterpillar Service – Day Four
It’s Day Four of photographing Long-Tailed Bushtits for me. After all, what is there to do when I’ve got no work and …
The Caterpillar Service – Day Three
It’s Day Three of following the Long-Tail Bushtit family on waste ground near my house in South Devon. I say ‘waste ground’ …
The Caterpillar Service – Day Two
Yesterday I spent five hours on a public footpath overlooking a Long-Tailed Bushtits’ nest. I’m happy that I wasn’t disturbing them. They’re …
The Caterpillar Service – Day One
The call of the Long-Tailed Bushtit is quite distinctive. It must be, because even I can recognise it. ‘Tsurp’, they say, to …
Destruction
This was one of my favourite places for wildlife. Whether it’s standing entranced, listening to the pure pulsating power of a Wren …
Huge bird up a tree
We’re cycling early in the morning in South Devon when I spot a huge bird in the top of a tree. It …
Lime Nail Galls
Those look like Lime trees. I’m not sure though. They’re in the grounds of Forde House, a luxury Jacobean manor house in …
Little Egret choking on a flatfish
It’s over 20 years since Little Egrets colonised South Devon. I’m on the banks of the River Teign and one has caught …
Deadly poison or tasty celery?
I’ve just downloaded the Google app to my phone and am trying the Google Lens feature. It allows you to take a …
Greenfinch and the Teign
Pronunciation is such a local thing. Who would have guessed that the River Teign would be pronounced “teen’. Or that when pronounced …
Pigeons
I’m slightly worried about my local pigeons. I don’t expect to get much sympathy. They’re usually fed by a motley assortment of …
The Hall of Einar – Sunday Review #6
Sunday Review: Our Bright Night by Kirsty Merryn and Cryptic real and imaginary wildlife by Immy Smith.
Male Blackbird
This early morning sun is beautiful on my bicycle ride. So is this male Blackbird. Just look at the rictal bristles surrounding …
Chicks
The Mallard’s chicks have hatched. That’s very exciting.
Primrose on stilts
There’s a single plant in the middle of a lawn at the back of one of the industrial buildings nearby. It’s standing …
Blossom
Apples are members of the rose family. Their flowers make sense once you know that. Is that what these are? These trees …
The social distancing walk
We’re in the middle of the South Devon countryside. It’s going dark. It’s been a pleasant walk but it’s getting a little …
Red Campion
I’d recognise that pink anywhere. It’s Red Campion.
Crows at sunset
The Carrion Crows are still roosting on the River Teign. They feed on invertebrates in the mud in the estuary. Walking along …
Egg
It’s not that long ago that collecting birds’ eggs was not just a scientific endeavour but a widespread hobby. Children would collect …
Little and Large
I’ve found that the best way of avoiding people is to go out early. And then go as far away from people …
Sunset over the River Teign
It’s about time I got some exercise. I’ve been cooped up inside and eating more than is enjoyable. My son and I …
Cormorants hearing underwater
There’s a Cormorant at the Town Quay. It stands and hangs its wings out to dry just under the rusty railway bridge: …
Carrion Crows – upbeat or downbeat?
Are you currently upbeat? Or downbeat? Whichever you are, I hope you’ll appreciate this glorious Carrion Crow as much as I do.
Natural England: apologists for nest robbers
The news came to me in a tweet: Now, I love Peregrine Falcons, and yet I rarely see them. A glimpse of …
Let’s See What the Earth Has to Say
We’re living in difficult times. Sometimes it’s tricky to express how we feel. It’s then that artists, writers and musicians come into …
Jackdaws in the rookery
I enjoyed my brief early morning trip to the empty park to see the nesting Rooks. I’m surprised to see the Rookery …
Cormorant in breeding plumage
I’ve never seen a Great Cormorant in breeding plumage before. When I spot one far off in the channel of the River …
Flotilla
It’s a beautiful, placid scene. It’s gorgeous light on the River Teign as I spot a Mute Swan flying and then landing …