Hare’s Foot Inkcap
There’s a Hare’s Foot Inkcap, Coprinopsis lagopus, in our dog-walking field in Somerset. I only have my phone with me, but I …
Fighting Drakes
There’s an awful lot of behaviour going on with ducks. There’s a social order and dominance hierarchy and sexual violence wherever you …
Snow Buntings in sunshine
We have a day free to walk the length of the Lower Otter Restoration Project with Anna the dog. It’s gorgeous and, …
Fish delivery service
It’s normally Puffins I photograph with the sparkling Atlantic Ocean behind them. This time it’s a Black Guillemot in flight with a …
Petticoat Mottlegill
There’s a Petticoat Mottlegill, Panaeolus papilionaceus, in this Somerset field. Isn’t its petticoat frill fabulous? It’s a common fungus of dung in …
Numenius arquata
There’s a Eurasian Curlew, Numenius arquata, on the Lower Otter Restoration Project. I’ve never seen one this close before. It’s eating worms …
Snow Buntings at Budleigh Salterton
I get a message that there are two Snow Buntings on Budleigh Salterton beach. I’ve never seen them before so I’d love …
Tea time
A successful foraging trip is always a joy. Back in the kitchen we clean and sort them: Penny Buns, Boletus edulisSaffron Milkcaps, …
Manx Shearwaters
We’re delighted to see Manx Shearwaters off the coast of Torbay. Apart from when breeding, the Manx Shearwater is an entirely marine …
Miniature Robin or giant golf ball?
Is this a miniature Robin or giant golf ball? You decide.
The Balearic Shearwater is critically endangered
Here’s a bird likely to go extinct. It’s a Balearic Shearwater. The stiff wings of its flying-cross silhouette pass so close to …
Poole Harbour Avocets
A trip to Poole Harbour on board a boat means an opportunity to see Avocets flocking. Their black and white plumage and …
Singing sweetly
Black Guillemots make such a sweet noise. They sit on the cliff edge and sing their high-pitched song. It makes me smile …
Nathan’s allotment
It’s that time of year. A time of welcoming the shortening days and hunkering down for the impending winter. It’s time to …
Multiple organ failure on a stick
It’s the season of multiple organ failure on a stick, otherwise known as the Death Cap, Amanita phalloides. Death Caps contain the …
Rock Samphire – Fennel or creosote?
Rock Samphire makes a lovely show of subtle green and brown flowers and foliage on the rocks on parts of the South …
A fine catch
I love to see a Black Guillemot with its catch, especially when it’s as spectacular as this fish: Magnificent, isn’t it?
Gone for a walk
This Black Guillemot has gone for a walk on the coast of Papa Westray with its Butterfish. Which makes me think: if …
The two morphs of the Elephant Hawk Moth
Elephant Hawk Moths are unusual in that the insect is named more after the caterpillar than the adult winged insect. The caterpillars …
Fulmar chick
Fulmars only lay one egg. That’s not a surprise when you see the size of the egg compared with the size of …
Display fish
A Black Guillemot with its fish. The fish is not impressed.
Northern Marsh Orchid
I love having orchids in my garden. This Northern Marsh Orchid, Dactylorhiza purpurella, flowers there in June and July. Dactylorhiza contains ‘dactyl’, meaning …
A close Shag
I was delighted my friend Martin visited Westray this summer and we had a couple of fabulous day trips to Papa Westray …
Tubby with a flatfish
This tubby Black Guillemot is flying back to its chick with a flatfish. The fish is probably a Norwegian Topknot, but my …
Glacial striations
You never forget a good teacher, do you? Mr Aldred was one of my geography teachers (the other being Mr Boocock). Mr …
Juvenile Starling
Starlings used to be called Stares. The word Starling was only used for juvenile Stares. We now use the cute version of …
The joy of Yellow Dung Flies
This summer I decided to try a little more close-up photography. The obvious subjects were in the field at the back of …
The beauty of Mallimacks
Fulmars have a strange reputation. Being able to spit foul-smelling fishy oil accurately from quite a distance is clearly something which hinders …
I love Puffins and sparkles
An evening at the Castle o’ Burrian in the summer with Puffins. It’s idyllic.
Finally, a Dunlin
Finally I have the chance to get a clear photograph of a Dunlin. There’s one in a shallow pool and I can …