A partial eclipse of the Wigeon
When I first heard that a duck could have an eclipse I thought that it was a joke. A total eclipse of …
Parrots in the grass
I’m walking on Orley Common and there are parrots in the grass. No, not these kinds of parrots.
Sand Martins – forty years ago in my nature notebooks
Forty years ago, before I was even a teenager, I started keeping detailed nature notebooks. A lined notepad and a blue biro, …
Sniff my fingers
Grey seals are very distinctive. This one was hauled out at Broughton in Pierowall. They have that famous Roman nose: I first …
Collared Doves
There are a million pairs of Collared Doves in the UK, which is remarkable because there weren’t any in the country in …
An Uncommon Darter
Looking down from the top of the valley we can see the medieval hill town of Santo Stefano di Sessanio below. It’s …
Long Tailed Bushtits in the bushes
I’m looking over the beautiful green treetops and palm-tops in Parco Villa Gregoriana in Tivoli: There’s a flock of Long Tailed Tits …
The Doctrine of Signatures
I’m walking around Villa d’Este in Tivoli. It’s the Renaissance masterpiece where hundreds of fountains flow with ornate carvings, pools, ducts and …
Temples and Lounging Lizards
I’m wandering around Tivoli with my camera. I’m in the Parco Villa Gregoriana. I expected there to be a fine house called …
Ol’ Blue Eyes is back
I love the street cats of Italy, despite the number of wild birds they kill. Today I have a day off in …
Wasp Spider on the plane and on the plain
On the high mountain plain above Calascio in Italy we stop for a picnic and I see a black, white and yellow …
Robin’s Pincushions on Wild Roses
The ability of life to survive in the harshest of climates is remarkable. We’re walking at 1,500m above sea level and winters …
From rich forests teeming with natural life…
The Earth is on a journey from biodiversity to monoculture; from rich tropical and temperate rainforests to grass with cattle and sheep …
For every place, a palette
Every place on Earth has its own palette. Some are collections of complimentary colours; others have contrast. Some are simple; others are …
A Grayling
I’m trying to have a relaxed breakfast but there’s too much to see. I want my Italian coffee and croissant but I …
Praying for a Mantis
We are walking in Abruzzo in Italy at a height of 1,500 metres above sea level. It’s invigorating: Amongst the grass are …
A Cornish Chough in Italy
We’re spending a few days walking in Italy. We’re in Rocca Calascio, part of the Parco Nazionale del Gran Sasso. That means …
Aquila in L’Aquila
The L’Aquila region of Italy is named after Aquila which means eagle. It’s an area of breathtaking high peaks. “Do they have …
Joined by Reynard for breakfast
It’s time for breakfast in Italy which means more delicious food and breathtaking views are on the way. Sitting outside in October …
Domestic
Puffins live so close together that there are frequent small territorial acknowledgements and disputes. They also pair for life so there are …
House proud
This Puffin was sitting outside its burrow in the soil at the top of the cliff last summer. Its mate was inside …
Puffin portraits
Puffins have a wide variety of poses which humans find appealing. We can easily imagine them as having human characteristics, or anthropomorphise …
When language is lacking
I’m on the deck of the Northlink ferry from mainland Scotland to Mainland Orkney when I see a black fin in the …
Fungus upon fungus
As soon as you begin to look at the natural world there are never-ending chains of relationships between living organisms. The classic …
Wheatears – nothing to do with wheat, ears or even ears of wheat
The name Wheatear sounds so romantic, so descriptive and so elegant. Wheatear. In fact the name is a polite form of its …
Mr Punch
It’s Mr Punch on the rocks on Westray.
The magic of a Merlin
At the very north of Westray the coast is exposed. In the far distance I can see a falcon. It’s so far …
Twite
There are small brown birds on the lichen-covered rocks on the coast of Westray. It takes me a while to identify them. …
Redshanks
Redshanks must be one of the most annoying birds for British birdwatchers. They are beautiful, active, entertaining to watch and have great …