A rare fungus up the hill where mushrooms are taller than trees
I’m walking the remote western coast of Westray today. There’s enough phone signal for an emergency call and precious little else here. …
I’m walking the remote western coast of Westray today. There’s enough phone signal for an emergency call and precious little else here. …
Great Skuas are large birds. They’re the size of a gull. They are powerful and barrel-chested. Bonxie is their local name, originally …
The west coast of Westray is by far the most beautiful and magnificent. It’s largely empty of buildings apart from ruins. Here …
Kittiwakes are beautiful, elegant gulls. Yes, those words really do go together. The UK has 8% of the world’s population. It’s one …
Hello and welcome to my Sunday Review. Every week I read great wildlife and nature books, see engrossing websites and hear wonderful …
Clamour. That’s the best word to describe it. That’s if you’re talking about sound. Pungent would probably the thing that comes to …
I’m off to the north today on the trail of Red-Necked Phalaropes. Yes, I know, it’s a silly name, isn’t it? I’ve …
I’m very pleased that my friend Martin’s on the Island at the moment. He’s completing filming for a documentary on Puffins for …
Ravens are large and impressive birds. I’m at Noup Head, the lighthouse on Westray, when I see three of them arrive. “They …
How much do we have the freedom to do whatever we please and how much are we blind robots carrying out biological …
Today I’m heading north to the most desolate coastline on Westray. Here, even the lichens and seaweeds and barnacles struggle to maintain …
Any patch of good weather means there’s a chance of cutting hay for silage. The people of Westray have perfected the art …
I always hope to see Hen Harriers. If I had to have a spirit animal it would be a Hen Harrier. They’re …
Coronavirus has destroyed my livelihood. I’ve had all my work cancelled for a year and will have absolutely no income. I’m also …
It’s still a shock to me how small Puffins are. I spend 10 months of the year telling people that they’re the …
Arriving back on Westray means I want to experience it all at once. I want every sensation. I want to be at …
Arriving back in Orkney is always a pleasure. This time it’s different. Out of respect for those who always live on Westray …
Hello and welcome to my Sunday Review. Every week I read great wildlife and nature books, see engrossing websites and hear wonderful …
I can recognise a Sparrowhawk flying now: flap-flap-glide, flap-flap-glide. It’s a distinctive pattern. I saw one as a child from a train …
You may have read my blogs about the Long-Tailed Bushtit family which took up a week of my life. Once they fledge …
I’ve been coming to Teignmouth and Shaldon in South Devon since I was a child. We would have two weeks holiday in …
I’ve spent my life trying to explain my behaviour to curious onlookers. Whether I’m being asked what I’m doing by security guards …
There’s been an eruption of Garden Chafers, Phyllopertha horticola, at Emsworthy Mire. The bracken is covered in them. The local Meadow Pipits …
I love Stonechats. I’ve spent a couple of very happy days with them: This time I’m just passing through and get a …
There’s a tiny patch of reeds alongside a drainage channel. It follows an A-road dual carriageway. There’s a pedestrian bridge over the …
When I’m in Devon I live right in the centre of town but close to some wonderful green spaces. Large areas of …
The Dryad’s Saddle fungus is one I remember from my childhood. It can grow huge. It has a beautiful scaly skin and …
There are three sets of Mallard ducklings on my local river. It’s a struggle to keep track of them. For a start, …
As I walk down to the town Quay I see a Cormorant surface with a huge fish. I start running towards it …
A trip to Castle Drogo seemed like a great idea. Parking at the Fingle Bridge Inn we take the top path along …