From tropical Africa to temperate South Devon
The Pied Flycatchers have landed. They’ve made it back from tropical Africa to a small wooded valley in South Devon. They are …
Treecreeping
I’m waiting for Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers when I see a familiar sight. It’s a Treecreeper. Lovely, aren’t they?
2019 highlights of a wilder Devon life
2019 has seen me explore Devon a little more. I’ve been out onto Emsworthy Mire on Dartmoor a few times to enjoy …
Brown Birch Boletes on Yarner Heath
While I’m searching for Parasitic Boletes I stumble across a Brown Birch Bolete. They’re lovely mushrooms. They have scaly stalks, small tubes …
Flied Piecatchers
Every April and May these tiny birds fly from West Africa to ancient woodlands in Wales and the west of England. Pied …
Fly Agarics then and now
What’s the use of illustrations in the age of photography? Surely they are old hat?
Holly in Autumn
The Holly is bursting with berries in South Devon this year. It’s glorious against the colour of the autumn leaves at Yarner …
The Cornish Pasty fungus
The Birch Polypore. Razor Strop Fungus. Birch Bracket. Like many fungi, this one has a range of strange and exotic folk names …
518 Beech Drive
I’m trying to sell my house at the moment. It’s stressful constantly having visitors and having to keep the house clean and …
Ancient names: Parus capite nigro: vertice albo, dorso cinereo, pectore albo
Coal Tit is such a nice, short, simple name. It’s also in English, and despite Britain’s best efforts in the past, not …
Long-Tailed Bushtits
It’s raining and the weather is dull. It’s not great light for photography, but it is great light for observation. These Long-Tailed …
Great Spotted Woodpecker
There’s a Great Spotted Woodpecker in the tree in front of me. It knows I’m here because it’s keeping to the other …