Grey Seal
I love to see Grey Seals basking. They don’t have the most attractive faces for someone who is human to gaze on. I’m sure they love each other dearly. Even if only its mother could love that face.
The remains of a meal
There’s a Common Buzzard on the banks of the River Dart. We’re enjoying great views of it from the small boat due …
Rook and Peregrine Falcon meet
There’s a Peregrine Flacon flying over the River Dart. The last time I saw one here it was ‘buzzing’ an Osprey with …
“Biology is bigger than your bigotry”
Today’s post is another one on human biology and its misuse to support an ideology. If you’d rather look at my photographs …
Curlew C5
I was on a cruise up the River Dart with Mike Langman recently when he spotted an Eurasian Curlew. I love to …
Sabine’s Gull
It’s only 8 million years since Sabine’s Gulls and Kittiwakes were the same species. Evolutionary time boggles the mind, doesn’t it?
A Sonnet in Remembrance (A Poppy Blooms)
I wanted to write a sonnet which could be sung on Remembrance Sunday. I’ve recently been enjoying using ‘artificial intelligence’ to create …
Manx Shearwater
I’m greedy. Whenever I see a beautiful bird I’d like to be as close as possible to it without affecting its behaviour …
Osprey with fish
The juvenile Osprey on the River Otter last month was doing a very good job of catching a fish every morning and …
Mediterranean Gull
Gull identification isn’t my favourite subject. There are too many plumages which seemingly overlap. My mind ties itself into knots as I …
In transition
This Lesser Black-Backed Gull is in transition. It still has a speckled head and some of its wing feathers are still the …
Kittiwakes
I’m used to seeing Kittiwakes in full, pristine, breeding plumage in Orkney. It’s a pleasure to see some in their more relaxed …
Comedy gold
This year I’ve decided to enter some photography competitions. I’ve been inspired by my dad, who won competition after competition (with my …
Osprey on the River Otter
I’ve had great fun recently at the Lower Otter Restoration Project as there’s been an Osprey in residence. Here it is, only …
Warship
Out at sea there’s always a larger boat than yours. Out in Lyme Bay there’s a warship patrolling.
A Tuna boil
It’s not just fishing boats out in Lyme Bay. Atlantic Bluefin Tuna are back in South Devon. That’s extraordinary. They’ve suffered a …
Footprints
I love the mixture of sand on the beaches of Westray. Some are shell sand from the crushed shells of the molluscs …
Cloaca
Birds, like most vertebrates, apart from many mammals, have a cloaca. Cloaca is Latin for sewer and is the combined intestinal, urinary …
I hear someone shout “Kestrel!”
There’s a shout of “Kestrel!” and I train my lens on the sky. A Common Kestrel is being mobbed by a Carrion …
Flying Fulmars
I think of fulmars as being mid-engined birds with relatively short wings. They are deceptive, however, as their wings can appear quite …
Soggy Osprey
Of all the things I love about autumn, trips to see Ospreys migrating back to Africa are one of my top highlights. …
Wild majesty
There’s a spot on the coast of Westray that I return to again and again. A rock shelf reaches out into the …
A curious Wheatear
I sometimes wonder why Wheatears are so difficult to get close to. Then I remember that we have killed and eaten every …
Ruddy Turnstones are a joy to behold
We’re on an early morning dog walk along Taftend when we notice there are small flocks of birds on the tideline moving …
Good eyesight is a fabulous thing
The Grey Phalarope, Phalaropus fulicarius, is a bird I’ve only ever seen in full breeding plumage. Where it breeds, it’s known as …
A male Hen Harrier in my garden
The bird I’d most like to photograph is a Male Hen Harrier. There’s been one on Westray on and off for the …
The Giant Polypore
The Giant Polypore, Meripilus giganteus, is giant and has many pores on its underside. It’s also called the Black-Staining Polypore because, well, …
Shag on the cliffs
The weather is incredible on Westray today. There are blue skies, blustery winds and waves which roll and roll. I’m enjoying sitting …
“Don’t use science to justify your bigotry”
Another viral post is still doing the rounds attempting to mislead people who have a poor understanding of biology into believing that …
Arctic Terns in the bay
There’s a small group of Arctic Terns in the bay. They are such beautiful birds. I love the long tail streamers. There …