In Britain it’s Jays which are often credited with spreading the oak forests which thrived before humans cut them down. Jays cache food and forgotten or unneeded acorns germinate to form extended forests. Here in Bulgaria it’s probably the Northern Nutcrackers which are responsible for spreading the pine trees which …
If I only had one word to describe Northern Nutcrackers it would be quarrelsome. Their ritualised battles are entertaining. They use their …
The backlit wings of Northern Nutcrackers and the glorious rim-light they display are a delight. The powdery snow is so pure and …
The wings of the Northern Nutcracker are broad, very much like a Jay. Their tails are short and their beaks sharply pointed …
You can probably tell how much I’ve been enjoying seeing these Northern Nutcrackers. Aren’t they lovely? The scientific name for the Northern …
The Northern Nutcracker, Nucifraga caryocatactes, was previously known as the Spotted Nutcracker. It’s easy to see why. It flies past us through the pines with …
The Northern Nutcrackers on this Bulgarian ski slope are an absolute dream for me. I could never have imagined that I would …
We’re on a Bulgarian ski-slope armed with peanuts. We’re on the trail of the Northern Nutcracker, with the aim of giving them …
The Common Buzzard is quite a large bird, with broad, rounded wings and a short neck and tail. We’re waiting in a …
The scientific name of the Jay is Garrulus glandarius. It means ‘Talkative Acorn-Eater’. This one is certainly garrulous (excessively talkative, especially on trivial matters): Jays …
I’m taking photographs of a Goldfinch in the snow when a Blue Tit flies past. I think it’s an elegant composition with …
You have to admire how plucky Blue Tits are. For such a small bird they have a great attitude. Humans think it’s …
Bramblings are entertaining birds to watch. They appear to act very similarly to Chaffinches and they are the same size and shape. …
There’s a slightly bedraggled Goldfinch in the snow. It’s been snowing lightly with gentle flakes so its plumage is wet. It’s also …
It’s poor light but the snow on the ground is reflecting the light beautifully. The softness of the sound and the softness …
Hawfinches are quarrelsome bullies. They’re bigger than the other birds which frequent bird feeders and they don’t mind throwing their weight around. …
There’s something so ugly-beautiful about Hawfinches. They’re the Pre-Raphaelite equivalent of Jane Morris, the famous embroiderer and also artists’ model. This is …
There appears to be a strict social hierarchy and sense of corpse-etiquette amongst the Cinereous Vultures. These three have ganged up on …
It’s been minus 9 degrees overnight and we’ve been in the hide since before dawn. It’s vital we don’t disturb the wildlife …
It’s near to the end of a long day marooned in a mountain-top hide, sitting in silence. I spot an eagle circling …
Ravens are large birds. They look like toys next to Griffon Vultures.
Golden Jackals use their levator labii superioris muscle to snarl. The name means ‘raiser of the upper lip’. This Jackal’s top lip …
The Golden Jackal family which has arrived on our mountain outcrop seems to consist of an adult pair and a youngster. I …
Our workshop leader isn’t sharing the information that someone has been sitting in these very hides in the Bulgarian mountains for several …
As we sit in the hide at dawn in the Rhodope Mountains, marvelling at the enormous Griffon Vultures which have just arrived, …
We’ve spent a day in a minibus travelling east from Lake Kerkini in Greece to the Rhodope Mountains in Bulgaria. In the …
It’s a gorgeous sunset. The sun is setting over Lake Kerkini and I have several thousand more images on my new memory …
The Dalmatian Pelicans of Lake Kerkini are certainly photogenic. So is the Lake and the surrounding landscape. Perhaps the most important thing …
I’ve tried long exposures to get blurred photographs of birds before. I love the technique if it works. Just look how epic …
Pelicans love fish. They’re very fish-motivated. They’re also quite fish-competitive. These three Dalmatian Pelicans are in a fish-battle for fish-supremacy. Only one …