A nature walk with young children is guaranteed to feel really special. Those were my thoughts, anyway, after our walk around Bovey Heathfield. A few days ago, I was lucky enough to be asked to help lead a nature walk for young families, organised by Better Places and the Devon Wildlife Trust. It was myContinue reading “A Nature Walk and a Natter”
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Mountain Management in Mallorca
The Black (or Cinereous) Vulture is Europe’s largest raptor, and an iconic species in Mallorca. It thrives in the northwest mountain range, the Serra de Tramuntana, and has recently been showing signs of expansion in its breeding range, putting the exclamation point on an awe-inspiring conservation success story that brought the birds back from the brinkContinue reading “Mountain Management in Mallorca”
Acting Swiftly
Swifts are a special species of bird, remaining airborne for ten straight months each year and not landing for the first three years of their life. Their committed avoidance of the ground has led to them having one of the fastest level flight speeds of any bird, but also tiny feet that aren’t much goodContinue reading “Acting Swiftly”
Global Birdfair 2026
The pinnacle of the birding year, a birder’s Glastonbury, has been and gone once again. And what an event it was, brimming with talks, walks, workshops and showcases. I’m going to need some convincing that there is another event that brings naturalists, conservationists, ornithologists and just general nature enthusiasts together quite like this. For me,Continue reading “Global Birdfair 2026”
Nightjars on Dartmoor
Nightjars are a wondrous species. Fern Owls, we used to call them, a beautiful traditional name that is a nod to our long-standing fascination with them. Their mottled, cryptic plumage gives them a ghost-like quality, combined with the fact that they’re crepuscular, which means they’re only active at dawn and dusk. Their churring, mechanical songContinue reading “Nightjars on Dartmoor”
Back at the Cottage
I’ve just got back from another amazing weekend at Cameron’s Cottage in the New Forest, on a Wild New Forest wildlife camp. These camps happen twice yearly, both in Spring and Autumn, and I’ve been lucky enough to go on five over the last few years. The importance for a young naturalist to be amongContinue reading “Back at the Cottage”
The Forgotten Generation?
Gen Z and birding are, according to certain outdated stereotypes, not a common mix. Birding is traditionally a hobby for older people. A common misconception is that a lot of time and money is needed to fund such a hobby. But this could not be further from the truth, and there are many young GenContinue reading “The Forgotten Generation?”
On Peatlands and Humans
Dartmoor National Park’s Peatlands have always been intertwined with the people that live and work in the vicinity, a relationship that has stood the test of time. But recently, the strings joining us to these magical bogs have been somewhat weakened, and lots of people don’t know much about them. I’ve been exploring what bringsContinue reading “On Peatlands and Humans”
Nature Writing Retreat
A couple of weeks ago, I headed off to a secluded spot in the New Forest, concealed behind a gate, a long gravel track and huge amounts of healthy trees. Organised by the dynamic duo of Emily Hunt and Andrew Millham, with support from the incredible Cameron Bespolka Trust and an all-star panel of esteemedContinue reading “Nature Writing Retreat”
Bird Beach
I can’t think of a better way to spend a Monday evening than on a beach, crouching metres away from a sizeable mixed flock of just about every wader species you would expect to find on a sandy shore, and then some. An evening walk through Dawlish Warren Nature Reserve had ended up with anContinue reading “Bird Beach”
The Bovey Birder 