Night Herons in Amsterdam

It’s become common in zoos in the UK to see wild animals adapt to readily available food sources. In Amsterdam another species adds to the list.

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A visiting buzzard

While packing for a short break, I happened to glance up and notice a large shape in a tree across the river. Birders talk about ‘GISS’ (pronounced ‘jizz’), ‘general impression of size and shape’, and this screamed ‘bird of prey’. Sure enough, it was a Common Buzzard.

Sunday Starling Service

At the moment the most numerous birds in the garden are Goldfinches, Wood Pigeons, and Starlings. I’ve noticed something interesting with the latter.

Thornwick Bay Oystercatchers

I’ve been spending a bit of time in Flamborough recently, but with little time to really enjoy the wildlife. So, with a spare half hour yesterday, I thought I’d see what was around Thornwick Bay.

Whitby Harbour, October 2018

A day out may not involve wildlife-watching, not as a specific goal. But that doesn’t mean treats cannot be found, especially with once-wild species increasingly urbanised.

An unusual bug, and the value of recording

Wandering my garden on Sunday afternoon, I spied a striking red and black bug on one of the plants. It wasn’t something I recognised, so I grabbed a photo to try identify it. From there, it got exciting…

Save Askham Bog – Get involved

There are plenty of great examples of how conservation and development can work well together. But at other times, it can seem like nobody is ever really listening. Here in York a developer has expressed the intent to build 500 houses on Greenbelt land adjacent to Askham Bog. Again.

On Redcar Beach… and a dog rant

After the initial jaunt to South Gare, I headed down to the beach at Redcar, stopping in a carpark that was home to far more gulls and Starlings than cars. My goal was twofold; eat my lunch and see if any more birds were around.

South Gare and a Pomarine Skua

It’s fair to say that if you mention the mouth of the Tees to most people, “birding hotspot” is not their first thought. The imposing industrial plants that flank the river instead suggest chemicals and pollution. Yet the reality is very different and at South Gare seabirds and waders are numerous.

Dragonflies on the Foss

One great thing about this time of year is that there are plenty of dragonflies around, even given the limited water on many sites. A Sunday stroll revealed plenty hunting over the local river, the Foss.