BTO Wetland Bird Survey January

At the end of last year I began volunteering alongside a local birder for the monthly BTO wetland bird survey. Our patch, which runs around our farm at the Naze, covers a roughly 7 mile walk around the peninsula, trekking firstly up the beach alongside the salt marsh towards Stone Point and then back toContinueContinue reading “BTO Wetland Bird Survey January”

Little auk at the Naze (wild Essex)

We kept our heads down as we battled the wind on our way up to Stone Point, albeit occasionally stopping to gaze through binoculars at passing curlew or oystercatcher in flight or little sanderling running about on the beachline, joined in their never-ending task by chestnutty turnstone. The walk to the Stone is one thatContinueContinue reading “Little auk at the Naze (wild Essex)”

A Nightingale Walk

There is a certain magical tone to the voice of a nightingale, that can only be truly known when directly experienced. The joyful variety of its song (although some would say melancholic), of overwhelming amplitude given its small size, dominates the audiosphere of those places fortunate enough to play host to this melodious passerine. OnContinueContinue reading “A Nightingale Walk”

Grey Plover

This weekend I was visited by my friend and fellow AFON committee member Matt Williams. We got together to continue work on an exciting project of which I hope to be able to divulge more information before long. It was a beautiful bright spring day on the Essex coast and we took a midday walkContinueContinue reading “Grey Plover”

Book Review: ‘A Sweet Wild Note’ by Richard Smyth

When I turned the pages of this book for the first time, as when I open any new book, I couldn’t help but smell that gloriously comforting and inviting aroma of freshly published manuscript. All pages have their own smell, but it is something that few of us truly appreciate. Similarly, all landscapes have theirContinueContinue reading “Book Review: ‘A Sweet Wild Note’ by Richard Smyth”