“Owl” by Desmond Morris is part of the “Animal” range of books published by Reaktion Books. I had previously read “Falcon” by Helen Macdonald and like that book, Owl deals in great measure with the mythical, sociological and iconographic history of Owls as well as the natural history of owls. In this book, however, the…
We haven’t been able to go to many of the “WEA Birding Group” mornings out recently due to a combination of visiting relatives, being on holiday and having to go to London – all pleasant events but preventing us from going on the birding mornings. So it was nice to be able to attend again…
Anne and I had arranged to go to London to attend a friend’s 60th birthday party so we decided to go a day early and visit the WWT centre at Barnes. We got the tube to Hammersmith and then a number 283 bus from Hammersmith bus station (stand K) which is just at the rear…
We have been on holiday for a week in Funchal where we did see some birds, Swifts, Blackcaps, Blackbirds, Grey Wagtails and inumerable pigeons. We didn’t really go there to bitd watch however but I did need a good solid book to read to I took “Mind of the Raven: Investigations and Adventures with Wolf-Birds” …
I have just finished reading “Falcon” by Helen Macdonald. It is full of all things falcon but with a distinctly anthropological bent. There is an introductory chapter on the natural history of the falcon but thereafter the concern is with the symbolically created meanings arising from human interaction with the falcons – primarily the Peregrine…
Description of the book
This week the birding group’s visit was to Hilbre Island on the Wirral. There were around 12 of us and we were fortunate to pick a really fine day for it – even if it was a little cold. We saw a very large flock of Oystercatchers which amounted to at least 200 birds (but…
A fine morning for a birding walk at Neumann’s Flash which is a part of the Northwich Woodland Area. There was a clear blue sky and it was mild for February. Birds spotted included a Buzzard flying low across our path and later two roosting in a tree near the biggest lake. Also there two…
Today has seen heavy rain all day but this just seems to have encouraged the garden birds to stay put so we have been seeing a lot of our daily visitors who are usually : Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Coal Tit, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Blackbird, Robin, Dunnock, Starling, Blackcap, Collared Dove and Wood Pidgeon. Oddly enough…
Last week we spent a couple of days in Conwy. Our highlight was seeing a small number of Redwing in a stand of trees by the estuary. We visited Conwy RSPB but there were also a great number of waders present on the estuary including lots of Redshank, Dunlin, Black-tailed Godwits, Curlew and Shelduck. Here…
