Birding 101

(This article first appeared in the July 2016 edition of ‘Birdwatching’ magazine)

How enamoured are you of today’s birding scene? Do you relish the technological advantages today’s birder…

Plan Ahead

(This article first appeared in the June 2016 edition of ‘Birdwatching’ magazine)

In 1872 President Ulysses S. Grant created the world’s first National Park, Yellowstone. Between 1905 and …

Fings Ain’t What They Used To Be

(This article first appeared in the May 2016 edition of ‘Birdwatching’ magazine)

The thing about ageing is that you tend to look backward at things with more than a h…

Good Things Come In Less Packaging

(This article first appeared in the April 2016 edition of ‘Birdwatching’ magazine)

Today I bought what I thought was an ordinary box of tissues at the supermarket. …

Clear Fell

(This article first appeared in the March 2016 edition of ‘Birdwatching’ magazine)

Regular readers will know how genuine my affection is for undisciplined dog walkers. They will also know …

The Little Lady Will Have A Sherry

(This article first appeared in the February 2016 edition of ‘Birdwatching’ magazine)

Have I banged on lately about sexism in birding?

It’s still as prevalent as fe…

Missed Opportunities

(This article first appeared in the January 2016 edition of ‘Birdwatching’ magazine)

I’ve eaten Chicken Kiev in Kiev; bought Moroccan leather in Marrakesh and sat listening to th…

Blackcaps & Spadgers

(This article first appeared in the December 2015 edition of ‘Birdwatching’ magazine)

Not so long ago I told you the tale of my overwintering Blackcaps… well it turns out I will …

I wandered lonely as a cloud…

(This article first appeared in the October 2015 edition of ‘Birdwatching’ magazine)

I blame Shakespeare, Wordsworth, Hardy, Brontë, Burns & Tolkein, Turner, Landseer & …

Sound Advice

(This article first appeared in the November 2015 edition of ‘Birdwatching’ magazine)

I suffer from progressive hearing loss; I am profoundly deaf in one ear, and get periods of complete…

Swift Justice

 (This article first appeared in the Autumn 2015 edition of ‘Birdwatching’ magazine)

Six swifts sped past my office window distracting me from my keyboard slavery. The screen’s hypnotic…

What will they think of next….

(This article first appeared in the September 2015 edition of ‘Birdwatching’ magazine)

“I’m not sure, I didn’t look to see if there is anything about”… was my reply to …

Road Rage

(This article first appeared in the August 2015 edition of ‘Birdwatching’ magazine)

I was asked to speak at the Scottish Bird Fair – or to give it its proper title ‘Scotland’s Big Nature Fe…

Vintage Birds…

(This article first appeared in the July 2015 edition of ‘Birdwatching’ magazine)

Waiting while Hawkeye found more ways to spend my ‘hard earned’ in ‘George’ at Asda my eye’s corner sp…

Blackcap…

(This article first appeared in the June 2015 edition of ‘Birdwatching’ magazine)

There is something immensely charming about a Blackcap. Their Jet black or red-brown bonnet setting off the…

Listing to one side…

(This article first appeared in the May 2015 edition of Birdwatching Magazine)

Somewhere wreathed in mist and hidden by a time vortex is the schism that divided those who need to…

Hands up who like fluffy kittens?

(This article first appeared in the April 2015 edition of Birdwatching magazine)

Hands up who likes furry pets, penguins and Puffins. OK. Now, hands up who likes sta…

Let’s Shake On It

(This article first appeared in the February 2015 Edition of Birdwatching)

Popular myth would have it that we used to be a nation of ladies gentlemen… our word was our bond. The gre…

What have you done today to make you feel proud?

(This article first appeared in the January Edition of Birdwatching)

So asked Heather Small on her album ‘Proud’. Two things led to me asking myself, …

Go Ahead… Make My Day

(This article first appeared in the January 2015 edition of Birdwatching magazine)

I was lying in bed counting diving Gannets. (When you get to my age sleep is like a birding to…