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A once in a lifetime encounter
Before yesterday commenced, I had only seen three Red-necked Grebes in my lifetime. Two as distant apparitions amid undulating heat haze on a vast swath…
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Top 10 Facts: Waxwing
Winter visitor. Waxwings are winter visitors to Britain, migrating here from their breeding grounds in the boreal forest belt that stretches from Scandinavia, through Russia…
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The latest New Nature Magazine is out!
Autumn leaves drift through the air, caught and propelled in a gust of wind before they touch down to the earth – this season is…
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The Maple, the Beech and the Lime, by Frances Jones
Last week I bought a book. A slim book, with a green and white cover. It was called ‘The Tree’ and was written by John…
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Common By Nature at the UK Blog Awards 2019
I’m thrilled to announce that Common By Nature has been nominated for the latest round of the UK Blog Awards! It is a privilege to…
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There is no need to choose between Monbiot and Attenborough: the ways of both are vital.
I am part of a generation that idolises David Attenborough and, like many younger conservationists, have long extolled the virtues of his breathtaking documentaries for…
Current Fascinations
By my own admission, I am prone to falling down rabbit holes from time to time. Typically, this involves deep-diving into a particular subject and learning as much as possible before, inevitably, another topic comes along to take its place. Regardless, below you’ll find my current areas of interest…
Botanical Bits
Botany is my main interest, and whether it’s ferns, snowdrops, grasses, ancient woodland plants, or even humble pavement weeds, I try to spend as much time as possible seeking out our wild plants.
North East Botany
Here you’ll find musings on plant identification, trip reports, sightings from walks and courses and just about anything else relating to botany in North East England.
Urban Flora of Newcastle and North Tyneside
The Urban Flora of Newcastle and North Tyneside is the first comprehensive account of the wild plants growing across the Newcastle and North Tyneside conurbation, one of the largest in the UK.
Based on six years of fieldwork, the book documents more than 1,120 native and naturalised plants -around a third of Britain’s entire flora.
Meet James
Born and raised in North East England, James is a botanist, general naturalist and biological recorder with a passion for sharing the joys of North East nature with others.
He currently works as Senior Naturalist for the Natural History Society of Northumbria (NHSN) and volunteers as a vice-county recorder for the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland (BSBI), both of which allow him to spend ample time outdoors leading trips, courses, surveys and guided walks.
