Hello, I’m James — a botanist, naturalist, and lifelong wildlife enthusiast, fortunate to be living my childhood dream of a career immersed in nature.
I created Common By Nature in 2011 as a platform to share my fascination with wildlife to be found around me in North East England. While the topics have evolved, and my writing has [hopefully] improved somewhat, this blog remains a space where I document sightings, share memorable trips, and offer nature-related titbits from time to time.
My primary interests lie in observing and recording wildlife, with a particular focus on plants and invertebrates. You can expect to encounter a wealth of content on these subjects here.
What to expect on Common By Nature?
If you’re seeking a meticulously organised blog with a singular focus, this might not be the place for you. Common By Nature is very much a hodgepodge of my various interests. Here, you’ll mainly find:
- Wildlife sightings – accounts of local walks and notable or exciting discoveries.
- Identification guides – informative pieces on recognising various species.
- Light touch ecological insights – discussions on wildlife behaviour and habitats.
Lately, I’ve been delving deeply into the wild and naturalised plants of North East England – a subject that has become a central theme of this blog.
My Interests
Biological Recording
Wildlife recording is at the heart of everything I do. Whether it’s plants, bees, waxcaps or, more recently, ladybirds, I dedicate as much time as possible to documenting species. Amazingly, this was recognised a few years back when I received the NBN Newcomer Award in 2022 for biological recording.
In my day job, I am lucky to lead on several exciting projects, including the North East Bee Hunt and North East Ladybird Spot, as well as working on regional wildlife atlases. Elsewhere, I am a big fan of iRecord and to date, have shared some 40,000 sightings there.
Botany
Plants are my passion. As a vice-county recorder for North Northumberland (VC68) with the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland (BSBI), and an assistant for South Northumberland (VC67), I spend considerable time studying and recording our wild plants. I also lead courses and field trips to inspire others about the flora of our region.
My specific interests include:
- Urban plants – I’m currently working on a comprehensive survey of Newcastle and North Tyneside’s urban plants, aiming for future publication.
- Non-native species – exploring the identification and spread of introduced plants.
- Niche groups – I’m a big fan of ferns, snowdrops, orchids, and exotic families such as Cotoneaster and Berberis.
While I don’t claim expertise in all areas, botany remains a central focus of this blog.
Ladybirds
In addition to plants, I also volunteer as a vice-county recorder for ladybirds across Northumberland and County Durham (VC66, 67 & 68), where I assist others with their findings and actively seek out these fascinating insects myself.
The Professional Bit
Since completing my university studies, I’ve primarily worked in conservation and ecology.
Currently, I work as the Senior Naturalist at the Natural History Society of Northumbria. For a detailed overview of my professional journey, please visit my LinkedIn profile.
My written work has been featured in:
- Anthology for the Changing Seasons (two editions)
- The Entomologist’s Record
- Roebuck
- The Countryman
- Dragonfly News
- Transactions of the Natural History Society of Northumbria
I also founded and directed New Nature Magazine, the UK’s first nature magazine written and edited entirely by young people, which ran from 2016 to 2020.
Online, I’ve contributed columns to the Northumberland Wildlife Trust and other organisations. Additional content can be found on the NHSN website.
My work has garnered attention from BBC Wildlife Magazine, has been featured on BBC Countryfile [eek] and has led to finalist positions in the Northern Blogger Awards, UK Blog Awards, and Living North Awards.