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Pondering the Prospects for Lowland Rewilding
Another intriguing post by Ben Eagle looking at rewilding in the often forgotten lowlands. Places over overlooked during talk of sprawling pine forests, prowling wolf…
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Eagles Owls, Native or Not?
Recently the Eagle Owl was cast into the spotlight once again, notable sportsman Sir Ian Botham using the species as the basis for a scathing…
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Soaking up Spring on the local patch
Spring is well and truly here and the the last few days have been nothing short of glorious. Invertebrates emerging from hibernation, migrant birds fresh…
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Wildcat Haven call for a reevaluation of wildcat conservation measures
By Peter Trimming – Yawning ‘Kendra’Uploaded by Mariomassone, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=18462225 The woeful demise of the Scottish Wildcat (F. s. silvestris) is arguably one…
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Trip Report: Extremadura (Parte II)
It’s been a while since my fabulous trip to Extremadura courtesy of the great people at the Spanish Tourist Board. Only now did I realise…
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The historic decline of the Grey Partridge
Living where I do, secluded in a reasonably rural area of Northumberland, Grey Partridge (Perdix perdix) are still, thankfully, rather abundant. Indeed, many an evening…
North East Botany

An amalgamation of botanical blog posts, identification crib sheets, special interest pages, and assorted useful information, all centred around the wonderfully diverse plant life of North East England.
Ladybirds

Helpful articles, species profiles, and assorted titbits focused on our surprisingly diverse ladybird fauna, a relatively recent obsession of mine that, unfortunately for my free time, shows no signs of fading.
British Ferns & Clubmosses

A gradually growing library of ferns and fern allies photographed during my ongoing quest to find and enjoy Britain’s pteridophytes, alongside the occasional trip report and identification ramble. Quite unapologetically, my favourite subject of all.

Urban Flora of Newcastle
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.
Published with the generous support of the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland (BSBI) and Natural History Society of Northumbria (NHSN), it is essential reading for botanists, ecologists, conservationists and anyone curious about the surprising richness of nature in Newcastle and urban areas more generally.

Training & Tours
Through my role as Senior Naturalist with the Natural History Society of Northumbria (NHSN), I am lucky to spend much of my time outdoors leading trips, training sessions and guided walks for all manner of groups.
From field trips in search of ferns and orchids to multi-week courses on grasses, ancient woodlands and beginner plant identification, if you are interested in collaborating, please get in touch.

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.
