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Staying sane in the heart of the city
Growing up in semi-rural Northumberland, I have long been accustomed to residing in scenic and ecologically diverse areas. I am used to the presence of…
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Advice from a not so Expert Birder, a guest post by Liam Thompson
I don’t know about you, but whenever I talk to a birder with decades of experience I leave the conversation with two feelings. First: admiration,…
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A cheeky appearance on BBC Countryfile
Now that the show has aired, I thought I would draw attention to the most recent episode of BBC Countryfile where, around halfway through, I…
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Glossy Ibis and more
Spring has sprung, at long last. And all about my local area, the sapphire blooms of English bluebell mingle with the garish, Simpson-yellow of…
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New Nature wins at the UK Blog Awards 2018
Last night, it was revealed that New Nature Magazine has won in the ‘Green and Eco Company Category’ of the UK Blog Awards 2018, beating…
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An update from the birdtable
It won’t have escaped your attention – at least if you follow me on Twitter – that, just over a month ago now, myself and…
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.
