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Capering in the Cairngorms (& Black Isle)
I’ve been back from Scotland a mere few hours and already I find myself compelled to waffle about what was, in truth, a truly exquisite…
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Trip Report: Extremadura (Parte 1)
So, I’m back and what an amazing few days! Before I get to the all important birding, I would just like to say a huge…
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Blyth birding and a Dunlin in distress
Before I get into the usual local patch based rambling, I thought I would draw your attention to one of today’s more unusual events. Walking…
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Are Badgers over-protected?
A few days back I touched upon the potential impact of Badgers upon Britain’s declining Hedgehog population and resigned myself to the fact that they…
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Weekly Posts for Conservation Jobs
So, after testing the water for a while (and getting some very positive feedback), I will now be writing weekly blog posts for Conservation Jobs…
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Declining Hedgehogs: Are Badgers to Blame?
Two of Britain’s most adored mammals, the Badger (Meles meles) and Hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) are never far from the headlines in recent times, though 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.
