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Guest Blog: Influences – Alexandra Pearce
My next “influences” guest post comes from the fabulous Alexandra Pearce (@PearceAlex1). Alex is an environmental writer working both in communications and as part of…
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Orca “Marine Mammal Surveyor” Training Day
Yesterday I had the pleasure to partake in a cetacean identification course hosted by Orca, a fantastic charity dedicated to researching whales, dolphins and porpoises in…
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The Redpoll Triumvirate
Plenty to report on from the home county over recent days, some localized twitching throwing up a good array of birds on Friday. First up…
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Guest Blog: Inspiration by Gus Routledge
For the first in installment in what will hopefully be a long and prosperous series of guest blogs Gus Routledge (@PinkfootedGus) talks about his inspiration,…
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The Woeful Decline of the Willow Tit
Living in Northumberland, the charismatic Willow Tit (Poecile montanus) is still, thankfully, a firm fixture of my daily life. Indeed, at present I am lucky…
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Urban Birding in Benidorm
So contrary to expectations, I managed to survive a week in Benidorm! Such places, jam packed with people, loud music and twenty-four hour nightclubs are…
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.
