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Scotland so far, in pictures..
With little time to blog about my Scotland experience so far this year I thought I would let my pictures do the talking, for once.…
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#PatchChat: No Place Like Home
There really is no place like home. Having arrived back for some much needed TLC following two months surveying in the Highlands, this week I set…
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Reblog: Reflecting on Community and Environmental Change
Ben Eagle knocks the ball out of the park once again with yet another fantastic post. This time reflecting on community and environmental change. As…
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Guest Blog: Orchids – Alice Hunter
Orchids hold a fascination for many people around the world. For me that began when a Common Spotted Orchid (Dactylorhiza fuchsii) popped up in an…
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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…
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.
