Bridled Guillemot - The Hall of Einar - photograph © David Bailey (not the)

Uria aalge

There’s a Common Guillemot, Uria aalge, flying past. There’s a colony perched on a rock in Torbay and they fly regularly across the …

Great Northern Diver - The Hall of Einar - photograph © David Bailey (not the)

Snoozing Diver

There’s a Great Northern Diver in Brixham harbour. I climb down the slippery stone steps to sea-level and perch as low as …

Grey Heron - The Hall of Einar - photograph © David Bailey (not the)

Grey and Red

Devonian Red Sandstone – it’s red, it’s stone made out of desert sand, and it’s found in Devon, as well as elsewhere. …

Shag - The Hall of Einar - photograph © David Bailey (not the)

Shag braking

It’s not just how fast you can fly – sometimes it’s how fast you can stop. Here’s a Shag putting on the …

Peregrine Falcon - The Hall of Einar - photograph © David Bailey (not the)

Peregrine Falcon

What a thrill to see a Peregrine Falcon flying over the cliffs in Torbay. Especially in such beautiful weather. Peregrine Falcons are …

Bar-Tailed Godwit - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Mud and Bar-Tailed Godwits

The Bar-Tailed Godwit, Limosa lapponica, is a large migratory wader. Calling them migratory is one of the world’s greatest understatements. One of …

Red-Breasted Merganser - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Red-Breasted Mergansers

There’s something comical and slightly zany about Red-Breasted Mergansers. Just look at that feathered crest: There are a few birds on the …

Teal - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

The duck that says cryc

Isn’t this female Teal a stunner? The iridescent green colour of the speculum on the wing feathers is breathtaking in this sunshine. …

Curlew - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Eurasian Curlew

Here’s a big beautiful Eurasian Curlew flying past our cruise boat on the River Exe. Whenever I hear the word Eurasian in …

Avocet - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Avocet flypast

I find Avocets so exotic I’m still partially resisting the idea that they actually exist in my life. Just look at how …

Kingfisher - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Kingfisher on a boat

We had a wonderful time at the weekend on a Stuart Line Cruises guided birdwatching cruise out of Exmouth. The firm are …

Extinction Advent Calendar 12

Extinction Advent calendar – Day 12

The Black-veined White Butterfly was first listed as a British species in 1667. This stunning butterfly became extinct in the British Isles around 1925. Sir …

Extinction Advent Calendar 11

Extinction Advent calendar – Day 11

No longer breeding in Britain. Loss of habitat, like wooded pastures, traditional orchards, and changes in agricultural practices to intensive farming are …