Grumpy Old Birder Grumpy Old Birder

Birding This article first appeared in Birdwatching Magazine February 2018 Like my childhood self I am in awe of the vast blueness of sky over the summer reed-bed. Is this ineffable depth, breadth and beauty God? Unknowable and visceral, my … Continue reading →

Tree Huggers & Tree Muggers This article first appeared in Birdwatching Magazine January 2018 Who could resist running one’s hand along the skin-smooth bark of a beech tree or hugging a hornbeam? Can anyone doubt the primal pleasure of hearing … Continue reading →

Garden Cities This article first appeared in Birdwatching Magazine November 2017 I watched the World Athletics Championships Marathon wending its way through the historic streets of the City of London and was struck by two things over and above my … Continue reading →

Tales of the Unexpected This article first appeared in Birdwatching Magazine Autumn 2017 Outside a summer gale is rocking every bush in my tiny garden… this seems to be an inevitable consequence of sweeping the patio and clearing all the … Continue reading →

Tales of the Riverbank This article first appeared in Birdwatching Magazine October 2017 Boxing is brutal with many more losers than winners. One might argue it saves tearaway teenagers from a life of crime, but, in a progressive society it … Continue reading →

Crop Rotation This article first appeared in Birdwatching Magazine September 2017 Half a century ago, a Malaysian friend told me of his dream. He wanted to write, but first needed to earn enough money to buy a small plot of … Continue reading →