Dancers in the Dark
Sometimes I look at a field guide and a creature leaps off the page and explodes inside my imagination. The first time I saw an illustration of a Pennant-winged Nightjar Caprimulgus vexillarius it blew my mind. Seeing one for real was definitely on my bucket-list. However, being a European based naturalist and it being a tropical African species, my chances would be limited. A second visit to Kruger National Park provided that opportunity. The northern rest camp of Punda Mari
Dec 13, 20253 min read
Kes
A Eurasian Kestrel seeks a suitable spot to hover. © Jeff Clarke Since I was a tiny child I've been utterly entranced by this delightful falcon. The poet Gerard Manley Hopkins was equally captivated and described the Kestrel's sublime hovering skills, to perfection, in his celebrated poem 'The Windhover', written on 30 May 1877. If you are not familiar with this poem it's time to put that glaring omission to bed. It's not just one of the greatest nature poems, it's one of th
Oct 17, 20252 min read
Attrition
It’s September as I type these words. The hedgerows are resplendent with berries, awaiting the fall of migrant thrushes from continental...
Sep 11, 20253 min read
Rolling in the Deep
As a cruise ship wildlife speaker and as a member of the Ocean Wildlife Encounters (OWE) team, I get to visit some pretty remote and...
Jul 4, 20254 min read
The Wanderer
All images by Jeff Clarke Peregrine Falcon - unique female brown bird photographed Northwich, UK May 2006 © Jeff Clarke As a young...
May 25, 20253 min read
Birdsong
Assuming you have normal hearing, imagine a world without the sound of birds singing and calling. Even in our most industrialised and...
Apr 18, 20251 min read
Tide
Dunlin flock off Hoylake, Wirral February 28th 2025 © Jeff Clarke Every 24.8 hrs (or thereabouts), two inundation cycles of...
Mar 3, 20252 min read
