Author Archives: admin

Hammerkop

Posted on December 8, 2020 by admin

H is for Hammerkop: the platypus of the bird world, occupying a genus all of its own. Like certain other species, Hammerkops are compulsive nest builders. Possibly as part of the pair bonding process, they construct several nests each year, … Continue reading →

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Grey-headed Mollymawk

Posted on December 7, 2020 by admin

G is for the Grey-headed Mollymawk (or more boringly, albatross). Half of them nest on South Georgia; they’re in decline due to unregulated fishing.

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Fin Whale

Posted on December 6, 2020 by admin

F is for Fin Whale: the second biggest animal on the planet.

Posted in Advent, Antarctica, Nature | Comments Off on Fin Whale

Elephant Seal

Posted on December 5, 2020 by admin

E is for Elephant Seal. They call this “catastrophic moulting”, and they ain’t wrong.

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Dassie

Posted on December 4, 2020 by admin

D is for dassie: cute as long as you’re careful.

Posted in Advent, Nature, South Africa | Comments Off on Dassie

Cormorant

Posted on December 3, 2020 by admin

C is for Cormorant.

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Bee

Posted on December 2, 2020 by admin

B is for bee. I think this is a violet carpenter bee; native to southern Europe, but spreading north for obvious reasons. Love the antennæ.

Posted in Advent, Germany, Nature | Comments Off on Bee

Adélie Penguin

Posted on December 1, 2020 by admin

A is for Adélie Penguin (also arse).

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Bread and Cats

Posted on November 15, 2020 by admin

On our last evening in Algeria, and my only day in Algiers, we went for a walk in the area around our airbnb. This nest of cats on a pile of bread summed up a lot of the country for … Continue reading →

Posted in Society | 3 Comments

Oran Festival of Ravens 2020

Posted on August 3, 2020 by admin

We’ve regularly seen groups of two or three ravens on our cliffy patch, but over the last couple of weeks they’ve been flocking in a larger group of nine or ten. They’re not obviously feeding, but just seem to be … Continue reading →

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