
Things that go churr in the dark
Birdwatcher Tom Hibbert explores the enigmatic world of the nightjar.
The puffin waddles to the very edge of the cliff, the strong claws on its big, orange feet gripping the crumbly, chalk surface. Its beak – an enormous red, blue and yellow triangle that really…
It’s 4.40am on a calm spring morning. I pull into the layby next to North Cliffe Wood and strap on the head torch that’ll help me find my way through the darkness. There’s no traffic at this…
They’ve been laughing at me all day. I first heard them within a few minutes of arriving at Barlow Common at 8.30am on this dazzlingly bright spring morning, and their raucous “yaffle” calls have…
The marsh harrier glides low over the watery landscape – a big, powerful predator on the hunt for a meal. In a few slow wing beats it’s above the reedbed. Then it swoops down...
Summer is giving way to autumn. Clusters of deep red berries nestle among the green leaves of the hawthorn hedges. If you look closely, there are other colours hidden here too – blue, brown and…
I’ve been at Ledsham Bank an hour already and I’ve only managed to walk a couple of hundred metres from the entrance. The problem is there’s so much to see, so much to photograph.
Wheeling, zipping, swooping – it’s always a thrill to watch our enigmatic birds of prey. Reduced cover and wintry clear blue skies provide a fantastic opportunity to watch them - and Yorkshire is…