Nigel Owen

Here's today's found dinosaur, bigging it up at #NationalTrust Kingston Lacy.

Summer special concert, at the wonderful Earthhouse (Ancient Technology Centre, Cranborne, Dorest). A fundraiser for Salisbury Hospice.

My holiday soundtrack is a melodious warbler.

Hummingbird hawkmoth, on salvia, Loubressac, Lot, France.

Mainly, I write about birds and beasts I cannot comprehend.

Silver-studded Blue butterfly (female), emerging earlier than usual this year in the New Forest.

Heath Spotted Orchid, New Forest, 20th May 25

Green-veined White, on Cow Parsley, in the garden.

The Emperor deigned to put in an appearance this afternoon.

The fifth season of the year, "Not Summer", took place this year on Wednesday, 2nd April, between 11:19am and 12:51pm. This moveable season is defined by my first and second sightings of a swallow each year.

Treecreeper, Ridley Wood, New Forest.

Wych hazel flowers providing colour in the garden on a dull January day.

Am I OK just starting at the Fifth Season, or do I need to catch up on the previous four?

Happy New Year!

We want to see an end to the illegal killing of Hen Harriers, Golden Eagles, Buzzards, Short-eared Owls, Red Kites, White-tailed Eagles, Peregrines etc. If you do too, pls sign & share our petition to ban driven grouse shooting
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/70...

#ornithology

At least you know where you are with a Monday like this - not like the confusion last week.

Christmas Eve sunset over the New Forest.

Great sentiments, but the Fiat Lux was a rubbish car!

Are you sure you are outside the 2 pints?

Excellent concert from Green Matthews at Turner Sims this afternoon, with Gaudette. What says Christmas better than pipes and curtal?

Sunset over the New Forest heath tonight.

Here are a couple of goldfinches on the teasel outside our living room window.

Its snowing, so the chickens get the leftover breakfast porridge. In chicken folklore, the great thunderchicken (who laid this egg we all live on) summons up porridge from the sky to bring good chickens safely through the winter.

Snow! In the New Forest! Make the most of it, it will be gone by lunchtime.

Are other ginger foodstuffs available?

No ineptitude disguised as charm. Damn, I've been found out!

Saw my first Hen Harrier of the winter this afternoon, a grey male on a hunting pass low along the valley floor.

Granny's Attic were on top form last week at Forest Arts - if they are playing near you, go!!

Just finished writing up the summaries for the Annual Reports on the six butterfly transects I look after. Average decline over 30% on last year's numbers.