When I began this blog, its name ‘everyday nature trails’ was a working title and I wasn’t sure if it would stay. My aim with the blog was, and is to feature things that I observe in the nature around me every day, whenever and wherever I find myself. I have always been fascinated by the wildlife that lives closely alongside us and survives, or even thrives in the areas we frequent, often unnoticed and despite us. So a nature trail to me can be a ‘real’ one in one of our local reserves or a walk on the seashore, but may well also be a walk to the shops, around a garden or even around the house noting what I see through the windows. So, in the end I decided the blog name was about right.
Wherever I am, even if it is only for a short time I can’t resist poking around in people’s gardens, checking out the local parks and public gardens, the local nature reserves and woodlands, well-known beauty spots, town seashores, areas of wasteland, waysides … I think you get the idea. Even on family holidays to Florida I was photographing butterflies in Disney’s Magic Kingdom, and enjoying the presence of the wild Egrets and Ibises amongst the imported exotic species in Seaworld, there enjoying the easy pickings, refusing to be ousted from their own habitat.
I am a bit of a champion of wildlife that may be taken for granted or overlooked because of its commonness or our familiarity with it. I find just about everything fascinating and worth a closer look, but realise a lot of people miss the opportunity to see something because they simply don’t notice it. Then increasingly, I have to wonder if that is entirely a bad thing. Is it the fact that so much goes unnoticed that allows them to keep their hold?
As I mentioned earlier I have a keen interest is the wildlife that exploits ‘our spaces’ so successfully that people feel resentful at its intrusion, or even threatened by it, and call for its removal, regardless of whether or not it is our behaviour and/or lifestyles that has brought it close to us in the first place. In Great Britain, Grey squirrels, Herring Gulls and the wildflower Ragwort spring immediately to mind; I have had some experience of issues with them all – not my own issues I hasten to add- but all have prompted me to seek out more information which I will pass on.
I have a penchant for photographing inanimate things too, with a particular fondness for sculptural, colourful or interestingly textured rocks! Indeed, if it’s out there, or maybe even in here, I’ll be looking at it.
everyday nature trails 
Good for you: “I am a bit of a champion of wildlife that may be taken for granted or overlooked because of its commonness or our familiarity with it.” The same goes for the botanical world.
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Have enjoyed browsing through your work packed with wonderful informative descriptions. Fascinating stuff, makes me want to pack a bag and come and hike.
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Thank you for your kind comments. You could never be disappointed with a trip to this beautiful part of the world that packs so much into a relatively small area.
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Hi there,
I m an artist doing a new piece for the endangered herring gull and donating a percentage to RSPB, i wondered if i could base a picture off one of your gorgeous photos?
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Hi Chloe, I would be happy for you to use one of my photographs as the basis of your project, thanks for asking. I would love to know more about about and to see the finished result too! Is it a commission or something you’re doing independently? Whatever it is, anything that gets people to appreciate these characterful and extremely handsome birds gets my support. Best wishes
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Hello, just found your web site Blog, I live in Rhos-on-Sea.
Do you live locally?
I intend to develop my http://www.seascape-guides.co.uk in the near future, may I link to your forum?
Please take a look at http://www.landscape-guides.co.uk
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Hi Mike, Sorry to take so long to reply. Yes, I live in Rhos-on-Sea too and I’d be happy for you to link to the blog. I’ve had a quick look at your ‘landscapes’ site and will definitely be back again for ideas for places to walk.
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Thank you Finn, I have been following your blog for a while now and love your acknowledgement of the life around you. Those that don’t see it miss so much, but as I have said before, perhaps it’s safer for the wildlife that way!
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I’m totally in agreement with your aims. From the moths in my dining room to the spiders outside my kitchen window and the birds in the orchard over the road, all wildlife is awe inspiring and can be very close to home! Lovely blog.
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Your site is so impressive and authentic… I had just skimmed it, sort of. It sure must be vast and deep as the fauna you are referring to in your writings. Amazing photographs too… well done!
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Thank you for your kind words I’ve been fascinated by wildlife all my life but often feel overwhelmed by how much I do not know- I am constantly learning and often struggling to identify the things I see.
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