Thanks so much for linking my dolphin article here. I love this piece. Your photographs are spectacular and in a strange coincidence the quote you share from Lev Parikian, on the brutality of nature, chimes spookily well with my next essay. As in, I discuss black-backed gulls swallowing rabbits whole and why we should not sanitise the natural world. It's great to read the same sentiment from you and from Lev!
I just like your writing and sense of place. I have never visited Orkney, but have in the past been to Shetland quite a few times ... I rather envy your sea-bound environment. I will look forward to your forthcoming piece.
I have a small quibble about death in nature being "hidden" from kids: almost every documentary about animals features predators killing and eating prey! I think there may be a fixation on predation and predators, for whatever reason.
Interesting - I confess that I am not a watcher of much television beyond the evening news and gave up some time ago on many nature documentaries because far too often, not always, the soundtrack irritates and the voice-over is dumbed down. When I was younger, they were all I watched all the way back to Jacques Cousteau in glorious black and white, not forgetting Armand and Michaela Dennis. Long before Mr. Attenborough 😉. Thanks for your comment - I will do some pondering.
What a lovely surprise! Thank you for featuring my words (written before the pandemic, and therefore only dimly remembered, even if I still hold the same opinion).
We love our robins here in Scotland, but it's always great to see people elsewhere really flocking to see them when they turn up (a couple of years ago, a wee European Robin attracted large crowds when it turned up in China). It helps us not to take this characterful birds for granted!
I just wanted to let you know how much I enjoy your newsletters! I always learn so much; I've just downloaded iNaturalist onto my phone. I've been using PlantNet for plants and Merlin for birds, but this will be a nice addition to my tools. And since I'm in Ottawa, your observations on Montreal-area wildlife are particularly useful to me. So thank you!
Excellent advice. Your phone can also record the sounds of nature that are all around you- and for me as rewarding as the images.
Thanks so much for linking my dolphin article here. I love this piece. Your photographs are spectacular and in a strange coincidence the quote you share from Lev Parikian, on the brutality of nature, chimes spookily well with my next essay. As in, I discuss black-backed gulls swallowing rabbits whole and why we should not sanitise the natural world. It's great to read the same sentiment from you and from Lev!
I just like your writing and sense of place. I have never visited Orkney, but have in the past been to Shetland quite a few times ... I rather envy your sea-bound environment. I will look forward to your forthcoming piece.
I have a small quibble about death in nature being "hidden" from kids: almost every documentary about animals features predators killing and eating prey! I think there may be a fixation on predation and predators, for whatever reason.
Interesting - I confess that I am not a watcher of much television beyond the evening news and gave up some time ago on many nature documentaries because far too often, not always, the soundtrack irritates and the voice-over is dumbed down. When I was younger, they were all I watched all the way back to Jacques Cousteau in glorious black and white, not forgetting Armand and Michaela Dennis. Long before Mr. Attenborough 😉. Thanks for your comment - I will do some pondering.
What a lovely surprise! Thank you for featuring my words (written before the pandemic, and therefore only dimly remembered, even if I still hold the same opinion).
My pleasure - I really enjoyed your book, so many places and experiences in it that I know or can relate to.
We love our robins here in Scotland, but it's always great to see people elsewhere really flocking to see them when they turn up (a couple of years ago, a wee European Robin attracted large crowds when it turned up in China). It helps us not to take this characterful birds for granted!
I just wanted to let you know how much I enjoy your newsletters! I always learn so much; I've just downloaded iNaturalist onto my phone. I've been using PlantNet for plants and Merlin for birds, but this will be a nice addition to my tools. And since I'm in Ottawa, your observations on Montreal-area wildlife are particularly useful to me. So thank you!