Author Archives: Amanda Tuke
The ‘garden frequenters challenge part 1’ – calls of Robin, Wren, Dunnock, and a couple of warblers
***Feedback on this challenge gratefully received as a comment on this post.*** I’m going to start with the assumption that you can already recognise the songs of common garden birds. With those under your belt, adding the calls and alarm calls of frequent garden visitors is a good place to start to build your confidence. […]
Bird calls – devising a learning programme
More confidence with distinguishing between calls and subsongs might take my winter and spring birding to the next level, and I’m optimistic that the ability to learn less obvious calls is something many of us could get better at if only we had a good programme to work through and some targeted learning materials. As […]
Hunting for fungi in an Inner London woodland
It’s November so it would be extremely rude not to go and look for interesting urban fungi, at least once. I’m a beginner when it comes to identifying fungi species, but I’m hoping to learn more by working on the principle of ‘start with the local’. And I’m fantastically lucky to live in a house […]
No place like home
In my November column for Bird Watching Magazine, I track down Glossy Ibis, and what stunning birds they are. I also resolve to stop looking at birds turning up near home, when I’m on holiday elsewhere.
Choughs over the white cliffs of Dover
In the special Autumn issue of Bird Watching Magazine I have the pleasure of meeting Kent’s recent arrivals. And what a delight they are.
Pride of Newcastle
As summer comes to an end and the excitement of autumn birding begins, my trip to Newcastle back in March seems an age away. In my September column, I tell the story of welcoming one of the coolest urban birds – Kittiwakes – back to their most inland breeding site on and around the Tyne […]
Wild plants found @TheGroveDIY skatepark & garden, SE22 8LF, and a cool urban bird.
I popped down to the skatepark for a recce before the Wild Pavements – Urban Nature workshop I’m leading there on Thursday 7 Aug at 6pm, and found a good selection of common urban wild plants to point out to the group. & for the icing on the urban nature cake, I heard a Hobby […]
Doing good?
Yes, this is going to be controversial. In the August issue of Bird Watching Magazine, I explore the impact of feeding wild birds… and in particular the available evidence tying indiscriminate bird feeding to the decline of Marsh and Willow Tits. I’m afraid it’s not looking good.
The eyes have it
On a hot June day like today, it’s to remember just how icy-cold Berlin was back in February on the day when my Goshawk dream came true. And then a couple of weeks later I finally saw my first British Goshawk, down the road in Surrey.
Let’s raise our binoculars
What a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the birders we’ve known and loved.
The Urban Naturalist 