Author Archives: Amanda Tuke
Thirty-minute birder series: Man’s best friend, but not a bird’s…
This was probably the most tricky article I’ve written, closely followed by one about rare plant reintroductions. Both controversial topics and in both cases you know that most people will think you didn’t go far enough in one direction or the other. On the other hand I did meet some lovely people as I often […]
Thirty-minute birder series: Pedal power – Bird Watching Magazine
I’m always on the look out for ways of tricking myself into getting more exercise so birding by bike is the obvious solution to adding to #My200BirdYear in the May 2022 issue.
#ThumbnailNature – Oh Alexanders!
While I’m fond of you, frankly my dear Alexanders, you smell terrible. Spring has brought your tiny stinky sulphur flowers with lavish curls & deely bopper stamens. An aphid languidly waves antennae under my scrutiny, lumbers through the flowering umbel & then plays peekaboo behind the juicy trunk of a stem.
#ThumbnailNature – Someone’s been busy in the pond…
I heard a splash, my daughter says, as she opens the backdoor. There’s a sumptuous heap of spawn in the middle of our pond. Now why have I just started thinking about bubble tea, I say, and she makes an ugghhh face, but leaves with a smile. Little things.
Thirty-minute birder series: Take the Aire – Bird Watching Magazine
Visiting the university was a great opportunity to squeeze in some birdwatching in Leeds, and thanks to the generosity of some local birders, in particular Abi and Hep aka The Considerate Birders, I had a great time.
Thirty-minute birder series: Car park birding – Bird Watching Magazine
So I was wondering if nature-writing noir is a thing? The perfect marriage between my two favourite genres of creative writing. Writing this article about enjoying birds in car parks was the perfect opportunity to dip in a toe – as let’s face it, you know something bad’s going to happen in a thriller when […]
Parasitic plants – BBC Countryfile Magazine
I’m delighted to have a feature on parasitic plants Vampires in the meadow in BBC Countryfile Magazine, February 2022 issue, which is flagged on the front cover under the Green Planet banner.
Thirty-minute-birder series: Holiday romance – BIRD WATCHING MAGAZINE
In which I squeeze in some birdwatching on a family holiday and chat to impressive teenage birder, Zach Pannifer, about gull identification…
Do birders have it easy? and other tales: Out There – an anthology of nature and travel writing
It’s so lovely to see my writing alongside pieces by such a fabulously talented set of students. These are the inspiring folk I’ve had the pleasure to get to know over the last couple of years at Bath Spa Uni.
Thirty-minute birder series: there yesterday, gone today – Bird Watching Magazine
It’s so much fun writing these articles for Bird Watching Magazine and I meet such interesting birders out there. In this one in the January 2022 issue, I have some success with what I like to call mini-twitching.
The Urban Naturalist 