A question of trust and respect

Fresh from my close encounter with Boar, a week later I went back in search of them. This time, I was fortunate enough not just to meet two females, but also their piglets, or “humbugs”. And these animals were sufficiently trusting to allow me, after a time, to sit quietly with them. There are people who say that we should not disturb wildlife and so should never interact with them. To a large extent, I agree with that. But where

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Boared to death

I went to the Forest of Dean recently. Mainly, I was looking for adders again, and pleased to find a few in a second spot. Then I went looking for boar. Now I understand that people have mixed feeling about boar, which are large, powerful animals. The impact they have on the Forest is evident – everywhere, there are signs of boar feeding, which they do by pushing their snouts into the ground and turning it over. But boar regularly

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Vanishing quickly from a place near you

I get it. I really do. Adders are not everyone’s cup of tea. My own wife is a little leery of snakes, and I don’t blame her. They don’t walk. They slither, in a silent, unnerving way. Snakes could do with  a good PR agency. They certainly get bad press. Think of Kaa in the Jungle Book. And who was really to blame in the Garden of Eden? They are synonymous with Evil and nasty things that bite. Adders in

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The Owl and the pussycat

I have a very cute cat. In fact, I have two. They are adorable, cuddly grey tabbies. They are extremely placid – you pick them up, turn them upside-down and tickle their tummies. And one of them is raving psychopath. Despite being extremely well fed, Bramble goes out into the neighbourhood and delivers a steady stream of dead and dying wildlife to my feet. When I’m not chasing traumatised mice around the bedroom, I’m impressed by just how efficient a

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A lesson in humility

weasel with vole

This morning, I actually went” Oh, it’s just an otter”. I’d photographed a female riverine otter, in the wild, but it was foggy out and the photo wasn’t much good. But then I realised what I’d said. Ten years ago, I would have sawn both my arms off to even see an otter. Now it was so commonplace that I actually dismissed it. It tuns out that I’m addicted to wildlife. Much like drug addiction, I keep needing a bigger

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A Blue Day

There are around 60 butterfly species in the UK, and seeing them all is a project in itself. I’ve met two people who have done it all – one couple still happily married having finally achieved it together, and one man now divorced having spent 3 years and £3,000 doing it. So I decided to set myself a more achievable goal, in the hope of staying sane and married and solvent, hopefully all at the same time. I would see

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