News Center

Attending Silverstone for Zac’s first international kart race at the brand new track, close to the old Bridge Corner. A day of mixed fortunes, with promise, but things to learn from.

A visit to the Langford Lakes Nature Reserve, with some writing later in the day.

An overnight stay in central Bristol, catching Kraftwerk on the 1st, and Aldous Harding on the 2nd. Both shows were at the Bristol Beacon.

A visit to the Langford Lakes Nature Reserve in the Wylye Valley. The most interesting sighting was a Little Ringed Plover.

A visit to the Parsonage Down National Nature Reserve with the Wiltshire Ornithological Society. Sightings included Red Kite, Kestrel, Buzzard, Stonechat and Linnet, with abundant Corn Buntings and Yellowhammers. It was a mostly cool and overcast day, but on the rare occasions when the sun peaked through, lots of butterflies took to the wing; mostly… Continue reading 7th June

A project work session with Darren Haines.

A mixture of writing, website work, and a ride to Devon to visit the Yarner Wood National Nature Reserve with Fuzz on the edge of Dartmoor near Bovey Tracey.

A weekend of collating images, writing and updating content for this website, and also bits of time on other writing related projects.

An overnighter in London, to catch the Australian jazz-fusion guitarist Frank Gambale perform with his band at Ronnie Scott’s jazz club. A fabulous performance was witnessed! Also, I had bit of time to hone a bit of content for this website.

A few hours organising, planning and doing a bit of writing.

A long awaited (Covid delayed) visit to the Bahamas in search of the Great Hammerhead and other sharks at the remote Tiger Beach site off Grand Bahama with Epic Diving. Unfortunately, we didn’t see any Great Hammerheads, but we did get to dive with the incredible Tiger Sharks, some as large as 15ft long. It… Continue reading 16th – 28th February

Website work, writing, testing underwater photography equipment and packing for the Bahamas

An overnight stay in Lyndhurst with Fuzz, who also wanted a chance to see the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker. We diligently searched the Clay Hill Heath area (site of my previous week’s success), but it produced no sightings. I don’t know if it was the weather conditions (mild, but overcast), but the bird action in general… Continue reading 10th – 11th February

A return visit to the New Forest, again staying at Lyndhurst in search of the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker. And on the third attempt in 2023, on Sunday 5th February at 9.52am…..I found it! It was in the Clay Hill Heath area. I was very happy – a “bucket list” species ticked off. I had a… Continue reading 3rd – 5th February

An overnight stay at Lyndhurst in the New Forest followed by a search for the elusive Lesser Spotted Woodpecker in the Clay Hill Heath and Rushpole Wood areas – a “bucket list” species for me. I didn’t find it, but I’m intending to keep going until I find it.

An overnighter at Chatham, ahead of the season Club 100 karting season opener at Buckmore Parkin which Zac competes.

A weekend visit to Manchester by train, to catch the band It Bites. Whilst en-route and in town, there was a chance for a bit of writing.

A visit to Saundersfoot on the Pembrokeshire Coast of Wales. On the “home day” we had a quick visit to Tenby. A couple of bits of time working on writings whilst there.

A dash to Alton to replace a tyre on the R1200 GS Adventure.

Website content work and other writings, dodging between Coffee One branches in Warminster and Shaftesbury.

Making plans for the year of 2023

Three days based at Bewdley on the River Severn, close to the Wyre Forest where I spent two days looking (unsuccessfully) for the rare and elusive Lesser Spotted Woodpecker.

 A weekend in Totnes (Devon) with our friends Heidi, Derek and Debbie.

A meeting to discuss the new website in Trowbridge.

A writing session at Brixham on Devon’s South Coast – working mostly on ideas for re-Wilding. I travelled down on the R1200 GSA.

A writing session based near Haslemere in Surrey – tidying up a feature about motorcycling Salisbury Plain, re-viewing website content, and starting a piece of writing encapsulating how Warminster and its’ surrounds might benefit from a re-wilding project, entered into by local inhabitants and landowners voluntarily.

At the 02 in Bristol to see the Sleaford Mods; riveting angry rants set against a catchy and danceable set of beats.

 A weekend at Globe Cottage in Weymouth, working on website content, and writing. Glad of the new tyres on the R1200 GS

A night in Bristol’s 02 venue, to catch quirky indie legends The Wedding Present. A good night.

 A ride along the A272, to stay overnight at Maresfield. Originally, I was supposed to be seeing guitarist Jan Akkerman perform with his band at the Trading Boundaries venue at Fletchling, but it was postponed again, this time due to a Covid outbreak amongst the band. It was a pleasant ride up and back nonetheless,… Continue reading 20th – 21st November

A ride up to Bahnstormer at Alton, for desperately needed new tyres.

Attending the Cheese & Grain at Frome to see Fish (former singer/writer) for the prog rock band Marillion (now a long established solo artist).

Our new “Diving Dreams” and “The Butterfly Effect” Calendars arrive from Doveton press. They look good, I think.

A visit to London for a performance from guitarist Ralph Towner at Pizza Express Jazz Club as part of the London Jazz Festival. Very glad to have caught this show.

An overnight stay in Southampton.

An overnighter in Sittingbourne (Kent) ahead of Zac’s final Club100 round of the season at the Bayford Meadows circuit. A decent day “at the office” for Zac.

A day of writing, choosing to sit in Coffee One in Shaftesbury to get things done. In the evening, a visit to the Wiltshire Music Centre at Bradford-on-Avon to see Afro/dub/electronica group Fofoulah.

A day of “admin” and planning for the end of the year and into 2023.

An overnight stay at Rye, ahead of our son Zac’s Club100 Kart race at Lydd.

An overnighter on the R1200 GSA in London, to see Linda Oh’s band perform at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club.

Working on writings and website content.

A ride down to Plymouth (saying in a nice apartment by the Barbican) for few days of writing and planning. Although I was productive, more time would have been good!

Signed off the proofs for our new 2022 Diving Dreams and Butterfly Effect Calendars

A visit to Bournemouth and Sandbanks, before heading to adjoining Boscombe for the Manic Street Preachers – good gig, good sound.

The circuitous ride home from Weedon that took me via Lutterworth, Market Harborough, Stamford (stopped for a break), Peterborough, Oundle, Corby, Fermyn Woods (where I briefly stopped), Wellingborough, Olney, Milton Keynes, bypassed Buckingham, Bicester and Oxford, then Wantage (final stop of the day), Burbage, Pewsey, Upavon, Larkhill and Tilshead – a pleasant day in the… Continue reading 9th October

 A ride up to Weedon, near Northampton – Zac was originally supposed to be racing at the nearby Whilton Mill circuit, but it wasn’t to be. I couldn’t get out of the motel booking, so decided to ride up and make a day and a half’s riding out of it. The ride up took me… Continue reading 8th October

 A night out in Frome’s Cheese & Grain venue to catch the “punk poet” Dr. John Cooper Clarke.

Working on our new 2022 Diving Dreams Calendar, and our new 2022 The Butterfly Effect Calendar. Later, we went to Bath, to see the iconic Patti Smith perform.

At Ronnie Scott’s again, this time to catch Soweto Kinch.

An overnighter in London to catch Rick Simpsons jazz interpretations of Radiohead’s “Kid A” album, and Jamie Murray’s Beat Replacement at Ronnie Scotts.

A visit to Studland for a swim in the sea, after which we headed to Swanage and then Wareham in search of an early tea.

A visit to South Wales, to the Llandow Kart Circuit for Zac’s Club 100 series. A chance for a few action shots.

Checking the next working proof of our 2022 Diving Dreams Calendar

Working on writing the captions for our “Diving Dreams” and “The Butterfly Effect” 2022 Calendars

A visit to Bournemouth and Sandbanks, to scout out a beach hut to hire for the winter, and to have a swim in the sea.

 An overnight stay in Sittingbourne in Kent with Zac, ahead of his Club 100 Kart event at the nearby Bayford Meadows circuit. A decent day’s racing, and a chance for a few photos.

A visit to the Cheese & Grain in Frome to see Beth Orton perform, at times with her husband Sam Amidon. An enjoyable and quirky gig.

An overnight London visit to see the excellent Shez Raja perform with (excellent) his band at Ronnie Scott’s. The following morning we visited Ocean Leisure on the Embankment to buy some “open/cold water swimming” items. In the afternoon, starting to write the captions for our new Calenders (Diving Dreams 2022 and The Butterfly Effect 2022).

A last minute visit to the Bristol Jazz & Blues Festival to see the Chris Corcoran Band and Get The Blessing at the Lakota Gardens venue.

From Brighton, we travelled up to the Knepp Wildlands, meeting Fuzz and Tonya. Sadly, the weather remained overcast and cool for our visit, but we saw some of the White Stork, as well as a (possible) few Brown Hairstreak.

A stay in a lively Brighton with Amanda, to have a bit of time together and make a few plans. Bank Holiday/Amanda/Brighton/Knepp

A solo visit on the R1200GS to the Alners Gorse butterfly reserve in Dorset in search of the Brown Hairstreak (Fuzz wasn’t able to come). I was pleased to get a positive ID on as many as 4 specimens atop an “assembly tree”. Later, I found a male specimen nectaring on bramble blossom. I managed… Continue reading 22nd August

Decided on creating an inaugural UK butterflies calendar (which I called “The Butterfly Effect”) featuring images taken during 2020 and 2021. In addition, another “Diving Dreams” calendar as well. Met with Darren at Impact in Frome to hand over the images and requests.

Working on the next “Diving Dreams” Calendar, and considering a 2022 UK Butterflies Calendar after the pleasing photographic captures of this summer and last summer.

A few days away “up North” on the R1200GS. On the 11th, I travelled up to Birmingham (near Walsall), detouring through the Cotswolds, taking in Stroud, Tewkesbury, Pershore, then Redditch before jumping on the motorway to reach my accommodation at Walsall, just off the M6. On the Thursday, it was a convoluted ride up to… Continue reading 11th – 15th August

A visit to London with Amanda, visiting the Borough Market area of London’s Southbank, and taking in an afternoon performance of Mike Oldfield’s “Tubular Bells” with live band and acrobats.

A ride down to Devon, to meet Fuzz for a trip to the Bystock Ponds (and neighbouring heath) Nature Reserve near Exmouth. The aim was for me to catch the Silver Studded Blue (very late in the flight season), and Grayling. Though the weather was “iffy”, we managed both species, as well as Small Copper,… Continue reading 1st August

A trip to the Suffolk Ellough Park kart circuit near Lowestoft, for Zac’s Club 100 Series – we stayed a Lowestoft the evening before the race. I fired off a few pictures of the racing action. A mixed day’s results.

A morning ride to Bahnstormer near Alton for an MOT and service on the R1200GS. Stopped at Kudos Coffee in Stockbridge on the way back for lunch and “admin” on the laptop.

A visit with Fuzz on the motorcycles to Bentley Wood in search of the Purple Emperor, with most time spent around Donkey Copse area. Our mission was successful with several Emperors seen, though none on the ground (it was possibly we were nearing the end of the “grounding” part of the flight season), and photography… Continue reading 23rd July

A nice return to attending events, at the British F1 Grand Prix at Silverstone. Though I took the camera, I ended up taking no pictures whatsoever – just enjoyed the event.

A visit to Bentley Wood with Amanda, hoping for a Purple Emperor, but it was too overcast and cool. Others had the same idea, including a Butterfly Conservation (Wiltshire) group that we met.

A visit to the Rye House Karting Circuit for Zac’s Club100 Series – a decent day and a chance for a few images.

A return (day) visit to Knepp, saw perhaps 8-10 Purple Emperor, but all were high up in the trees. I captured a few photos. A good, but tiring day – hot, humid and wet underfoot.

A visit to the astonishing Knepp Estate “Wildlands” in Sussex with Fuzz, in search of the Purple Emperor, and other wildlife. We rode to Knepp along the A272, stopping at Midhurst on the way up, and Petersfield on the return journey. The weather wasn’t great by any stretch, but we sighted the very first Purple… Continue reading 2nd – 4th July

A visit to Bentley Wood and the Farley Mount Country Park (Pitt Down and West Wood areas) in search of early Purple Emperor emergences, from which we came back empty handed. Our planned visit to the Knepp Wildland next weekend may be more productive, we hoped. A decent day nonetheless.

A visit to London by train for a show at Ronnie Scott’s to see Elina Duni & Rob Luft perform their “Lost Ships” – a very interesting gig, very original and skilled. The following day, we visited the Southbank Centre to see Matthew Barney’s “Redoubt” film and related art pieces. Also shared with this exhibition… Continue reading June 22nd – 23rd

A visit to Buckmore Park (near Chatham in Kent) for the next round of Zac’s Club100 Kart series. It’s difficult to concentrate on photography when your son’s racing – basically, I fired off a few images

Another visit to Ronnie Scott’s in London on the R1200GS to catch Binker Golding with his band. Enjoyed the show.

 An afternoon visit to Collard Hill for another attempt at finding the Large Blues with Fuzz. Having asked a couple of fellow visitors (who’d seen very little – one possible Large Blue sighting perhaps?), we had time to re-locate and visit the Green Down reserve, a few miles away. This proved to be a good… Continue reading 14th June

 After returning back home from Lydd, I had to get on the R1200 GS and ride all the way to Stalham in the Norfolk Broads to meet Fuzz. Our challenge for the following day was to see and photograph the British sub-species of the Swallowtail. We decided to visit Hickling Broad, run by the Norfolk… Continue reading 12th – 13th June

An overnight stay in Rye ahead of Zac’s Club100 Kart race the following day. A good evening followed by a decent raceday. No photographs, as the camera was packed ready for my next trip with Fuzz, up to the Norfolk Broads.

A visit to Glastonbury for breakfast, followed by a visit to the Collard Hill nature reserve just outside nearby Street with Fuzz for a Large Blue search. The weather was overcast but still and warm. We sighted some “blues” but they were Coon Blues rather than Large Blues. The late spring had perhaps delayed their… Continue reading 6th June

A walk up to nearby Battlesbury Hill, with the idea of photographing Marsh Fritillary whilst they’re still around. Judging by what I found, the peak of the season had passed, with a few specimens looking worn, whilst some individuals were still fairly pristine. I managed to capture good images of a Marsh Fritillary mating, so… Continue reading 5th June

Another visit to Lydford Old Railway Butterfly Conservation Reserve, to try for more images of the Heath Fritillary and Small Pearl Bordered Fritillary, as I’d not captured many that I was pleased with a few days previous. I set off early, at 7.30am and rode straight to Lydford, getting in before any of the National… Continue reading 4th June

A welcome return to live music following all the lockdown stuff, with a visit to Ronnie Scott’s in London, to see (and hear) Tim Garland lead an excellent band playing the music of (and music influenced by) the recently passed jazz great Chick Corea. Good to do this again, I thought. Stopped off at Stockbridge… Continue reading 2nd – 3rd June

A visit to Devon, meeting up with Fuzz to visit the Butterfly Conservation reserve at Lydford (Old Railway) – we saw and attempted to photograph the Heath Fritillary and Small Pearl Bordered Fritillary. A good visit, but frustrating for photography. Later, we would ride to Southampton for an overnight stay prior to travelling across to… Continue reading 30th – 31st May

Fuzz paid a visit from Devon to visit Battlesbury Hill – we saw and photographed a number of butterfly species including Duke of Burgundy Fritillary, Marsh Fritillary, Small Blue, Adonis Blue, Common Blue, Brown Argus, Grizzled Skipper and Dingy Skipper.

Summer still hasn’t arrived. A weekend of sorting this and that, including the beginnings of a feature about motorcycling on Salisbury Plain.

A visit to Northamptonshire, to the Whilton Mill Kart Circuit for Zac’s second Club 100 race of the season. An “OK day” in wet conditions. Fired off a few images, but was too engrossed in watching to concentrate on any photography.

A quick check for Marsh Fritillary on Battlesbury Hill, but still no early sightings. The Duke of Burgundy were out again, in the usual little sheltered sun spot.

Fuzz paid us a visit this time; with the aim of Duke of Burgundy and Marsh Fritillaries encounters at Battlesbury Hill. We had great Duke encounters including the chance to witness and photograph a mating (some really nice images captured). Despite the success of the Dukes, no Marsh Fritillary emergences as yet.

A “post-lockdown” visit to the Kent coast with Amanda, basing ourselves at Ramsgate. Whilst there, we took a trip to nearby Broadstairs, Margate, Herne Bay and Whitstable. I took a camera, but barely used it.

Pt.2 of our search for Wood Whites proved successful at Branscombe – within ten minutes of searching we found our first specimen, and then later on one of the coast path sections, we enjoyed a prolonged encounter which included a “near-mating” – I captured some nice images. Other sightings included more Peregrine falcons, plus Holly… Continue reading 25th April

A (frustrating) visit to the Clay Pigeon Kart Circuit for Zac’s start to the Club100 season – he ended up being taken out on the very last lap of the first race much to his annoyance and anger. Nonetheless, a chance for a few photos.

Another ride to Honiton to pick up Fuzz, prior to a visit to Axmouth and the Axmouth to Lyme Regis Undercliff NNR in search of the Wood White (we’d had news of an early emergence).

A ride down to Fuzzy’s at Payhembury near Honiton, from where we decided to try Aish Tor for the first Pearl Bordered Fritillaries. Our choice was the right one, and we watched several freshly emerged specimens on the warm microclimates of the bracken slope. I managed to capture some images