About Graham Clarkson

Born & brought up in Marshside, I started birding there in the mid 1970s & made my first birding trip to Martin Mere in 1977. I've lived, worked & birdied in Abu Dhabi, Northern Ireland & Gloucestershire & I've spent time working in Kazakhstan & Madagascar. I enjoy birding my various West Lancashire patches, making frequent birding visits throughout the north-west of England and North Wales. I stray elsewhere in the UK & enjoy birding abroad from time to time. I'm particularly interested in wildfowl (especially pink-footed geese) with an interest in waders & raptors, bird counts & surveys & conservation. I'm trying to get the hang of photography & digiscoping - I'll get there eventually.

My degree from Edge Hill University is in conservation biology. I've guided on numerous birding days out & trips & guided birding holidays to Lesvos, Andalucia, Extremedura, Majorca, Camargue, Hungary, Finland & Florida. I enjoy showing people birds & habitats & helping them learn more about birds & enjoy birding. I'm currently involved with the Birdwatching and Beyond course at Edge Hill and a brand new venture; Skein Birding.

As well as birding I'm interested in captive breeding & reintroduction projects & zoos, how they're managed & how they contribute to conservation. I'm a proud Lancastrian & love the Lancashire countryside & landscapes. I'm an Evertonian & also keep up with what's happening at Southport, PNE & Bristol Rovers. Gardening, dogs (I have a Labrador & a Tibetan Terrier) and keeping chickens (especially Marsh Daisys & Scots Dumpy Bantams). Ruth & I have two marvellous boys who both love nature too. I hope you find the blog and subjects covered interesting; please feel free to leave a comment.

Thursday 26 December 2013

Christmas in the Herefordshire woods

As convivial as I try to be during the festive period it's always good to get out for a couple of walks to have some p & q, stretch the legs, take some fresh air and enjoy nature. I've included a few photos of my walks in the beautiful Herefordshire countryside on Christmas Day and Boxing Day. My wife's parents live in Hereford and its a great place to spend a couple of days. 

No unusual birds seen but always nice to see flocks of winter Thrushes, Siskins, Crossbills, Bullfinches,  Nuthatches, Treecreepers, Marsh Tits and Ravens. 

The Lugg valley flooded

Old man's beard growing the the hedgerows .

One of the paper bark Birches in Queenswood. 

Record shot of a Marsh Tit in Queenswood

Early morning in Haugh Woods

Guelder Rose berries in Haugh Woods

Birch twig in Haugh Woods

Path through Haugh Woods

Lichen 

River Lugg overflowing at Mordiford

Lugg bridge at Mordiford
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1 comment:

  1. Nigel Jarrett26 December 2013 at 20:20

    Fab photos Graham :) Yesterday Eve and I walked our inbred Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever (he's called Willow) in a field behind our house and found otter footprints in the mud by the river Cam, saw two singing robins (we head two others),a grey squirrel, Willow flushed a a rabbit, and best of all a buzzard perched on its nest tree :). Happy Christmas! :)

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