A blog post by Emma Sundews (Genus: Drosera) The name ‘Drosera‘ comes from the Greek ‘drosos‘ meaning ‘dew’ or ‘dewdrops’. They are one of the largest genera of carnivorous plants in the world. Like all members of their family (Droseraceae), they lure, capture, and digest insects using a thick, gluey substance called mucilage which they have on stalks covering their leaves….
Lockdown Wētā Hotels
During the time between these two lockdowns, our hotels have been gaining more and more residents. The uptake was slow at first whilst the word was getting out there, but now they have many regular patrons.
Meeting the Mōhua
We heard the mōhua before we saw them. Like our experiences with their cousins, they were most often spotted high above us in the trees peering down and chattering to one another.
Kākāpō: New Zealand’s Flightless “Owl” Parrot
A blog post by Emma For two weeks over the New Zealand 2018/2019 summer, Tom and I volunteered with kākāpō on Whenua Hou Island. You can read about the trip and some of the other species we encountered in our blog post, here. Whilst we were on the island, we were extremely lucky to have…
Volunteering with Kākāpō on Whenua Hou Island
A blog post by Emma Parenthood, work and life have been keeping us very busy. So much so that it has taken a pandemic and a countrywide lockdown to get Tom and I back in front of the computer again! We hope that everyone is keeping safe. We are well, but it looks like we’ll…
Taiaroa Head and the Northern Royal Albatross
In November last year, on our way down the South Island, New Zealand, we stopped at Taiaroa Head Nature Reserve. Taiaroa Head/Pukekura is especially known for its northern royal albatross colony, the only mainland colony of albatross in the Southern Hemisphere. Taiaroa Head Nature Reserve Taiaroa Head Nature Reserve is located at the end of…
Long Time, No See!
A blog post by Emma We thought it was about time to say ‘hello’ again after not being around for the best part of a year. A lot has happened whilst we’ve been away, and we’d like to share some of these exciting events with you. Since our last post, we’ve made our annual migration…
Hazel Dormouse: Jack in the Box
The last time we wrote about the hazel dormouse was this time last year, just as the UK ecology season was drawing to a close. You can check out that post here. Now, we’re at that time again and we’re not quite sure where the year has gone. In fact, we’ve just made our annual…
Sharing a Shower with a Pseudoscorpion
After a long night of both dusk and dawn bat surveys, being home and about to hop in a hot shower was just what I had been wanting. I had not long put down my prescription glasses when I noticed a dark speck on the white grouting between the tiles that make up the walls…
Reproductive Mimicry & the Bee Orchid
A Morning Stroll After a dawn bat survey at the end of May this year, we stopped by Portbury Wharf Nature Reserve for a stroll. The early morning is a wonderful time to watch wildlife with the dawn light bringing out the best in the landscape. We had gone there to see the birds, but…
Fantastic Mr. Fox
At the Bottom of the Garden Although Emma and I enjoy going on the hunt to find wildlife, sometimes wildlife just comes to us. In a previous blog post we shared our experience of finding a green woodpecker at the bottom of the garden and then a later experience meeting his family (see here and here). Our…
A Few Feathered Faces of Chitwan National Park, Nepal
We were only in the national park for a few days, but my camera was firing off shots left right and centre the entire time. Since returning to the UK, we have been crazily busy with ecological surveys, but I (not Emma as she is working away for the week) now have some down time…