I finally saw a hedgehog!
Ten years ago, I was in the UK and tried and failed to see a hedgehog. Then a year ago I unexpectedly saw one in the north of Germany. Let me tell you about it.
Taking the extra minute
Good things come to those who wait, they say. Well, last weekend I had an encounter with a very cute rodent that reminded me of the saying. Let me tell you about it.
Getting into night walking again
Last month, one evening I happened to be out near midnight. The moon was well over half full, the walking was pleasant, and I thought “I haven’t done this for a while”.
Later that week I did do a night walk, coinciding with the full moon, and was reminded how much I enjoy that kind of thing.
Ten years ago
On this day, ten years ago, I told my immediate family that I was going to quit the family religion. This has changed my life in so many different ways, and the change has been for the better.
A Force to be reckoned with: The true story of the Reichenbach Falls
My name is Sherlock Holmes. You’ve probably heard of me. Everyone seems to have, what with all those colourful stories from Watson.
These three years I’ve been thought dead - sadly perished in the Reichenbach Falls. All is now prepared for my resurrection, and I will meet Watson tomorrow. But I still have to decide what I’ll tell him.
When the god laughed (or: How sure are you about that eternal reward?)
At the start of Thor: Love and Thunder, a god laughs - and then dies. It’s the start of a vendetta against the gods, mostly conducted off screen. I love the scene, and have rewatched it many times over the last few years. But it also hurt - and still does - because the discussion of an eternal reward felt so true to my former life.
Top 10 birds for 2025
I’ve been hiking in the Dandenong Ranges and the Greater Melbourne area for more than a decade, and in that time I’ve seen a lot of birds and animals. Last year, I decided to try and keep track of which ones I saw (and photographed) most frequently.
And so, here they are: The beautiful black and white songster, the bird I love to hate, the bird that makes me feel most at home, and another seven birds to join them.
Kismet: Or, an unexpected musical encounter
A couple of weeks ago I was in London for work, and one evening enjoyed a London Symphony Orchestra concert including Borodin’s second symphony. I was struck by the many twists of fate leading me to that particular moment.
Some blogging goals for 2026
2025 was a great year for me personally: I travelled far, took lots of photos, and got obsessive about tracking the many species I was interacting with.
However, that meant it wasn’t such a great year for the blog - in fact, for the first time I was under 30,000 words for the year. I’d like to change that, and so have a few grand goals for 2026.
New year, new nest
You’ve probably heard of slogans like “New Year, New You!” Well, presenting “New Year, New Nest!”
On New Year’s Day this year I was in the Warrnambool Botanic Gardens, and I saw a Eurasian coot trying to rebuild its nest. It had younglings demanding food and other things needing doing, but still kept at it. And there were some photos I wanted to share.