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Hello and welcome to my new blog site 'Nature with Nev'. I will be adding posts covering birds, wildlife, plants, fungi and other things associated with nature including news and views. I hope you enjoy reading my blogs. 


Juvenile Short-toed Eagle, Malaga, September 2018 Copyright Neville Davies.


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In the eye of the storm!

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From the sea wall. So, it is Saturday morning again, and the remnants of Storm Erik are passing through. It was cold and very windy and what a great opportunity to stay tucked up in a warm bed - no, not if you are an avid bird watcher.  It was off to Goldcliff for me come rain or shine, or anything else in between.  Actually, upon arrival at around 0700 it was fairly clear cloud wise, but that wind was biting, and strong. I knew I wasn't going to be the only brave (or daft) soul there, as I had sent a text to Blair Jones who confirmed he would be present. There was no stopping at the platforms en-route to the sea wall as the wind was too strong, so with my hood up I made my way straight headlong into the wind, and I could feel myself working hard against the head wind. I wasn't surprised to see Blair not on the seawall - either that or he was now out swimming in the Bristol Channel. In fact, I wasn't going to go onto the sea wall either as the waves were lapping against...
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The pine nut crackers

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(Article written for the Majorca Daily Bulletin as part of my weekly 'Wild Mallorca' column. Pictures copyright Neville Davies) Adult male Son Real Woods Mallorca Mallorca has a member of the finch family that is packed with character, quite large and with a unique shaped bill. Here, the Common Crossbill (Loxia curvirostra balearica) is a sub-species that in Catalan goes by the name of 'Trencanpinyons', or 'pine nut cracker', or Piquituerto común in Spanish. They have a length of 15 - 17cm with a wingspan of 27 - 30cm and a weight  between 40 and 53g. The familiar 'chip chip chip' calls always give away their presence, and they utter these calls both when feeding and flying to and from feeding areas in their small groups. Cases Velles on the Formentor road is my favourite site to visit to see these colourful finches, and where Mediterranean Flycatchers and Firecrests can also be added to the day's list. Mondrago is another good site as like Cases Ve...
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Dawn, Geese and an Ibis to please!

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The weather forecast was cold but with bright skies, so that made my mind up on Friday evening - Goldcliff at dawn the following morning. I arrived around 0715hrs and walked to the seawall where my friend Blair Jones was already settled with his camera at the ready. Walking from the car park to the seawall I noted along the way several Redwings, a Buzzard calling, Crows, Magpies, Meadow Pipits, Herring Gulls and a Robin. We enjoyed a catch up, talking about my previous weekend at Norfolk, and slowly watching the Sun come up and casting a new form of light over the mudflats. As the light got stronger, there started to appear shapes along the water's edge, and a good number of Wigeon could be seen along with Oystercatchers, Curlew, Black Headed Gulls and a Lesser Black-backed Gull.  As we talked the light got stronger and soon the Sun appeared from behind Hill Farm and hence the photos started. The calls of geese echoed out over the lagoons behind us as the Sun lifted - and so di...
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