My Blog - Jeff Clarke

Adiós to the Pride of Bilbao   {yoogallery src=[/images/stories/blog/biscay070910]} All images unless otherwise stated © Jeff Clarke 2010 My final trip aboard the Pride of Bilbao, across the cetacean rich waters of the Bay of Biscay, was marked by a surprise, a puzzle and desire to make sure I get back out in these deep, dark, mysterious waters as often as I can, (despite my propensity for sea-sickness).The journey south was pretty decent with Common Dolphins coming regularly to bow ride in small parties once we had we passed Ile d'Ouessant and out into the bay proper. A couple of Fin Whales also showed before we hit the real deep water. Once over the abyssal plain we encountered the first of two Sperm Whales, those denizens of deep wa...

Thar She Blows! {yoogallery src=[/images/stories/blog/biscay010910]} All images unless otherwise stated © Jeff Clarke 2010 I set off on my penultimate Pride of Bilbao cetacean trip on the 1st of September in the company of many other whale and Dolphin mad folk, including my fellow Cheshire naturalist Paul Hill, desperate to savour the delights of the Bay of Biscay before this venerable old 'super-ferry' gets pensioned off. It turned out to be a memorable trip.Before boarding we had explored the nearby Farlington Marshes where I managed to photograph a flying Migrant Hawker Dragonfly and we also recorded upwards of 100+ Yellow Wagtail gathering to roost, an increasingly rare sighting in such numbers these days. We sailed just after 9.00pm an...

Variety Pack   {yoogallery src=[/images/stories/blog/varietypack]} All images unless otherwise stated © Jeff Clarke 2010 What I love about my work is that it seems limitlessly variable. I'm not good at repetition, so this suits my temperament very well.In the past few days, I've conducted a bat survey, an invertebrate survey, a guided walk to Hilbre Island, bug hunts in Chester and bird surveys on the Mersey. I also finally managed to get out for a ringing session for the first time since early spring.The walk out to Hilbre took place in a half gale. We stayed over tide and enjoyed views of Manx Shearwaters careening over the spume topped waves. On the shoreline the best find was the curious Sea Slater, a creature akin to a semi-aquati...

Count Me In Again!   {yoogallery src=[/images/stories/blog/CMI0810]} All images unless otherwise stated © Jeff Clarke 2010 Yesterday I was co-leading a Count Me In session for RECORD/Chester Zoo. The venue was Nunsmere Hall and surrounding areas to search for Orthoptera (Grasshoppers/Crickets) and Ladybirds.We began in the plush setting of the wedding marquee. The odd guest from the previous days wedding was still to be seen around the grounds looking a little worse for wear. Paul Hill gave a presentation to the assembled folks, which included young and not so young, on the status of the county orthoptera and I followed in similar vein on the Ladybirds.Then out into the field. We headed initially for Abbott's Moss where Paul quickly lo...

Sunsets and Seabirds   {yoogallery src=[/images/stories/blog/sunsetsseabirds]} All images unless otherwise stated © Jeff Clarke 2010 I was lucky enough to spend most of early August 2010 on the beautiful Isles of Scilly, situated off the tip of Cornwall. You could write a book on Scilly, indeed many have, let alone a blog. So no words here will do the place justice. I've been visiting the islands since 1983 and their magic has never dulled. This trip was part family holiday and part photographic trip. I wanted to capture images of some of the pelagic seabirds that visit Scillonian waters.A trip out on the Sapphire with Joe Pender and the Scilly Pelagic team headed by Bob Flood provided one such opportunity. We steamed out 18 miles nort...