David Beeson, February 2023 Many people visit the Portuguese island of Madeira for winter sun or summer lounging, yet the island has an interesting geology and some important conservation areas. Madeira is located off the West African coast in the Atlantic, level with Moroccan Agadir. It is 800 square kilometres in size and of volcanicContinue reading “Madeira’s Laurel Forests”
Category Archives: Not UK
Some Flowers of South-west South Africa
David Beeson, January 2023 We toured from Cape Town, via Table Mountain and Kirstenbosch Botanic Gardens, up the west coast beyond Lambert’s Bay, Cederberg and further east into the Karoo, eventually to Prince Albert and via the Swartberg Mountains back to the south coast at Arniston. Later, we flew to Durban to touch on theContinue reading “Some Flowers of South-west South Africa”
A Journey to the Jade Sea
(Now called lake Turkana) Aspects of Africa 1 – The El Molo of Kenya David Beeson July 2022 In 1998 our family spent some time exploring Kenya for the first time. Perhaps one of the most interesting journeys was to the far north-east of the country, to Lake Turkana, beyond the lands of the SamburuContinue reading “A Journey to the Jade Sea”
The Wild Orchids of Crete in Early April
David Beeson, April 2022 Spring in the mid-uplands of Crete is the main time for seeing the flowers on wild orchids. The mild winters, hot summers with winds often coming from the Sahara and the calcareous soils all add to making this a favourable environment. This last winter the rain and snow exceeded expectations, soContinue reading “The Wild Orchids of Crete in Early April”
The Coastal Communities of Crete
David Beeson, April 2022 Earlier this month we embarked on a botanical visit to the Greek island of Crete. We have been there twice, previously both walking and seeking plants, but this time headed for the centre of the island, to Rethymno. We had not been to this part of Crete. Crete is a mountainousContinue reading “The Coastal Communities of Crete”
Yellowstone National Park, 1
David Beeson, written August 2021 All our images It is seldom that the Beesons go to the same spot twice. That we went to Yellowstone twice in two years is unprecedented. It was just so magnificent, and I urge you to go! The geology, botany and wildlife just blew us away, also the Americans areContinue reading “Yellowstone National Park, 1”
Rocky Mountains, USA and Index
David Beeson We have been fortunate in having visited this area twice – once via Denver and again via Seattle. If you have the opportunity, go! The USA is easy to explore and booking hotels or AirB&B in advance is possible but not vital. A few images to catch your imagination as the world mayContinue reading “Rocky Mountains, USA and Index”
Wildlife Encounters
Encounters David Beeson, 15 /12 /20 It was in my early days of wildlife watching and I had a brand-new telephoto-lens. And I needed mammal photographs for a lecture course I was about to teach. So, I drove out to a stream just outside Salisbury – near Odstock, where watervoles had been spotted. Now, myContinue reading “Wildlife Encounters”
A Trip to South-east USA
Like nowhere I had seen before – The Florida and Georgia Wetlands Everyone seems to rave about Florida. Not me, and I’ve been there too. Now, I admit to no longer being a youngster, so I am not ‘into’ theme parks, over-crowded beaches or built environments. Yup, I am an old grouchy! But, give meContinue reading “A Trip to South-east USA”
Wildlife and Ecology, the Wildlife Encyclopaedia 