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Alan Watson Featherstone

ECOLOGIST, NATURE PHOTOGRAPHER AND INSPIRATIONAL SPEAKER
FOUNDER OF THE AWARD-WINNING CHARITY TREES FOR LIFE

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Image of the Week

Image of the Week

Each week I post an image on the Home page that I’ve taken recently (or occasionally from my back catalogue). This is an archive of them all.

Eroded sandstone cliff-top covered in sea ivory lichen (Ramalina siliquosa), common orange lichen (Xanthoria parietina) & other lichens, with waves breaking on a sandstone sea stack below, near Covesea on the Moray coast.
Sunset; cliff; sandstone; Moray Firth
Sandstone cliff silhouetted against clouds over the Moray Firth at sunset, near Covesea on the Moray coast of Scotland.
ice formation; macro photograph; ice crystals
Ice formation on a small pool at the base of a sandstone cliff, near Covesea on the Moray Coast of Scotland.
sandstone; moray firth; coastal rocks; common limpets; low tide; erosion pattern
Common limpets (Patella vulgata) amongst an erosion pattern on sandstone bedrock at low tide, near Covesea on the Moray Firth coast, Scotland.
lichen; coast; sea ivory; colourful lichens; Moray Firth, sandstone bedrock
Sea ivory (Ramalina siliquosa), common orange lichen (Xanthoria parietina) and other lichens on eroded sandstone bedrock with surf behind, on the Moray Firth coast near Covesea, Scotland.
Starling; Sturmus vulgaris; bird
Common starling (Sturmus vulgaris) on the roof of my house at Findhorn, Scotland.
sandstone; coast; Moray;
Wet rocks and waves retreating over sandstone bedrock at Cove Bay, near Hopeman on the Moray Coast, Scotland.
fungus; coral fungus; macrophotography;
Close up view of a clump of upright coral fungus (Ramaria stricta), Findhorn Hinterland.
Autumn; birch trees; autumn colours; Caledonian Forest; mist
Downy birch trees (Betula pubescens) in autumn on a ridge with drifting mist behind, Glen Strathfarrar.
mushroom; fungus; gills; wax cap fungus; bright red fungus, grassland fungus
Detail of the gills on the underside of the cap of a waxcap fungus (Hygrocybe sp.), Findhorn Hinterland.
Autumn colours; Scots pines, birch trees; mist; Caledonian Forest, Scottish Highlands
Scots pines (Pinus sylvestris) and birches (Betula pendula & Betula pubescens) in autumn colours, with mist drifting through the trees behind, Culligran, Glen Strathfarrar.
oak trees; autumn; Quercus; temperate rainforest;
Trunks & branches of oak trees (Quercus petraea) in autumn.colours, Beasdale SAC, Lochaber, Scotland.
Blaeberry plants (Vaccinium myrtillus) in autumn colour at the base of a Scots pine, with other pines & downy birches (Betula pubescens) in autumn colour behind, Glen Affric National Nature Reserve.
oak tree; spangle gall; silk button spangle gall, wasp; Neuroterus numismalis
Silk button spangle galls induced by a wasp (Neuroterus numismalis) on the underside of a leaf of an oak (Quercus robur), Findhorn Hinterland.
Sunset, clouds, illuminating, dramatic light
Spectacularly-coloured clouds at sunset over my house at Findhorn in early September.
Cave view, sun shafts, Moray Firth, Moray coast, dramatic light
Dramatic light with sun shafts and dark clouds over the Moray Firth, from a sandstone cave on the Moray coast near Covesea.
Coastal scene, Moray Firth, sandstone, dramatic view
Sandstone rocks at low tide with limpets (Patella vulgata) & barnacles (Semibalanus balanoides) on them, with a view over the Moray Firth, from the Moray coast between Hopeman & Covesea.
temperate rainforest, Celtic rainforest, oak trees, moss, Ariundle NNR, Lochaber, Scotland, Sunart Oakwoods
Moss-covered trunks of oak trees (Quercus petraea) in temperate rainforest, Ariundle National Nature Reserve, Lochaber, Scotland.
true bug, parent bug, shield bug, insects mating, birch, bug nymphs,
Final instar nymphs of parent bugs (Elasmucha grisea) and red-legged shieldbugs or forest bugs (Pentatoma rufipes) mating on a leaf of a silver birch (Betula pendula), Findhorn Hinterland, Scotland.
Herring gull, Larus argentatus, seagull, Moray coast, sandstone cliff
Herring gull (Larus argentatus) landing on top of a sandstone cliff, between Hopeman & Covesea on the Moray coast.
Moray coast, Moray Firth, dramatic light, sun shafts, evening light, dark clouds, rock silhouette
Sun shafts and dramatic evening light over the Moray Firth, with a sandstone rock silhouetted on the Moray coast between Hopeman and Covesea.
aphid, giving birth, dog rose, rosa canina, Macrosiphum rosae, rose aphid
Rose aphid (Macrosiphum rosae) giving birth to a live nymph, with other nymphs on the new growth of a dog rose (Rosa canina), Findhorn.
Cormorants; chicks; feeding at the nest; seabirds; Moray coast; Scotland.
Adult cormorants (Phalacrocorax carbo) (left) feeding almost fully-grown chicks on their nest on a sandstone cliff, between Hopeman and Covesea on the Moray Coast.
Aphid; giving birth; Acyrthosiphon pisum; insect reproduction; macro photography;
Pea aphid (Acyrthosiphon pisum) giving birth to a live nymph, on the developing seed pod of broom (Cytisus scoparius), at Findhorn.
Coastal landscape; dramatic sky; lichens on rocks; dramatic light
Colourful lichens on sandstone rocks at the base of a sandstone cliff with dramatic clouds & blue sky behind, between Hopeman and Covesea on the Moray Coast
Herring gull; chicks; birds breeding; Moray coast: nest site; wildlife; Scotland.
Herring gull chicks (Larus argentatus) at their nest site on a rock ledge on a sandstone cliff, between Hopeman and Covesea on the Moray Coast.
Flowers; foxgloves; gorse; elder tree
Foxgloves (Digitalis purpurea), gorse (Ulex europaeus) and an elder tree (Sambucus nigra) in flower, at the edge of Wilkie's Wood, Findhorn.
Sandstone cliffs; Moray coast; rainbow; dramatic sky
Sandstone cliffs and a cave on the Moray coast between Hopeman and Covesea, with a rainbow over the North Sea.
wood ant; slavemaker ant; aphids; mutualistic relationship; honeydew harvesting, stinging nettle
Wood ant (Formica aquilonia) tending dark green nettle aphids (Aphis urticata) on a stinging nettle (Urtica dioica), Findhorn Hinterland area.
Deer; roe deer; backlit birches; Capreolus capreolus; new antlers
Roe deer buck (Capreolus capreolus) beside the backlit new leaves of birch trees, Wilkie's Wood, Findhorn, Scotland.
common gull; gull; nesting; bird in flight; Scotland; coast
Common gull (Larus canus) in flight with material for its nest on the sandstone cliff behind, between Hopeman and Covesea on the Moray coast in Scotland.
Sandstone coast; Moray Coast; sea stack; rock arch; sandstone cliff;
Large sandstone rock arch and cave in a sandstone cliff, with gulls flying overhead, between Hopeman and Covesea on the Moray Coast.
Cormorant, behaviour, wings drying, nesting, Phalacrocorax carbo,  Moray Coast
Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) with its wings open to dry, next to its nest site on a sandstone cliff, Moray Coast between Hopeman and Covesea.
fungus, rust fungus, scots pine, pine needle
Rust fungus (Coleosporium tussilaginis) on the needle of a Scots pine in Wilkie's Wood, Findhorn, Scotland
bird crested tit Lophophanes cristatus
Crested tit (Lophophanes cristatus) on a lodgepole pine in Wilkie's Wood, Findhorn Hinterland, Moray, Scotland.
Bird Brahminy kite mangrove wildlife
Brahminy kite (Haliastur indus) perched on the dead branch of a mangrove tree (Rhizophora mucronata), Pichavaram, Tamil Nadu, India.
banyan tree, aerial roots, india
Trunk and aerial roots of a banyan tree (Ficus benghalensis), Revelation Forest, Auroville, Tamil Nadu, India.
Caledonian Forest, snow, winter, Scots pines, lichens
Brightly-coloured lichens on a rock beside the Affric River, with fresh snow on Scots pines and birches, in Glen Affric.
Sunset, Caledonian Forest, Birch trees, spectacular sky
Birch trees beside Loch Beinn a’ Mheadhoin and dramatically-coloured clouds at sunset in Glen Affric.
Scots pines, Caledonian Forest, ecological restoration, rewilding
Scots pines beside cascades on the Affric River in winter, Glen Affric National Nature Reserve.
crow sunset moon dramatic light winter
The view from my front door on 3rd December 2019: a crow (Corvus corone) sitting in a tree at sunset, with the moon visible amongst pink-coloured clouds behind.
Birch tree, autumn colour, fog, Caledonian Forest, Glen Affric, Scotland
Birch trees in autumn colour and fog in the Caledonian Forest in Glen Affric.
autumn, Caledonian Forest, Strathfarrar, reflection, water
Rocks and autumn-coloured leaves of a young aspen tree reflected in the Farrar River, Glen Strathfarrar.
slime mould, Caledonian Forest
Sporocarps or fruiting bodies of a slime mould (Trichia decipiens) on a birch log in Glen Cannich.
Caledonian Forest, autumn, birch trees, Glen Affric
Birch trees and bracken in autumn colour with Scots pines beside the Allt na Imrich, Glen Affric National Nature Reserve.
Aspen; autumn colour
Aspen trees (Populus tremula) in autumn colour beside Callater Burn, near Braemar in the Cairngorms National Park, in the middle of October.
Caledonian Forest; morning mist, Scots pines
Scots pines and birches in early autumn colour, with morning mist over Loch Beinn a’ Mheadhoin in Glen Affric.
Old Scots pines and pine snag silhouetted against dramatically-lit clouds in Glen Affric.
butterfly, painted lady, small tortoiseshell, Findhorn, Scotland
Like many parts of the UK, Findhorn has lots of Painted Lady butterflies (Vanessa cardui) on the wing just now. Here, two are feeding on ragwort flowers next to a small tortoiseshell butterfly (Aglais urticae).
I photographed this wood pigeon (Columba palumbus) just outside my garden - the bird's feathers were all in perfect condition.
Beech tree, Darnaway Forest, Scotland
Beech tree in summer in Darnaway Forest, near Forres, Scotland.
Common water frog, Lithuania.
Common water frog (Pelophylax esculentus) on the leaf of a yellow water lily (Nuphar lutea) at the edge of the Sventoji River, Lithuania.
weevil, Glen Affric
Silver-green leaf weevil (Phyllobius argentatus) beside galls induced by a mite (Eriophyes laevis) on an alder leaf in Glen Affric in the middle of June.
temperate rainforest, Olympic National Park, USA
Trunks and branches of bigleaf maples (Acer macrophyllum) covered in moss and ferns, with a Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis) on the right in temperate rainforest, Quinault Valley, Olympic National Park, Washington, USA.
Douglas’ squirrel (Tamiasciurus douglasii) feeding on seeds of a Sitka spruce cone, on a Sitka spruce tree (Picea sitchensis), Olympic National Park, Washington, USA.
Male spider (Metellina mengei) on the new leaves and flower of a blaeberry plant (Vaccinium myrtillus) opening in spring in Glen Affric.
Ravens (Corvus corax) with chicks in their nest in Glen Affric
Ravens (Corvus corax) with chicks in their nest on a cliff beside the Affric River in Glen Affric in the middle of April 2019
Catkins on the branch of an alder tree (Alnus glutinosa) hanging over the Affric River in Glen Affric in late March.
Dead grey seal (Halichoerus grypus)
Dead grey seal (Halichoerus grypus) washed up on the beach at Findhorn, with its flippers tangled in rope.

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My TEDx talk – Restoring the ancient Caledonian Forest.

TEDx TEDx – Restoring the Caledonian Forest

Recent posts

  • A shieldbug extravaganza, part 2
  • A shieldbug extravaganza, part 1
  • Life on a spear thistle
  • A twinflower day
  • Unseen biodiversity of Glen Affric, part 3

News

  • The Nature Talks: Reconnecting People and Planet Now More Than Ever
  • Trees and Bees Conference 19 March 2021
  • Forests Forever perpetual calendar – a perfect gift for Christmas
  • New podcast on Empowerment
  • Caledonian Forest Engagement Diary for 2021 now available

I’m speaking at…

  • The Nature Talks: Reconnecting People and Planet Now More Than Ever – 3 February 2021–
    7 February 2021
  • Climate Action North - Trees and Bees Online Conference to celebrate International Day of Forests 2021 – 19 March 2021
  • A Rewilding Journey: Rewilding the World and Ourselves – 22 May 2021–
    29 May 2021

Over on Twitter…

Alan Watson FeatherstoneFollow

Alan Watson Featherstone
AlanWatsonFeat1Alan Watson Featherstone@AlanWatsonFeat1·
18m

I'm delighted to be giving a presentation about the Caledonian Forest and some of its species as part of this project to provide inspiration to primary school-age children about Nature. It's online on Saturday 23rd January at 5.00 pm.

https://calendar.boomte.ch/single/ecH9H9kO4xpL3A8L3l?comp_id=comp-kjwzr18r&instance=772_K1d0tEEt7G5VI0ORas5KwE168pYO9HFMcs4IGoI.eyJpbnN0YW5jZUlkIjoiMGMwOWRmY2YtMzcyMi00ODdkLWE3M2MtNmY5ZWQ2ZTcyMGVkIiwiYXBwRGVmSWQiOiIxM2I0YTAyOC0wMGZhLTcxMzMtMjQyZi00NjI4MTA2YjhjOTEiLCJzaWduRGF0ZSI6IjIwMjEtMDEtMjJUMTI6MTk6MjAuNDA1WiIsImRlbW9Nb2RlIjpmYWxzZSwiYWlkIjoiMDQ2YzVkYTAtMTYwZS00OTM4LWI5YzgtZGIyOGMzODQ3Yzc2Iiwic2l0ZU93bmVySWQiOiI5NGJkOGY2MS02OWM5LTQ3MTItYjYzZC0xOWRjZjBkYWVhZjQifQ&startDate=

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Retweet on TwitterAlan Watson Featherstone Retweeted
theSNPThe SNP@theSNP·
2h

☮️ We believe that nuclear weapons are immoral, ineffective and expensive.

❌ In times of imposed Tory austerity, the £205 billion wasted on Trident would be far better spent on improving healthcare, education and building a better future for our children. https://twitter.com/CNDuk/status/1352534256396984320

CND@CNDuk

BIG news!

Our new polling with @Survation, just released, shows:

☮️ 77% of the UK public support a total global ban on nuclear weapons

☮️ 59% want the British government to sign the UN Nuclear Ban Treaty

#TPNW #nuclearban

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Retweet on TwitterAlan Watson Featherstone Retweeted
CNDukCND@CNDuk·
21h

The Nuclear Ban Treaty is here!

For the first time, nuclear weapons are illegal under international law.

#nuclearban

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