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The Island Naturalist

Images and words from my meanderings in nature

A sky full of Storm Swallows

Posted on August 1, 2021August 4, 2021 by Ben Porter

‘Okay, I think we go now’ exclaims Jógvan as our late evening coffee is finished and a glance through the… Read more A sky full of Storm Swallows

The seal cave

Posted on September 20, 2020September 20, 2020 by Ben Porter

One of a few pieces I wrote during my time on Bardsey earlier this month, focussed on some explorations of… Read more The seal cave

Early Autumn on Ynys Enlli

Posted on September 13, 2020September 13, 2020 by Ben Porter

A very belated update on my rather neglected blog! This summer seems to have flown by, and it’s hard to… Read more Early Autumn on Ynys Enlli

From an isolated islet to social isolation

Posted on April 9, 2020April 9, 2020 by Ben Porter

Some reflections on our first two weeks since returning from the Azores: the excitement of emerging spring wildlife, the importance of having a garden, and online wildlife watching communities.

How not to do it: returning from the Azores amidst a pandemic

Posted on March 28, 2020 by Ben Porter

As the breeding season of the Madeiran Storm-petrels came to an end and the last handful of chicks neared fledging,… Read more How not to do it: returning from the Azores amidst a pandemic

‘The weather is boss’

Posted on March 22, 2020September 2, 2020 by Ben Porter

March 18th 2020 I write this update from the comfort of a bed (an actual bed!!!), in a house with… Read more ‘The weather is boss’

Drawing to a end – final days on Praia

Posted on March 9, 2020 by Ben Porter

It’s been a couple of weeks since my last update here (apologies!) and time really has flown by. We’re now… Read more Drawing to a end – final days on Praia

Islet Diaries: week 5

Posted on February 26, 2020February 26, 2020 by Ben Porter

Darkness has fallen over the islet. The stuttering cries of Little Shearwaters punctuate the air over the volcanic cliffs, where… Read more Islet Diaries: week 5

Islet Diaries: week four

Posted on February 16, 2020February 16, 2020 by Ben Porter

The most noteworthy news to report since my last blog post is that we’re still here!(perhaps one of our biggest… Read more Islet Diaries: week four

Week three on the islet

Posted on February 9, 2020 by Ben Porter

February 6th, 2020 It’s dusk. A blackbird begins singing its liquid melody from the nearby tamarisk trees. The sound is… Read more Week three on the islet

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“Any naturalist who is lucky enough to travel, at certain moments, has experienced a feeling of overwhelming exultation at the beauty and complexity of life, and a feeling of depression that there is so much to see, to observe, to learn, that one lifetime is an unfairly short span to be allowed for such a paradise of enigmas as the world is”

– Gerald Durrell

Ben Porter

Welcome to my blog.

I’m a young naturalist from a small, windswept island off the north Wales coast called Ynys Enlli. My passion lies in the natural world: from insects and mosses to birds and bats.

Understanding their ecology, and capturing their beauty and  fascinating behaviours brings me unending enjoyment.

This blog is a place for musings surrounding explorations in the field, observations and (attempts at) nature writing.

If you’d like to see more of my photography, please visit my primary website here: benporterwildlife.co.uk

My Tweets

Recent Posts

  • A sky full of Storm Swallows
  • The seal cave
  • Early Autumn on Ynys Enlli
  • From an isolated islet to social isolation

Bloggers I follow…

  • On The Wild Side
  • Allan Shepherd
  • THE BLOG OF TRAVEL
  • Sjúrður Hammer
  • Musings of a Marooned PhD Student
  • Cyprus Birding Tours
  • The Riverside Naturalist
  • The Millennial Ecologist
  • Tales from Wild Wales
  • Journeying into conservation research
  • Canned Wildlife
  • A Dartmoor blog
  • Syntrichia
  • Wild Life of Gus
  • Sussex Field Notes
Start a Blog at WordPress.com.
On The Wild Side

by Ella and Freya, 2 young naturalists passionate about nature!

Allan Shepherd

Sustainable Development Advisor

THE BLOG OF TRAVEL

I'm Emily, a female biker who loves to travel, drink coffee and pet dogs.

Sjúrður Hammer

My thoughts on stuff...

Musings of a Marooned PhD Student

Updates from a volcanic islet

Cyprus Birding Tours

Offering guided bird watching tours around Cyprus

The Riverside Naturalist

Bird watching, moth trapping and fishing

The Millennial Ecologist

Ecology for the 21st Century

Tales from Wild Wales

Thoughts on photography and other things by Jeremy Moore.

Journeying into conservation research

Daryl McLeod

Canned Wildlife

Adam Ó Hare's natural history site!

A Dartmoor blog

The views and photographs of Adrian Colston

Syntrichia

Field ecology and public engagement

Wild Life of Gus

“Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt” — John Muir

Sussex Field Notes

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