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Today's red dawn, over hillsides filled with green hairstreaks. Golden waders - plovers & curlew - on the wing.

The perfect wake-up call. There used to be more lapwings and golden plovers here, but I don't remember these curlew calls filling the landscape as they do today.

Some Birmingham badgers have built burrows to their main sett all around a footpath. Walk by at sunset & you'll hear the whole large family murmuring & chittering underground. Look down & you'll sometimes find you're being watched...

In Croatia to learn about thousand-year traditions of tiny rowboat ferries & the building of wooden boats. Using days off to swim between islands through two national parks (Telašćica/Kornati). Eleonora's falcons, red-backed shrikes, & whipsnakes. Dolphins in crystal seas.

It's one of those weekends when there's salmon around, & the dolphins have gathered for the chase...

I love how the richness of summer shores & seas makes seabirds of falcons, owls, & kites. There's nothing quite like kayak journeys accompanied by raptors.

Reasons to sleep with the door open...

Possibly the most fun I've ever had with a camera. Here's a link to my photos/blog from the arena of dreams bloodstockfest 2024... davidgange.com/bloodstock-2024

These photos are of a beautifully quiet place, worth walking slowly. While relying on trains for hikes, Edale to Glossop has become a favourite. The start & end (Kinder-Alport Castles & Shelf Stones) are busy. But the best bit (Alport-Bleaklow) never is. In purple on the map.

The stillest morning & the thickest fog. Quiet but for flocks of fieldfare. Probably should've stayed out on the water.

Asked Morgan a question...

Quite some conditions in the Peaks right now - get up above 300m if you can!

Just found lesser spotted woodpeckers nest building in central Birmingham. 100m from a really big road (& right on my daily walk to work). The tree is near a greater spotted nest hole, & they're already getting territorial with each other. Anyone know if they'll have a chance?

Finally, two years after getting robbed, have bought a car & sea kayak. Just in time to head North for some talks (Lyth Arts Centre tomorrow, St Magnus Festival in Orkney on Sat). But first, out to sea: feels so good to be followed by seals & dodging arctic skuas once again.

Off the water & onto the cliffs. Five peregrines tearing through the sky & scrapping in the seaspray. Juveniles landing beside us to catch their breath. Morgan watching the dramas overhead.

If you're in Orkney (for the St Magnus Festival, maybe, or the Sea Kayak Symposium) why not come to a talk tomorrow? I'll be in conversation with festival director, Alasdair Nicolson - we'll discuss the perspectives on past & present that kayaking creates. stmagnusfestival.com/festival-progr…

Went to the opening reception of the 49th St Magnus Festival festival, then paddled out to Gairsay (the island where Orkney's most famous Viking, Sweyn Asleifsson, had his drinking hall). This view, from Gairsay's hill, across most of Norse & Neolithic Orkney, quite a way to end the day.

I have a new, & different, project. Today I'm starting new socials for it, e.g. here... instagram.com/whymetalmatter… And you'll find links there (e.g. this, whymetalmatters.co.uk/fortress-festi…) that show how researching metal music is linked to oceans & gannets. Please do follow if interested.