Amanda Tuke
@amandatuke.bsky.social
Nature writer, urban naturalist, 30-minute Birder columnist in Bird Watching Magazine. Author of #WildPavements, due out 5 March 2026.
Next Tuesday 28th Oct 12-1pm, I'll be talking online about my forthcoming book, Wild Pavements: Exploring Britain's Cities with an Urban Naturalist, as part of the interesting eARTh Spotlight programme. & it's a free event.💚 www.ticketsource.co.uk/cccibathspa/...
October 20, 2025 at 2:34 PM
Next Tuesday 28th Oct 12-1pm, I'll be talking online about my forthcoming book, Wild Pavements: Exploring Britain's Cities with an Urban Naturalist, as part of the interesting eARTh Spotlight programme. & it's a free event.💚 www.ticketsource.co.uk/cccibathspa/...
A richly deserved standing ovation last night at @guildhallschool.bsky.social for Haydon Thorpe's interpretation of @robertmacfarland.bsky.social's prose poem Ness. A luscious recipe of recorded soundscape, #spokenword, song & visuals supported by the amazing Guildhall music students. Just fab.
October 17, 2025 at 7:41 AM
A richly deserved standing ovation last night at @guildhallschool.bsky.social for Haydon Thorpe's interpretation of @robertmacfarland.bsky.social's prose poem Ness. A luscious recipe of recorded soundscape, #spokenword, song & visuals supported by the amazing Guildhall music students. Just fab.
& of course, while I was there, I thought it would be incredibly rude not to get involved in the fab #bioacoustics workshop they were running. Turns out, listening to a tree through a stethoscope is very relaxing. & it was great to hear a Goldcrest calling in the NHM Nature Discovery garden.
October 16, 2025 at 3:28 PM
& of course, while I was there, I thought it would be incredibly rude not to get involved in the fab #bioacoustics workshop they were running. Turns out, listening to a tree through a stethoscope is very relaxing. & it was great to hear a Goldcrest calling in the NHM Nature Discovery garden.
New term special offer. #ThumbnailNature journals for just the price of P&P. Offering ideas to get your #naturewriting underway and inspiring #ThumbnailNature pieces contributed by a cornucopia of talented workshop participants. Visit my shop to grab your copy. freelancenaturewriter.com/shop/
October 9, 2025 at 10:53 AM
New term special offer. #ThumbnailNature journals for just the price of P&P. Offering ideas to get your #naturewriting underway and inspiring #ThumbnailNature pieces contributed by a cornucopia of talented workshop participants. Visit my shop to grab your copy. freelancenaturewriter.com/shop/
Is attracting wild birds with sound ethical? If you're a birdwatcher of any sort, I'd love to hear your views by 10 Oct in response to this v short survey for a feature... &, as always, very grateful for reposts.
forms.gle/3jZyeJw8qngC... #birds #pishing #birdsounds #birdwatching #birding
forms.gle/3jZyeJw8qngC... #birds #pishing #birdsounds #birdwatching #birding
October 7, 2025 at 12:12 PM
Is attracting wild birds with sound ethical? If you're a birdwatcher of any sort, I'd love to hear your views by 10 Oct in response to this v short survey for a feature... &, as always, very grateful for reposts.
forms.gle/3jZyeJw8qngC... #birds #pishing #birdsounds #birdwatching #birding
forms.gle/3jZyeJw8qngC... #birds #pishing #birdsounds #birdwatching #birding
***It's official - Sep's London Glossy Ibis battle is well underway***. Brilliantly exotic, likely dispersing from breeding sites in W France & Spain & arriving in the Brit Isles in large nos., incl at some of my fave London sites #urbanbirds #30MinuteBirder #LondonBirds @lnhs.bsky.social
September 26, 2025 at 11:04 AM
***It's official - Sep's London Glossy Ibis battle is well underway***. Brilliantly exotic, likely dispersing from breeding sites in W France & Spain & arriving in the Brit Isles in large nos., incl at some of my fave London sites #urbanbirds #30MinuteBirder #LondonBirds @lnhs.bsky.social
Inspired by @concretebotany.bsky.social's fab #bloomscrolling, here are some #pavementplant finds. Undeniably attractive but alarming to see (v invasive in wetlands) Himalayan Balsam growing here on the edge of a dryish pavement in S London. #WildPavements
September 26, 2025 at 10:25 AM
Inspired by @concretebotany.bsky.social's fab #bloomscrolling, here are some #pavementplant finds. Undeniably attractive but alarming to see (v invasive in wetlands) Himalayan Balsam growing here on the edge of a dryish pavement in S London. #WildPavements
Lovely pic, @concretebotany.bsky.social. I'll raise you a London Jersey moth and crab spider on Buddleia 😀💚
September 26, 2025 at 10:05 AM
Lovely pic, @concretebotany.bsky.social. I'll raise you a London Jersey moth and crab spider on Buddleia 😀💚
In all the tests, I learnt loads from the expert examiners. & the process of testing really helped me work out which plant groups I need to focus on to consolidate my plant id skills. I can't wait!
September 11, 2025 at 3:23 PM
In all the tests, I learnt loads from the expert examiners. & the process of testing really helped me work out which plant groups I need to focus on to consolidate my plant id skills. I can't wait!
Then in July 2025, I retook the FISC (actually I took it twice after struggling with 30 deg temps for the field survey in the 1st one) & was utterly delighted to receive a provisional level 5 (v good ID skills), subject to moderation.
September 11, 2025 at 3:23 PM
Then in July 2025, I retook the FISC (actually I took it twice after struggling with 30 deg temps for the field survey in the 1st one) & was utterly delighted to receive a provisional level 5 (v good ID skills), subject to moderation.
In the 4 years since then I’ve both joined field trips & led them, led plant surveys, taught botany to beginners, taken id courses, made lots of new botany pals & had a lovely #PlantBased time.
September 11, 2025 at 3:23 PM
In the 4 years since then I’ve both joined field trips & led them, led plant surveys, taught botany to beginners, taken id courses, made lots of new botany pals & had a lovely #PlantBased time.
The level 4 - good plant ID skills - I was awarded for a BSBI FISC in July 2021 (after 9 months of intensive study) was deeply satisfying, but I had no intention of stopping there...
September 11, 2025 at 3:23 PM
The level 4 - good plant ID skills - I was awarded for a BSBI FISC in July 2021 (after 9 months of intensive study) was deeply satisfying, but I had no intention of stopping there...
Co-led a delightful late summer bird walk at #BeddingtonFarmlands in S London yesterday, with inspirational birder Arjun Dutta (photo credit). Genial group of 15. 59 bird spp in 2h. ⭐s - Green, Common & Wood Sandpipers, Greenshank & #Hobby (old pic). This is what it's all about. #UrbanNaturalist
August 31, 2025 at 8:42 AM
Co-led a delightful late summer bird walk at #BeddingtonFarmlands in S London yesterday, with inspirational birder Arjun Dutta (photo credit). Genial group of 15. 59 bird spp in 2h. ⭐s - Green, Common & Wood Sandpipers, Greenshank & #Hobby (old pic). This is what it's all about. #UrbanNaturalist
There's probably a clever way to share X posts on Bluesky, but I don't know what that is... So, in the meantime, here's the sellotape and sticky-back plastic version. So lovely to see this from Book Brunch.
August 19, 2025 at 1:44 PM
There's probably a clever way to share X posts on Bluesky, but I don't know what that is... So, in the meantime, here's the sellotape and sticky-back plastic version. So lovely to see this from Book Brunch.
In my book, 'Wild Pavement - Exploring Britain's Cities with an Urban Naturalist' to be published early 2026, I discover that it is possible to share our cities with urban nature, particularly when we are like TKP prepared to work with people who might not at the outset share our views. 2/3
August 19, 2025 at 1:26 PM
In my book, 'Wild Pavement - Exploring Britain's Cities with an Urban Naturalist' to be published early 2026, I discover that it is possible to share our cities with urban nature, particularly when we are like TKP prepared to work with people who might not at the outset share our views. 2/3
I was in Newcastle back in March at the start of the Kittiwake breeding season & heard how @dant-ne.bsky.social & others at the Tyne Kittiwake Partnership (TKP) are encouraging local businesses and residents to see these elegant gulls in a positive light. 1/3
August 19, 2025 at 1:26 PM
I was in Newcastle back in March at the start of the Kittiwake breeding season & heard how @dant-ne.bsky.social & others at the Tyne Kittiwake Partnership (TKP) are encouraging local businesses and residents to see these elegant gulls in a positive light. 1/3
... & this is the first city I've been to where you can book an #UrbanNature walk to birdwatch and eat doughnuts, in this case with a fab company called Wild Intrigue.
August 14, 2025 at 2:37 PM
... & this is the first city I've been to where you can book an #UrbanNature walk to birdwatch and eat doughnuts, in this case with a fab company called Wild Intrigue.
It was my first trip to Newcastle, and the city was a revelation. For starters, dawn on the Tyne was spectacular.
August 14, 2025 at 2:37 PM
It was my first trip to Newcastle, and the city was a revelation. For starters, dawn on the Tyne was spectacular.
For the ultimate #UrbanBirding, it's hard to beat nesting Kittiwakes. As well as enjoying these charismatic gulls at their most inland breeding site, I explore where to birdwatch in Newcastle for my latest column in the Sep issue of Bird Watching Mag. #WildPavements
August 14, 2025 at 2:37 PM
For the ultimate #UrbanBirding, it's hard to beat nesting Kittiwakes. As well as enjoying these charismatic gulls at their most inland breeding site, I explore where to birdwatch in Newcastle for my latest column in the Sep issue of Bird Watching Mag. #WildPavements
I'm so pleased to see that One Garden Against the World by @katebradbury.bsky.social has been longlisted for the @wainwrightprize.bsky.social conservation writing prize. 1/3
August 5, 2025 at 3:21 PM
I'm so pleased to see that One Garden Against the World by @katebradbury.bsky.social has been longlisted for the @wainwrightprize.bsky.social conservation writing prize. 1/3
I'm chuffed to be collaborating with the S London skating community this Thurs 7 Aug at 6pm as part of a 2-week programme of events in SE22 8LF. #WildPavements #skateboarding #urbannature #urbanbirds #urbanplants #pavementplants
August 4, 2025 at 8:24 AM
I'm chuffed to be collaborating with the S London skating community this Thurs 7 Aug at 6pm as part of a 2-week programme of events in SE22 8LF. #WildPavements #skateboarding #urbannature #urbanbirds #urbanplants #pavementplants
In the August issue of Bird Watching Mag, I investigate the impact of us feeding wild birds in urban woodland... and it's not looking good for species like this gorgeous Marsh Tit in S London #30MinuteBirder #WildPavements. A 🧵...
July 31, 2025 at 2:20 PM
In the August issue of Bird Watching Mag, I investigate the impact of us feeding wild birds in urban woodland... and it's not looking good for species like this gorgeous Marsh Tit in S London #30MinuteBirder #WildPavements. A 🧵...
Have a guess what this housed temporarily, before they were released into the wild... Look closely & you might be able to spot one.
July 22, 2025 at 8:15 AM
Have a guess what this housed temporarily, before they were released into the wild... Look closely & you might be able to spot one.
Research won't necessarily lead you to the best sites for urban nature in a new city, but a local guide might. Highlight in Berlin was the day with Rolf, & the 5 urban #Goshawks we watched establishing their territories… Read in July Bird Watching Mag www.the-urban-naturalist.com #WildPavements
June 16, 2025 at 1:17 PM
Research won't necessarily lead you to the best sites for urban nature in a new city, but a local guide might. Highlight in Berlin was the day with Rolf, & the 5 urban #Goshawks we watched establishing their territories… Read in July Bird Watching Mag www.the-urban-naturalist.com #WildPavements
Goshawks are numerous & visible in Berlin. Not so much in the British Isles, so I was delighted to track down this one - honestly that pale shape is one - on a misty morning in Surrey.
June 10, 2025 at 3:34 PM
Goshawks are numerous & visible in Berlin. Not so much in the British Isles, so I was delighted to track down this one - honestly that pale shape is one - on a misty morning in Surrey.