Michael J. Warren
@drmjwarren.bsky.social
Writer, naturalist, medievalist, teacher. Trustee of Curlew Action. The Cuckoo’s Lea, Bloomsbury, out now: birds in our ancient and modern senses of place. Marshes. Winter. Whisky.
https://linktr.ee/cuckooslea
www.birdsandplace.co.uk
https://linktr.ee/cuckooslea
www.birdsandplace.co.uk
Continuing with the Devon series in the run up to my event on 13th @thebookery.bsky.social, bird place-name of the day 110 is: GOSFORD. Straightforward this one and the name hasn’t changed at all from the Old English: gos + ford. ‘Ford where geese can cross’. #birdsandplace #naturewriting
November 9, 2025 at 5:34 PM
Continuing with the Devon series in the run up to my event on 13th @thebookery.bsky.social, bird place-name of the day 110 is: GOSFORD. Straightforward this one and the name hasn’t changed at all from the Old English: gos + ford. ‘Ford where geese can cross’. #birdsandplace #naturewriting
Oh please let these forecast temperatures be on the way later on this November. I can’t deal with this warmth. Literally very comfortable out in shorts and t-shirt today. 😔 #WarmNovember #RecordBreakingWeather
November 8, 2025 at 12:51 PM
Oh please let these forecast temperatures be on the way later on this November. I can’t deal with this warmth. Literally very comfortable out in shorts and t-shirt today. 😔 #WarmNovember #RecordBreakingWeather
Bird place-name of the day 109: RAMRIDGE (lost place, somewhere in Devon parish of Holcombe Burnell: www.heritagegateway.org.uk/gateway/Resu... ). OE hremn + hrycg. ‘Ravens’ ridge’. #birdsandplace #naturewriting
November 7, 2025 at 4:58 PM
Bird place-name of the day 109: RAMRIDGE (lost place, somewhere in Devon parish of Holcombe Burnell: www.heritagegateway.org.uk/gateway/Resu... ). OE hremn + hrycg. ‘Ravens’ ridge’. #birdsandplace #naturewriting
Still in Devon, bird place-name of the day 108 is KIGBEARE. OE ca + bearu. ‘Jackdaw wood’. #birdsandplace #naturewriting
November 6, 2025 at 7:07 AM
Still in Devon, bird place-name of the day 108 is KIGBEARE. OE ca + bearu. ‘Jackdaw wood’. #birdsandplace #naturewriting
Next in the Devon series, bird place-name of the day 107: DUNKESWELL. OE dunnoc + wella. ‘Dunnock’s spring’. #birdsandplace #naturewriting
November 4, 2025 at 10:40 PM
Next in the Devon series, bird place-name of the day 107: DUNKESWELL. OE dunnoc + wella. ‘Dunnock’s spring’. #birdsandplace #naturewriting
Bird place-name of the day 106: EXWELL BARTON. Continuing my daily Devon series in the run up to my event @thebookery.bsky.social in Crediton, here’s one you’d never guess. From OE geac + wella, it means ‘cuckoo’s spring’. Now what about that? #birdsandplace #naturewriting
November 3, 2025 at 10:03 PM
Bird place-name of the day 106: EXWELL BARTON. Continuing my daily Devon series in the run up to my event @thebookery.bsky.social in Crediton, here’s one you’d never guess. From OE geac + wella, it means ‘cuckoo’s spring’. Now what about that? #birdsandplace #naturewriting
Two authors writing about special places, together on a bookshelf in Southwold. 😁 If you’d like to see me and @guyshrubsole.bsky.social together for real, join us on 13th November @thebookery.bsky.social in Crediton (19:30). See below for tickets and details. #naturewriting #Crediton #WhatsOn
November 2, 2025 at 12:40 PM
Two authors writing about special places, together on a bookshelf in Southwold. 😁 If you’d like to see me and @guyshrubsole.bsky.social together for real, join us on 13th November @thebookery.bsky.social in Crediton (19:30). See below for tickets and details. #naturewriting #Crediton #WhatsOn
For bird place-name of the day 105, I’m using the same map for yesterday, because right by Yarner Wood, in the corner of the map, is ULLACOMBE (Farm), one of several old owl-combe places in this part of the country. #birdsandplace #baturewriting @thebookery.bsky.social @guyshrubsole.bsky.social
November 2, 2025 at 12:32 PM
For bird place-name of the day 105, I’m using the same map for yesterday, because right by Yarner Wood, in the corner of the map, is ULLACOMBE (Farm), one of several old owl-combe places in this part of the country. #birdsandplace #baturewriting @thebookery.bsky.social @guyshrubsole.bsky.social
Continuing my Devon series of bird place-name of the day for the next 2 weeks, number 104 is YARNER (Wood), OE earn + ofer, ‘eagle ridge’. Still on my list of places to get to when I’m next Devon way visiting my father-in-law. #birdsandplace #naturewriting
November 1, 2025 at 6:35 PM
Continuing my Devon series of bird place-name of the day for the next 2 weeks, number 104 is YARNER (Wood), OE earn + ofer, ‘eagle ridge’. Still on my list of places to get to when I’m next Devon way visiting my father-in-law. #birdsandplace #naturewriting
Hear more at my event on 13th November.
October 31, 2025 at 4:23 PM
Hear more at my event on 13th November.
Bird place-name of the day 103: Devon double whammy, right next to each other! Rockbeare (rook wood) and Cranbrook (cranes’ stream). Rockbeare is old, but Cranbrook is a newly built town, named after nearby minor name Crannaford (why not just keep the old name?!). #birdsandplace #naturewriting
October 31, 2025 at 4:23 PM
Bird place-name of the day 103: Devon double whammy, right next to each other! Rockbeare (rook wood) and Cranbrook (cranes’ stream). Rockbeare is old, but Cranbrook is a newly built town, named after nearby minor name Crannaford (why not just keep the old name?!). #birdsandplace #naturewriting
Because I’m in Crediton (Devon) on 13th Nov for a book talk, I thought I’d do a Devon sequence for my bird place-name of the day series as a run up to the event. So, 102 is RUXFORD BARTON, near Sandford, north of Crediton. OE hroc + ford. ‘Rook’s ford’. #birdsandplace #naturewriting
October 30, 2025 at 11:04 PM
Because I’m in Crediton (Devon) on 13th Nov for a book talk, I thought I’d do a Devon sequence for my bird place-name of the day series as a run up to the event. So, 102 is RUXFORD BARTON, near Sandford, north of Crediton. OE hroc + ford. ‘Rook’s ford’. #birdsandplace #naturewriting
I’ll be chatting about the Exeter Book, as well as birds and bird places all over Devon: Exbourne, Owlacombe, Rockbeare, Yarnscombe … @thebookery.bsky.social @exeterunispeccoll.bsky.social @exetercathedral.bsky.social #birdsandplace #naturewriting #authorevent
October 30, 2025 at 10:54 PM
I’ll be chatting about the Exeter Book, as well as birds and bird places all over Devon: Exbourne, Owlacombe, Rockbeare, Yarnscombe … @thebookery.bsky.social @exeterunispeccoll.bsky.social @exetercathedral.bsky.social #birdsandplace #naturewriting #authorevent
On Thurs 13th Nov I’ll be chatting with @guyshrubsole.bsky.social about birds in Devon’s place-names, including the cuckoo. Did you know that the earliest written reference to a cuckoo (a riddle) is in a medieval manuscript that has been kept in Exeter for 1000 years? Come and find out more!
October 30, 2025 at 10:54 PM
On Thurs 13th Nov I’ll be chatting with @guyshrubsole.bsky.social about birds in Devon’s place-names, including the cuckoo. Did you know that the earliest written reference to a cuckoo (a riddle) is in a medieval manuscript that has been kept in Exeter for 1000 years? Come and find out more!
Just finished making a fire surround for our chimney breast.
October 30, 2025 at 4:38 PM
Just finished making a fire surround for our chimney breast.
Correct version of asset. 😌
October 30, 2025 at 11:07 AM
Correct version of asset. 😌
People of Devon, @guyshrubsole.bsky.social and I are in conversation about birds, landscape and belonging @thebookery.bsky.social, 13th November. Lots of Devon places are in the book, and crows, lots of crows! Join us! Tickets: www.ticketsource.co.uk/whats-on/cre... #authorevent #naturewriting
October 22, 2025 at 9:34 AM
People of Devon, @guyshrubsole.bsky.social and I are in conversation about birds, landscape and belonging @thebookery.bsky.social, 13th November. Lots of Devon places are in the book, and crows, lots of crows! Join us! Tickets: www.ticketsource.co.uk/whats-on/cre... #authorevent #naturewriting
Bird place-name of the day 101: FINCHDEAN (Hants). OE finc + denu. ‘Finch valley’. In these autumn days when I await proper cold and my first winter birds, I’m thinking of bramblings, conjuring them in some of the ‘finch’ names we have. #birdsandplace #naturewriting
October 22, 2025 at 7:03 AM
Bird place-name of the day 101: FINCHDEAN (Hants). OE finc + denu. ‘Finch valley’. In these autumn days when I await proper cold and my first winter birds, I’m thinking of bramblings, conjuring them in some of the ‘finch’ names we have. #birdsandplace #naturewriting
My favourite bird for bird place-name of the day 100. 100! Fieldfare (OE feldefare) because I’ve yet to eee one this autumn. No fieldfare place-names, but there’s a smashing image of one in the Sherborne Missal. We’ll make do with THRUSHELTON (Dev), ‘thrush estate’. #birdsandplace #naturewriting
October 20, 2025 at 6:03 AM
My favourite bird for bird place-name of the day 100. 100! Fieldfare (OE feldefare) because I’ve yet to eee one this autumn. No fieldfare place-names, but there’s a smashing image of one in the Sherborne Missal. We’ll make do with THRUSHELTON (Dev), ‘thrush estate’. #birdsandplace #naturewriting
Bird place-name of the day 99 for @normanhadley.bsky.social: GLEADLESS (Yorks). OE glida + leah. ‘Kite wood/clearing’. For more names see: birdsandplace.co.uk. #birdsandplace #naturewriting
October 19, 2025 at 7:48 AM
Bird place-name of the day 99 for @normanhadley.bsky.social: GLEADLESS (Yorks). OE glida + leah. ‘Kite wood/clearing’. For more names see: birdsandplace.co.uk. #birdsandplace #naturewriting
Had one of these beauties in the garden yesterday, so bird place-name of the day 98 is: HAWRIDGE (Bucks). OE hafoc +hyrcg. ‘Hawk ridge’. NEARLY AT 100! WHAT BIRD SHOULD IT BE? #birdsandplace #naturewriting
October 18, 2025 at 9:53 AM
Had one of these beauties in the garden yesterday, so bird place-name of the day 98 is: HAWRIDGE (Bucks). OE hafoc +hyrcg. ‘Hawk ridge’. NEARLY AT 100! WHAT BIRD SHOULD IT BE? #birdsandplace #naturewriting