Fay Young
@fayyoung.bsky.social
Writer, editor, old style journalist and newish media collaborator. Woodland gardener, co-editor Sceptical Scot, podcaster Walking Heads. Enjoy music, poetry, food, good company
Up with the larch. I wasn’t quick enough with the phone so please just believe me, I watched three squirrels chasing each other through the larch tree - a fantastic gravity-defying aerial display.
Can’t imitate leaping from branch to branch but it’s a good morning to go for a walk.
Can’t imitate leaping from branch to branch but it’s a good morning to go for a walk.
November 19, 2025 at 10:18 AM
Up with the larch. I wasn’t quick enough with the phone so please just believe me, I watched three squirrels chasing each other through the larch tree - a fantastic gravity-defying aerial display.
Can’t imitate leaping from branch to branch but it’s a good morning to go for a walk.
Can’t imitate leaping from branch to branch but it’s a good morning to go for a walk.
Starting the morning and the week with our swan family. The cygnets are fairly growing. If I’m lucky I’ll snap a moment of their regular flying lessons on the pond
Hope they put on a welcoming display for our garden visitors at tye weekend
#birds #swans #scotlandsgardensscheme
Hope they put on a welcoming display for our garden visitors at tye weekend
#birds #swans #scotlandsgardensscheme
October 27, 2025 at 9:16 AM
Starting the morning and the week with our swan family. The cygnets are fairly growing. If I’m lucky I’ll snap a moment of their regular flying lessons on the pond
Hope they put on a welcoming display for our garden visitors at tye weekend
#birds #swans #scotlandsgardensscheme
Hope they put on a welcoming display for our garden visitors at tye weekend
#birds #swans #scotlandsgardensscheme
A holiday post from Bordeaux where, in the contemporary art gallery, artists from many nations respond to the crises of our time. They all strike a chord. This one with a special resonance
#Bordeaux #art #globalcrisis
#Bordeaux #art #globalcrisis
October 9, 2025 at 7:57 PM
A holiday post from Bordeaux where, in the contemporary art gallery, artists from many nations respond to the crises of our time. They all strike a chord. This one with a special resonance
#Bordeaux #art #globalcrisis
#Bordeaux #art #globalcrisis
A snowstorm of feathers. Our swans are moulting faster and more visibly than I’ve seen before. Climate change does seem to be unsettling these beautiful intelligent birds. #birds
August 19, 2025 at 11:42 AM
A snowstorm of feathers. Our swans are moulting faster and more visibly than I’ve seen before. Climate change does seem to be unsettling these beautiful intelligent birds. #birds
Happiness is a Scotch Thistle
And we have lots of them at Pond Cottage so we should be very happy (when we’re not reading headlines)
And the bees certainly are!
#pollinators #wildlifegardens #scottishgardenscheme
And we have lots of them at Pond Cottage so we should be very happy (when we’re not reading headlines)
And the bees certainly are!
#pollinators #wildlifegardens #scottishgardenscheme
July 22, 2025 at 3:06 PM
Happiness is a Scotch Thistle
And we have lots of them at Pond Cottage so we should be very happy (when we’re not reading headlines)
And the bees certainly are!
#pollinators #wildlifegardens #scottishgardenscheme
And we have lots of them at Pond Cottage so we should be very happy (when we’re not reading headlines)
And the bees certainly are!
#pollinators #wildlifegardens #scottishgardenscheme
Welcome to shade and cooling breezes
It’s not always so hot in our garden but you are always welcome to explore #thepondgarden #scotlandsgardensscheme
Donations support the wonderful Children’s Hospices Across Scotland
It’s not always so hot in our garden but you are always welcome to explore #thepondgarden #scotlandsgardensscheme
Donations support the wonderful Children’s Hospices Across Scotland
July 12, 2025 at 4:43 PM
Welcome to shade and cooling breezes
It’s not always so hot in our garden but you are always welcome to explore #thepondgarden #scotlandsgardensscheme
Donations support the wonderful Children’s Hospices Across Scotland
It’s not always so hot in our garden but you are always welcome to explore #thepondgarden #scotlandsgardensscheme
Donations support the wonderful Children’s Hospices Across Scotland
Thanks to my son Bobby for editing a short video snatched through the front door window. That was as close as I could get without disturbing the adults feeding their young.
We put up new nest boxes in February/March and are rewarded by blue tits choosing one right by our front door #birds #nesting
We put up new nest boxes in February/March and are rewarded by blue tits choosing one right by our front door #birds #nesting
May 29, 2025 at 9:57 PM
Precious. We put up new nest boxes in March and we are rewarded by a pair of blue tits choosing a box right by the front door.
Now we need government to keep Nature safe too. Every #bird, every living creature, needs food and shelter.
Now we need government to keep Nature safe too. Every #bird, every living creature, needs food and shelter.
May 29, 2025 at 9:42 PM
Precious. We put up new nest boxes in March and we are rewarded by a pair of blue tits choosing a box right by the front door.
Now we need government to keep Nature safe too. Every #bird, every living creature, needs food and shelter.
Now we need government to keep Nature safe too. Every #bird, every living creature, needs food and shelter.
The FT article is worth reading, I’ve been able to share to X where my tweets get very little reach.
April 16, 2025 at 8:23 AM
The FT article is worth reading, I’ve been able to share to X where my tweets get very little reach.
How to reassure visitors you are not a nuisance? So much to see at The Pond Garden right now we love to share it with you. A symphony of birdsong too.
Just give me a call. We're open through Scotland's Gardens Scheme @supportchas.bsky.social
Contact details: fayyoung.org #gardens #wildlife #birds
Just give me a call. We're open through Scotland's Gardens Scheme @supportchas.bsky.social
Contact details: fayyoung.org #gardens #wildlife #birds
April 1, 2025 at 11:13 AM
How to reassure visitors you are not a nuisance? So much to see at The Pond Garden right now we love to share it with you. A symphony of birdsong too.
Just give me a call. We're open through Scotland's Gardens Scheme @supportchas.bsky.social
Contact details: fayyoung.org #gardens #wildlife #birds
Just give me a call. We're open through Scotland's Gardens Scheme @supportchas.bsky.social
Contact details: fayyoung.org #gardens #wildlife #birds
A cheery hello from our spreading Jetfire narcissus. Spring is here and The Pond Garden is open to visitors. Once again we're supporting the inspiring CHAS @supportchas.bsky.social through @scotlandsgardens.bsky.social
We'd love to see you. More on the blog fayyoung.org/a-gift-of-ho... #gardens
We'd love to see you. More on the blog fayyoung.org/a-gift-of-ho... #gardens
March 31, 2025 at 2:23 PM
A cheery hello from our spreading Jetfire narcissus. Spring is here and The Pond Garden is open to visitors. Once again we're supporting the inspiring CHAS @supportchas.bsky.social through @scotlandsgardens.bsky.social
We'd love to see you. More on the blog fayyoung.org/a-gift-of-ho... #gardens
We'd love to see you. More on the blog fayyoung.org/a-gift-of-ho... #gardens
Catching the sun so we can heat our home and boil the kettle when the wind don’t blow (without activating the backup diesel generator)
A grand project built by Him Outdoors
#netzero #renewable #solarpower
And it works
Come on government, get your act together, meet the #climatecrisis
A grand project built by Him Outdoors
#netzero #renewable #solarpower
And it works
Come on government, get your act together, meet the #climatecrisis
March 20, 2025 at 9:10 AM
Catching the sun so we can heat our home and boil the kettle when the wind don’t blow (without activating the backup diesel generator)
A grand project built by Him Outdoors
#netzero #renewable #solarpower
And it works
Come on government, get your act together, meet the #climatecrisis
A grand project built by Him Outdoors
#netzero #renewable #solarpower
And it works
Come on government, get your act together, meet the #climatecrisis
Lie of the land. A pleasing pattern of textures. Just a pity the old hawthorn hedge was grubbed out. Hard to see how anyone thought that a good idea. Hoping the nature friendly farming movement picks up pace.
Imagine a gentle #rewilding here
Imagine a gentle #rewilding here
March 17, 2025 at 9:10 PM
Lie of the land. A pleasing pattern of textures. Just a pity the old hawthorn hedge was grubbed out. Hard to see how anyone thought that a good idea. Hoping the nature friendly farming movement picks up pace.
Imagine a gentle #rewilding here
Imagine a gentle #rewilding here
Our wind turbine is still today for the first time in over a week, or maybe longer. This has been an unnervingly turbulent winter (more ways than one). Between storms Ray has been building a splendid platform for more solar panels. Welcome renewable energy. #windpower #solarpower
March 7, 2025 at 6:44 PM
Our wind turbine is still today for the first time in over a week, or maybe longer. This has been an unnervingly turbulent winter (more ways than one). Between storms Ray has been building a splendid platform for more solar panels. Welcome renewable energy. #windpower #solarpower
One of the regulars at our feeders, this lovely blackbird with a distinguishing tuft of grey/white feathers was ringed by Ben, a dedicated young @btobirds.bsky.social volunteer
We really enjoy visits from Ben and blackbirds
We really enjoy visits from Ben and blackbirds
February 23, 2025 at 9:47 PM
One of the regulars at our feeders, this lovely blackbird with a distinguishing tuft of grey/white feathers was ringed by Ben, a dedicated young @btobirds.bsky.social volunteer
We really enjoy visits from Ben and blackbirds
We really enjoy visits from Ben and blackbirds
Perhaps the happiest part of the day, watching #birds at our feeders. Currently many chaffinches lining up on a branch politely waiting their turn.
Also happy to become a BTO member, such a friendly organisation very much enjoying their welcome pack.
Garden Birds go well with SGS gardens.
Also happy to become a BTO member, such a friendly organisation very much enjoying their welcome pack.
Garden Birds go well with SGS gardens.
February 20, 2025 at 4:13 PM
Perhaps the happiest part of the day, watching #birds at our feeders. Currently many chaffinches lining up on a branch politely waiting their turn.
Also happy to become a BTO member, such a friendly organisation very much enjoying their welcome pack.
Garden Birds go well with SGS gardens.
Also happy to become a BTO member, such a friendly organisation very much enjoying their welcome pack.
Garden Birds go well with SGS gardens.
That’s a deal then, we will meet our friend Ian to pay tribute to the great Michael Marra and the rest of the beautiful #DundeeTapestry folk in the V&A and then toast them all in the Taybridge Bar with Frida Kahlo
All will be well @alicemarra.bsky.social
All will be well @alicemarra.bsky.social
February 16, 2025 at 6:41 PM
That’s a deal then, we will meet our friend Ian to pay tribute to the great Michael Marra and the rest of the beautiful #DundeeTapestry folk in the V&A and then toast them all in the Taybridge Bar with Frida Kahlo
All will be well @alicemarra.bsky.social
All will be well @alicemarra.bsky.social
Our dear old Mother Beech - we’d love to know how old and who planted her. Her children are now spreading at her feet and red squirrels feed around her #ThickTrunkTuesday
February 11, 2025 at 9:07 PM
Our dear old Mother Beech - we’d love to know how old and who planted her. Her children are now spreading at her feet and red squirrels feed around her #ThickTrunkTuesday
A dear friend gave me a snowdrop to plant in a new border last year so I’m delighted to find it flowering after the storm. But I think I’ll have to give it another name. It’s far too good looking to be called Galanthus ‘Trumps’
#snowdrops #scottishgardens
#snowdrops #scottishgardens
February 5, 2025 at 11:18 PM
A dear friend gave me a snowdrop to plant in a new border last year so I’m delighted to find it flowering after the storm. But I think I’ll have to give it another name. It’s far too good looking to be called Galanthus ‘Trumps’
#snowdrops #scottishgardens
#snowdrops #scottishgardens
I’ve been walking among our trees - some 200 years old, others just youngsters we planted 30 years ago - wishing we could protect them now, willing them to survive #StormEowyn (and four years of ridiculous blustering climate change denier Trump) #storms #climatechange
January 23, 2025 at 5:53 PM
I’ve been walking among our trees - some 200 years old, others just youngsters we planted 30 years ago - wishing we could protect them now, willing them to survive #StormEowyn (and four years of ridiculous blustering climate change denier Trump) #storms #climatechange
I heard a lovely ‘dusk chorus’ outside my window, a kind of call and response from robins marking their territory and of course some of the #birds stopped singing when I appeared but Merlin app says European robin is my bird of the day. Thank you robin!
January 17, 2025 at 6:02 PM
I heard a lovely ‘dusk chorus’ outside my window, a kind of call and response from robins marking their territory and of course some of the #birds stopped singing when I appeared but Merlin app says European robin is my bird of the day. Thank you robin!
I can’t keep up with our red squirrels. (Counted four from kitchen window this morning.) And of course they run away when I get too near so this wee video is a poor show of a wonderfully frisky member of our woodland community
Just keep your eye on the birch tree
Just keep your eye on the birch tree
January 6, 2025 at 12:01 PM
I can’t keep up with our red squirrels. (Counted four from kitchen window this morning.) And of course they run away when I get too near so this wee video is a poor show of a wonderfully frisky member of our woodland community
Just keep your eye on the birch tree
Just keep your eye on the birch tree