Adam Marek

I counted 18 singing between the entrance and hayfield 1 today.

Thanks Andrew. It’s a shame my pics aren’t clearer. Not sure if anyone else managed to get any? Here are two others, which are even worse, but show both birds, and the potential ashy face-on, rather than profile. Not sure this will help, but just in case!

Yes, there were two birds together. They were the first blue-headed wagtails I’ve seen, let alone an ashy-headed, so I wasn’t confident to pick out just the ashy pics. I’m so glad Ray and Neil spotted them so I got to see them both - esp. if one of them is indeed a kent first!

Sure thing. They’re phone-scoped images, but hopefully enough detail to reveal the important features.

Will do! Thanks again Andrew. 👍

Oh wow! That’s amazing! Thanks Andrew. I hadn’t heard. I have a couple more pics, although they’re all pretty poor quality - let me know if it’s helpful for me to send them to anyone.

An amazing KOS walk today. A lesser spotted woodpecker at RSPB Blean Woods. Two blue-headed wagtails and a white wagtail, plus my first swallow of the year and 3 little ringed plovers at RSPB Worth Marshes, and a wheatear at Sandwich Bay (Sandilands). #kentbirding

I finally sit down for a one on one with gamekeeper Glenn Massacre (@mrhenrymorris.bsky.social) and it gets HEATED !

We discuss what constitutes 'vermin' and how he ALWAYS follows the letter of the law .

Please sign our petition to ban driven grouse shooting now govpetition.uk/700036

It's come to my attention that some people believe you can't buy a new book until you've read the books you already have. Let me assure you, as both a lawyer and a writer, that this idea is legally and morally WRONG and BAD. Buy more books.

Great to see the drake garganey at stodmarsh today too, not far from the jack snipe, at marsh hide. #kentbirding

After so many failed attempts at finding a jack snipe, I finally got to see one bouncing around at Stodmarsh today. What a thrill, and a relief! Thank you @baldbirder.bsky.social for putting me on to it! #kentbirding

Great first episode! Loved it.

YouTube video by Royal Literary Fund Trailer - Collected: The Podcast from the Royal Literary Fund is back!

For the past year, I've had the honour of creating and producing the Royal Literary Fund's new podcast. It launches on Sunday 19 January, but here's a hint of what's in store. You might recognise a familiar voice... youtu.be/ulDj16SEThk

I love that birding requires you to get your head round adjacent things such as weather, tides and the moon. I failed to get these things lined up for a pink-footed goose spectacular in Norfolk this weekend, but still had a brilliant time at RSPB Snettisham, Titchwell, & NWT Cley Marshes #UKbirding

Owltastic day at Elmley Marshes today with three owl sp. - long-eared, short-eared and barn owl. #kentbirding

Finding the exceedingly well camouflaged long-eared owl at Elmley today was like trying to solve one of those 1990s magic eye puzzles. You take your eyes just out of focus, and suddenly the owl resolves itself in front of you. #kentbirding

Book review: The Universe Delivers the Enemy You Need Aiden O’Reilly reviews the latest collection of short stories from Adam Marek, published by Comma Press.

Attention, book lovers!

We are coming at you fast with a ruddy fantastic #BookReview from @aidenoreilly.bsky.social - who has delved into @adammarek.bsky.social's latest collection (published by @commapress.bsky.social)

nothingintherulebook.com/2024/12/10/b...

#AmReading #Books #Literature

My sister and I have started Christmas with a snowball every year since we were kids - with two cocktail cherries of course.

Nick Cave - The Red Hand Files - Issue #223 - I'm 13. In a world ridden with so much hate, and disconnect; How do I live life to its absolute fullest, and not waste my potential? Especially as a creat... Dear Ruben, When I read this question, my initial thought was that the kid who wrote this has nothing to worry about, they’re going to be...

Here’s a wonderful letter from Nick Cave to a young fan (but also to all of us).

“A little smart vampire full of raging love, amazed by the world – that will be you, my young friend, the earth shaking at your feet.”

www.theredhandfiles.com/im-13-in-a-w...

Sylvia Plath’s guide to making Tomato Soup Cake — and other recipes Beryl Bainbridge’s instant mince, Truman Capote’s banana pudding, Vladimir Nabokov’s boiled eggs … what can authors teach us about cooking?

Beryl Bainbridge’s instant mince. Nabokov on how to boil an egg. Sylvia Plath’s Tomato Soup Cake — loving these writerly recipes.

www.thetimes.com/article/c80f...

Short Story Bootcamp: Fix, Polish, Submit! - London Lit Lab Develop your skills in honing an original, eye-catching story that remains true to your vision as a writer on this online short story course!

If you feel like getting your teeth into something over the winter (like I do) & emerging victorious, why not join my short story Bootcamp course? Small group, lots of tools/feedback so you can dismantle & remantle a story you're wrestling with. Starts 27 Nov www.londonlitlab.co.uk/course/short...

It was a pleasure Sinead! I’m glad you got to see the wild and windy aspect of Dungeness. Come back in spring when it’s calm and we’ll take you to the fish shack and to the RSPB reserve - when it’s hopping with warblers.

Oohh this is always a festive treat! 🤩🎄

Last book of the year sent to print, things are finally relaxed at Comma (as if!)

10* books this year w/ some of the finest stories we’ve published. ❤️ to the writers, editors & translators who made these books possible.

On to ‘25

*True North by Sara Maitland not pictured

📚 commapress.co.uk/books

Morning pages (Julia Cameron) always works to get me restarted. A low-stakes daily practice that restores the habit, and after a couple of weeks writing down whatever crap floats through my head, my imagination wakes up and says ‘it would be fun to write some fiction instead of this’.

FIRE-READY (pub. Nov 28) 🔥

Arthur C Clarke winner Jane Rogers returns with her second collection of short fiction. Shining a light on the health of our planet, these stories ask what we can all do, collectively, in the face of climate disaster...

Pre-Order now 📘
commapress.co.uk/books/fire-r...

Lev Parikian and Oliver Smith: A Journey Through the Sacred and the Natural - Creative Folkestone

I’m excited to be chairing an event with the amazing nature and travel writers Lev Parikian & Oliver Smith at the Quarterhouse in Folkestone, Sun 17 Nov, 2pm. They’ll be discussing the evolution of flight and reframing our idea of pilgrimage. Book here: www.creativefolkestone.org.uk/whats-on/lev...