Titles of illustrated talks
offered by John Tucker/Lanius

I have given presentations to hundreds of audiences over many years, from academic conferences and seminars to local community groups. All are talks with slides and see additional comments with each.

Life – it’s written in stone

A look at some of the ways in which the history of the earth shows itself in the kinds of animals which now occur around the world and their distributions.

It includes some of the fascinating results of living isolated on islands.

Hay Meadows – who remembers them?

A look at what makes grassland nature reserves and maintains their wildflowers. Depending on the audience this can be made a little academic with interesting concepts developed.

A particularly successful topic with many village groups WIs in the past.

The nature of Shropshire from the air

I have flown over Shropshire several times in helicopters and have a set of images illustrating not only nature reserves but also other significant and interesting natural history features.

Depending on the audience this can be made a little academic with interesting biological concepts developed.

Tales trees can tell

A look at a range of trees from Britain, Europe, Africa and Indonesia – their life-stories, growth-forms, uses by man and the information they can reveal about their past, and ours. Depending on the audience this can be made a little academic with interesting biological concepts developed.

Popular with local groups and WIs.

Ora! Komodo Dragons of Indonesia – their true story

I spent a period with a research project into the natural history of the ‘Komodo Dragon’ (local name ‘Ora’) on Komodo Island, Indonesia, studying the world’s largest lizards (up 10 ft). Sometimes seen on TV and often misrepresented I try to give closer to their true story.

Depending on the audience this can be made a little academic with interesting biological concepts developed.

A song in the bush is worth a bird in the hand

Why birds ‘sing’ (or otherwise make sounds such as woodpeckers drumming), how to recognise and distinguish their different sounds and what a knowledge of them can tell us about how they live their lives and how their populations change through time. Includes demonstrations of some of the gadgets now available to help you remember and identify birds by their sounds.

Talk with slides and recordings of bird sounds.

Ornithological oddities

Some strange ways in which some birds have of organising their lives. For example family life (why should he have several mates?), migrating around Britain or the World and some very peculiar sounds including duets. Depending on the audience this can be made a little academic with interesting biological concepts developed.

Talk with slides and recordings of bird sounds.

The Peregrine Falcon in Shropshire

A look at the environment of Shropshire from thousands of years ago to this century and a detailed history of Peregrines breeding in the county since they started to in 1987. The Shropshire population was up to 13 pairs in 1999 and 26 by 2007. I do not divulge the locations of nest sites, which are protected by law.

Talk with slides (and a stuffed female Peregrine which was illegally shot on her nest containing three chicks and an egg in 1999).

All creatures great (well, quite great) and small in churchyards

A series of slides created to help local groups to consider how to manage wildlife in their churchyard.

Talk with slides.

Availability

Evenings Monday to Friday and day-time during week-days, exceptionally week-ends. According to my diary I may be available to stand-in at short notice to fill a gap – an email will reach me quickly or ring 01588 – 660 845 or 07791 – 657 216.

Area covered

South Shropshire (to around Shrewsbury/Telford) and north Herefordshire (south to around Leominster), elsewhere by special arrangement.

Fees

For most groups a £35 fee plus travel expenses based on 40p per mile, by negotiation.

Technology

I use PowerPoint for my talks and I bring all my own equipment. I’d just like a drink of water please.

March 2009

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