Steve's Herpetological Blog

An insight into the life of Steve, his research and the many books he reads

Steven Allain

#StevesLibrary: Extraordinary Insects

If there is one thing that I have come to appreciate even more this year, it is insects. I’ve always have a soft spot for them, as they are pretty much everywhere and come in an array of colours and…

#SciFri: The wonders of dissecting owl pellets

Did you know that many birds such as owls produce pellets? Pellets are formed of all of the indigestible material they’ve consumed such as bones, teeth, feathers and fur. This is then compacted in the gizzard and regurgitated as a…

#StevesLibrary: Blowfish’s Oceanopedia

If there is one thing I like about a book when I pick it up, it is that I can’t put it down unless I pass out or something comes up that necessitates the need for me to put the…

#SteveReviews: Brave Blue World

One resource that we often take for granted is water, it’s so important that we use it as a sign of potential extra-terrestrial life. Why you may ask? Well as far as we’re aware, water is essential for life and…

#StevesLibrary: The Secret Life of Bones

It is very rare that you come across a book that looks at a single subject yet finds a number of ways to dissect it from every angle possible. However, that is exactly what The Secrets of Bones by Brian…

#SteveReviews: Birders

When it comes to conservation it is clear that nature doesn’t care about our geographic borders, after all they are only lines on a map. Most borders do not have a physical barrier to prevent the movement of animals or…

#SciFri: Fossil Hunting at Beltinge/Reculver in North Kent

Following on from my popular post on fossil hunting at Walton-on-the-Naze, I’ve recently been fossil hunting on the North Kent coast, not far from Herne Bay. I’ve wanted to go for a couple of years now, ever since I stared…

#SteveReviews: Radioactive

There is no doubt that this year has certainly been unlike any other in living memory for most of us. One of the biggest impacts of the global pandemic is on the entertainment industry, and the delay of the release…

#SteveReviews: Kiss The Ground

Everyone has heard the narrative of how fossil fuels and deforestation is fuelling both climate change and the ongoing ecological crisis. Another factor within this complex web of interactions also driving negative impacts on the climate, is the global scale…

#StevesLibrary: The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs

Many of you will have a passion that satisfies your inner six year-old, something that captivated you as a child and continues to do so to this day. For me, that passion is dinosaurs. As a child I always wanted…