January Element - Ponds and Other Water Sources
The heart and veins of a wildlife garden! January is a time for reflection, fresh starts, and renewed optimism. This makes it the perfect moment to plan, gather inspiration, and think about what’s…
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Chwilio
Field wood-rush
Field wood-rush is a short rush that forms tufts in grassy places, such as lawns, parks and downlands. A defining characteristic is its leaf-like leaves that are fringed with long, white hairs.…
Lords-and-ladies
Look for the unusual flowers of lords-and-ladies in spring woodlands: a pale green sheath surrounds a spike of tiny, yellow flowers. This spike eventually forms a familiar, short stalk of striking…
Soft rush
As its name suggests, the smooth stems of soft rush are thinner and more flexible than those of hard rush. It forms tufts in wetland habitats like wet woodlands, marshes, ditches and grasslands.…
Lowland calcareous grassland
Typical of softly rolling pastoral landscapes, the short, aromatic turf of lowland calcareous grassland is flower-rich and humming with insects in the summer. Its long use by humans lends it an…
Spindle
A small woodland and hedgerow tree, spindle is most striking in the autumn when clusters of bright pink-and-orange berries hang from its twigs, providing food for mice, birds and even Red Foxes.…
My classroom
For Issy, wildlife is all about learning. It’s her enormous outdoor classroom.
Took My Breath Away
Well over a month since my Otter first sighting after lockdown and numerous visits to my usual riparian locations were very quiet indeed. Initially I blamed the warm weather and low water levels,…
Brown-lipped snail
The brown-lipped snail comes in many colour forms, but usually has a brown band around the opening of its shell. It prefers damp spots in wide range of habitats, from gardens to grasslands, woods…
White-lipped snail
The white-lipped snail comes in different colour forms, but always has a white band around the opening of its shell. It prefers damp spots in wide range of habitats, from gardens to grasslands,…
Woodland Springtime Flora
After the long dreary winter, the first blooms of spring are just what we need to brighten things up. There are no better places to head for flowers at this time of year than our woodlands, as the…
Book review - Ants: A Visual Guide by Heather Campbell and Benjamin Blanchard
This book covers every aspect of the fascinating world of ants. The first thing that struck me as I picked it up and flicked through the pages is that it lives up to its title, visually it is…