A blog and photo journal about the natural history of north-west England and beyond
River Mersey close to Chorlton Water Park A new dawn arrives. Mid February we’re still in lockdown but I’ve been jabbed and finally it feels like winter is beginning to lose its grip. Mica inkcaps in Kenworthy Wood The first daffodils appearing in Kenworthy Wood. Read More …
A few highlights from a short visit to Studland Heath during late Summer. Sadly also the final post from a couple of weeks camping in Dorset. Incredible luck that we picked the 2 sunniest and warmest weeks of the year. We’ll be back … Read More …
I sit beside the fire and think of all that I have seen, of meadow-flowers and butterflies in summers that have been; Of yellow leaves and gossamer in autumns that there were, with morning mist and silver sun and wind upon my hair. J.R.R. Tolkein Lord of The Rings Read More …
Great to return to East Creech and the wonderful DWT Kilwood Nature Reserve. Located at the edge of the chalk ridge that runs through the Isle of Purbeck the reserve backs onto Norden Heath and was formerly used as an area of coppiced woodland. Actually Read More …
One of our favourite areas along the South-West Coast path the stretch west of Durlston Country Park taking in the outskirt of Langton Matravers and Scratch Arse Ware is a superb area of meadows, sea-cliffs and former quarries. Supposedly on the increase the distinctive Roesel’s Read More …
We’ve been fortunate enough to stay at East Creech on several occasions over the past few years and having woken up to the sight of Creech Barrow dominating the horizon to the north curiosity finally got the better of us. At 637ft high the highest Read More …
Appoximately 1 mile south of the ghost village of Tyneham and surrounded by a tank firing range one of our more spectacular bays …. Read More …
The Gatekeeper, Mersey valley close to Chorlton Water Park. Following local pressure the Env Agency have listened and reduced the maintenance of several sections of the river bank to one late summer cut per year. In summer the most obvious result is the huge increase in the number of butterflies. Read More …
7 Spot Ladybird close to Chorlton Water Park. You can run but you can’t hide …………… deep within a flowerhead an aphid attempts to hide from a 7 Spot Ladybird. Read More …