A blog and photo journal about the natural history of north-west England and beyond
Badbury Rings. A superb example of an Iron Age hillfort and a scheduled ancient monument Badbury Rings has survived as chalk downland largely unchanged for the past 2500 years. In early August the sun-drenched banks are a haven for insects with shelter to be found 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 …
I do enjoy the Victorians tendency for exaggeration but even I’m struggling with this one. The connection between Greek mythology and the mortal lover of the goddess Aphrodite with one of our rarer Butterfly’s is a little obscure. Read More …
Marbled Whites mating on a Yarrow flowerhead at Durlston Country Park, Dorset. An incredible sight with clouds of Marbled Whites erupting from a kaleidoscope of flowers as we walked slowly through the meadows. Heading uphill towards the western boundary the summer pasture was punctuated by Read More …
Autumn Lady’s Tresses one of our more unusual native orchids growing in the limestone grassland overlooking Morecambe Bay. Tiny and very easy to overlook at least 40 spikes including several doubles hidden away in the grassland. Surprising to see several fresh male Brimstones. Still Read More …
Sitting on top of the chalk downs high above the English channel this has to one of the more picturesque villages we’ve seen. Leading down from the village a footpaths snakes it way through Winspit valley passing the ancient strip lynchets carved into the Read More …
A few of the late summer highlights from Septembers trip down south. Nettle leaved Bellflower growing at the memorial entrance to DWT’s Kilwood nature reserve. Also occurs along the roadside verge at the base of the Hazel hedge. Unfortunately no sign of the Hazel Dormouse Read More …