A Woodland Invitation
January is a quiet month after all the New Year festivities and in terms of wildlife it feels a bit bleak, with trees stripped bare of leaves and many animals in hibernation, the woods seem to be in a deep … Continued
Discover the New Forest – ‘We’re going on a cone hunt’
Cones make a beautiful addition to Christmas wreathes and decorations but often go unnoticed, hanging high in trees, out of reach until they fall to the ground. Commonly called pine cones, there are in fact many kinds of cones that … Continued
Winter Trees
The New Forest’s woodlands become different places in the winter. Leaves fall from deciduous trees, in a myriad of autumn colours, to reveal bare branches and twigs with pointy buds. Suddenly leafless, this is the best time to study the … Continued
Animal tracks and signs
It’s been a wonderful season for wild food foraging. Harvesting reminds us that we are part of nature and the importance of taking only what you need. Many animals are also busy collecting and eating this bounty of autumn foods … Continued
Nature inspired autumn land art
Autumn is my favourite time of the year to be outdoors exploring the New Forest; foraging for juicy blackberries, collecting fallen crab apples and enjoying the season’s changing colours. It’s also a wonderful time to create some amazing land art … Continued
Moth Mania
Moths are fab – not drab! They are as brightly coloured and patterned as their day-flying relatives, and come in all shapes and sizes. With an amazing 2,500 different types of moths, compared to 58 different butterflies in the UK, … Continued
Focus on feathers
Feathers are unique to birds. Strong, yet light and flexible, a single feather is a thing of great beauty. From July until late summer is a good time to look for feathers when adult birds are moulting: a process of … Continued
Close encounters with dragonflies
Did you know the New Forest is one of the best places in the UK to spot a dragonfly? Of the 36 species which exist in this county, an amazing 74% of them can be found here. June and early … Continued
A Walk in the Wild
Join in with The Wildlife Trusts #30DaysWild and challenge yourself to do something wild every day this June. Here are some of my favourite ‘rewilding’ experiences to help you explore and reconnect with the wild places of the New Forest. … Continued
Hedgehog Hogitats
Hedgehogs are one of our most iconic British mammals and the worrying decline in numbers could mean that these snuffling spiny hogs might become a rare sight in the future. The plight of our hedgehogs and how people can help … Continued