Nature’s grand designs
A bird’s nest is a marvel to behold. If you’ve been lucky, you might have found an old nest on the ground that’s been blown out of a tree after winter storms. I find it fascinating that this once hidden … Continued
Sundews and damselflies
During July and August, I’m always keen for any opportunity to explore my favourite part of the New Forest – its valley mires and streams. The sound of gently gurgling brooks, the pungent aroma of bog myrtle and the flashing … Continued
Drummers of the woods
Although the month ahead can still be wintery, there are signs to listen out for that will help awaken you from winters deep slumber. Most noticeably our garden songbirds are more active and vocal – singing to signpost their territories … Continued
Ingenious seeds, inquisitive minds
As the summer ends, many plants are preparing for the next generation and launching their offspring into the world. October is a great month to explore and investigate your school grounds and local wild space for different seed dispersal strategies. … Continued
Fabulous feathers
Feathers are unique to birds. Strong, yet light and flexible, a single feather is an object of great beauty. Late summer, through August and September is a good time to look for feathers when adult birds are moulting: a process … Continued
Get to know the lonely bee
There are over 250 species of bee in Britain, of which surprisingly over 90% are ‘lonely’ otherwise known as solitary bees. Unlike the sociable honeybees or fuzzy bumblebees we often first think of, these live alone, do not make honey, … Continued
Friend or Foe? – Identifying berries
Now towards late summer, our hedgerows are full of colourful fruits and berries, so I thought it would be a good time to focus on some of the common edible and non-edible berries you might find. This blog post is … Continued
Our future naturalists – bird watching with children
It surprised me that there doesn’t seem to be that much on the web about birdwatching activities with children. So I decided to put down a few of the ideas that I have used to nurture childrens’ natural curiosity and … Continued
Autumn well-being
As daylight hours shorten it is fascinating to pay attention to the changes in the natural world around us and how our own bodies feel as we adjust to the rhythms of a new season. Walking in nature helps us … Continued
It’s easy-beezy to learn about and help bees!
Bees are very special insects. They are fascinating to learn about and it is simple to do a few things to help bees in your local area. Did you know there are over 250 species of bee in the British … Continued