Our local house sparrow population has boomed this year. They seem to have been turning out fledglings at a regular rate since April and even now, as we approach October, there are still a few youngsters whirring their wings to get fed. At my parents house in Beaminster the house martins made a late decisionContinue reading “Sparra’s”
Tag Archives: Wildlife
Indian Summer
For many years I believed the term Indian Summer was derived from the sub-continent. Where light and dark take an equal share of the day and leave little time for grey. Dusk is so brief that bad light could end a day’s cricket before the sun had even set. I felt slightly disappointed to learnContinue reading “Indian Summer”
The Deathcap
The source of the poison that ended the life and reign of Emperor Claudius in AD 54 is much debated. Whether through tainted food or the dealings of his double-crossing physician, what is without argument is that Claudius suffered a slow, painful death. A popular belief is that he was poisoned by a mushroom, andContinue reading “The Deathcap”
Hornets
An early autumn walk in the woods is almost eerily silent. The songsters – blackcap, garden warbler and blackbird – have either gone quiet or simply gone. Instead there is the quiet pipe of long tailed tits and busy flit of goldcrests working the canopy. Only the wistful robin offers more than a couple ofContinue reading “Hornets”
Butterflies….
There are so many butterflies on the wing this summer. My lunchtime walks have seen dozens dancing away from every footstep. I have sharpened up my identification skills – relatively at least – and also tried my hand at a few photographs….it’s not easy without a viewfinder and the detail is lacking a little, butContinue reading “Butterflies….”
…more adders
Apologies, I do get a little preoccupied at this time of year….. I am trying to find Aggie – my favourite snake, who was still out on December 12th, but as yet I have not found her…… She may have perished or, hopefully, she has found somewhere else to see in the spring.
Early season snakes
So mild has this winter been that I worry for many of our hibernating fauna. The temperature may not have been cold enough for long enough to properly let the hibernators go into limbo and yet they would not have found the food to sustain their metabolism. The snakes have been showing for some weeks.Continue reading “Early season snakes”
Autumn Forays
This has truly been a year of seasons. A long cold winter, sharp spring and hot dry summer. A damp, blowy autumn was inevitable. The natural world has responded well to the conformity. Trees such as elder have rarely been more berry laden and while the mushroom season was late to get going, when itContinue reading “Autumn Forays”
Lurid Boletes
Okay, so the name is a little off-putting and some people find that alcohol and Boletus luridus are not happy bed-fellows, but there is no denying the beauty of these chaps. I found these among a thin strip of beech trees beside a pine plantation and my only regret is not snapping a picture ofContinue reading “Lurid Boletes”
New Beginnings
20th May 2013 In the most yellow of springs, new life is popping up and out everywhere you look. I watched a tense, hour-long stand-off yesterday between a fox and a ewe protecting her new-born lamb. The poor old ewe was fairly exhausted having just delivered and I broke the unofficial wildlife watchers code andContinue reading “New Beginnings”
Kevin Parr 