The first time I ever went fossil hunting on the Jurassic Coast of Dorset was with my Dad and my two little boys. It was a cold winter’s day after a week of storms that had churned over the beach and toppled the cliffs. We came with little expectation of finding any relics but were …
It was the flight I noticed first and the iridescent bright green that caught the sunlight as she maneuvered between the oak leaves and the buckthorn in search of nectar. Although Green hairstreaks are widespread, they are not particularly common and seeing them is always noteworthy. This remarkable butterfly can be found in shrubby places …
In the unusual heat of this sunny springtime, my pond is still apart from the tiny white moths that hover over its surface. But for the last few days, unbeknown to me, dragonfly nymphs have been hanging around near the margins as they practice breathing air in preparation for their transformation into dragonflies; a transformation …
It is a still day by the riverbank. The water meadows are strewn with tall, creeping meadow buttercups reflecting a soft, shimmery haze. It feels hot and sultry. I kneel amidst the yellowness and watch for a while... It is the month of May; summer is just around the corner when the hawthorn is in …
Continue reading The dance of the mayflies: imagine a life of just one day
After the warmest, driest April that I can ever remember, I found myself yearning for rain. The ground was hard and dry and impossible to garden, and my spring flowers already looked spent. Then, at last, the rain comes. Dark, enormous cumulous clouds loom over the rooftops. I think of my Mother. She had spent …
One of the benefits of this Covid lockdown is the necessity to stay close to home. In so doing, I have had the opportunity to frequent myself with the hidden gems on my doorstep. During my daily walks I have discovered new footpaths and new habitats, and not only discovered their whereabouts but also what …
I recall William Wordsworth as banks of these bright yellow stars mark the transition from Winter to Spring. Most people think that his favourite flowers were daffodils, but in actual fact, they were the celandines of which he wrote so fondly. Lesser celandines are part of the buttercup family (ranunculus ficaria), and are renowned for …
Continue reading “There is a plant that shall be mine, tis the little celandine”
I have always sought adventures; the chance to experience something new or unusual; a ‘gypsy’ nomad, in search of novelty. But now that life has gone from global to local, the challenge, for all of us, is to discover novelty much closer to home. It is not as hard as I first expected. Today’s ‘adventure’ …
Continue reading The Gypsy’s Drove: a ghost yard of travellers past
A dull thud broke into the morning stillness. “A sparrow has just hit my window, Mum”. I stop what I am doing and step outside. It doesn’t augur well, many a small life has ended this way. I approach a bundle of feathers, still alive with eyes that are sharp and blazing. I stare back …
Time to start writing again Well my dear followers, it has been a while since my last post but what a great opportunity I have now that I have given up working at the university to start writing again. I hope you enjoy these posts and that you manage to keep safe and well at …
Rewilding journeys 