Redwing, Turdus iliacus, the former meaning ‘Thrush’ and the latter coming from the latin term ‘ilia’ meaning ‘flank’ or ‘side’, are flocking into the British isles now, heading south for warmer lands from their summer breeding grounds in Scandinavia and Iceland. Although they are a member of the thrush family like the Fieldfare and arriveContinue reading “Arrival of the Redwing”
Author Archives: Northwest nature and history
The Lancaster Canal
The Lancaster Canal currently stretches over 42 miles from the City of Preston to the village of Tewitfield near the county’s northern boundary, it is a very famous waterway for all sorts of reasons, for its scenic beauty, long history, wildlife, but not least because it is the longest lock-free stretch of inland waterway inContinue reading “The Lancaster Canal”
Rivers are Life
Rivers are life Without them our world could not exist We must care for them and all that call them home Here are just some of the creatures and plants I’ve written about which call our streams, rivers and estuaries home, please care for the watery world we share with them. The Common Frog TheContinue reading “Rivers are Life”
The Common Stonefly
The Common Stonefly, Diura bicaudata, (Diura meaning ‘day’ and bicaudata meaning ‘two tailed’) is a common insect in the rocky cloughs and streams of our uplands. It belongs to the order Plecoptera (from the Greek, ‘pleated wing’), which is an ancient order of insects originating at least 250 million years ago. There are 34 speciesContinue reading “The Common Stonefly”
The Unnatural Histories Collection
The Tragic Tale of Private Patrick McCafferty Dandy the Dog Burnley’s Boggarts The Crier of Claife The Martyr’s Skull The Witch’s Seat The Fairy Hole Caves A Grim Discovery at Quernmore The Peculiar Tale of Peg O’ Nell The Story of William Southworth, Landlord of the Lower Buck Ralph Pudsey and the Silver Bit TheContinue reading “The Unnatural Histories Collection”
The Witches’ Seat
(Part of the Unnatural Histories series) In the Old Days, when the world was infinitely vaster and more terrifying, and eldritch beings were thought to fly about their business on the blackest of nights, many precautions were taken to ensure that home and family were protected from such unknown evils. Hearts were crossed, rosary beadsContinue reading “The Witches’ Seat”
Roe Deer
The Roe deer, Capreolus Capreolus, is one of two breeds of deer native to the British isles, they are a sleek, medium-sized animal with only a minuscule, rabbit-like scut for a tail and stand about 60 to 70cm tall and around 1 metre in length. Found moving around the countryside in small family groups theyContinue reading “Roe Deer”
The Lady of the Woods and the Witches Brooms
The Silver Birch The Silver birch, Betula pendula, the ‘Lady of the Woods’, is a graceful looking deciduous tree which grows up to about 30m tall and flowers from around April to May, they are a short-lived species and rarely live beyond 100 years. Its scientific name, betula, comes from the ancient Gaulish word ‘betu’,Continue reading “The Lady of the Woods and the Witches Brooms”
Northwest Nature and History 