Waxcaps are attractive looking grassland fungi found at biodiverse sites, those that are rich in flora and fauna species. They earn their common name by way of their shiny, waxy-looking caps which, depending on the species, come in a wide variety of colours ranging from red, orange, yellow through to green, there is even oneContinue reading “Waxcaps, the Jewels of the Pastures”
Tag Archives: #Autumn
Arrival of the Redwing
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”
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”
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”
The Melancholy Thistle
The Melancholy Thistle, Cirsium heterophyllum, Cirsium originating from the Greek word ‘kirsos’, meaning swollen vein which refers to thistles being used as a cure for varicose veins, and heterophylum meaning ‘different leaf’, is a fairly tall thistle with a deeply-furrowed, wooly stem, large flower-heads and soft, downy leaves with an almost felt-like underneath. It prefersContinue reading “The Melancholy Thistle”
The Salmon Run
At the moment you might be lucky enough to see Salmon running on the streams and rivers of the Northwest as they make their arduous and risky journey upstream to their spawning grounds. Where to watch Weirs such as at those at Abbeystead and Waddow hall near Clitheroe and waterfalls such as Stainforth where theyContinue reading “The Salmon Run”
Mushroom Picking
It’s nearing the end of September and the start of mushroom season, more wet weather is forecast and in this part of the country, with our rainy prevailing winds, we have some of the best fields and woods for picking funghi you could hope to find anywhere. Mushroom picking is traditionally a social activity, it’sContinue reading “Mushroom Picking”
Northwest Nature and History 