What’s that Creature Creeping in the Trees?

Deep in our woods and gardens, creeping around in the trees, a small unassuming creature quietly goes about its business, unnoticed by the casual observer. It is known to scientists as Certhia familiaris, but to most of us it is known merely as the Treecreeper, and is, I think, a bird deserving of closer attention.Continue reading “What’s that Creature Creeping in the Trees?”

Build your Nest High; Can Crows predict the weather?

The Crows are building their nests at the moment, high in the canopies of the tallest trees. As of writing, at the start of April, many have finished construction so will be adding the finishing touches, such as nest linings, and settling in. Country folklore has it that if they have built their nests lowContinue reading “Build your Nest High; Can Crows predict the weather?”

The Upland Collection

Here is a list of some of the articles I have published which fall under the broad category of ‘moorland’ or ‘uplands’, it’s by no means exhaustive as there will be some I’ve missed out, some which overlap other themes and others which sit on the fringes. I hope you find it a useful and/orContinue reading “The Upland Collection”

The Wild and Yellow Bloom of Gorse

The Flowers of Gorse, Bright and Bold, Paint the Landscape with Strokes of Gold Also known as ‘furze’ or ‘Whin’, Gorse, Ulex europaeus, is an exceedingly spiny evergreen shrub with an abundance of aromatic yellow flowers and a familiar sight across the Northwest of England, from the windswept mountainsides of the Lake District to theContinue reading “The Wild and Yellow Bloom of Gorse”

Kestrels over Pendle, a jaunt around the ‘Nick

Here’s a few photos from a little jaunt around Pendle yesterday, we walked from the Nick ‘O Pendle across to the fell above the Wellsprings, to the quarry and then downhill to Sabden past Churn Clough reservoir. The path down to Sabden, shortly after taking this shot we saw a Kestrel flying overhead, it mayContinue reading “Kestrels over Pendle, a jaunt around the ‘Nick”

The Elusive Bitterns of Brockholes

Nestled in the flood-plain of the River Ribble near Preston, Brockholes Nature Reserve is a testament to nature’s ability to recover from seemingly irreversible destruction, especially when given a helping hand by committed conservationists. Once an expansive sand and gravel quarry, supplying material for construction projects like the nearby M6 motorway, this area has beenContinue reading “The Elusive Bitterns of Brockholes”

The Bullfinch

The Common Bullfinch, Pyrrhula pyrrhula, is perhaps the best-known species within the Pyrrhula genus, aptly named after the Greek word pyrros, meaning ‘flame-colored’. It is the male who is most strikingly coloured, sporting a rich, rosy-pink breast, black cap, and grey back. In contrast the female is more conservatively dressed with a lighter pink breastContinue reading “The Bullfinch”

Birds recorded in our garden throughout 2024

This is a list of birds seen in our front and back gardens throughout 2024, in 2025 I aim to write about every species on this list, the blue text links to species I’ve already written about, not all photos taken in garden. Woodpigeon Columba palumbus Various, very often 1x pair + 2x fledglings HousesparrowContinue reading “Birds recorded in our garden throughout 2024”