The Brown Hare, Lepus europaeus occidentalis, is a brown, cat-sized mammal similar to a Rabbit but with with longer black-tipped ears, a longer tail, longer limbs, and the ability to run very fast, having been recorded at speeds of up to 40 miles an hour. It is not native to the British isles, originating inContinue reading “The Brown Hare”
Tag Archives: #Northwestnatureandhistory
Mitton Hall
Mitton Hall stands just outside the village of Mitton near the confluence of the Ribble and Hodder, it is a grade 2 listed Tudor manor, famously painted by William Turner and built in the late 14th century by the Catterall family. The Catterall family are originally from Goosnargh and married into the de Mitton family,Continue reading “Mitton Hall”
Catching moths in winter
As winter is slowly waning, the days getting longer and the nights milder, it becomes a bit more pleasant to leave the house and see what wildlife might be around in the neighbourhood, also tentatively poking its head out from hibernation and eager to get out and about. One way of doing this is mothContinue reading “Catching moths in winter”
The Curlews Return
Curlew, Numenius arquata are large, brown waders known for their long, crescent shaped bill and evocative call, the ‘cur-loo’ so for it is named, which echoes across the pastures and moors of upland Britain in spring. Its scientific name is thought to derive from a combination of the ancient Greek ‘neos’, meaning new and ‘mene’,Continue reading “The Curlews Return”
The Loss of the Riverdance
On the night of the Thirty First of January, sixteen years ago, I experienced some of the wildest weather I’ve ever been out in. I remember the night well because I had to walk over two miles home from work in it, and also because of how strange a night it was. At the timeContinue reading “The Loss of the Riverdance”
Red breasted Merganser
Red breasted Merganser, Mergus serrator, can be seen on Stocks reservoir at the moment from the bird hides, and on streams and rivers in the area too. This unusual diver is a partial migrant in the British isles, heading inland from the coast when bad weather arrives to find more sheltered places to fish. TheContinue reading “Red breasted Merganser”
The Wild Primrose
The month of January, cold and bleak as it may be, with little sign of life in the countryside save the occasional foraging Wren, still holds promise. Native flora like Wild Primroses, Primula Vulgaris, may be seen in sheltered parts of the hedgerows and woods around this time of year, poking their way through theContinue reading “The Wild Primrose”
Littledale Free Church
Littledale Free Church sits in the valley of Littledale near the village of Caton and is now abandoned and used as farm storage. Reverend John Dodson It was built in 1849 for Reverend John Dodson, who came from a family of shipping magnates in Liverpool, and was built at the same time as nearby LittledaleContinue reading “Littledale Free Church”
Northwest Nature and History 