The Common Frog Rana temporaria, rana meaning ‘to gaze’, and temporaria meaning ‘temporary’, spends winter hibernating in frost-free hideaways such as under tree stumps, in stacks of logs, or in stone walls where they will enter a torpor until the following spring. They emerge around February and spawn around March, the tadpoles hatching and growingContinue reading “Rana temporaria, the Common Frog”
Tag Archives: #Spring
The Brown Hare
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”
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 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”
Hazel
The Hazel, Corylus avellana, has smooth silvery bark, brilliantly green downy leaves, and early in the year forms bright yellow Catkins which dangle and sway in the wind, giving a welcome hint of spring yellow to the otherwise barren hedges and trees of winter. Quick out of the blocks It is particularly quick out ofContinue reading “Hazel”
Pendle throughout the year
The name Pendle Hill derives from the Ancient British word ‘pen’ meaning ‘hill’, which predates the First Century Roman Invasion. By about the 7th Century, when it was largely forgotten what ‘pen’ meant, the Old English word ‘hyll’ was added and by 1305 the name was recorded as ‘Penhul’ in the Charters of the ManorsContinue reading “Pendle throughout the year”
Sheep Scanning
Sheep are ‘short day’ breeders, meaning they mate when the days become shorter in the autumn so their lambs are born early enough to take advantage of next year’s spring growth. Around this time of year hill farmers will scan their ewes to find out how many lambs they are holding. They do this byContinue reading “Sheep Scanning”
The Dog Rose
The Dog Rose, Rosa canina, is a deciduous shrub native to the British isles, it is found in a wide variety of habitats but prefers hedgerows and scrubby patches of woodland, where it grows in a sprawling manner, its stems arching over each other and getting entangled with other briars and shrubs. It usually reachesContinue reading “The Dog Rose”
Northwest Nature and History 