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”
Tag Archives: #Summer
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 Rowan
The Rowan or Mountain Ash, Sorbus aucuparia, a common tree of the cloughs, woods and hedgerows of the Northwest, is fruiting at the moment, there seem to more berries than in previous years and the bright red fruit will attract flocks of fieldfare, Blackbirds, Ring Ouzel, Long-tailed tits and many other birds over the autumnContinue reading “The Rowan”
Summer in Lancashire; Silage, Ospreys, Deer, Adders and some other random observations
One ambient summer sound of the Lancashire countryside is the constant whirring sound of farm machinery cutting, rowing up, and baling grass to make into silage, though many farmers have been late to get it in this year due to the exceptionally wet spring. Silage doesn’t have to be completely dry when it is baled,Continue reading “Summer in Lancashire; Silage, Ospreys, Deer, Adders and some other random observations”
Compass Jellyfish
The scientific name of the Compass jellyfish is Chrysaora hysoscella, Chrysaor being the son of the Sea God Poseidon and Snake-headed Gorgon Medusa. This is very apt as being a true member of the jellyfish family they follow the typical ‘medusae’ body-plan when in their adult stage, with a round bell-shaped body below which longContinue reading “Compass Jellyfish”
The Common or Viviparous Lizard
The Common or Viviparous Lizard Zootoca vivipara, (Zootoca from the Greek ‘to give birth’, and vivipara meaning ‘live birth’, as opposed to ovipara, meaning ‘egg birth’) is one of the most common reptiles in the British isles and can be found throughout the country in a wide variety of habitats, even on the cold, dampContinue reading “The Common or Viviparous Lizard”
Cinnabar and Ragwort
The common perception of moths is as dull-coloured, crepuscular creatures, more often than not seen at night or appearing as the sun goes down to thunk into window panes, or, if they get into the house, lightbulbs. But, as with most things in nature, things aren’t quite so simple and straight forward, as there areContinue reading “Cinnabar and Ragwort”
The Spotted Flycatcher
The Spotted Flycatcher, Muscicapa striata, is found throughout the British isles and is a summer visitor to these shores, arriving in May and departing for Southern Africa around September. Although it is a small bird, only reaching up to 15cm in length at the most, which is about the same size as a sparrow, itContinue reading “The Spotted Flycatcher”
Northwest Nature and History 