Three main species of heather There are three main species of plants which fall under the collective name of ‘heather’ and can be found growing on the uplands of the British isles. All three are native and evergreen, with Bell heather and Cross-leaved heather flowering from June to September, and the more plentiful Common heather,Continue reading “The Heather on the Moors”
Tag Archives: #Uplands
The Elusive and Exotic Bee Orchid
The Bee Orchid Elusive and seemingly from a more tropical climate, the Bee Orchid, Ophrys apifera, (Ophrys meaning ‘eyebrow’, referring to the furry edges of the petals and apifera meaning bee), can be a bit of a surprising plant to find growing in the north of England. Unusual Orchid It is a very unusual orchid,Continue reading “The Elusive and Exotic Bee Orchid”
The Common Adder
The Common Adder, Vipera berus, is locally common in the Northwest of England and can often be found in the summer sunbathing on paths in the woods or on the fells, it is one of only four species of snake in the British isles and the only species of snake that can be found withinContinue reading “The Common Adder”
The Green Tiger Beetle
The Green Tiger beetle, Cicindela campestris, is a beautiful looking, strikingly iridescent, green beetle about 1 to 1.5cm long with yellow spots on its wing cases, they are superb and voracious predators and have the large eyes and mandibles needed to keep this appetite satisfied. Their scientific name originates from the Latin word cicindela, meaningContinue reading “The Green Tiger Beetle”
Ring Ouzel in Bowland, notes and observations
The Ring Ouzel, Turdus torquatos is a member of the Thrush family and in appearance is similar to a Blackbird, indeed another common name for them is the ‘Mountain Blackbird’. They are quite a smart looking bird, jet black all over except for a bright white band across their breast, this is referred to inContinue reading “Ring Ouzel in Bowland, notes and observations”
The Cross of Greet
The Cross of Greet, or Top o’ Cross, is located on the highest point of the fell road between the villages of Slaidburn and Bentham at 1400 ft above sea level, marking both the watersheds of the Ribble and Lune rivers and the old, pre 1974, Lancashire/Yorkshire boundary. It sits at the top of theContinue reading “The Cross of Greet”
The Cuckoo
The Eurasian Cuckoo, Cuculus canorus, has an onomatopoeic name, cuculus simply refering to the sound of its call and canorus means ‘pleasant sounding’. The call of the Cuckoo is indeed very pleasant to hear and evocative too, conjuring images of spring in the minds of most people, even those that might never have heard theContinue reading “The Cuckoo”
Drystone Walls, a part of the Northern Landscape
Visitors to the North of England often comment on the multitude of stone walls winding their way across the landscape, these are part of the character of the region which brings those visitors here in the first place. On a cloudy day, their grey and green stones seem to fade into the hills and theContinue reading “Drystone Walls, a part of the Northern Landscape”
Northwest Nature and History 