Category Wildlife and Nature

May 5 2020
Image

#FeelGoodPhotoOfTheDay – Box Hill Butterflies

Box Hill Butterflies

#FeelGoodPhotoOfTheDay – Box Hill Butterflies

Box Hill Butterflies

When my mind wanders
It drifts away to memories
Lost in childhood dreams

Apr 27 2020
Image

ShareMondays2020 – Queuing For Groceries or It’s Two Metres You Tits!

Queuing For Groceries

ShareMondays2020 – Queuing For Groceries or It’s Two Metres You Tits!

So, I might have finally lost the plot from being stuck indoors so long! But, hey, if the children in Spain can spend six weeks without being allowed out of the home at all, then so can I. Honestly, I salute them! I was hardly ever indoors as a child. My love of the natural world was encouraged from an early age. Even now, the children of Spain have only just had the lockdown relaxed as far as letting them outside for just the one hour. The majority of people here in the UK have always had that one freedom! Please be grateful for it and continue to social distance as much as you can. You are saving lives!

Meanwhile, my new bird feeder has been a big hit with the starlings and tits. They’re giving me a lot of joy and plenty of amusement too, when there’s a fracas over feeding rights. The starlings do actually form quite an orderly little queue, but they sometimes forget the queuing order and it all gets rather flappy and noisy! They’re really garrulous little characters and the range in vocalisations is incredible. I must try to get some recordings! I do love keeping the windows open and hearing a range of birdsong from outside.

It’s not just the starlings and tits! I can hear the blackbird singing away at the moment, the wren serenades us every morning and evening, goldfinches chatter as they flit through the trees, the magpies seem to be in constant disagreement with everyone, the wood pigeon coos soothingly and once or twice a day the parakeets add their voice to the general cacophony. It’s a heavenly symphony! I hope you’re all taking good care of yourselves, enjoying a few simple pleasures and staying safe.

Apr 21 2020
Image

#FeelGoodPhotoOfTheDay – The Watcher

The Watcher

#FeelGoodPhotoOfTheDay – The Watcher

The Watcher

Half-mourner morning
Rising up through the knapweed
Watching the watcher

I came across these records by apothecary, botanist and entomologist, James Petiver, while researching the name of the marbled white. I thought they might be of interest! (ref: http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org)

wp-1587505246077.jpgwp-1587505246068.jpgwp-1587505246062.jpgwp-1587505246038.jpg