I recently took this photograph when sweeping up the leaves on my back yard. I hadn’t previously taken much notice of the lichens on my acer tree, but on that day the sun’s reflection made them stand out like a miniature coral reef. Perhaps it’s the more dominant autumn leaves that cause us to overlook…
Written to celebrate National Tree Week, November 26th – December 5th 2022 I have often thought, if I was a bird flying over St Ann’s Allotments, I would see a woodland. Though when you get down into it the mix of trees is something quite different. The trees all feel like they tell a story…
Each year in May I spend a significant amount of time looking up at the sky. Not only do the warming temperatures trigger the formation of impressive cumulonimbus clouds (the huge fluffy ones), but we’re treated to the return of Swifts to our skies. These birds undertake one of the world’s longest migrations of any…
I’ve been reflecting on the purpose of our Urban Nature garden, particularly as Spring awakens. It is a series of 10 plots on St Ann’s Allotments, established nearly 20 years ago as a space to be managed for wildlife. What does that really mean? Of course, the whole site is beneficial for nature as…
During my local lockdown walks last year, I started learning how to recognise birds by their song and call, and it’s much easier than you might think. Winter is absolutely the best time to start because we only have our winter residents around. Once we get into Spring, our migratory birds will start to return,…
Autumn is a great time to see birds. We’re lucky to get an influx of different species at this time of year from Scandinavia. This means that you don’t have to look too far from your house to see and hear some unusual wildlife right outside your doorstep. So if you’re out for a walk,…