Patch work

The natural world is a source of great wonder to me.  I enjoy being out there with my wellies on and binoculars around my neck.  I enjoy thinking about species I may see or learn about in future. And I like re-living those special wildlife experiences. And I like having a local patch, Stanwick Lakes,…

Spring?

It’s a funny spring – but then, they often are. As you know, if you are a regular reader, I’ve seen bee flies and primroses and a swallow three weeks ago at Cheltenham, and I’ve heard plenty of chiffchaffs but it feels like a stuttering spring to me.  I heard a willow warbler last weekend…

In praise of Birdtrack

I am a great fan of Birdtrack.  I can see lots of value in the data that are accumulating there in terms of looking at future changes in bird distributions and numbers. But also it allows me to check changes at my local patch at Stanwick Lakes where I go scores of times each year….

My autumn – how about yours?

This is the ivy in my garden – it was buzzing with hoverflies, flies, wasps, ladybirds, a red admiral and spiders yesterday. I like looking at ivy at this time of year – in the sunshine – as it attracts lots of insects.  And it’s worth a careful look – the more you look the…

Even a dull walk is worth having

Just a few thoughts from a walk around my local patch at Stanwick Lakes in east Northants yesterday morning; not many blackberries on the bushes this year – but lots of apples in the garden a few speckled wood butterflies were almost the only butterflies compared with just under a fortnight ago warblers were very…