Feathers are unique to birds. Strong, yet light and flexible, a single feather is an object of great beauty. Late summer, through August and September is a good time to look for feathers when adult birds are moulting: a process of shedding old feathers and growing new ones. Not surprisingly many birds are looking a … More Fabulous feathers
There are many wonderful subjects to photograph in the New Forest National Park but my favourite is without doubt mushrooms. A walk anywhere during the autumn amongst its woodlands, open heaths and grassy lawns will reveal a world of weird and amazing fungi in all its different colours, shapes, sizes and textures. Fungi in the … More Fungi through a lens
Now towards late summer, our hedgerows are full of colourful fruits and berries, so I thought it would be a good time to focus on some of the common edible and non-edible berries you might find. This blog post is a guide to help with identification – NOT for collecting edible berries to eat! There … More Friend or Foe? – Identifying berries
Birds build a nest to lay their eggs in and to safely hold their growing brood until they fledge. There a many ingenious nest designs which range from delicate cups of woven moss, lichen and spider webs to nests made from mud or simply a hollow on the ground – not all birds nest in … More Nest Weavers
As daylight hours shorten it is fascinating to pay attention to the changes in the natural world around us and how our own bodies feel as we adjust to the rhythms of a new season. Walking in nature helps us to reflect upon these changes and improves our mood, especially on a clear sunny day. … More Autumn well-being
Bees are very special insects. They are fascinating to learn about and it is simple to do a few things to help bees in your local area. Did you know there are over 250 species of bee in the British Isles? Most of these are solitary bees, with 24 species of bumblebee and just 1 … More It’s easy-beezy to learn about and help bees!
Just a few weeks ago our woodlands and hedgerows appeared barren but now there is an explosion of new life and colour. How does this happen? Dormant buds, which will become this year’s leaves and flowers, were grown last summer and protected through the winter within thick overlapping bud scales. Triggered by increasing day length … More Natures Great Producers
With a new year stretching ahead of us, we naturally begin to think about and reflect upon past experiences and future hopes. A great way to do this is on the move in nature. Being ‘mindful’ in, and connecting to, the natural world is an integral part of our happiness and wellbeing. ‘Wandering’ (walking without … More Wanderings in nature
What are those strange lumps and bumps on the underside of some leaves and those odd-shaped growths on acorns that look like woody asteroids? These bizarre plant growths become more noticeable in the autumn amongst the piles of fallen leaves, and on now naked tree branches and twigs. Read on for the answer and some … More Stranger Things
Autumn is my favourite season of the year; I enjoy the changing colours of the woodlands, dewy spider webs and especially the ‘wild food’ treasures hung brightly within hedgerows. ‘Blackberrying’ is often one of our first experiences of nature. Even toddlers quickly learn how to identify blackberry fruits! Foraging for wild foods is a wonderful … More Wild Foods of the Forest – the good forager
New Forest Education 