Field course round up

The weather nearly spoilt our annual second-year field course, but didn’t quite.

Flora of Southwick Wood

One of the glories of Northants is the old remnants of Rockingham Forest, and in spring they are just outstanding. One remnant is Southwick Wood, conserved by the Cambs, Beds and Northants Wildlife Trust. It’s bloomin’ marvelous. We went on 1st April (really!), and stuff was just coming out.

Interesting birds (and bad photographs)

It’s not often I get to comment about the garden birds, but there have been a couple of notable sightings to share with you in the last week.

Corfu stuff.

A week at Roda on the north coast of Corfu was kibbie holidays for us kibbies. Here’s what we saw.

Rosedale

Yesterday we did a five mile walk from Blakey Junction round the track of the old Rosedale railway at the head of Rosedale, to Dale Head farm.

Goldfinches in the mini-meadow

I haven’t recorded much in the way of macro-fauna in the mini-meadow. A frog is present every year when I cut the hay. A hedgehog visits, judging from the trails through the grass and droppings left behind. So it was nice today to boost that number to three species.

Beautiful Bempton Birds and Blossom

Thank goodness for the RSPB…..I don’t know where our wildlife would be without it. A million members is the sort of following even politicians sit up and notice. I mention this after a visit to Bempton Cliffs nr Bridlington. Close to paradise for a bear like me.

Ings, glorious ings.

I had a gorgeously relaxing walk today; just the usual across the fields to Acaster Malbis and then back along the Ouse. I found some great insects and flowers.

Day out in Dalby Forest: bee and fly orchids and strange rocks.

June’s too good to stay at home. So we went out. My goal was butterflies and orchids. I drew mostly blanks with the butterflies; the weather wasn’t very cooperative, but the orchids were FANTASTIC.

Elderflower picking in Acaster Malbis

Went for a great walk today on what is rapidly becoming my favourite jaunt from home: across the fields to Acaster Malbis and back along the river. The “purpose” of this was to collect elderflowers for cordial. But it turned out to be much better than that.