When you’re cycling uphill, you don’t usually want to stop. You lose momentum, and it’s hard to get started again. But sometimes you notice something that makes the effort worthwhile. As I pedalled from Hazel Road shore, uphill past the boarded up Yacht Tavern, towards the railway bridge on Sea Road, this stunning double dandelionContinue reading “Double Dandy, Double Delight”
Category Archives: urban wildlife
It started with the Dunnock
He’s recently been singing from the crab apple in our garden. Yes, I miss hearing a Blackbird, but it occurred to me that, wow, the Dunnock is a really impressive singer. It’s time to appreciate him more. He’s inspired me to share more moments from this week that have made my heart sing. Flowers areContinue reading “It started with the Dunnock”
Scaffolding as a call to action
On a Sunday morning at the end of July, I arrived home to see scaffolding going up on a house down the road. This is a house where I’d seen swifts nesting, so I was really concerned. I had to wait half an hour for the scaffolders to finish, which gave me time to thinkContinue reading “Scaffolding as a call to action”
Stories from a silver birch
Christmas Day 2023: Day One of 12 Days Wild, the Wildlife Trusts winter challenge to do something wild each day. I started by sitting in the garden in the dark at 7 am with a hot chocolate, taking advantage of the quiet to listen to the birds waking up. On a normal Monday there would beContinue reading “Stories from a silver birch”
Pollinating Peartree: Reflections on Bridge Road part 1
I was surprised to realise I haven’t written a blog specifically about the Pollinating Peartree project since my first post in January 2021. For a while I’ve been thinking that I’d like to do two things. One is to reflect on what I’ve learned, as I think it could be helpful to others who mightContinue reading “Pollinating Peartree: Reflections on Bridge Road part 1”
A Tale of Toadflax
Meet the Toadflax Brocade moth caterpillar, which came into my life on Wednesday, 23 August 2023. They feed on Purple Toadflax, a plant that I first identified on Peartree Green a few years ago, and which is abundant in the alleys close to our garden. This post is about noticing wildlife in unexpected places andContinue reading “A Tale of Toadflax”
Dandelion Nature 