Checking out the field this evening I’ve just discovered this lovely patch of Devilsbit Scabious. A magnet for bees and butterflies it’s less common than its bruiser of a cousin the Field Scabious which you may have seen lining the roadsides of the Peak District in midsummer. Devilsbit (weird name eh) prefers damp spots and […]
Flora and fauna – Devils and other stories Read More »
Here is an update of events over the next few weeks: Saturday 27 August : Walk to Marple Bridge via Linnet Clough, train back from Marple Bridge. Meet at New Mills Heritage Centre at 10.30 am. Stout footwear recommended as Linnet Clough is a bit rocky Sunday 28 August : Bat Walk Meet at the
New Mills Walkers are Welcome Read More »
Boss Hog I was driving down Dolly Lane earlier today and was so taken by the cow parsley on the verges that I decided to write a bit about that family of plants, the Umbellifers (think umbrella). It’s a large group of plants all with these lovely creamy white (occasionally yellow) umbels of flowers which
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Saturday 30th April for a very early 5:30am start to hear the dawn chorus. Meet at New Mills Heritage Centre event details
It’s an odd time of year this..feels as though Winter is over but Spring hasn’t quite peeped round the corner; everything is on the point of happening. Yesterday a friend texted to say he’d been down to Waterside meadows as there were some interesting things to see. Having a wander down there (somewhere I must
Flora and fauna : Waterside Read More »
The Dipper A couple of years ago we were walking along the river… not sure which one it is…between Hathersage and Grindleford and got talking to a couple who’d come up from Sussex looking for dippers (without any luck) because you don’t get them in the south-east. I didn’t say anything but they’d have been
Flora and fauna – dippers Read More »
Flora and fauna : Mistles I’ve been trying to come up with some Christmassy flora and fauna facts: in the past I’ve done holly and covered ivy. Then the thought came to me that we don’t get much mistletoe growing round these parts. By coincidence we’ve currently got a couple of mistle thrushes which have
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Beechboy For some reason I’ve never felt comfortable with having favourites when it comes to the natural world. It just doesn’t seem right to prefer the bullfinch to the great tit, but when it comes to trees I certainly do have preferences and my favourite for many years has been the beech.For a start its
Flora and fauna : Beeches Read More »
Stunning pictures of a Kingfisher feeding on the banks of the River Goyt in New Mills, accessible from the steps beside New Mills Heritage Centre Pictures by jonkiddphotography.com
Flora and fauna – female Kingfisher Read More »
One thing leads to another. I don’t know whether you saw it, but last winter I posted an entry about the large number of field voles there were in rough pastureland around town (increases like this are called ‘explosions’ and a similar thing occurs with lemmings – close relations – in Northern Europe). Well it
Flora and fauna – Barn Owls Read More »
