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Man-Made Nature
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Growing close to nature during the lockdown
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The Back Garden Naturalist
Written by Graham Wellstead. As a lifelong enthusiasm for almost all things natural virtually controls my life – not quite every living thing, I admit to failure when it comes to enthusing my wife of 60 years. She does, however, enjoy watching the birds on our feeders, placed where she can see them, confined to…
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A Lincolnshire sunset
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An explosion of starlings
Written by Graham Wellstead. Not everyone is keen on these brash argumentative birds but I have a soft spot for them. For several years starlings have been missing from my garden. I would see them elsewhere, and a number of times their glorious vast flock displays on winter evenings as they assembled prior to roosting,…
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A Robin raiding the sunflower hearts
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3 – “The Four (Changing) Seasons”
Simon, John and Margaret’s theme for today’s podcast is “The Four (Changing) Seasons”. They take a look at spring in terms of natural history – referring to Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons” – and then discuss the ever-present art and science connection. But first, we discuss the increasing numbers of FFON readers and contributors. Blogs we refer…
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Low Tide at Vauxhall
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A more optimistic long view of our place in nature
By Dr Valerie Jeffries. Walking along briskly for my lockdown exercise I was watching the starlings congregate for their evening swarm on the TV aerials, and listening to quarrelling sparrows and the raucous yells of the seagulls way inland. Many birds have adapted to live alongside humans in our urban landscapes, some like the house…
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“Habitat is King”; look after the habitat and all will be well
By Mike Gadd. As a great lover of wildlife art and sculpture, I fell into the fascinating world of taxidermy and have tried to recreate the beauty of nature ever since. My morning walks always bring ideas and inspiration, as I see the seasons change and the amazing wildlife along the River Wharfe and woods…
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“April … hath put a spirit of youth in everything”
John and Margaret Cooper submitted the piece below, with photos, for the FFON Armchair Naturalist, from their friend Dr Jennifer Whybrow BVSc MSc MRCVS. Jennifer’s notes reflect changes during April, during the first few weeks of the Covid-19 lockdown. She enjoys her garden but, like all of us, has to strike a balance between maintaining…
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Nature notes from “our Care Home Correspondent”
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‘Over 1 in 10 UK species faces a real risk of extinction’
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International Dawn Chorus Day 2020
International Dawn Chorus Day is a super opportunity to celebrate nature – specifically birdsong, and what a symphony it was this morning at 5 am. On the first Sunday in May, people from all around the world throw off the bed covers and head outside to tune in to the beautiful sound of tweeting birds. …
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From Paul Budgen, FLS
Further to your earlier posting on the FFON blog, I offer you a photograph of a dark-edged beefly (Bombylius major), as requested. This was taken on 8th April this year, on a footpath near the local nature reserve, where you and I have walked, John (Cooper), on one of your visits to Broadstone. I have also attached…
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“Our feeders are a magnet for the sparrows and the hawk.”
Written by Graham Wellstead (Surrey, UK). With this splendid weather, long may it last, albeit quite chilly first thing, I have been up and about since first light. Our bird feeders are currently hosting our usual gang of 60 plus house sparrows, who alternate their position from feeding, to cover in the pyracantha hedge underneath…
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From a friend in Kinross-shire, Scotland
A friend in Kinross-shire, Scotland, kindly forwarded to us some photos for the Armchair Naturalist FFON website. We encouraged him to do so when he told us that he has red (not grey) squirrels in his garden. On hearing that, John (Cooper) wryly remarked: “We Sassenachs envy you your red squirrels!” Our correspondent was not able…
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Here in Germany, we do watch a lot from our windows
Written by John F. Burton in Germany, who knew and worked with Maxwell Knight: Thank you very much for your kind email and your inspiring internet (FFON) piece, which we enjoyed reading. Here in Germany, we do watch a lot from our windows (passing White Storks, Grey Herons, Cormorants, Buzzards, Sparrowhawks, Goshawks, Jays, etc.) and…
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Wooing the birds
Written by Beatrice Bray. The French twentieth century composer Olivier Messeain took avian observations to a new level. Not just content with listening to birds, he sought to recreate it in his music: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3gJFSH6W6wXVgybrqqNtFGq/the-composer-who-took-a-cue-from-birdsong I wouldn’t attempt to emulate either his musicianship or his record as an ornithologist, not least because my own expertise is…
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2 – What’s going on out there?
Episode notes: Simon, John and Margaret’s theme for today is “Resources and help for Armchair Naturalists” and they take a look at the useful equipment for natural history, but not before discussing the exciting comings and goings of wildlife during the international lockdowns. Please visit http://www.ffon.co.uk to find out more about our ‘Armchair Naturalists’ project or email thefrightenedfaceofnature@gmail.com with…
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Made in Chelsea
By Helen Jeffries – our London Correspondent. As it was such a beautiful day today, and I had a day off, I went for a walk along the Thames through Chelsea. Around this time of year the Royal Hospital, Chelsea (where the Chelsea Pensioners live) would normally be a hive of activity gearing up for the…
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My Garden
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It’s the Little Things by Susan Underkoffler, USA
This time of year, with Easter just past and Earth Day rapidly approaching (April 22), there is nothing better than running around in the woods appreciating the new Spring growth. Listening to the insistent hollow rappings of woodpeckers and the peaceful calls of white throated sparrows, crawling on hands and knees through the mud to…
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A Q&A session with our new Australian correspondent, Wes Hooper
Wes, our new Australian correspondent, lives north of Sydney, a couple of miles inland from the ocean and next to a set of three interconnected saltwater lakes. In response to some questions from FFON, Wes writes: Q: Australian wildlife is so beautiful; do people in Australia plant their gardens with wildlife in mind? Certainly, Australia has…
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Not one, but two Great spotted woodpeckers
