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“The Ocelot” by Rowan Allen (age 8)
The illustrations below were sent to John and Margaret Cooper (in response to their ‘An invitation to children and young people’ project invitation) by their friend Michelle O’Brien, who is Veterinary and Wildlife Health Officer at the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT) in Slimbridge, Gloucestershire. Michelle’s daughter Rowan (who has just turned eight years old)…
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Podcast episode 6 – Bees, bugs, ponds and water-bowls.
Simon, John and Margaret’s theme for today’s podcast is “Bees, bugs, ponds and water-bowls.” The FFON (www.ffon.co.uk) team discuss Sean Wensley’s timely blog “Growing close to nature during lockdown” and one specific quote, which caught the attention of a number of people on twitter: “I join, passionately and emphatically, all those who want our post-Covid…
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A bee in slow motion on a practically perfect poppy
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A note from “SE4 Sally”
“Bee-watching in garden – never noticed “bee preferences” before. In the case of Kniphofia (red hot poker plant) – always thought it was snails eating the flowering pokers – its bees, starting as yellow at bottom and working up. Common bumble bees and honey bees seem to prefer this plant. Buff-tailed bumble bees love the…
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Pond life.
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Podcast episode 5 – “Where have all the flowers gone”
Simon, John and Margaret’s theme for today’s podcast is “Wildlife – Interactions and Relationships.” The FFON (www.ffon.co.uk) team discuss John and Margaret’s recent blog post about their delightful village lane and how things took a turn for the worst (as far as nature was concerned) when they were confronted with a “Grass Cutting” sign. Also,…
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‘Although not wildlife, my canary stock is worthy of comment.’
By Graham Wellstead. ‘We feel it is good to have a certain amount about animals in captivity on FFON. Many naturalists also keep or tend animals in their homes; it’s all part of the spectrum of enjoying and caring for wildlife. MK (Maxwell Knight) would certainly approve.’ John and Margaret Cooper Earlier today, while looking…
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‘Moments I treasure’ by Graham Wellstead.
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Introducing ‘AntBoy’ – with superpowers of the entomology kind!
A few weeks ago, I (Simon King) received an email from Graham Wellstead (FFON contributor) about a fascinating young man named Xander Johnston AKA ‘AntBoy,’ a 13 year old award winning entomologist, who features regularly on both the BBC Watches and Countryfile. Graham’s note to me said he thought he’d make a great addition to…
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“Where have all the flowers gone?”
By John and Margaret Cooper. On Monday 23rd March 2020, nine weeks ago, we started to “self-isolate” as over 70s in our tiny cottage in Norfolk. During our lockdown we have taken most of our government-sanctioned daily exercise by strolling down a nearby narrow country lane. We have used these walks to observe plants and…
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Can anyone identify this beetle?
Our London correspondent, Helen Jeffries has a question for FFON readers. Helen has an inordinate fondness for beetles – ‘I like the specimens one can get in see-through blocks,’ she says. ‘I bought the one pictured below as a lucky dip from ebay for a few pounds. I don’t suppose anyone can identify it?’ Helen…
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The joys of an early morning walk to work
A note to John and Margaret Cooper from Sarah Pellett, BSc (Hons) MA VetMB Cert AVP (ZooMed) DZooMed (Reptilian) MRCVS. RCVS Recognised Specialist in Zoo and Wildlife Medicine. Sarah is a practising veterinary surgeon who specialises in the care of “exotic” animals and wildlife. Reference was made to her work with wildlife casualties, such as…
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Podcast episode 4 – ‘Don’t keep your natural history to yourself’
Simon, John and Margaret’s theme for today’s podcast is “Records and Rapport”. But first, they share messages from a variety of places including India, the Caribbean, Scotland and a safari company based in East Africa. Recorded Wednesday 6th May at 19.00. Podcast edited by Edward King. Episode show notes: Since recording the podcast, The Map’s…
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Marvellous Moths
By David McHattie. Colourful visitors photographed during Essex garden lock-down from the Dengie Peninsula. I have been lucky this spring – lots of moths and butterflies to see in the garden. I have enticed the “visitors” with a pheromone lure (Emperor Moth), the Cinnabar Moth with the UV light from a moth trap, but the…
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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…
