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The Little Stinker! Polecats in the UK in Need of a Helping Hand.
Breed and Release – did it work? By Graham Wellstead. There are today many creatures in the UK, and indeed, World Wide, that are in need of a concentrated scheme dedicated to try and reverse their decline. As a private individual I have done my best with the use of my time and money (unsupported)…
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My Woodland Odyssey.
By Graham Wellstead. It would not be to difficult to calculate how much of my life has been enriched in terms of years, an educated guess would be 3 to 4 years over the past 30. Walking, hawking, and ferreting in the first 10, followed by working and teaching in the middle, and back to…
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“Wild place in a crowded county” by Graham Wellstead
I (Simon King) heard recently from naturalist Graham Wellstead who was keen to write about a special place for FFON readers – he wrote: “Here I am taking liberties. I had been considering this as I have many many pictures taken over several years of land which while close to major conurbations, retains its wildness.…
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Podcast episode 7 – An Anniversary (Maxwell Knight’s) and an Armchair Assessment.
Simon, John and Margaret’s theme for today’s podcast is “An Anniversary and An Armchair Assessment” and marked the fact that the 9th of July (when the podcast was recorded), is the date of birth of Maxwell Knight whom the FFON Maxwell Knight website is named. John and Margaret – who knew Maxwell Knight – share…
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Pond life.
By Graham Wellstead. My garden, like many, contains a pond. Not a great lake, just a small formal pond about 8ft square with raised sides, the theory being we could sit on the edge and watch the fish. All the fish were born in the pond and over the past thirty years have gone up…
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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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“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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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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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 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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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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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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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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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
Written by Paul Beecroft. My garden is a busy place no matter what month of the year it is. As I sit at my computer today (April 20th) in full view of my rear garden the sun is shining and there is not a cloud in the sky. My chocolate Labrador is in her usual…
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Notes from the Back Garden Naturalist
Written by Graham Wellstead in Darkest Surrey Simon King urges us all to become armchair naturalists during these rather frightening times. However, if I sit down, I fall asleep. I, therefore, spend most of my waking hours outside in my relatively small suburban garden. Not, you might think, much of an opportunity to observe nature.…
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Is that a deer I see before me?
Written by Norma Chapman – leading deer biologist. Muntjac deer are now very widespread in Britain, not just in the countryside but frequently living in villages and towns. Gardens provide good places to feed and to lie-up where shrubs provide cover. Some people are delighted to be able to observe them but keen gardeners can…
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Being isolated at home in Pennsylvania, USA won’t stop forensic scientist and wildlife enthusiast, Susan Underkoffler from watching nature.
A contribution from Susan Underkoffler, forensic scientist and wildlife enthusiast, who is currently isolated at home in Pennsylvania, USA. One thing this crisis is good for is getting people outside to notice things they may not normally… I took my dog for a walk today and passed a dozen or so people from my tiny neighborhood on…
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Maxwell Knight Symposium coverage in the IAT Bulletin
Thanks for the generous coverage of the MaxwellKnight Symposium in the IAT Bulletin.
