The Swifts go have gone home to South Africa, although would you call the place they bring up their young home or the place they spend most of the year. They are only here for three short months each year, some say
Walking on Halford Meadow we did not realised the acrobatic flying display we were going to see. They swooped low, just a foot off the ground, whizzing between the mega hay bales. The insects they feed on must be flying just above
Driving down Corvedale today, at the end of July, the fields were golden with ripening crops which will soon be harvested, leaving the ground bare waiting to be ploughed. The woodlands in contrast were dark and brooding, clothed in bottle green, almost
Walking round the Onny Meadows you will notice some piles of brash, some of which is used as a barrier. They are referred to as Dead or Dry Hedges. This is a good way of using the brash accumulated from cutting down
The Onny Meadows has two ponds that are surrounded by trees such as Alder, hazel and willow. One pond has a dipping platform over the water. The coots, moorhens and reed warblers love them. Recently water rails have been seen and there
Lyndon, working upstairs, saw an animal coming down the field at the back of our house. This is not unusual as people walk their dogs through this field, although there is no footpath. Initially he couldn’t work out what it was, then
Working in the garden today I have seen a Hummingbird Hawk Moth. It was feeding on the valerian, hovering like a Hummingbird and putting its long tongue into the flowers to feed. Every few seconds moving onto the next flower. I have
A friend was noticing lots of snail shells in their back garden and on their driveway. They saw a baby Thrush being taught how to get the snail from the shell, which usually involves smashing the snail shell on a hard surface
I was awake before 5am listening to the dawn chorus. I still can’t quite believe I heard it. It is the first time since I lived in Suffolk, sixteen years ago, that I have heard one. A Cuckoo, it only cuckooed twice.
The drive to Wonderwool takes about an hour. So having a wonderful day we had a lovely drive to Builth Wells and back home. It was a sunny day although started out cool. The South Shropshire Hills were stunning as were the
Mrs Merinda Essex
01588 673191
Orchard House
Clun Road
Craven Arms
Shropshire
SY7 9 QS
