Probably even older than me, this ancient and crumbling wooden monument to a bygone age ends its days in sad and lonely isolation beside one of the quieter and more remote sections of disused railway line in deepest rural Worcestershire. I can easily imagine though, how it would once have provided welcome shelter from the worst of the elements for many a railway maintenance crew as they huddled inside together for warmth during their winter lunch breaks and passed the time by playing cards and…

(Ariel photo….RSPB Picture Library)

Only when the last tree has died, the last river been poisoned and the last fish been caught will we realize that we cannot eat money" A typical truism (one of many) imparted to me almost eighteen years ago by a very good friend. His name was Jacob Crowriver (Crowriver in translation) and he was to me almost eighteen years ago by a very good friend. His name was Jacob Crowriver (Crowriver in translation) and he was . His name was Jacob a First Nation Canadian aborigine, a professional loner…

As the light begins to fail, it’s not so very difficult to understand how ancient man developed such a profound fear of the forest….Even the trees themselves seem to adopt a far more menacing aspect, appearing, as they inevitably do, to close in on you as night consumes the last vestiges of light, reaching down to grab at you with gnarly old fingers, while the wind whispers and gossips through the swaying branches high above and malevolent clouds scud their way across the darkening…

Ok, there’s loads I could say about the increasingly scarce Tall Melilot. When I was a boy, it was almost everywhere, but now it’s only to be found here and there and yet, it’s flowers are a wonderful magnet for Bees and Butterflies and was once a hugely rich source for wild honey.My Gran frequently mixed the flowers with camphorated spirit to make an infusion which she then used as a soothing wash to bathe the eyes of “Wet” and “Windy”, my Uncle Chris…

Situated just a couple of miles up the road from Slimbridge Wildfowl and Wetlands Centre, the small group of lakes that comprise Frampton Ponds often play host to some very unusual migrating wildfowl species and can prove a most rewarding place for the dedicated Bird Nerd to spend the odd half a day or so during late Autumn or early Spring.

Another day, another walk and yet more photos. This time we headed out for Frampton-upon-Severn situated just off the A38 between Gloucester and Bristol. The day had begun cold and grey and the light had been poor. We walked around the lakes, across the fields and along the little lanes. We tramped our way through mud and thick carpets of fallen leaves in the beautiful and wildlife-rich woodlands that feature on the edges of Frampton village itself, with its massive village greens and we were…

Whereas Tess is usually very mistrustful of strange dogs who are allowed to roam willy-nilly all over the place when off their leads and who are similarly allowed to just bound headlong across to her (all because, I might add, she’s learned the hard way that some of them can be extremely unfriendly, if not downright nasty….though, apparently, that’s entirely my own fault, according to their often extremely belligerent owners, because I have Tess on a leash most of the day),…

Someone said that this is one of the quite rare Bees, but as they’re all getting increasingly rare almost by the day, I guess it doesn’t matter quite so much! This one was drawn to the Water Mint flowers growing on a Gloucestershire water margin. I could smell the plant’s sickly-sweet aroma from several metres away and well before I actually saw them. Rubbing a leaf or two onto your boots and trousers releases an almost overpowering scent by the way, which is useful for masking…

Chedworth Woods are a subtle blend of both managed and ancient woodland and a place rich with wildlife of many kinds….Snowdrop, Primrose and Bluebell carpet the floor in Springtime and proliferations of Wild Strawberry and Wild Violet punctuate the greenery throughout the Summer. The sound of roding Woodcock at dusk and dawn in June and the chance to glimpse Nightjar during a late Summer or early Autumn sunset before they migrate for the Winter make the area popular with local wildlife…