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from the field book: OPAL Survey

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From the field book. Sunday, 10 October 2010. I've recently been working with a group to complete a clean air survey organised by OPAL. Open Air Laboratories). It involved measuring tree girths, counting fungal spots on sycamore leaves and identifying lichen on oak, ash and sycamore trees. The survey doesn't take long to complete and you could easily complete it in a local park or open area. What's more all the ID charts and materials you need are provided - a great teaching resource. From the field book.

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from the field book: The Merging of the Seasons

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From the field book. Sunday, 10 October 2010. The Merging of the Seasons. An October baby, I love my birth month: it's gentle-warm sun and the way we value the shortening daylight hours. I also enjoy the gradual changing of colours as autumn seeps in and leaves fanfare farewells. Common darters still danced over boggy fields where three wintering snipe were flushed by my presence. How rapid their wing beats; how stodgy my steps! A small white (butterfly) also floated by. Back on a track. Yellow hamme...

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from the field book: Great Hill and Black Brook

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From the field book. Sunday, 22 August 2010. Great Hill and Black Brook. The skies were looking very changeable today as I set off for Great Hill. I'm glad I went because a wonderful spectacle awaited - well over a hundred swallows zooming around at low levels. As I paused to admire them, I wondered if the many short-tailed youngsters amongst them knew about the migratory adventures that lay so soon ahead. I decided to return. And I saw a Black Darter ( here. This w/e, too . my first. 5 September 2010 at...

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from the field book: May 2010

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From the field book. Tuesday, 25 May 2010. One of the reasons I love living near the West Pennine. Moors is that there are always wonderful walks to enjoy whatever the season. I took my camera to show you but without a view finder and it being such a sunny day I couldn't see what was on the screen, it was a case of point and hope! Nevertheless here is a short extract from Sunday's walk. Only a few minutes up the hill from White Coppice. These great millstone grit (? Slabs guide you along Spitler's. Peat ...

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from the field book: Stocks Reservoir

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From the field book. Wednesday, 11 August 2010. We decided to enjoy the sun and showers by taking a walk around Stocks Reservoir. It's a 11km / 7m circular walk which is well signed. Close to our start point is a United Utilities office - don't they just own some beautiful buildings? We see several oystercatchers. One of the joys of this walk in summer is the flowers. Everywhere fields are pitted by the purple heads of black knapweed. And self-heal and through the grass vetch. And I also spot sneezewort.

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from the field book: June 2010

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From the field book. Wednesday, 23 June 2010. Woodland Wonders and Wellbeing. This month, I'm teaching at Yarrow Valley Park, Chorley. The aim is to promote the importance of trees in the environment as well as developing social interaction and communication skills. Created a sculpture which doubles up as a home for mini beasts. Above is another design which we hope will attract centipedes and beetles etc. Sunday, 20 June 2010. Sunshine on the Fells. To Great Hill. Left is a photo taken en route. Today I...

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from the field book: September 2010

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From the field book. Sunday, 5 September 2010. Charnock Richard Scarecrow Festival. A quick visit to White Coppice. This morning was rewarded with the delight of about two hundred house martins, along with a few sand martins and swallows feeding in the shelter of Stronstrey. This evening I had a look around Charnock. This charming horse and fox really made me smile. It's obvious whose side the horse is on. But it looks like not everyone was enjoying themselves - I wonder what made this guy angry. Bird Fo...

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from the field book: December 2009

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From the field book. Monday, 28 December 2009. The Neatness of Crows. All photos of crows welcome - just attach to an email. Thanks. And first up is a hooded crow from Peter Woodruff. This reminds me of my trips to the north. (We don't often see hooded crows in Lancashire.). Tuesday, 22 December 2009. I've not seen a goldcrest in the garden this winter which is a shame. For the past few years one has wintered in / close to out garden. It has been a bad year for them but let's hope. I managed to coincide ...

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from the field book: December 2010

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From the field book. Wednesday, 1 December 2010. I'm sure I'm not the only person that enjoys tree spotting as I drive along the road. Once you get an eye for basic tree shapes and features, you can name many at a glance. To me, ash trees (left) are a bit snooty! Because their twigs tend to curl upwards. Whereas beech tend to have horizontally. Spreading branches. Many have distinctive shapes and colours - I'll try photograph more another day. How complex is this willow trunk below? From the field book.

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from the field book: January 2010

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From the field book. Sunday, 10 January 2010. Croston Finney was crusted with beautiful ice formations sitting on top of the snow like a wonderful species of sparkly moss. Many of the waterways were frozen so gone were the ducks and cormorant and in their place - meadow pipits and pied wagtails. Really. They were all intently hunting on the ice. Speaking of which, the allotment area was a riot of chirruping tree and house sparrows. Thanks to Chris Rae. Sunday, 3 January 2010. A walk around Anglezarke.