jackblagroves

Dartmoor National Park

Yesterday I visited Dartmoor National Park, one of the largest in southern Britain. There was an abundance of butterflies and birds, including some endangered species. I visited the river Dart and the surrounding area, including a tor. I was shown the area by a local guide, who knew where the interesting sights were, it wouldContinue reading “Dartmoor National Park”

Falcons and Seabirds on the Isle of Purbeck

After a rather interesting turn of events, linked to the Coronavirus Lockdown my summer holiday ended up in Dorset, in the pleasant seaside town of Swanage. At first glance not a greatly interesting place for wildlife, but if you look more closely at Swanage and the surrounding area, you will find an abundance of seashoreContinue reading “Falcons and Seabirds on the Isle of Purbeck”

The Toad

The common Toad is an iconic creature of the British pond. It is most often seen under logs or in compost heaps. Unlike the frog, it has a poisonous lump behind the head, which is there to prevent predators from consuming the Toad. However the most obvious difference when compared to a frog is theContinue reading “The Toad”

Beavers of the River Otter

Yesterday I visited the River Otter in Devon, where there are the only wild Beavers in England. Upon arrival I was very lucky, there was a small group of people filming a beaver only a few hundred meters from the start of the footpath. I then proceeded to follow this Beaver along the river forContinue reading “Beavers of the River Otter”

Make a log pile for wildlife

Just by making a pile of logs in your garden, you can attract lots of creatures to your garden. Slow worms and snakes will take shelter in the logs or in the natural materials around them. Slow worms will eat invertebrate pests, such as slugs, and snakes will keep rodents under control. If you makeContinue reading “Make a log pile for wildlife”