Remarkable Reindeer

Remarkable Reindeer

By Elizabeth McArdle Christmas will soon be upon us with its magical images of Santa, his flying reindeer including Rudolf with his famous red nose. How exciting it is. This is a good time to look at some of the wonders of the remarkable reindeer who feature so...
Sassy Starlings

Sassy Starlings

By Elizabeth McArdle As the howling January gales sweep the countryside, it is hard to believe how any bird would want to be out and about at this time of year. Starlings are an exception and they love to be out and about, sporting their glossy winter plumage of...
Beautiful Blue Tits

Beautiful Blue Tits

By Elizabeth McArdle Spring is on its way and all of life is eager and waiting to get busy. For the winter months, the blue tits have been visiting our bird tables and the green and yellow flash of their feathers always brings a welcome burst of colour to any garden....
The Dumbledore Beetle

The Dumbledore Beetle

By Elizabeth McArdle When you hear the word Dumbledore, I guarantee that the wise old wizard from Harry Potter will immediately come to mind. However, the real Dumbledore is not a wizard at all but an awesome black beetle. The word Dumbledore comes from an old word...
The Daddy Longlegs

The Daddy Longlegs

By Elizabeth McArdle When you are out and about, you may notice an insect flying in a very wobbly and erratic manner. Chances are that it will be a Crane Fly which is familiar to most of us in its adult form as the gangly insect that flits around our homes in summer....