Hello, and thank you for taking the time to look at my site. It is still in the early stages, and I will be adding more posts when I can. I hope you have enjoyed what you have seen so far, and found it interesting and maybe useful. Please come back to see what is new.
Andrew Searle
The Common seal (Phoca vitulina)
The Common seal or Harbour seal as it is sometimes called, is not as common as the Grey seal around UK waters. However, we are privileged to have about 40% of the European population of Common seals, (accounting for 5% of the worlds population) around our coasts, about 50,000-60,000 individuals. Read the rest of this entry »
The Green Woodpecker (Picus viridis)
This post is dedicated to ‘Woody’ a little Green Woodpecker chick, which was rescued from a certain death on the road she was sitting in. In her short time on this Earth she gave much pleasure to all who saw her and a close insight to these beautiful, shy birds. Not many people are lucky enough to see a Woodpecker so close. She was taken to the vets but all their care could not save her, she was just too weak! She will be sadly missed but never forgotten. Bless her.
The Sand Lizard (Lacerta agilis)
The Sand lizard is a colourful lizard, commonly found all over Europe-from Scandinavia to Mongolia. However, only a handful of places in the British Isles have natural surviving colonies of Sand lizards. Because of this, they are Britain’s rarest lizard. Read the rest of this entry »
The Common Lizard (Zootoca vivipara)
In the early morning, you may find, resting on a log or on the heather in the heathland of the New Forest, a Furze Evvet (local name of the common lizard). Basking and warming its cold blooded body in the rays of the rising sun.
For some people, they may be surprised to learn we have lizards living in Britain. There are in fact, three native species of lizards living in the UK. The Common lizard, the Sand lizard and the Slow worm (a legless lizard).
Scorhill Stone Circle (Near the village of Gidleigh, Dartmoor, Devon. SX6587)
Looking down towards Gidleigh common in the wild and remote Dartmoor landscape nestles a mysterious place known as, ‘Scorhill Stone Circle’.
Scorhill was once described in 1848 by, Reverend Samual Rowe as; ‘ the sacred circle of Scorhill…by far the finest example of this rude kind of relic in Devonshire’.
The Basking Shark (Cetorhinus maximus)
During the summer months, Britain’s largest fish, ‘the Basking shark’ visits our coastal waters. This shark is second in size to the Whale shark, and is found throughout the northern and southern hemispheres. Basking sharks are migratory, travelling the world’s seas – from the edge of the arctic to the temperate oceans.
The basking shark’s large, black dorsal fin, upper tail lobe and snout can be seen breaking the waters surface while feeding – sometimes only yards off the shore. Their slow, leisurely pace, cruising in the warmth of the sun gave them their name, ‘Basking sharks. Because of this behaviour they also have the nickname, ‘Sunfish’.
The Pipistrelle Bat (Pipistrellus pipistrellus)
At dusk, across the length and breadth of the British Isles (with the exception of the Scottish western Isles) – from Cornwall to the very north of Scotland, Pipistrelle bats will leave their daytime roosts 20 minutes after sunset and begin hunting. This tiny bat follows its preferred flight path every night – beginning a nightly feast on insects and then returning to the roost by morning.
The Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes)
The Red Fox is Britain’s only native canid (member of the dog family) despite having a hard, sometimes brutal life, foxes have managed to survive in some of our towns and in the countryside since the last ice age. Read the rest of this entry »
Long Meg & her Daughters
Near Little Salkeld Cumbria NY 571372
Long Meg & her Daughters
At sunset on midwinter’s day, in the cold crisp air, the shadow cast by Long Meg creeps across the ground as the sun sinks lower on the horizon. Eventually, the shadow precisely touches the farthest side of the ring of stones.
Long Meg & her Daughters
Near Little Salkeld Cumbria NY 571372
Long Meg & her Daughters
At sunset on midwinter’s day, in the cold crisp air, the shadow cast by Long Meg creeps across the ground as the sun sinks lower on the horizon. Eventually, the shadow precisely touches the farthest side of the ring of stones.