Nature Notes
by Andy Johnson
Nature Notes – April 2024
Finally, on the afternoon of the 12 March, the wind moved into the west to herald the end of winter.
Nature Notes – March 2024
Walking up Fence Dyke Lane recently, I noticed a huge flock of fieldfares feeding when suddenly a large female sparrow hawk made an attack and killed one.
Nature Notes – February 2024
At the end of the last Ice Age much of England was covered by an ice sheet between two and three kilometres thick.
Nature Notes – January 2024
The early winter weather has been dominated by gales bringing warm weather from the west due to a strong El Nino.
Nature Notes – December 2023
by Andy Johnston The autumn weather can be best summed up as wet, windy and warm, which has enabled many flowers to be still in bloom due to a lack of hard frosts. The first week in October saw the last of our local swallows, house martins and hobby leave for Africa and the arrival…
Nature Notes – November 2023
Recent storms brought us the largest fall of North American migrants for 30 years.
Nature Notes – October 2023
In early September, I woke to find my car covered in Sahara dust, thanks to a huge plume of hot air from the south. Sahara dust is responsible for delivering an estimated 22 kilotons of phosphorous and other nutrients to the rain forests of South America. Local farmers will be only too happy to receive…
Nature Notes – September 2023
It has been a strange summer weather wise; June was very dry and sunny but with cold evenings.
Nature Notes – August 2023
We have at least one pair of sparrow hawks which operate in the village. Those of you with bird feeders will be aware of the sudden attacks on garden birds, or more usually the tell-tale sign of a patch of feathers on the lawn.
Nature Notes – July 2023
Recently I walked up Meeth Gill just west of Reeth to the Old Gang Smelt Mills to see how many species of upland birds I could find, especially summer migrants.