The ‘eyes’ markings on a peacock butterfly’s wings so resemble those on a peacock’s tail feathers that they make it easy to recognise the butterfly. They are used as a means of defence if the butterfly is threatened by a…

In general, it certainly seems day to day life is only getting busier, and it may seem impossible to fit volunteering along side everything else. However, it can be a wonderful and fulfilling way to step away from the everyday,…

This year I again joined in with No Mow May. I let my already weedy lawn grow uncut and this is the result on the 20th June. The lawn is visited by lots of insects and I have noticed several…

Tomorrow is the first Sunday in May, and this day celebrates nature’s very own free musical performance. Dubbed International Dawn Chorus Day, it is set aside for nature lovers to rise early and bask in all the melodic twitterings our…

With those April showers giving way to the warmer temperatures of May, the wildflowers are really starting to take hold – something I’m sure hasn’t escaped the notice of my fellow hay fever sufferers! Of course, while I may be bemoaning…

It’s hard to believe we are already one quarter of the way through the year – but the appearance of snowdrops, blossoms and daffodils, the coming and going of starling murmurations, and the passing of Imbolc (the midpoint between the…

  Starting your own compost heap might be simpler than you thought – all it really takes is 3 ingredients: waste, water and air. As this week is UK compost week, we can’t think of a better time to have…

While walking the farm trail by the banks of the River Tern on Friday the 13th February a few years ago, I was very fortunate to see a water vole on some debris in the middle of the river. The…

Nim’s story continues our volunteer stories series! This was originally featured in the Autumn 2022 edition of the Grazer. Name:   Naomi Boult (aka Nim) Occupation: Water Operative for the Canal & River Trust, on Trent & Mersey, Caldon and Staffs &…

Our next story from one of our lovely volunteers is Hayley’s! This was first published in the Autumn 2021 edition of the Grazer. Occupation: Artist. I like painting parts and glimpses of life that I find visually interesting, I’m not…