Warm air flows rising up from Europe and Africa have brought many migrant moths to Cornwall in the last few days. Ten different migrant species of all shapes, sizes and colours have been attracted to the garden moth trap here … Read More
This caterpillar was racing across the paving in our garden in Falmouth at the weekend. It’s not always easy to identify caterpillars but this has some distinctive markings and was in very good light which helps, even though it was … Read More
It’s not just the sunshine of this Indian Summer that makes it feel like spring as Adders, the only venomous snake in the British Isles, are once more out in the open sunbathing. We came across several at Windmill Farm … Read More
The hedgerows in Cornwall are full of different fruits at this time of year. The strings of bright red, wet-looking berries are Black Bryony. The berries are very noticeable, unlike the small, insignificant flowers seen earlier in the year in … Read More
This Whinchat stopped off at Windmill Farm Nature Reserve on The Lizard in Cornwall yesterday on its way to its wintering quarters in Africa. As always with this species the distinctive white eye stripe helped identify it even at distance … Read More
The water is low at Argal Reservoir near Falmouth at the moment. The margins are covered in Water-pepper, a rather unspectacular plant with small, pale pink flowers in long, slender, nodding inflorescence. Insight into Water-pepper (Persicaria hydropiper): native and common … Read More
This year the autumnal equinox occurs at 09:04 on 23 September, according to timeanddate.com, and this post is published to coincide with that event. It signals a change from summer to autumn in the northern hemisphere. This change of seasons … Read More
Click on the link below to see a short video of Small Tortoiseshell butterflies feeding on heathers in the sunshine in the garden yesterday. There were up to four of these beautiful butterflies at any time, all feeding furiously on … Read More
In most other parts of the country attracting a Black-banded, above left, to a garden light would be a big surprise but here in the extreme South West and close to sea cliffs it is a species to be expected … Read More
Even a common bird such as this Starling can make you look twice. This one seen at Godrevy Point, North Cornwall was in winter plumage with its dramatic speckled chest making it look quite exotic. Insight into Starling (Sturnus vulgaris): … Read More
This tall, aromatic mint is being battered by the recent winds here in Cornwall. Insight into Round-leaved Mint (Mentha suaveolens): a native British wild flower found in the south west and Wales, it flowers in branched terminal spikes in August … Read More
During a trip to see what the tail end of Hurricane Katia had brought with it to Godrevy Point on the North Cornish coast this tatty Beautiful Demoiselle was seen struggling to fly against the wind along the top of … Read More