Wheatears have nothing to do with wheat or ears …. let’s just say they were named after their white behinds. Victorians and vicars bird watching in mixed company blushed when they were called upon to identify one, so their name was subtly censored.

When it comes to world-famous toads, it’s not a particularly crowded field, with only Toad of Toad Hall to contest the title …..

Holly has been eelebrated in many traditions over the centuries becuase, as. anative evergreen, its vibrancy in the dead of winter could easily be mistaken for immortality …

I’ve had a strange fascination with slugs since I was a little boy…..

Do your bit for the pollinators and they’ll keep the world working for us….

….it’s only a matter of time before the Rose-ringed Parakeet moves into suburban Sussex.

In the shadows under the Oak trees my enemy awaits …..

We’re fortunate that southeast England is a hotspot for these Herculean heavyweights, but sadly our Stag Beetles are on the ropes …..

We must never let their song of hope be silenced forever …