I realise the start of a new season by seeing spring flowers, like forsythias, azaleas and cherry blossoms when I lived in Korea. Here are some of the spring flowers in the UK bringing this news when I walk in town or the woods. Snowdrops The first snowdrop encounters of each year cheer me up to get over the long winter. They also nudge me that I should get on with the new year’s resolutions. Although I like winter for family events like Christmas, this season sometimes makes me feel down because of the weather. Daylight is still lacking after the first day of the new year; rainfall is more common than snowfall or sunlight; and walking paths are thick with mud… Then one day, I see the delicate but brave snowdrops breaking through the cold! They instantly encourage me to feel positive about what might be ahead. This feel-good…
Hartfield is a small village in the Ashdown Forest, where the stories of Winnie-the-Pooh were born. Josh and I went to Hartfield a few times last autumn, including this one in early September with his grandparents. If you’re looking to go somewhere in East Sussex, Hartfield is worth considering, with treats at Pooh Corner and a walk to Pooh Sticks Bridge. Continue reading and you’ll see why I liked Hartfield so much! Hartfield Pooh Corner Tea Room Pooh Corner is a Winnie-the-Pooh-themed tea room. It has both indoor and outdoor seating available. Even though it was a weekday, we made a reservation to avoid any waiting just in case. We also requested an outdoor table during booking to be on the safer side from the COVID-19 risk for Josh’s grandparents. Tasty Lunch and Tea at Pooh Corner A lot of dishes on the menu looked tempting and we went for…
Stonehenge was a great place to spot some wildlife, as I was welcomed by a group of starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) and a pied wagtail (Motacilla alba). It was my second visit to Stonehenge, almost exactly a year ago. Although it was only the beginning of March, it felt as warm as my first trip in mid-summer. (Or rather, the summer visit was as chilly as March because of the strong wind blowing at Stonehenge!) In fact, in terms of photography, I took better photos this time thanks to more sunlight. When I first visited Stonehenge 5+ years ago, I had not spotted wildlife at all. This could be due to several reasonsโฆ too many tourists in mid-summer, a different season, or maybe more likelyโฆ. I hadnโt paid attention to wildlife at Stonehenge then. But that was an old me and weโre now talking about the โnewโ me. The First wildlife…
At the beginning of 2020, I decided to try a bullet journal to better organise the year. Having used it for a year, although I won’t use it for 2021, I wanted to share an accomplishment related to my highlights of 2020 and bullet journaling: designing my own bullet journal cover. Design Your Bullet Journal Monthly Cover with Wildlife You Watch My highlights in 2020 were all about nature and wildlife; designing each month’s cover on the bullet journal with wildlife sightings and natural experiences was the best way to record them. Every month, I noted new species I encountered in person or any interesting episode or experience about wildlife in the UK. Among them, the most memorable one became a topic for next month’s cover design. My families and friends loved this idea and with their support, I’m going to continue to do so for 2021 as well. :)…
A Very Lucky Night to See 3 Different Species of Wildlife: Badger, Fox and Hedgehog (Part 2) Getting ready for the badger watching night Our badger watching evening came, 15th September, as we set after finding the perfect evidence of badger activities. We started getting ready from 4-5 pm. Things we prepared were a mini step ladder, a flat sheet, 2 sets of binoculars, a red light head torch, the fatty parts of sliced ham and meatballs. As animals have a much better sense of smell, we also had a quick shower. We didn’t use a shower gel or shampoo but just water, as they could leave another scent! Josh cooked pasta for a quick supper at 6-ish, then we set off for an evening adventure. We were a bit concerned about timing, as a reference said arriving an hour before sunset but we left later than we planned… But…
A Very Lucky Night to See 3 Different Species of Wildlife: Badger, Fox and Hedgehog (Part 1) Early last month, Josh and I had a stroll in the woods near where we live. Not only do foxes and deer live here, but also badgers, so he suggested we pick a day and come back at dusk for badger watching. Being excited about the idea, I said yes! and we focused on finding evidence of badgers as we walked. The traces of badgers we were looking for included badger setts and pits, which would play an important role to determine where we should return to have the maximum chance to spot a badger. One of the clues for working out where badgers live is arc-shaped setts with a clear path leading to the entrance, like above. On this occasion, this group of badgers cleverly used a tree trunk that had fallen…