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I was reminded by a soft splash in my garden pond that the spring is here for our aquatic wildlife too. Frogs, toads and fish like these minnows ( Phoxinus phoxinus ) are all using our fresh water habitats to breed, although probably not in the same places, frog spawn tends to get eaten when there...

They're back! Yes, that's right, cuckoos are definitely back in the UK - I heard at least three over the weekend. Did you hear any? Why not let me know by leaving a comment below... So to celebrate the arrival of cuckoos, spring and a whole host of other migrant birds this weekend, here's...

...a stick. Of course! And at the moment many of the trees around The Lodge look more like big sticks protruding from the ground, than the fresh and vibrant living things they will blossom into in the coming weeks. I, for one, am looking forward to this explosion of growth that will add a welcome...

You'd have to have been as a mad as March hare to be out in the cold over the weekend! However, it was actually a great weekend to spot these long-legged cousins of rabbits. Glancing out of the car window, I saw several braving the open fields of snowy Cambridgeshire yesterday. With their brown...

It’s a hard life being a frog. Of around 2000 eggs laid by each female, only a few will reach adulthood. They were recently exposed as the culprits behind an unidentified jelly found in the countryside, previously attributed to meteors ! It turns out it’s just unfertilised egg plasma...

Hands up if you're going to a party tonight? Yes? Maybe just a wee celebration to see in the 2013? I found this great image of wintery Bewick's swans on RSPB Images . It's a family gathering that certainly looks like they're celebrating something! And as with all family celebrations...

Have you got ordered your turkey yet? Perhaps a nice plump goose is more your thing for Christmas Day? Whatever your choice of Christmas fowl, it won't be a bittern ! In days long gone, fenland folk in the east of England would like nothing better than tucking into roast bittern to celebrate another...

Frost and decorations. These are two things I noticed at the weekend. There's definitely more decorations popping up in the area of Bedfordshire where I live. And it was cold too and pretty frosty when I was up and out at first light on Saturday (I hasten to say awake as well, but hey!). So...

With many of us getting ready to let out our best 'oohs' and 'ahhs' at a firework's display tonight, let's not forget that nature can put on a pretty spectacular display, too: Now I've never seen the Northern Lights, but by all accounts it's a mesmerizing experience...

Continuing a past trend of championing those bits of nature that don't move around much, this shot persuaded me to pick rocks. The visual effect of this weird geology is truly striking, and unlike organic landscape features, they stay that way all year. This rare limestone pavement in...

Who says that we don't have bright, colourful wildlife in the UK? You won't get much brighter than this male ruddy darter dragonfly , photographed by Steve Knell. Head over to RSPB Images to view other photos and buy beautiful prints.

I stumbled across some fascinating fungi this weekend so I chose these quintessential toadstools to advocate this often overlooked kingdom. Also known as ‘fly agaric’ these mushrooms are fruiting bodies for a species of fungi that lives in partnership with tree’s roots. In return...

This picture epitomises what I love about nature, it was taken just a stones throw from where I’m sitting at the RSPB’s HQ. Amazing scenes in nature are nearby wherever you are. This oak woodland has been captured with morning light getting caught in the haze of moisture rising under the...

This week sees the start of National Insect Week . So, to celebrate, I've picked this simply stunning image of two hoverflies alighting on a coneflower. Hoverflies are some of my favourite insects , with their intricate patterns and habit of micmicking bees and wasps. These two are marmalade hoverflies...

Here at RSPB HQ it's less of a magic Monday and more of a miserable Monday, weather-wise. This splendid white-tailed eagle certainly it looks as it knows that feeling... Fingers crossed for better weather soon! You can brighten your afternoon by taking a browse through RSPB Images , our very own...

Happy St. George's Day! In honour of England's (amongst others) Patron saint, I've trawled RSPB Images in search of images of dragon slaying. Amongst the thousands of stunning wildlife shots I couldn't find any actual dragons, but I did find something that I think is way cooler. ...

Are you feeling bright-eyed and bushy-tailed this morning? We're basking in glorious sunshine here at RSPB HQ . In parts of the UK's mountains and moors, male black grouse will be getting down to the important business of 'lekking'. Basically that's showing off to female grouse...

Is it gloomy and grey and a bit chilly where you are? Don't despair! Soon it'll be spring and there's so much to look forward to. Here's a gorgeous heath fritillary butterfly, a species you can see at our Blean Woods nature reserve in Kent (if you time your visit right). The photo...

Would you dangle upside down to get a meal? It's all part of everyday life for a nuthatch - one of my favourite birds to watch. They're not afraid to hang upside down or run headfirst down tree trunks while looking for food. But then they have long, curved claws to help them hang on to the bark...

I saw this image of a displaying male goldeneye , taken by Graham Eaton, and just had to share it! I feel that it really captures the energy the males put into attracting the ladies! This medium-sized diving duck can be found all over the UK at the moment, lakes and reservoirs are favourite...

Katie's post on Friday reminded me how beautiful winter can be. And when I saw this gorgeous image of Snowdon by Guy Rogers I just knew I had to share it with you. You can find more stunning winter photos on RSPB Images .

Who said clouds have to be bad? Just take a look at the gorgeous clouds and mist in this photo by Mark Sisson, from the RSPB Images photo-library (imagine how beautiful this would look on your wall!)

Who said moths are boring? Here's a classic autumn moth that you could see virtually anywhere in the UK this month. It's an angle shades, a species whose caterpillars feed on a variety of common plants including nettles, brambles, hops and oaks. As you can probably guess, the angle shades'...

We hope you enjoyed the Bank Holiday weekend, and are feeling all refreshed from three days off. Maybe you feel as refreshed as this female blackbird will after her quick dip? For more refreshing images check out RSPB Images .

Everyone loves ladybirds, so I hope this week's Monday Magic Moment will do the trick. You can find this gorgeous photo (taken by Ernie Janes) and many, many others over on our RSPB Images library . This is a seven-spot ladybird and it seems like there's a lot of them about at The Lodge currently...