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I've been on a bit of a woodland mission this week . So I though I might as well finish the week off as I started it : with trees. This is my quick guide to five easy to identify trees. 1. Oak Where you live in the country will depend on whether you see sessile or pedunculate oaks. However...

Over the past week, two news stories stuck out for me. In Argyll a couple came to the aid of a baby otter , flooded out of its home by the rain, and effectively saved its life. In contrast to this lone vulnerable baby, a pod of mighty killer whales were the concern of Canadian residents as they...

Yes, you did read me right. Do nothing. Nada. Nichts. Rien. Do nowt. Even if only for a few minutes, I know that switching off from whatever task I'm doing works wonders and puts any stresses I might be having into perspective. And once you've had your fill of doing nothing, why not...

The journey home for Christmas. For some it might only be a tube ride or short commute from the office, but many will be migrating across the UK for the winter hols. When travelling it always strikes me how varied our habitats are, even between next-door counties, almost every one has some unique...

With the weather set to be pretty grim, I thought suggestions for outdoor activities this weekend might lack appeal. But, if like myself you still have Christmas shopping to do, why not do it sustainably? What we buy has the power to change habitats around the world for the better or worse. It's...

Are you looking for something to brighten up your place this Christmas? How about making your very own Christmas wreath? In a couple of weeks time, we’ll be asking you to share photos of your wreaths, so why not get a get start by making yours this weekend? What do I need? Wreaths are...

Add that extra sparkle to your home and show-off your creativity and skills to friends and family this weekend. Nature has an abundance of materials that with little effort can be transformed into unique decorations. Over a couple of quick lunchtime walks around the The Lodge this week, I've...

With the long, dark nights, and chilly temperatures winter is certainly here now. And with it, winter brings some truly amazing wildlife spectacles. So why not find one for yourself this weekend? A pink sky I’m off to Wash. Hopefully I’ll be able to see one of my favourite wildlife...

With that windy spell the other week some trees have already yielded their annual leaf crop to the elements. But look out for the next batch: birch , beech and oak leaves will soon be falling and if you go to a wooded area near by you can either just enjoy the sight of leaves in the breeze, or you can...

Feeling gloomy now that dark evenings are here? There are good things about it, too. Tawny owls are getting noisy. If you're outside near woodland, or even just a few trees in a town, you could hear the yelping calls of female owls (the 'too-whit' part) or the 'hooooo' of the males...

Cold. That’s what those in the know are forecasting this weekend. But don’t despair. The cold weather could bring more birds to your garden – woo hoo! So this weekend, why don’t you make sure that your feeders are cleaned out, topped up and ready to rock? What, when and...

Famous for springing up overnight then disappearing almost as fast, fungi can seem hard to get to know and love . But go for a walk in almost any wood at this time of year and you'll come across some fascinating fungi . And with names such as stinkhorns, waxcaps, and earthstars don't they...

The heralds of winter have arrived. In the north and east of the UK the fieldfares and redwings are arriving from Iceland and Scandinavia for the winter, and as they get here it’s also time to bid farewell to the swallows as they leave in their droves for warmer climes; a thoroughly sensible course...

Now that autumn's most definitely here and making itself felt, spare a thought for the small creatures which will be looking for somewhere snug to see out the cold months. This weekend, why not try making a home for insects ? It's really easy, though you can make it as ornate and complex as...

Who’s picked a blackberry this year? The rest of the time brambles are regarded as weeds and are the source of many a scratched shin, but at this time of year they give something back, a bountiful provision of glossy black fruit. If you just pick the ones at waist height, there should be plenty...

Not tidying. Now there's something that comes easily to me! As my long-suffering Mum and girlfriend will no doubt attest to! It’s not that I don’t prefer to be tidy, but there’s always something more interesting to do. However, when it comes to wildlife gardening, being slow to...

Don't say it too loudly, but it looks like it might be quite a nice weekend . What have you got planned? I'm looking forward to a barbecue. If you might be doing the same, make sure you make it a wildlife-friendly event and buy Forestry Stewardship Council-approved charcoal . If your barbecue...

They’re popping up everywhere, and earlier than usual due to this spate of autumnal weather. The conditions generally required are: moisture, moderately cool temperature, good levels of oxygen and slightly acidic soil (the soil in most temperate woods, especially pine, is acidic). This presents...

If you didn’t know it’s a bank holiday weekend where have you been? We get an extra day to enjoy nature. Or that’s how I see it, anyway. What shall we do with the extra day? How about spot a shark? If the weather’s nice (fingers crossed!) then a trip to the seaside is on the...

With results from our recent Make Your Nature Count garden wildlife survey suggesting that as many as one in 10 of you have slow worms in your garden , why not get to know them a bit better this weekend? As Maurice recently pointed out on this very blog, there is nothing to fear from these legless...

As the Olympics swing into action, another big event is on the final straight. And this one doesn’t require years of training, a specially built arena or donning lycra! Pick a spot, any spot Our friends over at Butterfly Conservation are running their Big Butterfly Count . Everything you...

As cinema-goers get excited about the latest Batman movie ( looks good , doesn't it?), spare a thought for the mammalian creature that provides inspiration for Bruce Wayne's alter ego. Sadly, bat numbers are on the slide and these furry masters of our night sky are in need of a little helping...

This weekend, how about planning a life-enhancing, wildlife-friendly addition to your garden or balcony? Think about creating a pond . With a typical British summer ahead, now's the time to install water butts to collect pond-friendly rainwater (if you haven't already) and take the plunge...

Swifts . They’re the screeching, scythe-shaped, signs of summer, with a sky-high lifecycle that almost defies belief. But they’re in trouble. There is now just one swift for every three that graced our skies back in 1995. That’s bad isn’t it? To be honest, no one really...

...today, or even this weekend, it might not quite be a big surprise, but how about we all get out and celebrate the UK’s woodlands? It doesn’t have to be to a big day out, maybe just an afternoon stroll. But there’s plenty of good places in the UK, and they’re all different...