Easy Beesy

I’ve written about birds in this column ad nauseam, and for good reason – everyone warms to their avian charms. But what about the other contender in the euphemistic phrase, bees?   Its Heath Week at the end of this month, so I’ve been out and

A Positive Start

About eight years ago I spotted a job advert in the guardian supplement, looking for a Publications Officer for the Devon Wildlife Trust. I was, at the time, a newly graduated Biology student, working as a Press Officer in North London, and not really

Wandering on Woodbury

I hope you enjoyed last week’s column, its always a pleasure to uncover new talent and it looks like Exmouth has a healthy future with local journalism!   This week I want to continue in a similar schools-related vein, but this time it’s all my

Sniffing out a story with the Newshounds

Last week I had the pleasure of being interviewed by Exeter Road Primary School’s after school journalist club – the Newshounds. Ten students from the school visited the Exmouth Local Nature Reserve and gave me a grilling about everything under the sun,

World Wonders

Marvellous, at long last another countryside column from me, prompted by a muffled “What the ????” from beneath the duvet.   This morning I was quietly putting off the inevitable getting out of bed moment, snoozing gently to the dulcet tones of

Shells, sparrows and spades

The past few weeks have seen house sparrows descend upon the marshes in search of a seasonal treat. Hemlock water dropwort, growing along the edges of ditches around Seaton Marshes, is full of house sparrows chirping and bickering over a feast of newly

The Silly Season

This is the start of my silly season. Schools want to get out of the classroom and with the pressure of the modern education system on their shoulders, I can see why!   Working as a nature reserve Education Ranger, it’s kind of my thing to bang

Summer is here at last!

Ye gads the Heat!  You know it has got hot, because people are wearing funny clothes that they weren’t wearing a few weeks ago. Odd  length trousers which look like the wearer has experienced an unplanned growth spurt overnight. A few misguided

Drop everything and go!

Wow! Stop what you are doing immediately, which means stop reading this column, don’t worry I’ll be here when you get back. Get yourself down to Holyford Woods immediately, I assure you it’s well worth it…   …See, I told you, magnificent isn’t

Trapping and sampling

Trapping animals, humanely might I add, is a source of debate within ecology circles. Whether its bird ringing or insect pitfalls, is it right to interfere with an animal’s ‘business’ in order to learn a little more about it?   If done well, and

Many hands make light work

A couple of weeks ago, I sang the praises of the volunteers who gather valuable information about wetland bird numbers in the monthly WeBS counting. Well, there’s a couple of dates for your diary on the horizon, so I’m going to talk about the valuable

Events success

Ask any 6 year old child on Boxing Day, and they will confirm that the problem with really looking forward to a single date, is that the moment has to pass and it leaves you feeling empty.   For the last three or four months a really big deal loomed

Helpful hints for the holidays

It’s that time of year again. School has chucked your kids out and they’re home all day, under your feet. But living in this part of the world there is no excuse to be stuck for something to do or somewhere to explore in the spring sunshine. Heck, there’s

A new perspective on collecting

One of the nicest things about my job is meeting lots of different people and having the time to chat to them about their countryside experiences.   Last week, at the last meet the birds morning for Seaton Marshes Local Nature Reserve until Autumn,

Volunteering in your local community

As you are probably well aware, all of us officers here at your Local Authority work tirelessly to ensure we share good practice, resources and promote efficiencies whenever possible. We do, I promise.   With that in mind, Mark Pollard, Parks and