Entry number four in our Plant of the Week series follows the unexpected discovery of Italian Toadflax growing in my local cemetery.
Author Archives: James Common
Naturalist and nature writer from North-East England
Ladybirds along the Tyne – Elswick, Heaton, Havannah & Prudhoe
From the city carparks and cemeteries to chalk mounds at Prudhoe, it has been a fantastic fortnight for local ladybirds.
Spotted Marsh Ladybird, Coccidula scutellata, at Gosforth Nature Reserve
This week, I was delighted to record what appears to be the first Spotted Marsh Ladybird recorded in South Northumberland (VC67). Searching various local wetlands this year for Red Marsh Ladybird and Water Ladybird, one thing that has persisted at the back of my mind had been the possibility of finding the former’s far scarcerContinue reading “Spotted Marsh Ladybird, Coccidula scutellata, at Gosforth Nature Reserve”
Wildflowers on the web: great botany blogs and resources
Whether you’re Googling an exciting find or planning your next botanical foray, there are some fantastic botany blogs out there to discover.
Plant of the week: Forked Catchfly
For the third entry in our ‘Plant of the Week’ series we take a look at Forked Catchfly, a rare arable weed from Eastern Europe
A quick guide to black ladybirds
A short guide to some of the black ladybirds you could encounter while ladybird spotting across the UK
A ladybird extravaganza – local recording in July
With visits to some of my favourite haunts and lots to see elsewhere, July has been a great month for ladybird recording.
A guided tour of the patch
Nature is often better when shared with others and this week, it was great to welcome several local naturalists to the patch.
Plant of the week: Lobed Maidenhair Spleenwort
Our next ‘Plant of the Week’ is the rare Lobed Maidenhair Spleenwort, an elusive subspecies of the familiar Asplenium trichomanes.
A new iRecord group for wildlife recording in Newcastle
I’ve created a new group activity for naturalists and local people passionate about recording wildlife in Newcastle It is no secret that I am a big fan of biological recording, and perhaps an even bigger fan of the wildlife of my home city. Newcastle is home to a fantastic diversity of wildlife, and thanks toContinue reading “A new iRecord group for wildlife recording in Newcastle”
A festival of ferns at Hareshaw Linn
An account of a fantastic day spent exploring fern identification at the glorious Hareshaw Linn.
Recent sightings from Silverlink
With summer in full swing, there has been lots to enjoy on the local patch including a fantastic array of plants and insects.