Green bug, yellow flower
I was fascinated by the individual variation of this flower and took a series of photographs of different flower heads which I thought might make an interesting collage! But when … Continue Reading Green bug, yellow flower
Sea Spurge
Sea Spurge. In the Spring, they produce their remarkable receptacle-like flowers, which in close-up look to me like some sort of decoration for a miniature Christmas tree! The cup-shaped flower heads … Continue Reading Sea Spurge
Sea Spurge
Sea spurge (Euphorbia paralias) is a common plant on dunes and sandy beaches, from the British Isles down to the Mediterranean. The stems are slightly fleshy and glaucous – nice … Continue Reading Sea Spurge
Selecting from Nature’s patterns
Selecting from Nature’s patterns. Walking along a tide line, we might select in our camera lens certain features, patterns or accumulations as our fancy dictates. What drives this selection is a … Continue Reading Selecting from Nature’s patterns
Galician ponies: an ancient breed adapted to life on the hills
It’s hard not to be impressed by the natural, semi-wild lives these animals live in a beautiful countryside. Idyllic when the sun is shining in early June – as in … Continue Reading Galician ponies: an ancient breed adapted to life on the hills
Water pipits like watercress!
I came across some Water pipits (Anthus spinoletta spinoletta) on Serra de Capelada, a mountain near the coast in the north of Galicia, near Cape Ortegal, the second most northerly point in … Continue Reading Water pipits like watercress!
Dartford warblers in Galicia
Unlike the UK, where there are only a few thousand pairs of Dartford Warblers – mainly in southern England (1) – this species is quite common on the Iberian peninsula, … Continue Reading Dartford warblers in Galicia
The Chaffinch – lucky to live in Europe
Surprisingly, for such a well-known bird, there are quite a few subspecies, or races of the common Chaffinch, which are based on differences in the pattern and colour of the adult … Continue Reading The Chaffinch – lucky to live in Europe
A splendidly shiny beetle!
A splendidly shiny beetle!.
A splendidly shiny beetle!
This shiny, iridescent dung beetle is relatively common during the summer in the hills of Galicia, NW Spain. It is a type of dor beetle (Family: Geotrupidae) and appears to … Continue Reading A splendidly shiny beetle!
Feeding on hemlock!
There were huge numbers of Marsh Fritillary (Eurodryas aurina) butterflies flying about in Galicia (north-west Spain) when I visited the province in late April. Many of them were feeding on a … Continue Reading Feeding on hemlock!
A carrot by the sea!
This attractive member of the Carrot family (Umbelliferae) grows near the sea on rocky cliffs and headlands. Perhaps it likes the views! It’s hard to imagine a more aesthetically pleasing … Continue Reading A carrot by the sea!
Citizen snail
An enormous amount of work has been carried out over the years to try to understand the genetics of this little snail; the brown-lipped banded snail (Cepaea nemoralis). It has … Continue Reading Citizen snail
Northern Wheatear in northern Spain
I crept up on this Wheatear, which was sitting on a rock at Cape Bares (Punta de Estaca de Bares) in Galicia, Spain. Punta de Estaca de Bares is the northernmost … Continue Reading Northern Wheatear in northern Spain
Yellow and black larvae; red and black adults; what am I?
Burnet moths look to me like they are wearing fancy red and black coats! But their sartorial elegance and vivid colouration spell out a clear warning to any would be … Continue Reading Yellow and black larvae; red and black adults; what am I?
Little sand digger!
I came across this little sand wasp digging its heart out in the sand dunes on Morouzos beach, Ria Ortigueira, Galicia, Spain (see previous blog, 1). The Hairy sand wasp … Continue Reading Little sand digger!
