by Rebecca Porter | Apr 30, 2026 | Wildlife Reports
If you know your dragonflies then you’ll know the Downy Emerald doesn’t pose for the camera; if it settles it does so at the top of a tree. So why was this one sitting on the herbs on the Butterfly Walk? First clue is that it is an immature. You can tell from the... 
by Rebecca Porter | Mar 30, 2026 | Wildlife Reports
As holiday time approaches for many of us, it is time to re-engage with nature. It is a time of miraculous change; every day more leaves and flowers burst open. The Horse Chestnut bud is particularly fascinating to watch daily. It is what is called a predetermined... 
by Rebecca Porter | Mar 7, 2026 | Wildlife Reports
As February ends and March begins, the insect activity has suddenly exploded at Sculpture by the Lakes, particularly on the plum blossom and hellebores. Red Admirals, once considered a migratory butterfly species largely arriving in May, have clearly survived... 
by Rebecca Porter | Dec 17, 2025 | Wildlife Reports
The sound of Long-tailed Tits chattering as they flock together is a cue to look up, not only to watch them but to see what other birds are with them. Blue and Great Tits are perhaps the most likely at Sculpture by the Lakes but it is worth checking out the tree... 
by Rebecca Porter | Nov 8, 2025 | Wildlife Reports
After a year of training with members of the British Lichen Society, it is time to start identifying and recording lichens at Sculpture by the Lakes. It is still early days so it will be necessary to start with the easier ones. But easy, doesn’t necessarily mean... 
by Rebecca Porter | Oct 5, 2025 | Wildlife Reports
The heavy rain in September, has precipitated the first of the autumnal mushrooms to emerge. Fly Agaric are perhaps the most familiar. They are often pictured in cartoon fashion as having red caps with white spots but the spots are not actually part of the cap. They...
