Fringe Cups
More delights from a walk by the river, somewhat understated perhaps until you look closely. The tall spikes of bell-shaped, green-white...
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Green Hairstreak
This beautiful dainty and rare butterfly is on the wing at the moment but it won’t be for long. If you want to catch a glimpse then head...
19
Golden Saxifrage
This was one of those rare moments of awe in the ordinary. Whilst out for a walk I paused as I often do by the river to take in the...
11
Tawny Mining Bee
Not commonly seen on the wing before April, this bee was seen in mid March, another sign of the changing climate perhaps. Tawny mining...
14
Hoof Fungus
This fungus can be seen all year round in Otley, and its descriptive name makes it relatively easy to identify, although its colour...
5
Cherry Plum Blossom
The blossom is out! Blossom, like this one of the Cherry plum heralds Spring for many people. On a warm day these blooms are alive with...
16
Red-legged Partridge
These attractively-marked birds can be seen in the fields around Otley, but are actually native to southern Europe – hence the...
15
Cedar Cup Fungus
We tend to think of fungus as an autumnal sight, but the fruit body of this rare variety bursts out of the ground in the spring. As the...
9
Sycamore
These natives of the mountains of southern Europe have adopted so well to conditions in the UK that some regard them as a weed and an...
6
Stump Puffball
We spotted these fine specimens on Old Pool Bank – often present in densely-packed bunches they have been described as “the banana of the...
11
Greylag Goose
Grey by name and grey by status: the UK’s biggest goose sometimes seems inappropriately classified as “wildlife”. Common in flocks of...
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Milk-white Toothed Polypore
The old railway line is a great place to walk this time of year, to discover fungi, lichen and mosses you might never have seen before....
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Lecidella Lichen
Another find along the old railway, a yellowy grey or pale grey-green lichen with a cracked crust and studded with black spots. This...
6
Beautiful Plume
This distinctive moth is a capital T shape at rest, and can be seen all year round in Otley – you may find one inside your house. Their...
6
Common Gull
This bird has a deceptive name – they’re not our most common gull. The ones we see frequently on the Tittybottle Park railings, for...
16
hart's tongue fern
Now our deciduous trees are bare and flowers have gone, ferns become very visible. I love finding the Hart’s tongue fern in unusual...
5
Blushing Bracket
The brackets of this species can be from 8 to 22 cm wide and are characterised by having a sharp edge. They are pale brown on the upper...
9
Siskin
This is one of those birds that is a little easier to spot in the autumn and winter as migrants join the resident population, and harsh...
8
Coral Spot
A fungal disease of woody plants causing branches to die back. Small coral-pink raised spots (pustules) form after the branch dies,...
8
Raspberry Slime Mold
One of the most commonly encountered slime molds in the UK. This one was spotted on the Chevin, it is found on decaying wood. It appears...
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