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Red-legged Partridge

These attractively-marked birds can be seen in the fields around Otley, but are actually native to southern Europe – hence the...

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...

Blue tit - March 2022

Despite the cold chill still in the air, signs of spring have started to appear; snowdrops, daffodils and crocuses are all blooming. The...

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...

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...

Tufted Duck - February 2022

During the winter, Otley has emptied of swifts and many of our warblers but on the water birds gather to keep safe and stay warm. The...

Big Garden Birdwatch

Otley nature lovers can take part in the world's biggest wildlife survey this coming weekend (January 29-30) when an estimated one...

Greylag Goose

Grey by name and grey by status: the UK’s biggest goose sometimes seems inappropriately classified as “wildlife”. Common in flocks of...

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....

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...

East of Otley Development Paused

Leeds City Council has announced it is ‘pausing’ the East of Otley hybrid planning application to build a new road and hundreds of houses...

new campaign launched for wildlife in Otley gardens

Local nature group, Wildlife Friendly Otley and Otley 2030 have launched a campaign to encourage residents to make their gardens more...