The weather has turned distinctly autumny over the past few weeks. We went from blazing heat every day for most of July to wind, rain, mist and chilly temperatures just as August began. While a bit of respite from the heat is welcome, I'm not ready for autumn just yet! Chestnut trees are always the… Continue reading Autumn comes too early
I am as drawn to wildflowers as I am to wild animals. I find them intoxicating, dizzying, especially when they grow together in great numbers. They are feisty and strong, pushing their colourful heads up in the wildest of places. They nod gently in the breeze or sway violently if the wind blows strong. Somehow,… Continue reading Flowering Rushes
Hark, how blithe the throstle singsAnd he is no mean preacherCome forth into the light of thingsLet Nature be your teacherWilliam WOrdsworth I spend many hours in the forest and have been fascinated for some time by the song of a mysterious bird I could never see. It was reminiscent of a child's toy -… Continue reading Song Thrush
I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately. I wanted to live deep and suck all the marrow of life, to put to rout all that was not life, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. From "Walden", by Henry David Thoreau (condensed) I spend a… Continue reading Into the Woods
Spring came late in Lithuania this year. Winter didn't start in earnest until January, but it found its feet quickly and dug in hard. Snow fell on top of snow and temperatures held at about -19 C (-2 F) until the end of February. It was beautiful to behold, even if it cost a small… Continue reading Wildflowers
I envy animals sometimes. They live life in the moment. If they feel like eating, they eat. If they feel like sleeping, they sleep. And while they're alert for danger and will bolt if they feel the need, they return to their relaxed state very quickly. No need to dwell on that last danger. No… Continue reading Living in the Moment
"You know Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen...🎼" "Not again, Robert - WE'RE NOT REINDEER!" Like what you see? Then please subscribe for updates on my writing, photography & daily life. You can also follow on Facebook and Twitter. You can view more of my wildlife photos here and here.
We are lucky to have so much wildlife right on our doorstep. Roe deer are very flightly and quite hard to sneak up on - they are usually on the run and out of range before you can get your camera to your hand. Sometimes, if you're lucky, you'll catch one in flight. They are… Continue reading Roe Deer Doe
I find snow very soothing. It dulls sounds, softens light, quietens the mind. Having a dog is great for getting you out of the house and into the fresh air, even when the temperatures have fallen well below zero. I walk about 4 km each morning, and even though I regularly take the same route,… Continue reading Pale Morning Sun
I know lots of people are feeling "stuck" right now, with all the travel restrictions that are in place. I managed to make it to the seaside a few days ago. It was the first time I'd ever seen snow on sand and slushy ice at the water's edge. Between the sky, the sea and… Continue reading Stuck in Colder Weather
I've been watching the ducks down at our local pond since the start of April, following their journey. I think there are four drakes and three ducks. I certainly saw plenty of mating action in April and was really looking forward to seeing the ducklings emerge. I had spotted a few broken eggs on the… Continue reading Mallard with Ducklings
I've waited so long to take these pictures. I know they're not perfect, but when one of your favourite animals strolls out from the trees a few metres away, you take whatever photos you can get, regardless of the strong shadows. Red deer feature prominently in my middle-grade novel, Guardian of Giria, and I have… Continue reading Red Deer Hind with Calf
A gorgeous male chaffinch. It's a pity there is a branch partially blocking him, but there is still some lovely colour and feather detail. Beautiful birds. Like what you see? Then please subscribe for updates on my writing, photography & daily life. You can also follow on Facebook and Twitter. You can view more of… Continue reading Male Chaffinch
There are days when I go out to take photos and seeing nothing of interest. Perhaps a few roe deer that run off as I approach or a fox skulking by a distant hedgerow. I regularly see birds, but most are small and skittish and have moved on before I can lift my camera. Once… Continue reading Bean Goose Migration
Driving through the countryside at the moment, the air is filled with the song of these tiny little birds. I scan the skies, I scan the fields, but they are so hard to spot. Finally, I see one. I sit and watch. I listen. It is magical. If you're not familiar with the beautiful song… Continue reading Skylark
Our house is nestled at the edge of our village, facing out onto fields and forests for as far as the eye can see. Sitting in my front room, I regularly see buzzards swooping and soaring over the fields. Generally, they are quite far in the distance, but occasionally they do come quite close. I… Continue reading A Buzzard Soars
Between the mists and the snow, the roads look endless. Oh, to drive forever on such roads, the crunch of snow beneath my wheels, the cold air pouring through the open windows as I dare not miss a single sight. The countryside is already beautiful, but under a thick blanket of snow, it is magical.… Continue reading Snowy Lanes
Oh, the joy! Oh, the sweet, sweet joy! Finally, after years of searching and waiting, I got to see a wild boar in the flesh. But not just one boar – a whole sounder (group) of sows and piglets! And the experience was everything I hoped it would be! NorÄ—dami skaityti šį straipsnį lietuvių kalba,… Continue reading Wild Boar Feeding Project, TauragÄ— (Lithuania)
A common buzzard (paprastasis suopis) soaring above my garden. Look at that sky for the last day of October! Like what you see? Then please subscribe for updates on my writing, photography & daily life. You can also follow on Facebook and Twitter. You can view more of my wildlife photos here and here.
There is something soothing about September. After the build-up of spring and the crescendo of summer, things are slowly starting to wind down. The ouch is gone out of the sun but it is still warm enough to be outside, sometimes even in shorts and a t-shirt. The evenings are noticeably shorter but there is… Continue reading Sparkling Webs
This is how to do September - high tea in a high hide! Two thick slices of homemade sourdough, slathered with homemade mayo, Two soft-boiled eggs, still warm, One home-grown tomato, One home-grown apple, A mug of tea, A fantastic view, Camera in hand ... And a gorgeous evening! Like what you see? Then please… Continue reading High Tea in a High Hide!
It appears our area is a congregation site for common cranes (grus grus) - thousands of them gather each autumn in the fields around our village, getting ready for the long flight south. They are a little skittish, so getting close can be tricky, but they are a magnificent sight to behold. Like what you… Continue reading Cranes in the Mist
Strictly speaking, this is a common frog, but that seems like too plain a name for a creature so beautiful, and one who looks so at home on the forest floor, surrounded by moss, twigs and other detritus. So I'm calling him a forest frog! Like what you see? Then please subscribe for updates on… Continue reading Forest Frog
This morning, I spent the best part of an hour rescuing this hedgehog from certain death. I was working in the shed when I heard a strange sound coming from a corner beside a big bale of hay. Not sure of what I might find, I gingerly took a peek and was horrified to discover… Continue reading Hedgehog Rescue
It was very misty this morning and I didn't have a great sleep last night, so when I saw this guy on the garden fence I was certain I was seeing things. Unfortunately, he flew off before I could grab my binoculars. But later, when I went out to the bin, I spotted him again… Continue reading Hoopoe (Kukutis)
My field guide tells me that this is a Ruddy Darter, but I don't believe it. I've seen this guy somewhere before. In a movie. I'm sure of it. Dragonflies are my favourite insects and maybe even one of my favourite wildlife species. They are ancient, with fossils dating back over 325 million years and,… Continue reading Darter Invader
A red deer stag with a massive crown of antlers is a very impressive sight. And indeed, that is part of their function – to make the stag look more impressive to the ladies. It takes a lot of testosterone to grow those antlers and it takes a lot of food to nourish them, so… Continue reading Red Deer Antlers: Annual Regrowth
June Molloy 