Tag: Animals

Red Deer Hind | www.junemolloy.com
Wild Lithuania

Red Deer Hind with Calf

June

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 been seeking them out for about two years, mostly to no avail. This hind posed nicely for a moment, then trotted off across the road and disappeared back into the trees. I had just put my camera down when I realised she was being trailed by her newborn calf – the tiny creature on spindly legs looked like it was only hours old. I had no time to focus, so please excuse the blurry shot. I still think it’s cute as can be! Continue reading “Red Deer Hind with Calf” →

Bean Goose Migration, Lithuania | www.junemolloy.com
Wild Lithuania

Bean Goose Migration

June

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 in a while, though, I get to see a true spectacle. Continue reading “Bean Goose Migration” →

Common Buzzard | www.junemolloy.com
Wild Lithuania

A Buzzard Soars

June

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 was lucky once to be in the garden, camera in hand, when one flew over the house. Most of the time, though, they are gone from range before I have time to grab my camera. Continue reading “A Buzzard Soars” →

Grey Wolf | www.junemolloy.com
Guardian of Giria

Why the Wolves are not the Bad Guys

June

One question that has come up a number of times when chatting with readers about Guardian of Giria is why I made wolves the “bad guys”. And my answer is this – the wolves are not the “bad guys,” they are the antagonists. And those are not the same thing. Let me explain. (Please note that this post contains slight spoilers as to the content of the book.) Continue reading “Why the Wolves are not the Bad Guys” →

Wild Boar Nighttime Feeding, Lithuania | www.junemolloy.com
Wild Lithuania

Wild Boar Feeding Project, Tauragė (Lithuania)

June

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! Continue reading “Wild Boar Feeding Project, Tauragė (Lithuania)” →

Apple Cheese | www.junemolloy.com
General

Waldorf Green School, Vilnius

June

This week, I visited the Waldorf Green School in the village of Skirgiškės, about an hour north of Vilnius. The school is set about two kilometres from the village, deep within the forest, where it is surrounded by paddocks and lots and lots of trees. The classrooms, all built of wood and each with their own woodburning stove, are cosy and welcoming. Continue reading “Waldorf Green School, Vilnius” →

Sparkling Spider's Web | www.junemolloy.com
Wild Lithuania

Sparkling Webs

June

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 still enough light to walk the dog after dinner. By 9 pm it is fully dark, perfect for settling down with a good book or a movie without the guilty feeling that you should be doing something more “constructive”. Continue reading “Sparkling Webs” →

Common Cranes (Grus Grus) | www.junemolloy.com
Wild Lithuania

Cranes in the Mist

June

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.
Continue reading “Cranes in the Mist” →

Are Animal Books Waning in Popularity? | www.junemolloy.com
Writing

Are Animal Books Waning in Popularity?

June

‘How could books about wizards, werewolves, hobbits and fairies be desirable, but books about real-life animals not be? Have the animal books that I loved so much in my youth died a death?’

My guest post for Mairead Hearne of the wonderful Swirl and Thread. Continue reading “Are Animal Books Waning in Popularity?” →

Guardian of Giria Characters | www.guardianofgiria.com
Guardian of Giria

Characters in Guardian of Giria

June

Giria Wood is a large forest with a healthy population of animal families, many of whom feature in the story. Some are main characters and others are just family members who are mentioned once or twice. Together, they make quite a cast of characters. Continue reading “Characters in Guardian of Giria” →

Red Deer Stags | www.guardianofgiria.com
Wild Lithuania

Red Deer Antlers: Annual Regrowth

June

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 large antlers are a good indication of the virility and strength of the male. Unfortunately for the stags, they lose their antlers every year and then grow a new set. And while they’re between sets of antlers, they look just like the girls!
Continue reading “Red Deer Antlers: Annual Regrowth” →