Volcanic Glass: What Happens When Lava Meets Ice?

Pecking order.....

Observing birds feeding close to a window allows for scrutiny of their behaviour and it is always interesting to see how some species or individuals become dominant or begin to adapt their feeding styles by copying others. Goldfinches are noisy, pugnacious feeders but despite a threat the individual in this short clip soon gives way to the larger male chaffinch. In my experience, chaffinches regularly use seed dispensers but this is the first time I have seen one using a niger seed dispenser.

Harvest mouse......

Harvest mice are much rarer than they once were.....they build their nests amongst the stems of long grass or cereals and can be found in areas of grassy scrub. They have suffered heavily from habitat loss and changes to farming practices They are visibly smaller than wood mice, with a blunter nose and smaller ears. This one was filmed in Norfolk at the Wildflower Centre near Holt, tucking into a bowl of millet.

What is a solar eclipse? UK's first in 15 years to take place on Friday

Where has the road gone?...Crossing the Washes at Welney......

Many years ago I took my elderly neighbour to see the Whooper and Bewick swans at Welney and after a drive of over a hundred miles got to within a couple of miles of the place to be confronted by this road. The options were simple. Turn back. Take a detour of a further twenty five miles. Or go through it. At the time I owned a Ford Maverick 4WD which, although not a Land Rover, was quite capable and had very high ground clearance. The water wasn't quite as deep as it is in this video but it is unnerving when all you can see of the road are the height markers and you find yourself trying to avoid ducks. We did make it and I have to say this video brought the memories flooding back. Sorry.........

ANIKA MOA RUNNING (OFFICIAL VIDEO)

Tim Vine: The Map of Cheam.....

If you didn't think weasels were quick enough to catch a bird......Annoying Weasel 'Plays' With Cat

If you didn't think weasels were quick enough to catch a bird.........

Why the green woodpecker was vulnerable to a weasel....

Green woodpeckers like short grass ....lawns and golf courses ...where they can access the ants that they feed on. People often see them in their garden feeding in this way. You can see this bird using its tongue to extract ants from the turf. Even though it does keep looking up, I suspect the weasel was quick enough to catch the bird off-guard. Green woodpeckers are quite common and their 'yaffle' call is loud and unlikely to be missed. Fans of the children's series 'Bagpuss' will know that Professor Yaffle was a green woodpecker.

Weasel Mustela nivalis killing Brown Rat

http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/nature/this-is-what-the-photographer-has-to-say-about-this-pretty-incredible-picture-10081890.html

A picture of a weasel riding a flying green woodpecker has been doing the internet rounds and some people have questioned its validity. Well I have seen weasels hunting. amongst other things, woodmice and pied wagtails....they are incredibly fast and strong and riding on the back before delivering a killing bite to the neck is their classic attack strategy. Green woodpeckers are predominantly ground feeders, primarily taking ants from short turf, so I am not surprised this one was attacked by a weasel. They are big  birds and well capable of  carrying the weasel......this one was lucky that  the photographer disturbed the attack for the weasel to let go,,,,,,usually they don't!