Towersey to Kingsey and back again....a summer stroll.....

Eastbourne Pier Fire: Sky News Helicopter Footage

Aerial footage of the fire ravaging Eastbourne's historic pier

UK: Flash flooding hits North London

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/firefighters-rescue-people-trapped-in-homes-and-cars-following-flooding-in-west-london-9632658.html

It always amazes me how localised rainfall can be. In Aylesbury earlier this year one half of the roundabout near the new theatre was in sunshine but as you drove around it it was raining heavily towards the train station....a very static cloud! Heavy rain in west London yesterday never got as far as here, a few miles away. We could see dark storm clouds but only experienced a light shower mid-afternoon. 

Slow worms at Aston Clinton Rag pits......

It took a while for this morning to warm up but it eventually turned in to a pleasant, sunny day. We decided to go to Aston Clinton rag pits, which sit high in the Chiltern Hills and are home to a very diverse flora. Scattered amongst the orchids and other wild flowers are small sheets of corrugated iron which offer a great place for slow worms - a snake-like, legless lizard -  and grass snakes to warm up in the early morning sun. This individual was very large compared to others I have seen.

Song thrush....evening serenade in the garden.....

Song thrushes often like to sing from a prominent perch....this one chose the conifer at the end of the garden. Evening is a good time to hear their repeated phrases, which is key to their identification by song. Such a typical sound of summer evenings......

Fire ants vs humans - BBC

Fire ants vs humans - BBC

Well this looks as though it could be a bit of a problem in urban areas....especially worrying when you see how well they cope with being microwaved!

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/weird-news/super-ants-with-deadly-attraction-to-electricity-escape-from-gloucestershire-and-head-for-london-9627259.html

Litte Grebe brooding newly-hatched young on nest along Wendover Grand Union Canal

These birds are incredible swimmers and along the canal they have become accustomed to human presence so are generally quite relaxed with close observation from the bank. It always amazes me how fast they can move through the clear water in search of small fish. They are also diminutive birds that are sometimes mistaken for the young of other species....their often 'fluffy' appearance adds to their confusion. Their alternative name of 'Dabchick' hints at this.

Do animals have accents? - Zoo La La - Earth Unplugged

Summer sunset over Aylesbury Vale.........

I had a sudden urge last night, driving home from Thame, to continue my journey up to the view point overlooking Halton airfield. The recent spell of warm weather has generated some lovely sunsets which my house, lower in the Vale, benefits from in the evening. I just wondered what sunset looked like from a little higher up and although my camera is not quite up to it, I'm fairly pleased with the results.

8 Mind Bending Facts To Make You A Geography Expert

hmm...not sure about that tattoo......

Chenies Manor......gardening for wildlife.

Fortunately the storms remained at bay for the annual plant fair. What was really striking about the gardens was the sheer diversity of insects attracted to the variety of cultivated and wild flowers that grow in harmonious profusion. It really does show that, with a little thoughtful design, gardens can be as good for wildlife as they are for humans.

Lightning Strikes

Thunderstorms

Found footage of ghost-like owl.....

Looking through some old memory cards this morning I found this lovely footage of a barn owl hunting over the reed bed at Titchwell Marsh in North Norfolk. It is a fairly reliable spot for the species, particularly if you wait on the main path around dusk. I love their straight-winged, puppet-like flight and pale appearance. I wonder how many barn owls hunting in the gloom have given rise to ghost stories?

FASCINATING AIDA : very funny OFSTED song for teachers

'There are many ways of being smart' - primary school sends kids inspirational letter with results | BreakingNews.ie

'There are many ways of being smart' - primary school sends kids inspirational letter with results | BreakingNews.ie

'Rabbiting on......'

Rabbits divide opinion. I filmed this one at Pitstone Hill whilst listening for quail. It emerged from the bottom of a hedge not far from me and proceeded to graze intently for quite a while oblivious to my presence. To some they are vermin that destroy crops. For others they are a tasty source of game. They certainly have their destructive capabilities....I have seen the damage they have done in sand dunes such as those at Gibraltar Point. But they do also suppress the grass and maintain a fine sward, their nibbling allowing many flowers to flourish, an they are themselves a source of food for buzzards. As with so many of our 'native' wildlife, they are not indigenous at all but brought over by successive colonisers from mainland Europe, but they have certainly had a role to play in maintaining our landscape, especially ones like the South Downs. Oh, and they are quite cute. Sorry.

How do we best conserve Britain's coast?

What Is A Supermoon? | Video

Do You Mind If I Smoke?

La Roux - Bulletproof