Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.
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Emperor Moth
The spectacular Emperor moth is on the wing in April and May. Photo: Emily Hobson
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Awesome wildlife experiences on our doorstep!
Late autumn on the Lizard coastline can be a wild time and, for grey seal mums, major life events are unfolding beneath steep cliffs edged by crashing waves. Hardy volunteers from Cornwall Seal Group Research Trust (CSGRT) brave the elements daily to protect our seals at this important time. Such intense research studies reveal fascinating…
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The Loyal Meneage Volunteer Cavalry
Archaeology, like modern art, may have boundaries. Largely undefined, they shift as necessary. The Second World War, ruinously present on the Lizard, falls within the remit of both. Anti tank walls and blockhouses slowly become lumps in an erosive sea. A chambered tomb1 and anchor blocks of long gone radar antennae seem determined to contest…
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The Helford River
….. a dynamic ever changing habitat, shaped by wind and tide. The wild weather we are having now has prompted me to write something about the dynamic nature of an estuary and the effect of the wind. Estuaries can vary widely in character depending upon their aspect and exposure to prevailing winds. The Helford Stretches…
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A Lizard Bird Diary
Dear Friends of the Lizard, Steve Townsend at Natural England has asked me to write and tell you about my new book, A Lizard Bird Diary: A Study of the Birds of the South Lizard Peninsula 1970-2015. Much has been written about the flora of the Lizard but apart from two breeding surveys, the birds…
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In praise of humble weeds
The mild end to 2016 has allowed many plants to keep flowering deep into winter, despite the short hours of daylight. This photo, taken in December near Coverack on the Lizard, is of Corn Marigold, still going strong on the Winter Solstice! Corn Marigold is an arable weed; a rather unexciting name for a group…
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Spiny Starfish
The spiky Spiny Starfish can grow up to 70 cm but this one, spotted in Mount’s Bay on a kayaking trip, was a more modest 20 cm. Photo: Steve Townsend
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Marine life at The Manacles
In November 2013 I wrote an article for the Lizard website entitled “Marine life at The Manacles recommended for protection”. Now, over three years later, there are thirteen designated features of The Manacles Marine Conservation Zone (MCZ) covering a diverse range of species and habitats, from the pink sea fan and sea fan anemone, to…
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Expanding the Lizard NNR Video(s)
See some of the species that will benefit from additional protection, hear what members of the public value about this significant development, and meet one of the farmers who grazes the cliffs and coastal fields for wildlife.
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Expanding NNR Video
The video highlights some of the species that will benefit from additional protection, hear what members of the public value about this significant development, and meet one of the farmers who grazes the cliffs and coastal fields for wildlife.
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Keep it Clean
With Christmas and the New Year approaching it’s time to start thinking about New Year resolutions. How about committing to ‘keeping it clean’ for wildlife?Garden birds bring great pleasure to millions of people across the UK, and for some it’s the only contact with wildlife and nature they have. I too am a great lover…
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‘Affective qualities’- the ability of place to inspire strong feelings
As regular readers of this blog will know from my previous contributions, I am a runner. I run all over the place: coastpath, roads, field paths, in rain or shine. I have enjoyed some spectacularly wonderful runs on the Lizard, including the tough miles from Muliion to Lizard village, from Lizard point back to Gunwalloe,…
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Fairy Fingers
In autumn, Fairy Fingers delicately probe their way through grassland and woodland litter. Photo: Ryan Hornett CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Scientific name: Clavaria fragilis (synonymous with C. vermicularis) Other common names: White Worm Coral, White Spindles What to look for: • Appearance: Small groups of white, slender, unbranched fruiting bodies, which are initially…
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Teal
In the colder months, watch out for overwintering Teal on pools and marshes around The Lizard. Windmill Farm is a good place to look. Photo: Dougy Wright
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Value added Lizard
Ancient mariners, trade networks, ritual compulsion & a unique product revered through millennia before its final fading from use around the time St Keverne became a parish: part of the story I promised in an earlier episode of this Blog¹. Read on, if you must. On occasion it is interesting to run time backwards &…
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Autumn Lady’s-tresses
You may be lucky and find the last blooms of this lovely, and relatively rare, member of the orchid family into October. Photo: © Melanie Chadwick
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