Unlocking landscapes
In this post: garden bees, extension tubes and woodland lichens The ‘Stay at Home’ message has ended in England but I’ve learned my lessons in this pandemic year. Macro is a time-consuming activity and the less time spent travelling means more time spent honing the skill and having a good time! One person whose photos… Continue reading Macro Monday: the mourning bee
Last year we installed a pond in our garden. It’s nothing special, just an old washbasin bought from an antique shop sitting on the patio. It has flag iris, some figwort and other aquatic plants bought from the garden centre. I noticed a couple of weeks ago the first resident of the pond, a water… Continue reading Macro Monday: the macro ninja
It’s true that macro doesn’t end when bees and butterflies are no longer on the wing. But there is something about the first flying insects of the year that feels different.… Continue reading Macro Monday: Return of the Mac(ro)
Macro Monday 8th February 2021 The other day I saw a baffling tweet from someone angry that people were declaring ‘spring is here’. The person mansplained February and told people to ‘get your head down’. For me, observing even the most minute hint of spring in midwinter is a real cause for hope, especially in… Continue reading Macro Monday: a spring inkling
When I was a child my dad told me that Jack Frost lived down the side of the bed and if you put your leg or hand down there he would get you. I had visions of some icy blue bloke living under my bed until I was old enough to know better. Thanks dad. … Continue reading Macro Monday: Jack Frost
The darkest and shortest days of the year are the perfect chance to look back at one of my fondest macro memories. It might also cheer some of you to see photos of sunnier, warmer times, teeming with wildlife.… Continue reading Macro Monday: the life of a Moravian meadow
Last week I noticed a double gravestone which was acting as a green wall. It was absolutely dripping in moss.… Continue reading Macro Monday: when moss is boss
I’ve spent some decent stints in the woods recently. It always surprises me how much there is to see at a very small scale in woodlands at this time of year.… Continue reading Macro Monday: December woodland
Macro Monday 12th October 2020 Naturally, last week I summed up this spring and summer of invertebrate life in my garden, thinking it was all over. I was sitting outside one lunchtime, enjoying the kind of sun that doesn’t burn my very pale skin for once. I had seen something flying around that didn’t quite… Continue reading Macro Monday: one last bee for the road
Macro Monday 5th October 2020 Autumn is here and the invertebrate season is coming to an end. Temperatures are dipping below 14 degrees and heavy rain is coming. It’s goodbye to our minibeast friends, those tiny ecosystem engineers, for another six months. It was six months ago that I began this blog, just as the… Continue reading Macro Monday 2020: goodbye to our invert friends
