A Cotswold Year - Charting the seasons in the South Cotswolds


Monday 7 November 2016

Bewick Swans Return

 Colder weather brings the return of the Bewick Swans from their summer breeding grounds of Siberia to our relatively balmy climate.
Numbers have been dropping in recent years and the WWT Flight of the Swans campaign aims to bring the attention of communities along the migration route to the plight of the Bewick Swans.
Let's hope they are successful in saving these beautiful for future generations.

https://www.flightoftheswans.org/

Sunday 6 November 2016

First Frost


The first frost of Winter whitened the fields this morning and will be the beginning of the end of many of our summer garden plants.

Thursday 3 November 2016

Coaley Wood in Autumn

 Autumn colours are beautiful throughout the local woodlands as we saw on our late afternoon stroll


Wednesday 2 November 2016

Moles

We have noticed a proliferation of mole hills and runs around here this year. Wondering if it is due to the fairly dry conditions or youngsters establishing their own territory. Moles eat the equivalent of their body weight every day be it worms, insects or beetles. Hence it comes as no surprise to learn that in autumn they catch and store up earthworms to keep them going through the winter. Apparently they chew off the front end of worms to stop them crawling away so that they stay alive in the runs and remain alive so providing the mole with fresh food for several months.
Whatever gardeners probably won't be too happy to have their lawns covered in tumps of soil like these.