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In dull, rainy January there are few wildflowers around to brighten up the day. Gorse ( Ulex europaeus ) is one exception which is always a very welcome sight. The small, yellow, pea-like flowers of gorse will cheer up any winter walk. Gorse flowers from January, reaching the height of its brilliance in Spring to early Summer. Common in a variety of habitats, from woodland, heathland, grassland to coast you can find this spiky shrub UK wide.

More delights from a walk by the river, somewhat understated perhaps until you look closely. The tall spikes of bell-shaped, green-white flowers, become pink with age, appear from May to July. The name comes from the deeply fringed habit of the petals. It is in fact an introduction from North America, escaped and naturalised from private gardens. Whilst it seems to be doing well making itself at home here it is listed as vulnerable in some of its native range. By River Six

This beautiful dainty and rare butterfly is on the wing at the moment but it won’t be for long. If you want to catch a glimpse then head up the Chevin now! The Green Hairstreak holds its wings closed, except in flight, showing only the green underside with its faint white streak. They are found in dry, scrubby habitats, including moorland and heathland, the caterpillars feed on a variety of plants, including gorse, broom and bilberry. By River Six Photo by Pixabay

This was one of those rare moments of awe in the ordinary. Whilst out for a walk I paused as I often do by the river to take in the movement and see who is darting around. As I turned around I was struck by the beauty of a natural green wall. The crumbling wall by the river at Wharfebank Mills has been colonised by a variety of wild green plants, one in particular glistened and almost glowed in the light, the opposite leaved golden-saxifrage. This is a creeping perennial of w

Not commonly seen on the wing before April, this bee was seen in mid March, another sign of the changing climate perhaps. Tawny mining bees are one of our most recognisable spring-flying solitary bees with dense gingery (orange/red) hair, although unlike birds, the males are not as striking or noticeable as the females. The Tawny mining bee is what we call a solitary bee, as they don’t live in a hive like the honey bee. They will however still nest in large groups and the vol

This fungus can be seen all year round in Otley, and its descriptive name makes it relatively easy to identify, although its colour varies from grey to black. Alternative names refer to its suitability as tinder: Tinder Polypore, Tinder Fungus, False Tinder Fungus and Tinder Conk. Otzi, the 5000 year old natural mummy found in the Alps, was carrying this fungus for tinder, and so it is also sometimes called Ice Man Fungus. It gets a foothold on tree trunks through broken bark

There are more than 30 species of rabbit around the world, the one we see in Otley is the European rabbit. Whilst not native, actually introduced by the Normans for food and fur are now widely naturalised across the UK. Now is a good time to see them as they are breeding like rabbits with the coming of spring. European rabbits have long ears without black tips and long hind legs; their colouring is sandy and less reddish than brown hare. The rabbit is smaller than the hare an

The blossom is out! Blossom, like this one of the Cherry plum heralds Spring for many people. On a warm day these blooms are alive with buzzing, as early bees get busy. Cherry plum is a naturalised species and although not a native fruit tree, it is spectacular on a warm March day to encounter. The white flowers against the blue sky and black flecks of bees moving from one flower to another is mesmerising. The Cherry plum is one of the first Prunus species to flower and later

These attractively-marked birds can be seen in the fields around Otley, but are actually native to southern Europe – hence the alternative name French Partridge. They were brought over as a gamebird in the 18th century. Chunky and rotund, they tend to run away when disturbed, rather than fly. Red-legged Partridges eat seeds and roots, and the young will eat insects to top up their protein. They can raise two broods of chicks simultaneously – the male incubating the second in

We tend to think of fungus as an autumnal sight, but the fruit body of this rare variety bursts out of the ground in the spring. As the name suggests, it is usually found below cedar trees, though occasionally below yew. The one in the photo was spotted in an Otley churchyard. Spherical below the surface, the fungus forms a brittle cup above, becoming more crown-like as it matures and the rays separate. Blow on the creamy inside surface and you may see almost smoke-like spore

Despite the cold chill still in the air, signs of spring have started to appear; snowdrops, daffodils and crocuses are all blooming. The change of the light, longer days and relatively warmer days trigger our resident birds to get dressed up! To be as attractive as possible in time for mating season, Blue tits as well as everyone else are as bright as they are ever going to be, sporting their new plumage. It is time to take a closer look at the colourful mix of blue, yellow,

These natives of the mountains of southern Europe have adopted so well to conditions in the UK that some regard them as a weed and an invasive species. They are remarkably resilient, tolerating pollution that would kill many trees, and even salty spray at the coast. As a result they are common street trees in urban settings, and as such support a significant amount of other wildlife. However, when planting, we should generally choose native species. Our indigenous oaks suppo

We spotted these fine specimens on Old Pool Bank – often present in densely-packed bunches they have been described as “the banana of the fungi world”. They grow on the decaying wood of both deciduous and coniferous trees. Ours were quite spherical, but they can be pear-shaped - the fungus is also known as Pear-shaped Puffball. The genus name is Lycoperdon, which literally means “wolf’s flatulence”. You can see the central pore (hole) which ruptures to allow the dispersal of

During the winter, Otley has emptied of swifts and many of our warblers but on the water birds gather to keep safe and stay warm. The Tufted duck is a handsome duck, smaller than the familiar Mallard and well worth looking out for on your next walk along the river. The male has a black head, neck breast and back and is white on the sides. The female, like many bird species is plainer looking and is all brown. Both however have striking yellow eyes and a small crest on the bac

Grey by name and grey by status: the UK’s biggest goose sometimes seems inappropriately classified as “wildlife”. Common in flocks of mixed geese in the fields around Otley, the Greylag is the ancestor of most domestic geese, domesticated at least as early as 1360BC, and many are comfortable around humans. They are to be found in many a park, and I remember seeing one nesting in the middle of York Hospital car park, but the RSPB say those seen in Scotland “retain the special

The old railway line is a great place to walk this time of year, to discover fungi, lichen and mosses you might never have seen before. Named for its whitish colour and (look really close) its tooth-like pore surface, as it ages it become a dingy yellow colour. Milk-white toothed polypores have a wide distribution across the temperate world, and spreads across the sides and bottoms of fallen wood, and fulfils an important ecological role of breaking down dead wood. It is one

Another find along the old railway, a yellowy grey or pale grey-green lichen with a cracked crust and studded with black spots. This lichen has distinctive black apothicia (the part that contains the spores) forms a mosaic on mature trees, appearing on smooth barked trees and fences, this one was spotted on Common Ash. As organisms without roots, lichens obtain their nutrients from the atmosphere and so are highly susceptible to changes in atmospheric chemistry. Areas with le

Even though Sparrowhawks are our second most common bird of prey (around 40,100 breeding pairs in the UK and increasing) they fly among us largely unseen, because rather than hanging around where we can see them, such as above road verges, they skulk in the shadows of dense cover, in hedgerows and woodlands. With their increasing population and shrinking habitat, they are found more and more in our gardens. Where we often make it easy for them to hunt, with bushy garden shrub

This distinctive moth is a capital T shape at rest, and can be seen all year round in Otley – you may find one inside your house. Their numbers are increasing, and they inhabit a range of habitats, including gardens and woods. Their larvae feed on a range of plants, including mint, sages, lavender and heather. By Neil Griffin Photo by Mike & Joyce Clerk

This bird has a deceptive name – they’re not our most common gull. The ones we see frequently on the Tittybottle Park railings, for example, are nearly always Black Headed Gulls. There is an argument that Common actually referred to their habit of feeding on common land (short pasture used for grazing) in the winter. A less well-used name is Sea Mew, which is Dutch in origin. I like the RSPB’s description of the appearance of the Common Gull: “like a smaller, gentler version