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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

Otley nature lovers can take part in the world's biggest wildlife survey this coming weekend (January 29-30) when an estimated one...

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

Leeds City Council has announced it is ‘pausing’ the East of Otley hybrid planning application to build a new road and hundreds of houses...

Local nature group, Wildlife Friendly Otley and Otley 2030 have launched a campaign to encourage residents to make their gardens more...