James Common Blog | Words about wildlife, wilderness & nature conservation
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I'm James! A naturalist, conservationist, nature writer, environmental blogger, commentator and now, an amateur editor from Northumberland. My interest in wilderness and wild things stemming from childhood
James Common Blog | Words about wildlife, wilderness & nature conservation
1y ago
While out and about in search of ladybirds this last few weeks, I have been lucky enough to stumble across a number of scarce and unusual species in addition to the plentiful 7-Spots and Orange Ladybirds so many of us know and love. Several of which have been completely new for this incredibly amateur ladybird ..read more
James Common Blog | Words about wildlife, wilderness & nature conservation
1y ago
Continuing this year’s Ladybird Year List and capturing records for the North East Ladybird Spot, the last few weekends have been spent admiring the various ladybird species to be found wintering on conifers. Scots Pine, Larch, exotic Lodgepole and Black Pines, even the odd spruce. Havannah Nature Reserve near Dinnington first and few visits to ..read more
James Common Blog | Words about wildlife, wilderness & nature conservation
2y ago
With the Natural History Society of Northumbria’s fantastic North East Ladybird Spot launching this week, most of this weekend has been spent searching for these colourful insects at various sites across Tyneside. A January passtime I would never have considered a few short years ago that now, knowing where to look, is becoming somewhat of ..read more
James Common Blog | Words about wildlife, wilderness & nature conservation
2y ago
2021 has been a funny old year but despite the big c and the various restrictions it brought, it has also been a memorable one ..read more
James Common Blog | Words about wildlife, wilderness & nature conservation
2y ago
Clad in the vibrant yellow flowers typical of ragworts, Oxford Ragwort flowers all year round and never fails to brighten up a walk along our street ..read more
James Common Blog | Words about wildlife, wilderness & nature conservation
2y ago
It might seem odd to start a new series with a tree few have heard of (I certainly hadn’t until a few weeks past) but recently, I’ve been bumping into this unassuming Sorbus quite a bit in my local area. Looking similar to the Swedish Whitebeam (Sorbus intermedia), at least to my untrained eye, Mougeot’s ..read more
James Common Blog | Words about wildlife, wilderness & nature conservation
2y ago
Walker Riverside Park is a funny old place. Created in the 1980s, it sits atop former industrial land and boasts an intriguing mix of habitats, from grassland and woodland areas to salt-sprayed riverbanks ..read more
James Common Blog | Words about wildlife, wilderness & nature conservation
2y ago
I’m rubbish at tree identification, and shrubs too for that matter. There, I said it. While I can separate the more familiar British species, your oaks, birches and common maples, anything beyond that has traditionally gone straight over my head. Not so useful in the city where planting and landscaping, both historic and recent, mean...
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James Common Blog | Words about wildlife, wilderness & nature conservation
2y ago
Iris Brickfield Park sits fairly close to our home in Heaton, Newcastle, and as such, has been a mainstay of our local walks during the pandemic. Fairly small, at least when compared to Newcastle’s other parks, and managed by Urban Green, it provides a lifeline to many people living in the local area: dog walkers, joggers,...
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James Common Blog | Words about wildlife, wilderness & nature conservation
2y ago
Keen to further explore Newcastle’s ladybirds as part of the North East Ladybird Spot, last weekend I set off for two local sites that I seldom visit. The first, Newcastle’s Great Park, a new suburb of the city located four miles from the city centre, and the second, the well-known Havannah Nature Reserve near Dinnington....
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