Lord of the Rings film set? No, it's Kingley Vale.

The reserve contains one of the finest yew forests in western Europe, including a grove of ancient trees which are among the oldest living things in Britain.

Pure magic.

📸: Chris Doyle

This week’s midweek walk river views and winter lights.
www.metropolitan-walkers.org.uk
#ramblersgb #walking #londonwalks #pmlico #borough #boroughmarket #southwark #thames #winterlights

Plant taxonomy is disappearing - and so is our ability to protect species 🍂

Nearly half of countries have fewer than 10 plant taxonomists. Kew is working to close the gap, but we need more experts fast.

Read the study’s key findings and what we're doing about it 👇
https://ow.ly/XhJo50XyGAa

File these under 'you had one job'. Goswell Road and Baker Street

We have three walks this Saturday, including the finale of our ‘Going the Distance’ series.
www.metropolitan-walkers.org.uk
#ramblersgb #hiking #walking #londonwalks #greenpark #hendon #tring #berkhamsted #wyevalley #aonb #regentscanal

Denbies Hillside, Surrey: a glorious morning of sun and warmth, with a steady trickle of birds west along the downs: 258 Chaffinch, 140 Siskin, 1 Brambling, 43 Redwing, 2 Woodlarks south, and at least 20 Red Kites loafing in the area #UKBirding

Denbies Hillside, Surrey: Red Kite numbers are increasing along this section of the North Downs. My estimate of 20 this morning includes 15 together in the air. At 08.30hrs I came across seven birds perched on the scarp slope. How high can the count go? #UKBirding

bsky.app/profile/stev...

Having a look through the Trektellen database the record day Redwing movement is of 900,000 birds, at De Puinhoop, Netherlands on 21 October 1995. Puts my 26,013 over Banstead on 13 October 2021 into perspective. But then I’m reminded of an apt saying:

Comparison is the thief of joy.

Too true.

Epsom/Walton Downs, Surrey: still 24 Stonechats present with accompanying Whinchat #UKBirding #LowCarbonBirding

An ‘ultracrepidarian’ (19th century) is one who loves to give their opinion, at length, on matters they know nothing about.

This cause is close to my heart - please sign: www.megaphone.org.uk/petitions/en...

Word of the day is one I may have mentioned (frequently): a ‘snaccident’ is the inadvertent eating of an entire packet of biscuits.

Songbirds being killed by pesticides found in pet fur flea treatments

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

A single 400-year-old ancient oak produces 234,000 litres of oxygen a year while soaking up carbon dioxide, and can support more than 2,000 species of bird, insect, fungus, and lichen. Nature is amazing - we need more of it, not less. Please repost if you agree 🌳

Makes me sad re-reading this amazing letter from ex-Watergate Special Prosecutor Archibald Cox sent to high school seniors in 1994 after they asked him “What should Americans learn from Watergate?” 20 years later in ‘94.

His answer is remarkable—unfortunately things didn’t work out so well in 2024.

Choose one alive or human

“They cut speed limits, changed street design, removed space for cars… Now it appears that work is paying off. #Oslo & #Helsinki are reaping the rewards of committed action on making their roads safer, reducing pedestrian fatalities to zero last year.” #VisionZero www.theguardian.com/world/2020/m...