rat

I know that lots of people will be thinking "yuck" at this one, but when we saw this rat eating nettle flowers whilst out for a walk across the farmland on the outskirts of Welwyn Garden City it really did look very cute and well deserving of a photo I think...

frog

Whilst wandering up to Chew Reservoir in the Peak District to meet my Duke of Edinburgh group I paused to look in a large "puddle" on the peaty moorland on the way up. Mainly because with just a month to go before my baby arrived I was finding the going a little tough! I saw this fantastic frog and was really fascinated by the way the colours looked in the tea-coloured waters of the puddle.

male stag beetle

In June we saw this fantastic stag beetle (right) in mum's garden in Dibden Purlieu, New Forest, Hampshire. There were lots flying about in the evening looking like clumsy black fairies! We did not manage to snap one in flight, but here is one from Wikipedia (left) which shows just how fairy-like they are!!

wheatear

In the last week of April we saw five wheatears including two pairs in the fields next to Cole Green Lane Cycle Path in Welwyn Garden City. Once we got into May we did not see them again so they must have moved on. The birds were a long way off when we saw them so there was no chance for a photo, but I have included one which I found on the Surrey Bird Club website at www.sbclub.ukonline.co.uk

pintails at rainham marshes

We went on a trip to Rainham Marshes RSPB reserve on a coach trip with the local Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust group. We saw loads of bird including Pintails which was the first time we had ever seen these. Unfortunately we did not get a good picture of them so I have included a picture I found at www.uvm.edu instead.

Species list for this trip:
Black-headed gull, Blue Tit, Chaffinch, Cormorant, Fieldfare, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Kingfisher, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Little Grebe, Mallard, Moorhen, Pied Wagtail, Pochard, Reed Bunting, Shelduck, Snipe, Stonechat, Wigeon, Wren, Blackbird, Carrion Crow, Coot, Dunnock, Gadwall, Great Tit, Kestrel, Lapwing, Little Egret, Magpie, Mistle Thrush, Mute Swan, Pintail, Redwing, Robin, Shoveler, Starling, Tufted Duck, Woodpigeon (39 species)

grass snake

The first time I have seen a grass snake in Hertfordshire! I was driving home from work along the little lane that lead from my school to the road in Ware and it crossed the road in front of me. I stopped the car and got out to watch but did not have the camera unfortunately. Lovely experience as it went quite slowly and was not bothered that I was watching it!

greenhouse frog

We found this lovely frog in our greenhouse, he can obviously get in under the sides of the glass where the bricks are breaking up. He looks very happy and gets very excited when we water the tomato plants in there!