Nature diaries

I began my day searching for the Fen Raft Spider. One of the UK's largest species, they can literally walk on water so I side-stepped my way along the waterways in RSPB Strumpshaw Fen, binoculars glued to my face. A volunteer told me they'd seen one on a lilypad earlier in the day so I was convinced today was the day. No such luck. The hunt continues.

On the advice of an audiobook called 'England: A Natural History' by John Lewis-Stempel, I've been hunting down classic books by English nature writers. In addition to the prose and poems of John Clare, I tracked down a very old copy of The Natural History of Selborne from 1872 by Rev. Gilbert White.

Midday wanders today on Mulbarton Common. I headed into one of the woodland enclosures with a large pond to take shelter from the strong wind as I ate my sandwiches. Watched a family of Mallards and Moorhens, complete with a baby Moorhen. I wondered how birds are able to see this pond from above, sheltered on all sides as it is by the tall trees. Have they been there before?