More Artefacts
by
Paul Southall
on 19th January 2019
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Some recent field finds have been two stone age flint scrapers, one of which is a finely worked example. The other find is a 4 centimetre polished stone sphere. This is thought to be an early Victorian marble, before they began to be made of glass.
Family Fergie Photo
by
Paul Southall
on 8th January 2019
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Here are Mike and Paul, along with sisters Jane and Shelley back in the day, giving the farm's grey Ferguson tractor a work out. Even now, a few years after the photo was taken, the Swan Pear Tree in the background still produces a good crop.
Wood Mouse
by
Paul Southall
on 18th December 2018
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This Wood Mouse's eyes appear to be bigger than its belly!
Magic Mushroom
by
Paul Southall
on 15th October 2018
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I found this magic mushroom, the Fly Agaric, in my garden recently. It is not a common species locally. The photograph was published in our local newspaper the Stourport News as part of a photography group.
Pumpkin time
by
Paul Southall
on 9th October 2018
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The first pumpkin season for our first grandson.
Western Conifer Seed Bug
by
Paul Southall
on 27th September 2018
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Just found the first farm record of Western Conifer Seed Bug. This North American species accidentally introduced into Italy has been spreading across Europe and into Britain. Worcestershire's first record was in 2011.
Wool Aliens
by
Paul Southall
on 20th September 2018
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The scorching hot summer has helped the germination of wool aliens on the farm. These are seeds of plants imported on wool for the carpet industry and the waste wool spread onto the land as fertilizer, called shoddy. The two shown have origins in the Americas. Buffalo-bur, Solanum rostratum, and Thorn-apple, Datura stramonium respectively.
Chromatomyia alprilina
by
Paul Southall
on 15th September 2018
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The leaf mines I found in Honeysuckle this week have been confirmed as being caused by the larvae of the small gall-midge fly, Chromatomyia alprilina.
Convolvulus Hawk-moth
by
Paul Southall
on 24th August 2018
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This Convolvulus Hawk-moth arrived from the continent this week. We plant Nicotiana, or Tobacco plants to attract the migrant species. Its long probiscus can reach the nectar at the bottom of the long flowers. It is the fourth consecutive year the species has been recorded here.
Neolithic arrowhead
by
Paul Southall
on 20th July 2018
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I was pleased, and lucky, to spot this finely worked neolithic flint arrowhead among the continental onion harvest debris.