What's on your doorstep?

[cybershot]

I consider myself very lucky living where I do here in the northeast corner of Hampshire. It may not be an area of natural outstanding beauty but within less than half an hour's walk in various directions I can reach Castle Bottom National Nature Reserve, Yateley Common Country Park and Minley Wood (MOD access land)


Castle Bottom


Yateley Common


Minley Wood


What's on your doorstep?

David

[NickCantle]

Excellent thread! I will contribute in the evening when I have access to my photos!

[Gypsy Orchid]

Nice pics Cybershot I live on the edge of Dartmoor. Lovely rivers and lots of wild open space.
Hisley Bridge
Haytor
Hound Tor
Bowerman's nose
Bellever Bridge
Week ford stepping stones

[NickCantle]

Home now and spent the last 30 minutes preparing the images for this thread

Now, I'm lucky enough to live in a part of the country that I would consider top notch for wildlife and just so beautiful all year round. I know I go on about it, but it really is where my passion was born! I could wander the flat fields and Pine plantations for days and weeks! All images in this thread are best viewed at full resolution, so click click click!

The first place I want to show is a fantastic spot for all wildlife. I occasionally visit for fungi and it usually fares well. There are birds of many sorts that visit the flat Heathland habitat. This is Santon Downham. Please click the images to enlarge, saturate and sharpen.







Then there's the variable habitat of Lopham and Redgrave Fen which is managed by the Suffolk Wildlife Trust. The Fen houses a couple of spider pits where you may be so lucky to see the Raft Spider. There are five resident Hobbies, Water Rails, a few Kingfishers and I remember Neil Mahler saying about him finding Ant-Lions there many years ago. This is about ten minutes drive from my house and always proves to be an excellent trip for Fungi, Birds, Insects and Plants. Here are the Horses grazing under the incredible large sky.



My next place is another gem that I don't visit as often as I should. I've seen Stone Curlews and Spotted Flycatchers at this fantastic Breckland location. There are hides positioned on the edge of Heathland habitat and proves excellent for viewing the unique Birds that decide to visit here rather than the more common habitats. It's lovely to sit here for an afternoon watching the Plovers fly in with their arched wings. The Robins come close and the Rabbits are in abundance. If you're lucky, you might spot an Owl on the fenceposts. The soil is typically sandy for this region as can be seen in the Mole hills which aren't a rich brown, but a light tan colour. This is roughly a quarter of an hour from my house. This spot of beauty is Weeting Heath, and it's a Norfolk Wildlife Trust site.



Another site I frequent is another classic example of Breckland habitat. Typical Pine tree plantations planted all those years ago to prevent the rich topsoil from being blown away. I've spent lots of time at this reserve this past year and its array of flora is stunning. Come Spring, you can watch the flowers grow day by day, photograph the flowing sun through the trees in Summer, pick many a Cep in Autumn and appreciate the delicate nature of the icicles hanging from branches in Winter. There is a small river that flows through the middle which the kiddies swim in when it's nice and warm. I can't explain how much I love the beautiful heather violet hues of an Autumnal landscape in this place, and I've shown you just that. This reserve is no further than ten miles from me, and I often visit. This is Knettishall heath.



I mention these places because I like to visit them, but I must say I absolutely adore what is literally on my doorstep. Nothing materialistic, but complete silence- something that many crave but never achieve. I have an array of Wildlife! Plenty of nice birds, plants, fungi, walks, sounds, smells, fruits and complete peace. I feel very in touch with the surroundings and genuinely love the area. There are square miles of forests and fields to be explored and I have done just that! I'll continue to explore them all with a beaming smile on my face, camera and wellies in tow.

Here's one of my morning visitors;



Here's my back garden on a fantastic misty morning. This field fills with flowers and animals depending on the season. The Little Owl loves to hunt from this tree and we often hear him calling at night;



Let me just add the soft touch and say that all of the enthusiasm, the feeling of peace and satisfaction of being in touch with nature is amplified tenfold, when you've got a great companion.



Nick

[agrumpycow]

Well, here's my time to 'sell' my area! Berkshire may not be at the top of everyones places to visit in the UK but it does have it's gems

The best well known are probably the River Thames and Kennet & Avon Canal both wind their way through the county and just over the border into south Oxfordshire! Both make for wonderful views and waterlife
Here's the canal between Reading & Newbury and the Thames at Cholsey (A BBOWT reserve)


There are also many disused gravel pits in the Reading area, some have been turned into country parks, and are all havens for birds and insects.


There are also a number of fantastic woods in the area (if you where to find them )
Ufton Woods


and Sulham Wood are my nearest and favourite


Moor Copse nature reserve, my closest and favourite reserve in the area



And not forgetting, of course, the Red Kites that have spread this way from Buckinghamshire - this one was above my garden a few months ago

[Gerel]

There are some lovely looking places appearing in this thread.

I took the thread title literally, all of the following were taken within sight of home. We live in the last house at the end of a dead end road in the Trannon valley between the villages of Llawr y Glyn and Penfforddlas (AKA Staylittle) in Powys, mid-Wales.

This was the house this morning.



A few views to, in order, the East, South (the roof in the distance belongs to our nearest neighbours), West and North



The river Trannon is home to otter, native crayfish, brown trout and lots of invertebrates.



Mammal life includes foxes, brown hares (but very few rabbits), wood mice, voles and the woods to the East of the house contain a huge badger sett.



Some random wildlife that I've photographed this year




Thanks for looking

Steve

[Hedge Witch]

I've got naff all on my doorstep , which is probably why I'm always looking on the Gallery here and right now I'm green with envy at all these gorgeous places you lot have got

[shei111]

Ive got mo pics but I got on my door step I have minsmere bird reserve, 1m one mile from the beach, dunwich forest, comon land , loads of lovely walks. sheila

[ron1863]

I thought I had better add my area:

The first shot is the walkway that runs for 10 miles along the valley my village is situated in, great walk for wildlife and it's flat.



The second shot is the Glazert River, which runs along the bottom of our garden; Dippers, Kingfishers, Grey Wagtails, Herons and Mallards are all easily spotted along it.



This is one of the Blane Valley looking east. The walkway that runs along the valley can be seen in front of the small group of conifers.



The next one is Campsie Glen with Celtic FC training ground at the top left of the shot.



This is the Finn Glen, which is about a mile from the house but very remote and a great place for Buzzards, Grouse and Mountain Hares.



The last one is the Miekle Bin which is around 1500ft high and a great place to walk.



Ron

[Ruth Daniel]

Super images and info everyone!

I'm lucky enough to live within walking distance of 3 nature reserves amongst the highlights we've had in them have been Bitterns,Black Winged Stilts,G.N.Diver and White Stork.

The link below is a useful guide to what the area has to offer and the pics an example of some of the beauty of the reserves.

Northwich Woodlands, Northwich, Cheshire, Park, Picnic, Day Out.