By (Lady Muck) Catherine Saunders Am writing this from a secret bunker, deep beneath The Heatons.  Have had to flee Muck Manor as am convinced police are looking for me.  Left instructions for Lord Muck to join me when able to get away undetected.  Am living on tomatoes, cucumbers and basil.  Losing weight though (always [...]

With our wildlife expert Scott Reid With summer all but over and the chilly days of winter looming large once again, many British birds will soon be on the move away from our shores to take up residence in their chosen wintering grounds. However, as we wave goodbye to the likes of swifts, swallows, flycatchers [...]

With our wildlife expert Scott Reid This edition of Wildlife Wonderland is somewhat different to normal, as I write from my travels and a six week stay on the tidal islands of Hilbre. Situated off the west coast of the Wirral peninsular in the mouth of the river Dee, this small chain of islands is [...]

With our wildlife expert Scott Reid Like a falling leaf splashed with colour, buoyant on a soft June breeze, sweeping effortlessly across a meadow awash with wild summer flowers. The joy of watching a butterfly grace the British landscape with its elegant beauty is forever accompanied by a feeling of peace and tranquillity. As they [...]

Last year, local school teacher Ian Sheldrake, in conjunction with Burnage Rugby Football Club in Heaton Mersey, set up ‘Messing about on the Mersey’ -   a canoe club offering guided tours along the River Mersey Canoe Trail. The first year saw over 400 people paddle down the river:  teachers, local residents & workers, sports teams [...]

With our wildlife expert, Scott Reid As the dawn glow begins to rise from the horizon, fading the starry detail of a spring night sky, Britain’s song birds proudly take their perch to showcase the most mesmerising of vocal talents. Whether they are defending their territory or trying to impress a potential suitor, the magic [...]

By Scott Reid. It’s been a waxwing winter… Every November, a colourful an charismatic visitor travels from icy Scandinavia to exploit the UK’s bounty of berries during the winter months. Waxwings are regular winter visitors to the British Isles, but normally with only a few hundred birds venturing as far south as eastern and northern [...]

By Catherine Saunders. Muck. An enormous mountain of it. Sitting on my allotment. Waiting to be spread and dug in. Now then, Muck by name I may be, Muck by nature I certainly am not. Bit of a problem when one ton of it needs moving. As you can imagine, shovelling this steaming pile of [...]