More great pictures of our pond life

Home made bacon

We make our own bacon using Gloucester Old Spot, a rare breed pig,  from Sudeley Hill Farm, Winchcombe.
These sides of pork (loin and belly) have been dry cured in our own special curing salt for 6 days, are now hanging in the cold well-ventilated air of our garage to loose some moisture and dry out a little.

'Green' bacon, fresh from the dry-cure, hanging out to dry and mature

Just some beautiful photopgraph of our pond-life

Northern Crested Newts have moved into our pond!

Our Resident Zoologist/herpetologist (son) Richard has positively identified the presence of Northern (or Greater) Crested Newts in our garden pond.
This is good news, as these Newts are one of only four amphibians which are protected by the UK Biodiversity Action Plan.

It wouldn't be such good news if we were planning to do extend the house or built in the garden as the authorities would have the power to stop any work that would disturb their habitat. It is an offense to:

• Intentionally kill, injure or take a northern crested newt

• Possess or control any live or dead specimen or anything derived from a northern crested newt

• Intentionally or recklessly damage, destroy or obstruct access to any structure or place used for shelter or protection by a northern crested newt (in practice this means both its breeding sites, and its terrestrial habitat)

• Intentionally or recklessly disturb a northern crested newt while it is occupying a structure or place which it uses for that purpose

Richard finds a Northern Crested Newt

Positive ID through the underside markings by photographing through a glass plate

Close up of Northern Crested Newt

 

Muntjac buck browsing in the woods opposite our B&B

Interesting video of a Muntjac buck is 'in velvet' (the antlers are still covered with skin) - they are of an unusual shape for a Muntjac.

Green Tourism Award

Today we received the good news that we have been a 'Silver' in the Green Tourism Business Scheme.

Redwings spotted in our garden

This morning we spotted a large amount of Redwings on our lawn, we counted 50+.
One moment they were there, next moment they were gone. The Redwing is rarely seen in gardens as it is typical farmland and hedgerow bird. For more information: http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/r/redwing/index.aspx

We didn't manage to take any pictures - we found this picture on the Net.

(Photo by Mick Dryden)