Strange and wondrous things grow in our woods. Some more obvious than others. It is so easy to simply walk past without ever really understanding what something is or how it came to be. Some things are just so well camouflaged we just simply don’t see. And some we get so used to seeing we forget to stop and understand it.

And then suddenly, one curious afternoon you’ll stop and spot something - before it nearly…

Waking up to a misty mysterious Sunday Morning we planned our family morning.  Having considered (very) briefly about going to do the big shop, I thought that a visit to Coombes was a far more enticing idea. At the mention of  “lets get your wellies”, the girls ran around like spaniels waiting to go for a walk.  Martha (6 yrs old) was well up for it as she really enjoyed her school trip there earlier in the year…

What ho? A new witch? Just in time!

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Discover what Coombes has to offer this Halloween as our newest Witch joins Coombes Valley in search of magical adventures... 

Behold what is that I see in the distance?! Alas could it be Coombes Valley? I have come from a far seeking magic in the woods. Care to join me in my adventure? The wind has swept me and my broomstick from the depths of Yorkshire to bring you spooky adventures…

This week's blog has again been sent by one of our lovely visitors. Sylva Fae and her young family have recently visited Coombes Valley & have adventured around our new Natural Play Trail. For Jan & the girls, the highlight of the visit was the secret fairy village, hidden among the trees in our woodland. Read on to see Sylva Fae's poem about the mysterious fairies of Coombes, and visit her own blog for this post & others…

This week we have a guest blog provided by a local visitor Steph Woodhouse! Steph regularly visits Coombes Valley with her family, and this week tells us about her adventures in her local wild space:

About a mile or so from our house we're really lucky to have the most fabulous RSPB nature reserve nestled in the gorgeous Coombes Valley, part of the bigger Churnet Valley landscape that we call home. We visit often…

No, this isn’t a post about the 1990 film starring Sean Connery. It’s instead about the wonderful things you may see and hear at Coombes Valley over the coming weeks. See if you can spot the common theme amongst the items!

Redwings –

Redwings are one of Coombes Valley’s winter migrants, visiting the reserve to dine on the bright red berries of the rowan and hawthorn trees; they'll be arriving in the…

Venture into the woods today and you’ll certainly find a surprise.  It’s been a long time coming but the Yurt is up and running!

In just one day, three guys transformed an empty platform into our new multi-functional visitor space.  

Coombes has been an RSPB site for 52 years, tucked away just outside Leek.  Locally we are known for the peace and tranquility of our woodland, and that will never change…

In what seems like an unbelievably short amount of time, I have come to the end of my 6 months here at Coombes. This blog will hopefully give a brief glimpse into my time here, and all that it has encompassed.

I have been responsible for much of the survey work at Coombes this summer, which has allowed me to explore the entire length and breadth of the reserve, including parts of our other land holding further down in…

With summer speeding by quickly and autumn right around the corner, the sights and sounds of Coombes Valley are changing. So, here is a run down of some of the exciting things you can spot on the reserve over the coming weeks!

Goldfinch on a thistle, taken by Richard Brooks

Flocks of Goldfinches

These small, brightly coloured birds are really enjoying themselves here at Coombes Valley. Walk through the top meadow…

This year Coombes Valley has grown deeper.

If you haven’t visited in recent months - where have you been?! There is so much more to explore.

The woodcock bench - once an abrupt, albeit picturesque, end to the trails is now a place to stop, catch your breath and drink in the view, before continuing into the heart of the valley.

As of 2014 the extended woodcock trail wanders green, thick and wild for an extra mile…

A little later this year, but well worth the wait; open day is nearly here!

Coombes is growing and we'd like you to come and celebrate with us.  Join in with a day of family fun on the reserve and explore our exciting new natural play trail.  How big a den can you build? How delicious a mud pie can you make?

See you there!

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If the RSPB had existed a few hundred million years ago, the only flying creatures we’d have been able to protect would have been insects!

They were the first creatures to take to the air around 350 million years ago, and dominated the skies until birds came along. Back then some dragonflies had wingspans of up to 2 feet long! Nowadays they are a lot smaller, but by no means less beautiful.

Brown Hawker…

Any of you who have visited Coombes recently will have seen that we are currently a hive of activity!  This week both the yurt and our trail improvements have started; the yurt is down by the education barn, and our trails through the hay meadow and Young Woodland loop are being upgraded to help make them more accessible. When these are completed, they will help to make Coombes an even bigger and better visitor experience…

It’s not all hard work here at RSPB Coombes Valley. We occasionally let our hair down - just last week we let a few of our residents kick back with a bottle of wine in the top meadow.

They weren’t our residential volunteers taking in the stunning views with a glass of vino though, they were some of our moths feeding on wine ropes!

Wine ropes are a very simple way of attracting moths so you can get a look…

Forget Paul, John, George and Ringo, the true superstars of Coombes Valley have six legs, a hard exoskeleton and can be quite fearsome predators: THE BEETLES.

With over 4000 beetle species in the UK, you might be thinking, “Help!” when you want to find out what beetle species you’ve found. However, with a little help from my friends here at Coombes Valley, I’ve compiled a list of some info about the…

On these warmer and brighter evenings, it’s quite possible you could catch a glimpse of one of our most fascinating groups of mammals; the graceful, airborne bats.

Bats are the only true-flying mammals, and with our 17 species they actually make up more than a quarter of all mammal species in the UK. At dusk, on a warm summer evening, you’re likely to see these winged beasts swoop close by as they hunt for…

Wild flower meadows are very busy places. I learned a long time ago that it’s important to watch where your feet fall to keep from crushing any little creatures. Fortunately, you don’t need to be an expert to discover the variety of life, just a sharp pair of eyes.

Last of the common spotted orchids

Although, that can be said of many places; just this morning as I peddled my way to work I had to stop…

What’s about on the reserve?

Brimstone, taken by Kevin Sawford

Brimstone

Is this the original butterfly!? A common myth tells us that the word ‘butterfly’ comes from ‘butter-coloured fly’, a name given for the brimstone’s yellow wings.

The brimstone is also one of the few adult butterflies to hibernate through the winter ready to emerge on sunny spring days.

Being so…

Do you love chatting with people and enthusing them about nature? That is the life of a Coombes Valley visitor volunteer!

The reserve wouldn't be where it is without its team of volunteers and we need your help. Lend me your ear for a moment and let’s see if I can convince you why it’s a great place to get involved.

I arrived as a full time volunteer intern at the beginning of March, the trees…

At this time of year, if you spend any sunny day walking along river banks or canals you’ll notice a very pretty plant. Pretty, until you learn a little more about it...

Introduced to Britain in the 1890’s, Himalayan balsam produces attractive, hat-shaped, pink and white flowers which start to appear in June. 

It once provided ordinary people with a cheap alternative to more expensive plants like orchids…

Large emerald moth, taken by Sally Granger

Large emerald

This beautiful, unmistakable moth made its first appearance in the moth trap on Thursday night; definitely an exciting find. Common throughout most of the UK, the large emerald is found between June and August.

Cinnabar moth, taken by Sally Granger

Cinnabar moth

Named after the red mineral of the same name, this brightly coloured moth is often found…

The woodland of Coombes Valley is beautiful, extensive and diverse. It remains that way partly due the ways in which it is managed.

One aspect of the management at Coombes involves a single plant species, and not a very exciting one some might say. When our volunteer work party arrive on a Tuesday morning at this time of year they can more or less predict it, one word; bracken.

Young bracken, taken by Andy Ha…

We love the orchids, the team can't stop waxing lyrical about them! Here is Adam with a little more info on these beautiful, short lived flowers.

 Common spotted orchid, taken by Becca Bratt

It’s orchid time here at RSPB Coombes Valley and actually, the orchids aren’t alright. They’re AMAZING!!

The common spotted orchids look to be having a bumper year, with swathes of them in flower at the…

Thank you to everyone who signed the petition against the use of diclofenac  in Europe - in the hope that we don't impact vultures in the same way as they were in Asia.  

My old friend Mic Mayhew used to run a veterinary Practice and here's a guest blog that gives you a different perspective ...

Griffon vulture, taken by Roger Tidman

As a born again conservationist and someone who has spent two decades negotiating…

Becca is back for seconds this week, see what she thinks of the much maligned horse fly!

We’ve been experiencing an exceptionally warm, sunny June so far – great for walking on the reserve, enjoying the wild flowers, birds and butterflies. However, those conditions are also ideal for a less welcome resident – the horse fly!

As the RSPB is an all nature conservation organisation, this week I set out…