Latest news with #meadow
Yahoo
20-07-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Action being taken after new play park was greenlit on precious wild meadow
A replacement wild nature meadow area is being created in West Swindon. This comes after the controversial greenlighting of a new play park, which will be installed on top of an original meadow in the area. In June, it was confirmed by West Swindon Parish Council that a new play area would be installed at Shaw Ridge in West Swindon. The play area has been accepted by many residents, but some had opposed the plans because they felt there were other areas to build the park that didn't impact on nature. Be the first to know with the Swindon Advertiser! 📱 💡 Our flash sale brings the latest local happenings directly to you. Save over 50% on an annual subscription now. 🔗 #SpecialOffer — Swindon Advertiser (@swindonadver) July 4, 2025 There were strong objections from the local wildlife group West Swindon Flowers and Butterflies (FAB Swindon), who have spent ten years cultivating the land that the proposed play park would be built on into a thriving wildlife meadow. Before the meeting where the park was approved, the group posted on Facebook: "We believe there are other locations available that would not lead to the destruction of this valuable spot and would ask everyone who values this area to contact the Parish Council and let them know you would like them to seek an alternative location. "We would really appreciate your taking this small action to help protect the meadow. it takes years of work to achieve these results, and to wipe it out on a whim is a travesty." Recommended reading Major leak floods road and disrupts traffic Wiltshire award-winning energy efficiency scheme extended for a year Controversial approval of 700 houses on beauty spot to be re-examined Now, the voluntary group have announced that work on a new meadow has begun in West Swindon. The new area will allow for wildflowers and butterflies to thrive again. The group said: "Today (July 16) began the first step of creating another wildlife meadow area. "The new meadow area is being created to replace the loss of a significant part of the current meadow to the new Shaw Ridge play park. "West Swindon Parish Council, Steve and Andy did a great job this morning marking out and cultivating the new meadow area. "This work is extremely important for the success of a new wildlife meadow. The cultivation of the ground will suppress the growth of the vigorous grass and allow wildflowers to thrive and flourish. "West Swindon FAB is committed to continuing to improve wildlife habitat and biodiversity for our future generations." It is unclear when work on the new play area in Shaw Ridge will begin, and so the original meadow remains intact, but the wildlife group are wasting no time ensuring that there will be a full meadow in West Swindon at all times.
The Guardian
16-07-2025
- General
- The Guardian
Country diary: Starting the day with a daisy
Very early in a meadow's morning, its daisies are still abed, all wrapped up like so many little white peas on stalks. Their rays are lashes, shut tight over irises that open sun‑yellow at the break of day. For now, the green bracts are prominent, making even saw-toothed bands around the outside, the protective cup to the flower's egg. After not so many minutes, some daisies have half unfurled, making me think of a human fist unclenching, fingers pointing skywards. I don't see the opening to full stretch, only the finality of flat rosettes and the full exposure of the central discs, each beaded like a compound eye. Each has its double frill, the rays radiating as sprays of exultation, a shout to the light. And the daisy is no cookie-cutter plant. In every daisied meadow or lawn, there are some that stand out from the rest, their rays scarlet-tipped or flushed as if by a spray can. We might imagine a mischievous paint‑pot pixie dipping and dabbing marks at random. Science has its explanation in anthocyanins, colour-making pigments that might express themselves or not, thanks to variable factors such as soil pH, light and genetics. 'The daisy is a happy flower', wrote the poet John Clare, though it seems that in the domestic sphere we prefer misery, for few allow its beauty to sully their lawn. Nor is the desire to strip them out a new phenomenon. In the back lawn of a Hull terrace more than a century ago, the father of the future aviator Amy Johnson paid his daughter to pluck out the joy and gave her a penny for every hundred she picked. Buried inside this flower are the poetic imaginings of distant forebears on these islands who were trying to make sense of their world. And in a single word we can hear a medieval voice – and even how they spoke its name. Today we call the plant 'daisy', but once, with the rising of the sun, an adult might have walked through a field such as this and answered their accompanying child's question with 'That flower? Why, that be the day's eye.' Under the Changing Skies: The Best of the Guardian's Country Diary, 2018-2024 is published by Guardian Faber; order at and get a 15% discount
The Guardian
09-07-2025
- General
- The Guardian
Country diary: Hunting for a sooty anomaly among the razzle-dazzle
As we swelter through the meadow, our heat-loving companions bask on knapweed and field scabious, stirring every few seconds to chase off rivals or woo potential mates. The dark green fritillaries and feisty marbled whites command our attention with their dramatic and intricate wing markings, while small heaths, skippers, ringlets and meadow browns provide the butterfly chorus. Distracted by the razzle-dazzle, I've forgotten that we're hunting for a sooty anomaly in the summer meadow. With its penchant for flying in bright sunshine, the chimney sweeper could be mistaken for a butterfly, but is, in fact, a day-flying moth. It's one of about 130 macro-moths in the UK that take to the wing during daylight hours, more than twice the number of butterfly species. Many exhibit vivid colouration or striking patterns, such as the cinnabar, emperor, scarlet tiger or hornet moths. In contrast, the chimney sweeper has no patterning on its black body save for a white margin on the forewings, and it keeps a low profile, alighting on grass stems or making short flights around the white umbel flowers of pignut, its larval food plant. Today, its profile is so low that we fail to see it at all. Instead, I notice a papery sail high on a grass stem by the path. Inside the cocoon is a pupa in which a lemon and black caterpillar is metamorphosing into another day-flying moth: a six-spot burnet. Once we've seen the first sail, every other grass stem in the meadow seems to hoist its own cocoon and a fleet of burnets is launched. Some stems host caterpillars waiting to pupate, while others display empty vessels where parasitic flies or wasps have consumed the larvae, then vacated through the cocoon wall. A quick calculation suggests that if we're looking at an acre and a half of meadow with eight or nine cocoons per square metre, there might be as many as 50,000 burnet moths coalescing in front of us. After a fortnight or so in their silken cases, they'll emerge with one purpose – the continuation of their thriving colony – a yearly commemoration of the forgotten concept of abundance. Under the Changing Skies: The Best of the Guardian's Country Diary, 2018-2024 is published by Guardian Faber; order at and get a 15% discount
The Guardian
28-06-2025
- General
- The Guardian
Young country diary: Staring into the big eyes of a brown hare
Each time I see a brown hare, I'm usually in a car and worried it'll get knocked down, but recently I almost stood on one. I was walking through the grass in my wellies one morning when I saw a pair of big, brown eyes peering up at me. The body didn't move, and I've since found out that hares freeze when they sense danger. Its ears were long, velvety, folded straight down behind its head, reaching its bony shoulders. I couldn't see its legs but I knew they were strong and long … Suddenly it bolted, showing me just how fast its legs could go. I tried to chase it but couldn't keep up, not in wellies. They can reach up to 45 miles per hour. The long grass parted ahead of me as her body rocked like my old hobby horse, zig-zagging through the meadow. I wish I could have touched him or her. I bet its fur would be warm and silky against my hand. It ended up on the hill, its rounded back black against the sun and those ears, alert now, pointing like fingers to the sky. I think she was a doe (a female) as they are bigger than the bucks (the males) and sometimes punch them when they're angry, especially in breeding season from spring until summer. Yes, I think she's definitely a female and my new best 11 Read today's other YCD, by Joscelyn, 10: 'An explosion of emerald butterflies' To submit an article for consideration in Young Country Diary, please fill out the form here (or, if that does not work, as has been the case recently, try the form here). The deadline for submissions is Monday 30 June
Daily Mail
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Can you spot the pig among the birds in just 13 seconds in a mind-mending optical illusion?
At first glance, the scene looks perfectly ordinary: a lively flock of plump, wide-eyed birds gathered in a sunlit meadow, chirping away without a care in the world. Their round shapes, cheerful expressions and matching colors paint a charming picture of harmony. But look a little closer… and you'll realize something is off. There's an intruder in their midst. A pig. And not just any pig — a stealthy little impostor who's mastered the art of blending in. Your challenge? Spot the odd one out in under 13 seconds. Sounds simple, right? Think again. This illusion relies on the power of pattern recognition. Your brain wants to see birds—so it does. That's what makes spotting the pig so difficult. But it's there. No feathers, no beak, and a snout that gives it all away. Look closely and you'll notice one creature has rounder ears, a wider nose, and a slightly different shade of pink. Still struggling? Here's a hint: ignore the left side. Focus on the center-right of the image, where the pig has cleverly tucked itself among the crowd. Once you see it, you won't believe you missed it. And if you're still searching, don't worry—you're far from alone. This illusion is a perfect reminder that sometimes, what we think we see blinds us to what's actually there. So—did you beat the clock? Or did the pig outsmart you? Check the answer key below to see if you were correct Another seemingly innocent image posted by the popular Facebook page Minion Quotes is driving internet users wild - after it challenged them to count every duck in a sneaky new brain teaser. A Facebook page called Minion Quotes recently shared this optical illusion, which shows a flock of happy white ducks scattered across a bright yellow background. Initially, the picture looks simple enough - just rows of cute little birds waddling along in perfect formation. But there's a catch that has left even the sharpest-eyed puzzle fans scratching their heads. At the top of the image, the bold question reads: 'How many duck you can count?' Easy, right? Not so fast. Take a closer look and you'll spot the real twist: some of the ducks are hiding in plain sight. Tiny ducklings are tucked away inside the outlines of their larger, feathered friends - camouflaged so well that many viewers miss them completely. A few are peeking out from behind wings, while others are so perfectly blended you might need to squint to see them. Within hours, the comments section erupted as thousands rushed to post their guesses - ranging from a handful to 17 ducks. Some claim to have cracked the code, while others are still scanning the image, convinced they've missed a sneaky stowaway. Optical illusions and hidden picture puzzles have long been a hit on social media, providing not just entertainment, but a test of your observation skills - and this duck-themed challenge is no exception. Think you can outsmart the flock? Despite hundreds of guesses, only the eagle-eyed few can spot all 22 - did you? But don't quit just yet, we have another brain teaser to test just how smart you are. At first glance, the picture seems innocent enough: a dizzying swarm of cartoon bees buzzing in all directions. Rows upon rows of identical-looking insects fill the screen, their bulbous eyes and tiny wings blending together in a chaotic blur of yellow and black. But there's a twist. Hidden within the hive of activity is a single uninvited guest - an ant - carefully camouflaged to blend in with its stripy surroundings. The illusion, originally created by Jagran Josh, an Indian education and news platform, has gone viral for good reason. It's not just a test of sight, but a test of patience, concentration, and maybe even sanity. The challenge? Spot the ant in under 10 seconds. Sounds easy - until you try it. Need a hint? Focus on the legs. The ant's are slimmer, more stick-like, and lack the small wings you'll find on every bee in the image. That tiny detail is your giveaway - if you're fast enough to catch it. Still stumped? Don't worry, you're not alone - most people admit they gave up and scrolled for the answer. So, how long did it take you? And be honest - did you beat the 10-second mark, or are you buzzing with frustration?
