Tony Drakeford

Our road network began to expand with ever faster highways and a great increase in vehicles Not long after the Second World War ended.

We are all assured by the opening lines of an old song ‘birds do it, bees do it, even educated fleas do it’.

There can be no more colourful and flamboyant exotic-looking duck the male Mandarin.

I love watching the gradual greening of bankside weeping willow, their bright green foliage seeming to glow against a springtime blue sky.

Our lively and friendly robins really enjoyed themselves over Christmas adorning cards and wrapping paper. Postmen were once nicknamed ‘robins’ because they wore red waistcoats.

We may be rewarded if we listen carefully when walking in Richmond Park and Bushy Park by hearing little owls uttering their plaintive yelping mewing calls from the many ancient oaks.

Two female feral pigeons stood together heads cocked to one side picking up crumbs on platform four at Earl’s Court Underground station.

I was fortunate to observe at close quarters just how successful a predator is the common wasp.

Despite the recent icy weather with severe frosts, strong winds, and a few snow flurries there is now a little warmth in the sun and signs of spring are everywhere.

Hotel guests were relaxing in the TV lounge when a large colourful moth flew in through the open window and began circling around the ceiling.