What these Photos are about.

I took all these photos around Tyne and Wear and Northumberland, I enjoy photographing aspects of Nature which are often overlooked.

Recycled Bottle Thai Temple

I liked these photos of a Buddhist temple in Thailand made of recycled glass bottles and bottle tops which have been donated to the monks.

Jelly fungus on Elder

These mushrooms are growing on an elder tree.

Ivy berries in full sun

These black berries of common or English Ivy (Hedera Helix) were hanging over a churchyard wall in Northumberland. They are usually seen in March, April and May.

Autumn Berries near Penshaw

These lovely autmumn berries were hanging by the path up to Penshaw Woods near the River Wear. I can see some rose hips but I don't know which species. There is another berry, green orange and red hued, which is probably Bryony.

Tansy in flower

I found this on the banks of the River Wear not far from the A 19 road bridge

It looks like Tansy, also known as "bitter buttons". Tansy has culinary and medicinal uses, and a pudding made from it traditonally marked the end of Lent. Google "Tansy Pudding" for a recipe!

Burdock on a gravel path

This one is of a Burdock family species, seen in July in the Tyne Valley in Northumberland.

Comfrey

I took this picture of a massive comfrey plant, seen in June near Allen Banks in Northumberland! It was about 5 feet tall and just beginning to flower!

Large wood ant nest

This one seems to be steaming

Northumberland Wood Ants

A nest of Wood Ants at a secret location in Northumberland.

The pictures, taken in July 2005, Northumberland, with a Nikon Coolpix, show nests of wood ants, which eat forest pests which damage trees and so are forest friends. They are harmless to humans and do not bite. If you look closely at the forest floor near a nest they can be seen carrying pine needles, bits of bark and leaves into the nest, which they build over many years and live inside with their Queen.

The nest below is carefully disguised but you can see it is actually very large slightly to the right of the picture with some large sticks coming out the top.

Penshaw Woods in Early Summer

Penshaw Woods in May when wild garlic is in flower and the trees have new green leaves.

Wood Ant nest near tree

Another wood ant nest