A Spotter's Guide to Countryside Mysteries : From Piddocks and Lynchets to Witch's Broom

The natural world is full of mysteries, whether the masses of twigs that look like abandoned nests, fuzzy red balls on roses, stranded ponds on hilltops, or even the shaded ways we walk along. One of Britain's best-known naturalists, John Wright here introduces us to the natural (and unnatural) mysteries of the countryside, giving us the tools to identify Witch's Broom, Robin's Pincushion, Dew ponds and Hollow Ways, and also their histories, how they come to be, and where to find them. From the enormous to the truly tiny he illuminates the oddities that pepper our countryside and the pleasure of spotting and understanding them. Beautifully illustrated, practical and entertaining, this is for anyone who has wondered what is that? or simply longs to get outside again.