What a powerful presence an eagle emanates. No wonder the Greeks saw the bird as being the right hand of the supreme god Zeus. And that kings, emperors and other rulers have been keen to use this king of the birds as a symbol to enhance their own  importance: its image decorates many flags, weapons […]

They are easy to spot in birch trees in the autumn and the winter: one or more branches with a large number of smaller side growth. The so-called Witches Broom. How these resulted from a wild growth of twigs and involved witches is the subject of the following tale whose roots certainly lie in medieval […]

From the time of the Hesperides in Ancient Greece up until the era of Snow White’s stepmother, the apple has been one of the most important fruits figuring in myths, legends and fairy tales. It is always pictured in a positive light. Could this be due to the apple having a healthy image because of […]

Literally translated, the common Dutch name for the Green Sandpiper is “Little White Butt”. Seriously! It is a nervous wader which often goes undetected because of its colouring which acts as camouflage. Why did it become so nervous?  How did it get its small white butt? To find out more about this bird read on… […]