The long, yellow male catkins of the hazel tree appear in January and February

Our man Albert Nolan recently visited Clare Glens

In Japanese culture spending more time in nature is linked to good health

The group who helped Albert explore Castleconnell

Jackdaws are the smallest member of the crow family (collectively known as corvids), which also includes ravens, crows, rooks, jays and magpies

The Hebrew character moth gets its unique name because its back looks like a letter “nun” (inset) in the Hebrew alphabet which is like the English letter “n”

As their name suggest willow warblers make their homes in willows trees

Ear fungus are a really amazing species

Dungarvan bay is an important habitat for birds as the mudflats are excellent feeding grounds in the winter

Nettles are the host plant for several species

Greenfinches are a rare sight in garden these days Picture: Pixabay

Best to leave it alone: You shouldn't really take frogspawn from the wild. It Is technically illegal as the common frog is a protected species

Plenty of cotoneaster berries: The fact there is still good crop of these berries around is a sign of a mild winter - birds will only eat these as a last resort Picture: Pixabay