Thursday 7 May

Dry morning for our walk

 Blue Speckled Egg found on the path

 Columbine - Aquilegia vulgaris

 Common Nettle - Urtica dioica

Swan & you can just make out a couple of Cygnets - we later found there were 3

Mallard Babes

Mallard & Babes

Mandarin Drake

Sunny Brow View

Take Care

Sunday 2 May

We were expecting rain this morning but it never did a drop, met up with Debbie on her way home.

We did quite a few places -

found our first blackbird egg casualty.

Plenty of flowers on the Damson tree.

I wonder how many pounds of jam have been made from this trees fruit.

Dandelion clock - I think they look beautiful.

Holly looks like its had a good polishing.

There is quite a bit of Marsh Marigold in Spring Wood - we keep finding patches.

Horse Chestnut - This is only a small part of it, there has always been plenty of conkers on this one, it has never let us down.

Plenty of flowers again.

Looking forward to the conkers.

Not a drop of rain all day.

Sunday 31 May

Another glorious morning, we set off and soon found our first Common Spotted Orchid in flower, it was a stunning colour. Unfortunately it is on the Barrow - worse it is near the works site - they will use this area for access and parking when they start to build.

Another casualty - possible ID from http://www.chorleynats.org.uk/ a finch egg, there are a lot of Magpies, Crows and Jays around, also found a blackbird eggshell nearby.
This larvae/caterpillar was on Hazel. Would love an ID.

Meg watching our fellow ramblers - catch up once again.

Wednesday 29 April

Dry morning, met up with Debbie and the boys, Jake & Harvey.

This blackbird egg was on the footpath, we thought it might have been taken by one of the numerous magpies - there seemed to be a lot of activity among them at the top end of Spring Wood.

Darwin's Barberry another one that I would have if I was planting a new hedge.
Fringe Cups these are garden escapees that have started to appear in all sorts of areas.

This is Hart's Tongue - the colour stunned me as I am so use to seeing the older darker green leaves.

One of the fresh leaves starting to unfurl.

I will be keeping an eye on this as it grows.

Lily of the Valley in flower.

Lungwort in flower.

Solomon's Seal

Wood Speedwell in flower.

Woodruff in flower.

Saturday 28 March

Mild morning, we had a good look around, the woods are alive with birds and flowers. Plus all the animals we find traces of or just glimpse.

Blackthorn flower buds.

Some open

Bistort leaves

Duck egg - a lot of the Mallards are in the woods for the breeding season, we see them take off and head back to the lodge most mornings.

Forsythia

Marsh Marigold

Quince

Comfrey
Teasel