Monday 27 April

Good Morning

Mainly views around the area today.

Big Lodge

Big Lodge

Lodge Path

 Bugle - Ajuga reptans

Lodge path over stream

Birkacre Rucks

All taken on the Rucks

Wood Forget-me-not - Myosotis sylvatica

Take Care

Monday 12 January

Damp & Mild

The temperature is up & down like a yo yo.

 Coot on the Big Lodge

 Meg showing off the famous muzzle

River Yarrow - don't you find watching water flow is peaceful & relaxing

Take Care

Wednesday 10 September

Lovely morning - plenty of dew on the flowers and trees

 Devil's-bit Scabious - Succisa pratensis

 Hedge Woundwort - Stachys sylvatica

Meadow Vetchling - Lathyrus pratensis

Take Care

Tuesday 5 August

A day later on the rucks and not far from yesterdays comma we saw this Peacock Butterfly, once again warming in the sun. 

Easy to spot & ID when stationary with the distinctive markings.

Peacock Butterfly - Inachis io

Take Care

Monday 4 August

Up on the rucks when I saw this Comma Butterfly warming it's self in the sun, I watched it for a few minutes to see if it would show us why it's called the comma, it did not shut it's wings so I could not, 

I will have to tell those who have not seen the tiny white dot on the underside of the wing that looks like a comma sign, ID is not really a problem as the unusual shape of the wings make it one to spot easily, but it is nice to see the comma mark.

Comma Butterfly - Polygonia c-album

Take Care

Friday 25 July

Walk on the Burgh

 Cinnabar Caterpillars

 Broad Leaved Helleborine - Epipactus helleborine

The Black/Purple Rosehip of the Burnet Rose - Rosa spinosissima

Take Care

Tuesday 22 July

I love the pure white of the bindweed - pity it's so invasive

Large Bindweed - Calystegia silvatica

Take Care

Sunday 20 July

This little plant grows in most areas, unless your trying to show some one then it seems to be the rarest one to find :)

It is one I have known from childhood, we use to look for it and crush the flower to smell the pineapples - when I think about it the only time we had pineapple was occasionally on a Sunday out of a tin.

Pineappleweed - Matricaria discoidea

Take Care

Wednesday 2 July

Good sunny morning

When I saw the snail I almost missed the fact that normally in the valley we get White Lipped Snails, this is the first Brown Lipped Snail I have found in the valley. 

 Great Willowherb - Epilobium hirsutum

It's in flower and still spreading, Himalayan Balsam - Impatiens glandulifera

 Marsh Woundwort - Stachys palustris

Tormentil - Potentilla erecta

Take Care

Sunday 22 June continued

Sundays flowers

 Common Vetch - Vicia sativa

 Dotted Loosestrife - Lysimachia puntacta

 Himalayan Balsam - Impatiens glandulifera

 Large Bindweed - Calystegia silvatica

 Tormentil - Potentilla erecta

 Tormentil - Potentilla erecta

Yellow Loosestrife - Lysimachia vulgaris

Take Care

Sunday 22 June

Good walk this morning

 Still waiting for an ID on this caterpillar

 Forest Bugs on Oak

 Nursery Web Spider - she has built a tent between the grass stalks, she will stay with the egg sac and eventually the young spiders.

 Shield Bug Eggs they look like barrels

Take Care

Tuesday 17 June

One more beautiful day

Big Lodge View

 Large Bindweed - Calystegia silvatica not one you want in the garden, once saw this in North Wales on a tall wire fence - it looked fantastic the fence was white with flowers.

 Marsh Bedstraw - Galium palustre

Hundreds of these all round the small lodge this one was a toad

Take Care

Tuesday 10 June

Good dry morning

Still a few Sloes on the Blackthorn - Prunus spinosa

 Meadow Crane'sbill - Geranium pratense

Swan Family

Take Care

Saturday 31 May

A walk through the valley

Our beautiful Cygnet, it's so good to see one this year

 Geranium sp - I think it's a garden throw out

 Germander Speedwell - Veronica chamaedrys

Germander Speedwell - Veronica chamaedrys

Take Care