Wednesday 2 May

Dry Morning

The above 3 photos are Birch Shieldbug - Elasmostethus interstinctus found on Gooseberry

Common Nettle - Urtica dioica

Gooseberry - Ribes uva-crispa

Greater Stitchwort - Stellaria holostea

Lily of the Valley - Convallaria majalis

Lily of the Valley - Convallaria majalis

Wood Melick - Melica uniflora

Wood Melick - Melica uniflora

Wood Melick - Melica uniflora

Yellow Pimpernel - Lysimachia nemorum

Yellow Pimpernel - Lysimachia nemorum

Take care

Wednesday 4 May

Dry and a beautiful morning.

 Columbine Buds - Aquilegia vulgaris 

 Columbine Buds - Aquilegia vulgaris the strimmer men are about so this plant is doomed again. 

Another ringed Coot - left leg

right leg - this bird was ringed at Southport Marine Lake last winter.

 Holly - Ilex aquifolium

 Holly - Ilex aquifolium

 Japanese Larch - Larix kaempferi

 Lily of the Valley - Convallaria majalis

 Lily of the Valley - Convallaria majalis

Lucy & Blue SLU swans

 Sycamore - Acer vilosa

 Thyme Leaved Speedwell - Veronica serpyllifolia

 Wood Melick - Melica uniflora

Wych Elm - Ulmus glabra

Take Care.

Wednesday 19 May

Another glorious day and plenty to look at.

Slime Mold - Enteridium Lycoperdon completely changed, all that is left is dust or remnants of spores.

Fish Ladder

Ichneumonidae sp

A specie of wasp hoping to get an ID.

Leaves of Hemlock Water Dropwort - Oenanthe crocata

Leaves of Balm - Melissa officinalis

Plenty of Greater Stitchwort - Stellaria holostea, it's

everywhere.

This group of Lily of the Valley - Convallaria majalis is spreading.

Wood Melick - Melica uniflora

Wood Sedge - Carex sylvatica

Bark of Wych Elm - Ulmus glabra

Wych Elm seeds - Ulmus glabra

My favourite Mallard Mum and her 4 almost grown babes.

Take Care.

Sunday 9 May

We had a good walk down Drybones, I am not going to post any pictures of the poor cottage it is so depressing.

Ramsons all over the place now.

Red Campion

Taken on our way to Drybones she was restless.

Sycamore Flowers

Wood Anemone

Wood Speedwell

Orange Tip Butterfly on Cuckoo Flower

Hoverfly - ID as Eristalis tenax

Tachinidae sp. We call them all the dreaded Horse Fly.

That Slime Mold has almost gone.

Dandelion

Crane Fly ID as Tipula villata also a female.

Apple blossom

It is cultivated Apple probably planted from the cottage.

7 Spot Ladybird & a Bee.

There were quite a few of these Bees about, they are Nomada sp.

They are often called cuckoo bees as they lay their eggs in other bees nest.

Top Lodge Mallard & 8 babes.

Cropped from the above photo to show the tadpoles.

Wych Elm leaves no sign of the seeds.

Wood Melick - Melica uniflora it is a bright green so it stands out from the crowd.

The spikelet still sheltered in the sheath.

For those interested in the difference between Wood & Mountain Melick it is this bristle opposite the ligule, the much rarer Mountain does not have it.

Take Care.