There was an Orange Tip flying around where the land has been cleared along Main Ride.
Orange Tip Butterfly
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Category Archives: Fauna and Flora
Springtime in Paradise
The last of March and the first of April. It looks as if the woods might be more of an anemone wood than a bluebell wood. Since finding the first wood anemone in early March until now, the woods have come alive with a carpet of green and white :
This picture was taken at the junction of Main Ride and Central ride, looking north. There are even the occasional pink ones to be seen :
The bluebells are coming on and a few are in flower but the density at this stage doesn’t justify waxing lyrical. Perhaps this is because it is so long since the wood was coppiced?
Wood Anemone
March 8 and the first wood anemone, Anemone nemorosa, in flower is spotted on the edge of the ride in Tania’s Bower.
The flowers are primitive, in that they have no petals, only the white sepals.
Green Stain Fungus
Late February and conditions are dry so the green staining of the green stain fungus, Chlorociboria aeruginascens or C. aeruginosa, stands out rather than just looking like a dark stain. It is also a chance to try out the new close-up lens.
This piece of wood, about 200 mm long, was on Central Ride towards its southern end near Big Pond.
Brock the Builder
Late February and the badgers have been expanding the sett in Tania’s Bower. A considerable amount of excavation has taken place but the badgers remain elusive – maybe we need to place wildcam lower down.
The Robin at Five Bar Gate
Sunday was cold and crisp. The robin at Five Bar Gate was singing in the early morning sunshine and this time was much better lit, albeit further away :
The area around the gate is clearly his territory.
Early Signs of Spring
January 15 and winter has finally arrived with clear skies and sub-zero nights but the warmth up until a few days ago has brought on a lot of plants. The first Bluebell plants are clearly visible :
as are the Early Purple Orchids :
Robin Singing at Twilight
It was about 15:30 yesterday, on the edge of the wood near Five Bar Gate and it was already twilight when a robin started singing the most liquid of calls. It was just a magic moment :
Tremella mesenterica?
We came across an example of a yellow jelly fungus yesterday, tentatively identified asTremella mesenterica :
I need to work out how to macro pictures on this camera, the image is not the crispest – sorry.
Badgers
The badgers’ sett in Titania’s Bower is still in use if the wildcam video of a badger’s backside – or more accurately the top half of its backside, the particular animal doesn’t care about the quality of the films he or she is in – is to be believed. Hopefully we will get some better video before too long and will then publish it.