Blake's Wood has started its annual show, the trees still somewhat bare of leaves, have carpets of wood anemones at their feet, giving a slightly perfumed air. The strappy leaves of bluebells can be seen with the occasional bud of blue flower, but their act is yet to come. The area of woodland that has been left untouched since 1987 looks very similar to the woodland around it. I remember at the time when the 'great storm' came through, and large trees were thrown to the ground that the policy was to leave them fallen as a natural event. No cuckoos, see I marked them last year as 5th May when we heard them, though I always expect them round the middle of April, it also says on the notice board that there are also nightingales to be heard. Flora is consistent in this wood, but fauna is rather thin on the ground, grey squirrels occasionally and of course the birds.
Think I saw swallows at Paper Mill Lock, they nest under the bridge in summer.
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| Wood anemones |
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| Bluebells starting to show their colour amongst the wood anemones |
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| Coppicing |
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| Primroses going over now |
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| Wood violets |
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| I wonder if Michael Fish still dines out on this story almost 28 years ago. To be honest there does not seem to be much of change in the wood from the surrounding area. |
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| Warning sign - do not enter |
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| Celandine |
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| Wood Spurge |
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| Refreshments |
One day I shall video properly! but it is a record.............
Wood anemones
I see many similarities in your photos of a spring woods and what I'm recording on our patch in Kentucky. These first flowers of the season are so fresh and delicate, so quickly past their blooming and the foliage becoming part of a green tangle on the forest floor.
ReplyDeleteI think it is something to do with the latitude both countries inhabit which are very similar, and that is about as far as my knowledge goes. But the fresh greenery of the countryside is always welcome after winter grays.
DeleteWood anemones, violets and celandine - we have them all and they are a delight. No swallows yet though - the latest they have been for some years. But it is warmer today so perhaps they will arrive any time.
ReplyDeleteJust signed a petition to stop the shooting of song birds in Europe, it is a disgrace that the hunting of these creatures as they migrate is allowed to take place. But swallows have always been there, building their mud/clay nests under eaves, or are they swifts, can never tell the difference..
DeleteI just tried to sign the petition online, but it does not recognize my Canadian postal code as being valid. No wonder there are so few signatories!
DeleteI was keenly watching for the first sign of spring here in Calgary. I was hoping it would be hearing the song of the robin (American robin, that is, a red breasted thrush). No luck, that happened about five days later. The first sign of spring, for me, was the appearance of the first mosquito.
Hi John, well thank you for trying at least, I seem to be able to sign American petitions, but the trouble is once your email address is out there everyone comes knocking for signatures. Although many causes are worth it, being introduced to the cruelties of the world is not a happy place to be.
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