Bluebells and more

We go to see the bluebells in Barnsdale woods again. The sun is sulking behind the clouds. The trees are showing shades of new green,  yet the wind blows chill.  Summer's almost here, but she's forgotten something.

In the air above the grassy slopes are the first swifts I've seen this year, diving and swooping.

Blackthorn trees, their blossoms beginning to brown, as close by the creamier pink tinged hawthorn flowers are taking over.

Over the cattle grid into the woodland. By the path a few bluebells, mixed with cowslips and pink campion, and now the blue mist and the sweet smell as we walk deeper into the wood.

On our left the ground slopes down to the water - trees stand knee deep, like mangroves out of their comfort zone - of course they're willows.   We walk past memorial benches,  fallen trees,  tepee-shaped stacks of branches.

Birds sing. People walk, talk and cycle.  In a car park fishermen are putting their gear into a van - N29 FLY.  It crawls past us as we climb the hill.

Up there is a bench I haven't seen before.  And an orchard, planted for the Diamond Jubilee and open by "HM" the Lord Lieutenant of Rutland - in honour of "HRH" Queen Elizabeth.  Is this a red plot hatched by crazy egalitarians?

We walk down the grassy slope, back to the woods.  Stop to look, take photographs, even though the sunlight is still AWOL.

Woodland turns to grass, and here the air is thick with dancing midges - I swallow one, then disguise myself as a Western outlaw, with a handkerchief round nose and mouth, tied dashingly behind my ears.
Where are the swifts?

As we begin the drive home the sky turns blue and five miles later the sun comes out.

A spring walk (May 10)

Spring is in full swing

pushed higher by downpours.

Bluebells, cowslips, campion

colour the green, splash over the lines -

new life, loud birdcalls, running hares.

Memorial benches punctuate the walk

and, tucked behind a tree,

protected by clear-film,

is a card from a widower to his love.

Geoff Hamilton’s drought garden

is overgrown,

yet bursts of pink and orange, deep red and gold flowers

tempt the eye

and the parchment-bark

of Himalayan silver birch glows pale. 

Lepe Beach

My third or fourth visit to Lepe, and I didn't realise the connection to the D-Day landings in Normandy

Some of the remaining structures

The joy of sorting stones

Shame the sea is on a slope!

Marbled white butterflies in the wildflower/ conservation area, and lots of different wildflowers, then yellow poppies on the shingle

Ferns, foxgloves and fritillaries in the forest

The forest, ferns, foxgloves pink and white, silver-washed fritillaries and white admirals. 


I had to identify the fritillaries from online pics, but they fit the description - swooping flight, large, brilliant orange butterflies in sunlit woodland in summer.  Common in the South of England, very local further North.

A silver-washed fritillary pausing briefly

The white admiral was on brambles - a surefire way of distinguishing them from the similar-at-first-glance purple emperors of Fermyn Woods.


The hottest day of the year so far. A sticky five mile walk near the New Forest Wildlife Centre, from Deerleap Car Park.

 for details and map check this link

Poppies

... are spectacular this year. 

A field  at the top of the hill from Harringworth to Gretton.