Sunny and Warm Weekend

There is no place on earth like England in spring.

This weekend was more akin to high summer than an early spring. The temperature reached 25 degrees C in the sun and it made for superb nature watching in the woods.

I quietly entered Poor Park woods and immediately came across about 30 fallow. They were relaxed and I watched them at about 50 meters through the old pheasant fence for a good 10 minutes. I know I should have kept lower when trying to stalk closer, but I was a little impatient and it wasn’t long before they cottoned-on to what I was doing and trotted off out of the wood.

I was left to explore the woods and new growth on my own:

The wonderful cuckoo flower or ladies smock with it’s watercress-tasting leaves…

…This is a barren strawberry as opposed to a wild strawberry…

…Star of Bethlehem… (a remedy for anxiety)

…white dead-nettle. The leaves can be cooked and don’t sting…

…and greater celandine.

I was delighted to see the oxlips out as well. These plants are similar to cowslips and are locally rare. Note there are no orange stripes within the petal as with cowslips.

This little fella with a large proboscis is a large bee-fly (Bombylius major)

I heard the cat-calling whistle of the buzzards utilising the air currents above and I vainly tried to mimic the sounds. I doubt whether it was my efforts, but as I was trying this out, I heard what was like a crash landing behind me. I turned to see one of the birds had landed noisily on a branch. I had enough time to take a quick photo before it flew off again.

The final part of my walk took me outside of the wood and I walked the edge to experience the wonderful sunshine and warmth of this early spring day.

Thanks for the visit.