This year seems to be a particularly good year for this delightful wild flower: Lady's Bedstraw. Dry conditions must suit it as it is looking especially good on the limestone grassland today. Historically we understand that the flowers were used to coagulate milk for cheese manufacture particularly in Gloucestershire where the yellow of the flower gave colour to the local cheese: Double Gloucester.
Monday, 28 June 2010
Lady's Bedstraw
This year seems to be a particularly good year for this delightful wild flower: Lady's Bedstraw. Dry conditions must suit it as it is looking especially good on the limestone grassland today. Historically we understand that the flowers were used to coagulate milk for cheese manufacture particularly in Gloucestershire where the yellow of the flower gave colour to the local cheese: Double Gloucester.
Sunday, 27 June 2010
Ash Tree Seeds
Saturday, 26 June 2010
Lazy Hazy Days
Friday, 25 June 2010
Beech Nuts
Wednesday, 23 June 2010
Reed Warbler
The Reed Warbler is a Summer Visitor more easily heard than seen as it sings its chattering song in the reedbeds. This one was not far from a noisy road which I think makes them sing even louder.
Monday, 21 June 2010
Solstice
Sunday, 20 June 2010
Damsel Flies
Damsel flies abound near water at this time of year and these two are pictured mating at Cotswold Water Park. They rest with wings closed unlike Dragonflies and often fly in tandem when mating.
Friday, 18 June 2010
Dog Rose
The sweet scented Dog Rose is now in flower in our hedgerows. Dog in the name of a plant usually means an inferior variation but give me the rambling wild Dog Rose over it's garden variety any day.
Monday, 14 June 2010
Summer Sunset
Now the long summer evenings are with us the sun sets across the Severn Vale and the hills of the Forest of Dean and we are able to enjoy some spectacular ends to the day.
Sunday, 13 June 2010
Open Gardens
Many local villages have open garden events in aid of charity and this provides a chance to visit many gardens not usually open to the public .You can admire other people's efforts and get ideas for your own patch and maybe buy some plants. Usually a great value for money day out.
Saturday, 12 June 2010
Horse Chestnut
Wednesday, 9 June 2010
Orchids in bloom
One of the great pleasures of early summer is to see orchids in bloom,particularly on limestone grassland.
Saturday, 5 June 2010
Elderflower
The Elder is now in flower and many people collect the flowers to make drinks and wine.This has become a local industry with Elderflower presse from Gloucestershire widely available.
Thursday, 3 June 2010
Meadows cut for Silage
Not quite like the old hay meadows but two men and their machines made short work of this field today.It's not so good for the wildflowers that have not had time to set seed yet but makes sense in the economics of modern farming.An opportunist Kestrel was observed waiting for any mammals making their escape from the path of the machines.
Wednesday, 2 June 2010
Stinging Nettles
Disliked by many for its painful sting the nettle is a valuable wildlife resource for butterflies.The nettle grows on ground rich in phosphates so is common near human habitation and proves a nuisance in gardens.The nettle is sometimes used in soup or tea and many think its sting is theraputic in treating arthritis and aching joints.
Tuesday, 1 June 2010
Goldfinch on Dandelion
We have recently noticed many flocks of Goldfinch when walking and driving through our local countryside. We have speculated that the species may indeed be one that is on the increase.
This morning from the kitchen window we noticed this one making the most of the dandelion heads on our lawn. It being a wet morning some of the seedheads were closed up but this didn't present a problem for the Goldfinch with his sharp beak as he helped himself by tearing them apart.
Labels:
Goldfinch Dandelion
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