Winter Solstice

The Winter Solstice is here and tonight is longest of the year but Spring is coming soon and the Hazel catkins are already out in the woods.

 There is still some spectacular autumn colour about in the sunny weather as the beech and oak trees hang on to the last of their leaves.

Autumn into winter

Could be springtime with this bright green tree and planted fields against a stormy sky.

We were walking near Westonbirt in sunshine yesterday but later we drove him me through a snow storm.

Hornet's Nest

Spotted this lovely Hornet's Nest in the woods looking  like an abstract work of art!

Fallow Deer

The antlers of the fallow deer are now fully developed and most of the soft velvet covering has been shed with a little remaining on this buck.
Antlers will be shed at the end of winter and grow again next year.
Males are starting to mix with females and sparing with each other in preparation for the rut in September.
This herd in Dyrham park are easy to get close to and well worth a visit.

Wheat Harvest

Summer rolls on and harvesting of winter wheat has begun and the combine harvesters have been busy as this field in Nympsfield shows.

Mid Summer Orchids

We visited Selsley common, near Stroud today where we found many different wild orchids including this Bee orchid. These remarkable flowers mimic the appearance of a bee on the flower and produces a scent similar to a female bee to encourage a male to land when pollen is deposited on it's back. 

Duke of Burgundy

The Duke of Burgundy butterfly is the only European species of the Riodinidae family which is more prevalent in tropical regions. This small butterfly usually flies in May and early June and we were fortunate to see around 12 on Rodborough Common.
Numbers have much reduced over recent years but the back from the brink project hopes to conserve the species

Wild Garlic and Cow Parsley

Cow parsley and wild garlic have turned the verges white. Growth has been rapid over the past few days of warm weather.

Well Dressing

The tradition of well dressing normally happens in the Peak District but is also carried out in the Gloucestershire village of Bisley.
School children carry floral displays through the village on Ascension  day to decorate the springs near the church.

Purple Toothwort

We spotted these amazing flowers during a weekend walk around the Newark Park NT garden. We didn't know what they were. A quick bit of research and we found that it is Purple Toothwort.

The leafless flowers of this parasitic plant growing on an old moss covered log as you can see here.

Roe Deer

The woods are looking more springlike with the first bluebells flowering but as the leaves are not out yet it is still easy to spot the roe deer feeding.

Spring Flowers

The weather may not seem very springlike but wood anemones primroses celandine and blackthorn in the  woods and hedges show that spring is here.

Wild Garlic Soup

Spring is definitely pushing up in our woodland. Time to look out my recipe whilst the leaves are tender. It's an easy lunchtime soup thats delicious!

Supermoon

Tonight's Supermoon made a fine sight rising over Coaley Wood this evening

Lapwings

Modern farming has brought a drastic reduction in the UK breeding population of Lapwings but overwintering birds can still give us the spectacle of a sky full of Lapwings.