Winter Woodlands

On a dull misty midwinter morning it is good to get out and walk past veteran beech trees in the woods. The bare branches stand out in the fog and you can appreciate the shapes of trees uncluttered by foliage.

Winter Scenes

 December is here with frosty mornings.It also heralds the return of Bewick Swans from the Arctic tundra.

 It also 

This week was our first visit to Gifford’s Circus at their home, Fennells Farm near Stroud and we weren’t disappointed! It’s their last day of the season today but it will definitely be on our list to visit again next year.

Painted Lady

This year has seen the arrival of large numbers of painted lady butterflies for the first time since 2009.
These insects make the remarkable migration from North Africa although they are not able to overwinter in the UK.

Common Blue Butterfly

On a walk on Scottsquar hill we were lucky enough to see a pair of Common Blue buterflies mating on a leaf.
These small butterflies have blue wings with a white border when open.The male is the one on the left showing blue on the underside.
They fly from April to September and are seen on open grassland.

Green Dock Beetle

We found this lovely iridescent  Green Dock Beetle on a picnic table where it is easier to spot than on its normal feeding plant.
It is can be found anywhere that dock grows in May and June.

Early Purple Orchids

 The open grassland of the Cotswold commons are a good place to find wild orchids in early summer.
They thrive on the alkaline soil on the limestone hills.

Cotswold Lion

The Cotswold Lion is the iconic sheep  breed of the Cotswold Hills but is no longer so common.
They were bred to produce fine quality wool and also mutton.
These examples were seen near Chedworth.

Spring Woodland Flowers

The Spring Equinox is here and so are the woodland flowers with violets, wood anemones, primroses, and  even the odd early bluebells in bloom.

Kingfishers Nesting

Spring is here and this pair of  Kingfishers are preparing their nest hole and will hopefully raise a brood this year,
The male which has a dark bill does most of the excavation and preparation before mating.
The female has a red lower mandible and normally lays 5 to 7 eggs in the underground nest about 1 metre into the bank

Snowdrops

Snowdrops are brightening our part of the Cotswolds as spring continues on the way. They bend over on frosty mornings but soon perk up again as warmer days follow.

Frosty Morning

 It has been a mild winter so far but this morning's frost gave some lovely wintry scenes along the banks of the Frome and the Stroudwater Navigation