Juvenile Woodpecker

 Great Spotted Woodpeckers are regular visitor to our feeders and we were delighted to see juveniles in the last few days. The youngsters are distinguished by the red crown to the head and this one still has some downy feathers. We have seen at least two or probably three.

Greenfinch

 Greenfinch used to be one of the most common visitors to our garden feeders but we had not seen them for many years so we were delighted to see a pair today.

There numbers have been greatly reduced by parasitic infections but let's hope they are making a comeback

Misty swirling

Mist and sunshine accentuated the green on this old tree this morning, it’s mostly Mistletoe but maybe the leaves bursting out too.

Spring is coming

On our Lockdown 3 walk from home yesterday the woods seem ready to burst into life again with Wood Garlic and Bluebells showing well already.

 

Winter Sunset in the Severn Vale

 

The Winter sunset was spectacular on our #Lockdown3 afternoon walk yesterday 

Dexter Cattle in the Winter Sun

Winter sunshine with the sun low in the sky picks out these Dexter cattle still grazing  outside when most of the other breeds are inside for the winter
 

Redwing

The days are getting shorter but the hedges are still laden with haws and sloes as Redwings migrate in   from Scandinavia to take advantage of the feast

Hay Making

 Summer is fading fast and autumn is here and farmers are taking advantage of the dry spell to make hay ready for the winter ahead.

Cotswold Lavender Farm

Yesterday we took a trip to the northern end of the Cotswolds to visit the Cotswold Lavender Farm near Broadway. It was most enjoyable a photographers dream!

Mid Summer sunsets

Yesterday evening we enjoyed another beautiful sunset with long shadows as the sun set in the west.

Beautiful Meadows

Yesterday being National Meadows Day as we wandered along the wood this meadow looked beautiful in the stormy weather. The grassland is species rich and popular with many Butterflies including the Meadow Brown. We are lucky to have this on our doorstep.

Red Kite

 The Red Kite has been reintroduced in Mid Wales and Oxfordshire but has been only an occasional visitor to our area so we were delighted when the silage was cut near our home to see the arrival of four Red Kites scanning the field for prey.
Let's hope we will see more of these impressive birds in future.

Bluebell Woods

It's that lovely time of year when bluebells start to carpet the woodland floor and we are lucky to be able to take a short walk from home to see them when corona virus restrictions  are preventing many from seeing them.

Isolation in the Cotswolds

2020 has brought Coronavirus which has meant that the Government has asked us to self isolate. We have been in lockdown here in the UK now for over a week.

Thankfully our government has allowed one walk a day from home so that everyone can get some exercise. Living where we do in the South Cotswolds we are very lucky with plenty of footpaths crisis crossing the countryside. Hence we have been able to walk every day and enjoy the countryside as it wakes up and Spring arrives after what has been a particularly wet winter.

This collage show the Beech woodland near Uley which yesterday was sunny and green with Wild Garlic leaves which will soon have their white flowers too.  Bluebells are starting to bloom as are Primroses, Wood anemones, Celandines, Violets and Ground Ivy

The fourth photo shows the Wild Chives which we have noticed on the edge of the roads and fields this year for the first time. We wonder if these were introduced by the Romans as it is known that they lived in this area many years ago.

Views of muddy fields

 Heavy rain over a long period this winter has left the ground saturated with water but mild temperatures mean that there are plenty  of signs that Spring is coming as can be seen by the wood garlic pushing up from the woodland floor.

Valentine’s Day

Yesterday morning being Valentine’s Day we decided a trip out was in order to visit NT Newark Park a delightful little historic house near Wotton-under-Edge. 

The Snowdrops were beautiful and we enjoyed wandering in the garden and even sat in the sunshine to enjoy our cup of coffee. Don’t miss a fascinating guided visit to see the ancient kitchens if you visit.   See details here https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/newark-park

Hazel Catkins

Signs of Spring are popping up all around us due we are told, to the mild winter weather. Snowdrops and catkins aren’t particularly early here though, if you compare our previous entries and years on the blog. We suspect the amount of daylight has a significant effect also.

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.