Photo Blog Week 20 - Wed 23 Apr 2014
I've not been to the Park for 3 weeks and the first thing I noticed driving up the main drive with the window down was the volume of birdsong and the increase in the colour green. Here and there the grassland is speckled with coloured dots of wild flowers announcing that spring is well underway. During the day I noticed many butterflies and bees attending to these new blooms.
I make no apology for much of today's photo blog being concerned with said flowers. That said, it's taken far too long looking up what they are!
RANT:
Excuse my little rant and the unpleasant images at the bottom of this post but I had to say something, "I am not the Dog Poo Fairy!", in fact, there's no such thing!
Bag it, Tie it, BIN IT!
not
Bag it, Chuck it!
Back on Patrol...:
route: Hall to Timberyard Cafe area; across dam; into Crow Wood; cross stream and exit below The Cage
Wood-sorrel (Oxalis acetosella) now has delicate pretty white flowers against the background of cooking apple green leaves. The leaves fold into little tents as the light fades to night.
Try rubbing the leaves for a delightful fresh apple smell.
Try rubbing the leaves for a delightful fresh apple smell.
Bluebells (Hyacinthoides non-scripta) coming into flower in Crow Wood
Hairy Bitter-cress (Cardamine hirsuta)
Until today, after some research, I didn't know what this was called even though it is endemic in my garden. The long slim seed pods always pop as I pick them out casting even more seeds.
Until today, after some research, I didn't know what this was called even though it is endemic in my garden. The long slim seed pods always pop as I pick them out casting even more seeds.
Greater Stitchwort (Stellaria holostea)
Apparently, it was once believed that picking the flowers would provoke thunder and lightning.
Apparently, it was once believed that picking the flowers would provoke thunder and lightning.
Nature's Artwork: New ferns unfurling create wonderful patterns
Delicate white blossom, I think probably Crab-apple (anyone?)
Larch bursting vivid green.
One of my favourite trees with it's little 'shaving brush' leaf burst a couple of weeks ago through to being the source of golden woodland footpaths in late autumn.
One of my favourite trees with it's little 'shaving brush' leaf burst a couple of weeks ago through to being the source of golden woodland footpaths in late autumn.
Horse Chestnut (conker tree) is always early folding out it's five to seven fingered leaves.
Iris, almost certainly Yellow Iris (Iris pseudacorus)
Common Dog-violet (Viola riviniana)
route: Toward Elmerhurst Wood entrance; don't wood but follow wall for a while; head up to Main Drive below The Cage
Lesser Celandine (Ranunculus ficaria)
This can be seen in the grass all over the Park currently
This can be seen in the grass all over the Park currently
Not to be ignored even though I think of it as a "garden weed" rather than a wild flower, the Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) is like a little golden sun in the grass.
Over to you Readers - What is this?
Lesser Celandine (Ranunculus ficaria)
The source of the current rash of yellow dots in the grass alongside the main drive below Cage Hill
The source of the current rash of yellow dots in the grass alongside the main drive below Cage Hill
Wallers at work on a collapse along Elmerhurst Wood
Cuckooflower (Cardamine pratensis) in the meadow grass below The Cage
Kite flying up at The Cage
route: follow drive; break away to end of Crow Wood and Timberyard; enter wood and circle little pick in rough area; return to Cafe.
Of course, I must pay homage to the quintessential English lawn flower, the Daisy (Bellis perennis)
Yellow Archangel (Lamiastrum galeobdolon ssp. montanum)
Most schools have gone back but some are still on holiday and the Park was alive with families and picnics.
Tree Maintenance
At lunch time, Delta-Graham and I got a call from the Ranger Team to assist with traffic control whilst they extracted a hanging branch from a tree close to the entrance.
Ranger Craig used a great tool called a "Big Shot" tree slingshot, which is a sort of cross between a long catapult and a crossbow, to shoot a weight with cord attached high into the tree. A couple of goes and they had it grabbed.
route: After returning to Car Park; Follow drive toward The Knott; split across emergency parking field; climb the knoll.
The Hall will disappear soon as the tree canopies fill out.
The Lantern can be seen up in the wood with the clear view lines coming back to the hall.
Manchester barely able to be made out in the haze
Cycling is only permitted on hard paths and in this area above The Knott Car Park. It looks fun.
Red Deer
The hinds are mostly heavily pregnant now and these young stags are just keeping out of the way.
route: Descend to car park; follow drive to West Parkgate entrance.
Forgetmenots, probably 'Wood' variety ( Myosotis sylvatica)
West Parkgate drive developing a green canopy
Bluebells on the sides of the drive
Dandelion seed head. What time is it?
Wood-sorrel
route: Turn back at Entrance; Climb tree root path by Poynton Brook; Follow path across bracken area the green path to pass below Paddock Cottage.
Wild Garlic or more correctly, Ransoms (Allium ursinum) near West Parkgate entrance.
Nature's Artwork: Wood-sorrel in the moss clad roots by a little water fall
Flower buds appearing in Wild Garlic
Common Dog-violet (Viola riviniana)
route:
Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus)
AKA: Bilberry (N. England), Blaeberry (Scotland), Whortleberry (S. England), Huckleberry (Bedfordshire Greensand), Whinberry (or Wimberry)
AKA: Bilberry (N. England), Blaeberry (Scotland), Whortleberry (S. England), Huckleberry (Bedfordshire Greensand), Whinberry (or Wimberry)
New isolated shoots are finally appearing in the apparently dead bracken areas.
Rhododendrons
Cutting back the rhododendrons has now stopped as the nesting season arrives.
Rhododendron tunnels! If your children haven't run around in them grab your chance.
The buds are filling and the remaining rhododendrons will soon be covered in purple flowers.
route: enter Drinkwater Meadow; follow wall to Knightslow Wood boundary; follow wall to Track entrance to Knightslow Wood; follow track back to Main Car Park.
Sheep back in Drinkwater Meadow
The sheep are back in Drinkwater Meadow now and new lambs are being born so dogs on leads in the meadow for now please.
I wouldn't want to mess with these menacing soon to be mothers, especially right of centre.
The corner of Knightslow Wood greening up nicely.
One lamb has arrived. Mum is sensibly staying apart from the flock in shade from the wind by the wall bounding Knightslow Wood.
Bye, bye.
I am NOT the Dog Poo Fairy!
Every week, most of the weight in my litter sack comprises small plastic bags of dog faeces. I find this incredibly offensive and selfish of this tiny minority of irresponsible dog owners.
Some claim that they were to pick it up later but in the meantime everyone passing has to look at this litter knowing what it contains. Even those who genuinely intended to collect it frequently return a different way or just forget.
Some claim that they were to pick it up later but in the meantime everyone passing has to look at this litter knowing what it contains. Even those who genuinely intended to collect it frequently return a different way or just forget.
Most of these disposals however are deliberate in bushes off the path and over walls. These selfish inconsiderate people seem to believe in 'Bag it and Chuck it'. I suspect this is because they know it's socially irresponsible and indeed against the law to leave dog waste in a public area and, though they are too embarrassed to be seen ignoring it, they have no intention of carrying it to a disposal point. No, they think someone else should do that. Well, it's me and my colleagues who pick up and place repeated bags of excrement into our sacks, putting up the spillage from wet damaged bags and with the stink as we continue to pick litter.
Carefully hung in full view
Incredibly, this one is carefully inserted into the edge of a children's den!
Dumped next to the gate in full view
On the grass near the car park ready to be trodden on and burst.
Bag it, Tie it, BIN IT!
