Week 67 13/05/2015 - Blue Skies and Bluebells

Photo Blog Week 67 - Wed 13 May 2015

I was treated to an amazing bright sunny day this week illuminating the colours of the spring leaves and grasses and bringing out the sparkles of colour from the wild flowers. Bluebells are at their peak in the Park now and if you are lucky enough to pass downwind of a bank of them, a wonderful perfume floods the air.
A two-part day saw me finally reaching the end of the survey of external furniture that I've been collecting data for several weeks before lunch then heading out on a normal patrol in the afternoon camera in hand.

route: Crow Wood (loop); Mill Pond; Main Car Park; Drinkwater Meadow

Lush fresh grass along track in Crow Wood

Dandelion Seed Heads

English Bluebells

Ferns uncurling as they grow

Greater Stitchwort  (Stellaria holostea)

Buttercups

Bluebell bank

This bank is close to the Crow Wood Play Scape. The best displays are along Westpark Drive but there are also wonderful displays in Elmerhurst Wood. If you are walking into the Park at the A6 entrance there is a nice bank to your right when on the side path before the railway bridge.

Nice reflections on the Mill Pond

An invasive nuisance they may be, but Rhododendron flowers are pretty

Tall trees catching the sunlight in all sorts of ways

The ornate South Face nicely lit

route: Drinkwater Meadow; Darcy's Pond; Paddock Cottage 

Butterfly catching the sun.

I have read somewhere that the sun warms their muscles allowing them to use less energy.

Looking across to the Western Moor, the tan colours are fading into a blotchy green

The Cage with a background of Derbyshire hills

Family Photo?

Heron flying over Drinkwater Meadow

Darcy's Pond looking a little more inviting than in recent weather

I again found myself assisting visitors locating this pool where the BBC Pride and prejudice Colin Firth wet shirt shot was filmed. It is unfortunately incorrectly labelled on several Lyme Park leaflets and maps. It is located in the far corner of Drinkwater Meadow from the Main Car Park close to Paddock Cottage.

Cheshire Plain green as far as the eye can see

 

Paddock Cottage door 

route: Paddock Cottage; Cluse Hay (top path);Drinkwater Meadow; Knightslow Wood

Greens emerging across the moorland

The white gable end of Bowstonegate Farm which is often visible from large areas of South Manchester when the sun catches it

Flattened crisp Bracken. Hard to believe it will be tall and green again

Paddock Cottage above the bracken

Horse Chestnut trees coming into blossom

Cluse Hay

Brilliant golden yellow Gorse bushes

mini waterfall

A busy corner with step stiles, ladder stiles, streams and drystone wall junctions

route: Knightslow Wood (Moorside path); exit wood at Bowstone track; Moor bottom path; re-enter Knightslow Wood at pedestrian gate; Lyme Avenue

Dappled sunshine reaching through Knightslow Wood

Arty shot - liked the curve of the wall dark against the sky

New Life: A Beech tree seedling next to tiny new Bracken shoots

Moorside path through Knightslow

Ferns growing on the woodland floor

Different types of Fern display a varied structure. These ferns have fronds (leaves) coming direct from a root ball whereas the Bracken out on the Moor has a central stem with fronds coming out of it higher up. 

Bracken is a member of the Fern family so its not incorrect to refer to Bracken as Ferns but it is wrong to call this example of a Fern 'Bracken'.

Western Moor toward Sponds Hill

Eastern Moor bottom path under an overhang of Larch

route: Lyme Avenue; Hamper's Bridge; Turfhouse Meadow; East drive; North Face - end

Fallow Deer from Lyme Avenue (telephoto)

Cuckooflower (Cardamine pratensis)

Classic shot of the House and Reflection Lake living up to its name

Having difficulty identifying this one. The flower itself looks like Bugle (Ajuga reptans) but the leaves don't. Tiny plant in damp; see rush next to it for scale.

 

Tormentil (Potentilla erecta)

  A closer shot of Cuckooflower showing the pink of the unopened flowers

Iridescent green as the sun back lights the young leaves

Fallow Deer near Hampers Bridge

Red Deer Antlers

Most of the Stags have shed last year's antlers and growth of the new ones is well under way.
These two stags lounging in Turfhouse Meadow demonstrate how varied this process can be.
(both photos are at the extreme of hand held zoom so apologies for lack of sharpness)

A fairly young stag still displaying a full set from last year

This year's antler growth well under way. Several tines already clearly developing so this is a mature stag. The new growth is covered in a think lustrous velvet protection which will dry and fall off when they are fully developed.

Coach turning area at the North Face

Today's track and profile

Survey (morning)

 

Patrol (afternoon)

Total: 8.6 miles (13 km)  7 hr 30 min

Survey (am) 3.6mi (5.8km) ; Patrol (pm) 4.46mi (7.17km) 

This Time Last Year

Have a look at This Time Last Year  

Week 23 14/05/14 - Sunny, Green and Clear