Spring Woodland Flowers

Just a few photos of spring flowers that I took on a recent walk in a local deciduous wood.  Greater Stitchwort, Bluebell and Wood Anemone are some of our most evocative spring woodland flowers.  No spring would be complete without them.  But I was inspired by the wild crab apple tree I came across and couldn't resist taking some shots of the blossom. As you may have noticed (I say you, that's probably myself as I don't get that many hits on this blogg) I love spring blossom and catkins - see silver birch catkin photo.

Crab Apple Blossom

Greater Stitchwort

Silver Birch Catkins

Wood Anemone

Bluebell

Clee Hill. 10 April, 2014

Clee Hill is always worth a visit this time of the year for its speciality upland birds - wheatear, singing and displaying meadow pipit, peregrine, stonechat and ring ouzel. Ring ouzels are only passage migrants through there on their way to breeding grounds further north and probably west into Wales.  They  had been reported there from a couple of days ago, but with much searching I drew a blank.  I did, though, connect with all the other birds mentioned. There must have been at least twenty wheatears, male and female, near the car park and derelict buildings.  They proved to be too difficult to get any reasonable photos of, so I settled to photographing the old mine working buildings.

Derelict Mine Workings

Some of them look more like WW2 "pill boxes" rather than mine working buildings.

The photo below shows the Titterstone Incline, which was the railway to and from the mine when it was working.  Oddly enough, this is the place that is favoured by the ring ouzels when they are there!

Titterstone Incline

Later on I went to the Kerry Ridgeway and Lower-short Ditch (photo)

Chelmarsh

I Visited Chelmarsh today in the hope of summer migrants, but there was only chiffchaff singing. So I decided to take some photos of blackthorn and other blossom which was in full bloom and looking fantastic.

Blackthorn.

 I am not sure what the two below are, but they were among the blackthorn hedge on the side of the scrape.  As the year progresses I will probably be able to identify them by the leaves and later the fruit.

Blossom sp.

blossom sp.

I also walked along the side of the reservoir where I knew there was a stand of aspen trees.  They were just coming out in bud and so looked bare - see photo below.  These trees, though, come into their own later on in the year when in full leaf.  The scientific name is populus tremula, tremula describes the trembling of the leaves even in the slightest of breezes, which is a pleasure to listen to and quite different from anything else.

Aspen, Populus tremula.

April and May is the time of year for the flowering of one of our most endearing wild flowers - cowslip.  On the reservoir dam they can bee seen flowering alongside primroses and, possibly, oxlip.

It seems a shame that one of our most beloved and gentle wild flowers gets its name from the droppings, or slop, of cows.  Other ideas as to the origin of its name is that cowslip is found in fields where cows graze. Whichever is correct, and there are many more, cowslip is one of our most lovely flowers.

Cowslip (Primula veris) fall into the primrose family (Primulaceae) in which there are 23 genera and some 800 species worldwide.

The fragrant, deep yellow flowers are orange at the base and the leaves are like primrose but smaller and abruptly narrow at the base.  What gives cowslip it charm, however, is the way the flowers droop over to one side as if they are nodding off to sleep.

They can often be found in association with daises, buttercups, ox-eye and sorrel which adds to their appeal. Finding them when out walking on a sunny April or May morning can be a delight and lift the spirits.

Cowslip.

Primrose.

Oxlip?

  

Blackbird

Blackbirds are in full song at the moment it being the height of their nesting season.  I even saw a pair carrying food into a low-lying shrub this week, which would suggest they were feeding young.

The male is certainly the poseur of street corners and highways as he shows off his black dress, flicking his tail and wings for all to see.  His glossy, black plumage is complemented by a bright orange bill and yellow eye-ring

Easily overlooked, though, is the female blackbird - or should it be brownbird - as she is inconspicuous with her drab brown plumage, black bill and mottled underparts.  She always lives in the shadow of the male never exhibiting his extrovert behaviour.

The male's song is a delight to listen to, which is loud, fluted and fluent. In musical terms he would never be a tenor but more a contralto.  He often sings from roof tops, chimney pots (if you have got one), television aerials and the more traditional tree tops. The call is a loud chook-chook-chook, or chink-chink-chink, often going berserk when there is a predator close by to the nest. In particular those cruisers of gardens and pathways our feline friends - cats.

The nest site is mainly in a hedge or shrub, but they can choose the most unlikely places at times - garden sheds, garages and ivy growing outside the front door.  Old, abandoned cars have been used.  Also new ones if the owner has left it on the drive whilst they have been away on a two week holiday abroad only to come back and find a female blackbird sitting on a nest in the engine compartment!

Though common, blackbirds add colour and interest to our orderly lives.  Keep a look out for them, they are magnificent to watch.

Great Tit

The tits are in full nesting mode now and singing merrily away for all to hear  - that's those with a trained ear and know what to listen out for.

One that makes its present known loudly is the great tit. It has been said that the great tit has the widest repertoire of all British tits, if not all British song birds.  The most commonest call is a loud chaffinch-like "chink-chink" which can be heard throughout the year.  But now we are into spring the male's diagnostic song can be heard - "teacher", "teacher", "teacher".

Great tits have a black band running down their yellow belly which gives them the quaint look of wearing a waistcoat.  The glossy blue/black crown and nape contrast well with their white cheeks; indeed, it's the white cheeks that first attract their attention.  The rest of the plumage is a mixture of yellow and green, making it a pleasant little bird to look out for.

Watching the acrobatics of the great tit is a marvel as it feeds hanging upside down from branches of trees looking for spiders, insects and buds.  It will do the same on garden bird feeders trying to extract the nuts.

In the past, the great tits varied menu even extended to the front door step, where, like its close relative the blue tit, they have become adept at piercing milk bottle tops and drinking the milk.

I took this photo a couple of years ago at Worfield.

Great Tit

Willow

The willows are in full bloom with their catkins, but identifying one from another is easier said than done.  So below are just a few photos I have taken over the past few days.

Willow sp.

Willow sp.

Willow sp.

Willow sp.

Willow sp.

I will probably have to wait until the leaves come out to get an accurate identification, but my guess would be goat willow, common willow or crack willow.

South Shropshire

It was more like a summer's day today rather than the middle of March. I was on the road for 06:30 and headed to Titterstone Clee. On the ascent, it was misty and not much could be seen.  But on reaching the Dhustone's Road and the summit the mist magically disappeared to reveal a  beautiful scene of Clee Hill and the surrounding area.  There wasn't a cloud in the sky and, unusually for the summit, not a breath of wind!

I had hoped for an early wheatear but none could be located; perhaps I was just a bit too early and a couple of day's time would have been more productive.  There were, though, lots of ravens doing their charismatic, acrobatic flights and chasing off carrion crows.  Clee Hill is such an evocative place and not seeing much bird wise was made up in the atmosphere of the place.

I moved on from there with my next place in mind - Bridges and the Stiperstones.

Red Kite was, of course, the target bird and soon they were seen not just singularly, but up to six at a time in the air with buzzards.  They are such agile fliers for their size and easily out manoeuvred the buzzards who seemed clumsy in comparison.

On the East Onny River at Bridges there was grey wagtail, but no sign of dipper.  Along the Onny I photographed these alder buds with last year's female catkins together.

Alder Buds and Catkins

Some shots of the Onny