Images from Hampshire (2007)

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,887
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Mercia
A day today of bucks, bugs, birds and buds!

Was playing with the new camera yesterday as was BB so I suspect some of these shots are hers.

Anyway - walking out across the rear field I say a very interesting set of scat. 3/4" wide - 3" long. Far too big for Roe and no larger deer in these parts - I'm guessing badger?

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Walking up through the bottom woods there were a mass of wild flowers out

Vetch (thanks guys)

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Birds Eye Primrose

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Bluebells are just on the turn round here

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The cow parsley is coming out all round now

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The hawthorn is finally out - still to early for Beltane

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The ransom flowers are out and gorgeous as all aliums are - the leaves are going over though. Its now or never for eating!

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Absolutely stacks of jack by the hedge too!

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The arums (Lords and Ladies) have their beautiful flowers out

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The monkey flowers are just perfect now

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Not sure on this one...self heal perhaps?

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Speedwell

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The wayfaring tree flowers were opening

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The whitebeam leaves are opening with the flower bus inside

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Mr Rat was snuffing about

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As was any number of cock pheasants - all thrumming and crowing - Sring is certainly here! The green woodies are calling every couple of minutes but no photos sadly

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There was an amazing number of insects flying!

Crane Flies


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A "Green Oak Long Horn Moth" (apparently) - check out those antennae!

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Checkout that for flying insects! I suspect more long horns but can't be sure

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As always round here - loads of Roe about - saw these three bucks out decimating the spring crops!

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Even the mundane was beautiful today! A perfect dandelion "clock"

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Ferns and bracken were unfurling

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Hope you all had a nice bimble!

Red
 

JonnyP

Full Member
Oct 17, 2005
3,833
29
Cornwall...
Lovely......Wow, that self heal is out early, not seen any out round here yet....
Why do you call yellow archangel monkey flower..? Not heard it called that before...If you pluck out one of the flowers on it, or the dead nettles, for that matter, and suck on the small pipe that comes out the plant, you can often get a sweet taste out of it....
Tis funny, I took a lot of the same photo's as you on my sunday bimble...
 

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
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Dunno really on the monkey flower - it always has been - like "goose grass" is "sticky bob" where I come from :)

Saw about 20 long eared bats tonight coming home - lovely!

Red
 

chas brookes

Life Member
Jun 20, 2006
1,316
155
west sussex
Red
I just came back from dropping my son off and realised I have what looks like the same plant growing in what i affectionately call my bit of meadow, basically a piece of lawn which has been allowed to do its own thing. I have had alook in my wildflower books and I think it could be Bugle
Chas :rolleyes:
 

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,887
2,140
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Could very well be chas. Its certainly a member of the mint family although it had no smell when I bruised the leaves. In my minds eye the flowers were more concentrated at the top of the stem than in your picture. They aren't far - I'll stroll back for a look this lunchtime!
Thanks for the suggestion

Red
 

JonnyP

Full Member
Oct 17, 2005
3,833
29
Cornwall...
There is a lot of bugle comming up right now, but I would still plump for self heal on Reds plant, even though its early.....Get any more shots of it Red..?
Chas, you obviously like your plants too, fancy going on a bimble somewhen....?
Red...Your green oak longhorn moth is a male and the photo below it is a group of males dancing (like male midges etc do), you can just see their antennae....The females have shorter antennae...I have been speaking to the moth man today....
 

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,887
2,140
Mercia
No I haven't mate - give me an hour though!

I suspected it must be the same moths in the photo - actually it looks quite cool at a "proper" res!

Red
 

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,887
2,140
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Here you go Jon and Chas

Now these things are never above 3" tall. All the flowers are clustered at the top, not spread between leaves like in Chas' photo. Looking in my book it doesn't look quite right for Bugle

Any thoughts?

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Red
 

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,887
2,140
Mercia
Theres a whole patch of stunted ones then! Could be though - the chalk is close to the surface there - not much topsoil......
 

chas brookes

Life Member
Jun 20, 2006
1,316
155
west sussex
the Bugle on my lawn are on a very moist patch of lawn which is in front of the house in a raised bed, which receives all the rain run off from the slope behind that could explain their leggy appearance. Thats a great plant id website Jon good find. I am going for a stroll over Asdown Forest tomorrow, and hope to get some pictures to post, but not having a DSLR they might not be up to the high standard already posted but I will keep my fingers crossed
Chas
 

cccc

Tenderfoot
Mar 25, 2007
75
0
53
North Hampshire
Jon Pickett said:
Thats a superb shot Cx4.........Roll out the blue carpet...

Thank yoy Mr Pickett and of course the thread starter Mr Red :)

It was lovely out there this morning, just went back with No3 son ( who still doesnt mind being dragged out if the possibility of playing with knives is on the agenda ) to some nerby woods and I think this is the best showing in the area. I am heading over to another section of the wood tomorrow evening to take some more photos and last week it was starting to look good, so fingers crossed, it might be as good if not better :)

Whilst we were out we saw a deer or two, lots of bluebells, a big bumble bee who was intent on getting under the fallen leaves and now No3 knows how to spot a beech tree from its leaves and its litter :)

Top evening, shame daughters No1 and 2 prefered to stay in and watch TV / MSN / Bebo, oh well theres no telling some people is there...

Cheers again for your kind words :)

Chris
 

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,887
2,140
Mercia
Another lovely weekend!

We took a lovely walk today down a disused railway track. Different terrain and species to my norm – some lovely plants, unusual trees and the butterflies are out in force. My quest to ID plants continues at a stumbling and useless pace :D

Trees first

The horse chestnut (okay conker trees) are in fantastic flower – I love the “candle flowers”

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Interesting to see sycamores in flower

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Saw a wild laburnum in flower too – always nice to see something unusual

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Also saw some red nail galls on a sycamore. I’m used to seeing these on Limes and other trees – this was a little strange though

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Loads of pretty plants out today too

Forget me nots were out today – beautiful and delicate things

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And a slightly unusual one – “Annual honesty”

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A harts tongue fern

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Finally – living proof that snails are immune to stinging nettles

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Finally Butterflies – they are really starting to fly now

One of the “blues” – I’d like to say chalkland but I’m not certain to be honest

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A Red Admiral – common – but no less lovely

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And finally a speckled wood

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Hope you all had a nice weekend

Red
 

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,887
2,140
Mercia
Just a couple from today since most pictures are in aseparate thread on birds!

A Birdsfoot Trefoil

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And some odd looking caterpillars who seemed to hang in great masses in a spiders web sort of arrangement...no idea what they were ....anyone?

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Red
 

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,887
2,140
Mercia
A useful question mate!

A spindle tree - which apparently makes them "Spindle Ermines"

I must pop back and see if I can spot them when they have turned into flying things!

Red
 

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