Images from Hampshire (2007)

[British Red]

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?

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

Vetch (thanks guys)

Birds Eye Primrose

Bluebells are just on the turn round here

The cow parsley is coming out all round now

The hawthorn is finally out - still to early for Beltane

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

Absolutely stacks of jack by the hedge too!

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

The monkey flowers are just perfect now

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

Speedwell

The wayfaring tree flowers were opening

The whitebeam leaves are opening with the flower bus inside

Mr Rat was snuffing about

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

There was an amazing number of insects flying!

Crane Flies

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

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

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

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

Ferns and bracken were unfurling

Hope you all had a nice bimble!

Red

 

[JonnyP]

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]

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]

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

 

[British Red]

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]

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]

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]

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?

Red

 

[JonnyP]

Well I am pretty sure that is not self heal now Red, its looking more like bugle, I should imagine it is a stunted one. I found a picture that looks more like your plant with the flowers clustering on the top.... http://www.floralimages.co.uk/pajugarepta1.htm

 

[British Red]

Theres a whole patch of stunted ones then! Could be though - the chalk is close to the surface there - not much topsoil......

 

[Stew]

Well I am pretty sure that is not self heal now Red, its looking more like bugle, I should imagine it is a stunted one. I found a picture that looks more like your plant with the flowers clustering on the top.... http://www.floralimages.co.uk/pajugarepta1.htm

Just got to say thanks Jon! That's a great website for a plant-ignoramus like me!

 

[chas brookes]

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]

Had a few nice outings lately...

I thought I might add a shot I took whilst out early this morning.

 

[British Red]

Fantastic shot mate - add as many as you like!

Red

 

[JonnyP]

Thats a superb shot Cx4.........Roll out the blue carpet...

 

[cccc]

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]

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

Trees first

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

Interesting to see sycamores in flower

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

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

Loads of pretty plants out today too

Forget me nots were out today – beautiful and delicate things

And a slightly unusual one – “Annual honesty”

A harts tongue fern

Finally – living proof that snails are immune to stinging nettles

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

A Red Admiral – common – but no less lovely

And finally a speckled wood

Hope you all had a nice weekend

Red

 

[British Red]

Just a couple from today since most pictures are in aseparate thread on birds!

A Birdsfoot Trefoil

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?

Red

 

[Fenlander]

It's possible that they are Sawfly larvae, but you might like to look here;

http://www.whatsthiscaterpillar.co.uk/

and I will check a book I have at work tomorrow.

Do you know what the food plant was?

 

[British Red]

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