Nature Notes

[Mrs H]

Today when I went for a jogette on the extreme south east side of the Malvern Hills (in 45 minutes i didn't see a single person) I stopped on a path (lined with primroses and wood anemonies) and looked up at a slope the lower part of which was covered with a yellow haze of wild daffodils and the top part by a mist of bluebells while to the side was just beginning to show the white carpet of wild garlic.

I don't ever recall seeing all these wild flowers out at the same time before - I guess this cold spring has some compensations

[Adventure Racer]

Today when I went for a jogette on the extreme south east side of the Malvern Hills (in 45 minutes i didn't see a single person)

Do you mean here, or rather further North?

[Mrs H]

Yes from the point where the track crosses the road on the bridge at white leaved oak and then a little bit further north than the map shows. The best bits are just south of the road and actually underneath the writing "Whiteleaved Oak" Then you emerge out into an open field then cut up hill and back into the woods where the wild garlic is before getting back to Hollybush - you really want to go up there and have a look - its amazing. and no one ever goes there

[Adventure Racer]

its amazing. and no one ever goes there

Indeed - which is what makes it a really nice place to go riding a bike

[Harley]

Whilst gardening at around 11.00am yesterday I actually heard an Owl calling from the Yew Tree in my neighbours garden! Truly bizarre.

[EddieH]

What type of owl? Little owls often call during the day, tawnies do occasionally

[Becks]

There were all kinds of exciting creatures in Tentsmuir as the sun went down last night...awesome!

[seabird]

And deer bounding around behind swat's house in the twilight on Tuesday - in urban Airedale.

[DavidJ]

It was good to hear the woodpeckers at Dinton Pastures C.P. here in Berkshire this morning. Pity though to see the nettles growing quite strongly.

Our friends in Aberdeen have reminded us that it is still winter that far North with the daffodils still only showing tight green buds - I must remember to pack some winter clothing for next weekend.

[Copepod]

We spotted a smooth newt in our duck's pond last week - the first time we'd seen a newt of any speices in our garden. As it's not really a wildlife pond, juts a converted sandpit full of water, so the duck can wash his face after eating (really is necessary for ducks!) and paddle, we removed the newt to the edge and hope it found its way into the compost heap or somewhere else damp and out of the duck's beak reach. Hoping for some wild plant / wild animal sightings tomorrow when Wandlebury Country Park holds it annual family orienteering taster session.

[graeme]

but I haven't seen any capercaillie... Must have been eaten by reindeer, or buried in that mysterious tropical white stuff whipping horizontally across the dunes at Lossie last Sunday: I think it must have been cherry blossom .

[greywolf]

Our friends in Aberdeen have reminded us that it is still winter that far North with the daffodils still only showing tight green buds - I must remember to pack some winter clothing for next weekend.

but remember that Aberdeen is a god-forsaken wintry hell-hole even in midsummer, its only the background radiation from all that granite that defrosts it enough for human survival...

the Moray coast, on the other hand, is veritable tropical paradise, the daffs have been out for ages, though most were heavily browsed by herds of reindeer making their way north to summer grazing on the Caithness tundra

[EddieH]

Dream on Greywolf regarding the reindeer.
You are of course correct about the Moray climate.

[greywolf]

...that mysterious tropical white stuff whipping horizontally across the dunes...

that was due to a massive leakage of coconut filling after an industrial accident at the Bounty Bar factory nr Inverness Airport. It has all been cleared up now but Moray NHS is anticipating a diabetes epidemic..... (any confectionary-minded orienteers flying up to BOC should ask at the Airport information desk about the free factory tours)

[awk]

During a preliminary planning visit to Middleton Park Woods in south Leeds (provisional venue for Peter Palmer Relays in September) at the back earlier this week,I spent a pleasant 20 minutes watching two 'mad March' (actually April!) hares boxing and rutting in a field on the edge of a very busy industrial estate and sports complex. Shopping in Otley this morning, I caused some confusion by stopping to watch a red kite's aerobatics on the edge of the car park in the town centre, only 10-20 metres above our heads. Good to see that at least some wildlife is able to cope with the urban lifestyle.