If you go down to the woods today...

...you're in for a big surprise...
Suddenly everything is in flower, from the last of the wild daffodils to the first bluebells and early purple orchids. 

Today I saw violet, wood sorrel, wood anemone  celandine, stitchwort  ramsons, speedwell, hairy bitter cress, bluebells and orchids all within the space of a few feet. Some of the wetter bits are clothed in golden saxifrage and the marsh marigolds are just coming into flower too. I suspect spring will really be just that - a tight coil of flowerings which explodes and is gone within weeks. We'll have to be quick to make the most of it now.

Day-flying bat

Despite the cold temperatures, the sunshine has brought out enough insects for one Noctule bat to emerge from hibernation. We had a lovely sighting in our garden yesterday in full daylight. It made it so much easier to identify.

I wasn't quick enough for a photo, but here is one from the BBC's website + link.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/life/Common_Noctule

PLANTWALK JOINS THE B10 CELEBRATIONS

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Bumblebees and wild daffodils

Today has been one of those rare days when there was nothing I absolutely had to do AND the sun was shining!

I decided to do my first beewalk of the season (a survey of bumblebees for the BBCT); this necessitates a slow walking pace with much stopping, looking and listening. Indeed listening if often most valuable - the hum of a bumblebee is unmistakable...

buff-tailed BB Queen

My listening took my eyes skywards today - the first willow catkins are out, and this is where all the bumblebees were. In some cases I counted more than 10 queens on these catkins, mostly buff tails which tend to be one of the earliest bees out.

The wild daffodils are all in full flower and the rain last year seems to have suited them; I have never seen so many lining the river on the way down to Speke's Mill Mouth.

















When you have a day off, or even the odd hour, you suddenly feel very tired...and so I lay on the grass on the meadow looking out to sea. Above a buzzard circled and below I could hear the waterfall and the waves. On the wind the sweet smell of gorse. And not a soul in site. Perfectly lovely!

Some uplifting sights on January 5th

A short walk along the lanes and woodlands in the dry (!) today, revealed:

Snowdrops along the river,

In the damp woods, new fronds of the hard shield fern,

and leaves of wild garlic.

Fructose 'beard' lichen blown off trees

and the tree lungwort in fruit.

Opposite-leaved golden saxifrage just in bud covering the soaking woodland floor.

 Along the field edge, straggly red campion, lending sudden colour,

 

and the ubiquitous hogweed...

Delightful harbingers of spring along the hedges; the barren strawberry

  the lesser celandine or pilewort

and, of course, the primrose

Southern Marsh Orchids

In the wet meadows and marshland these robust orchids are now in full flower. And in my garden too - I am lucky enought to have a small colony which has increased from one or two plants to 16 this year.

If you are in Hartland, the best place to see these is on the road verge just above Norton Farm, or alternatively in the lower valley that runs up through Milford Common from Speke's Mill Mouth.

I did a lovely walk with Jacqui and Rob last week; visitors to Hartland, they are keen walkers who organise Yoga Retreats. The next one is scheduled for October - check out their website http://abfabyoga.com/yoga-holidays-retreat/

Ferns

New fern fronds uncurling everywhere!