A Sharp Frost

Some closeups from yesterday's sharp frost starting with some prickly characters. The bright red Hazel female flowers stood out especially well in the misty grey conditions; the yellow male catkins contrasted with the deep red alder male catkins. The female Alder flowers are in 'bloom' much later when the catkins open.

Lichens and Fungi in Toft Wood

 I am just coming to completion of a book I have been working on for some months to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the planting of our local Toft Wood. As well as receiving lots of interesting contributions for people in the village and further afield, I have tried to document its more obvious wildlife. I hadn't enough suitable lichen images so, in one of the bright intervals, I wandered down to the wood and captured the amazing world of the lichens there. Afraid I don't know the species   I was pleased to also find four impressive fungi not previously recorded, Wood Blewits, White Saddle, Laccaria laccata and Crepidotus spp.  

Autumn Fruitfulness

This year is proving a bumpy one for all types of fruits and Toft wood is no exception with plenty of berries and the apple trees there in full fruit. The plant galls also seem to have flourished in the warmer weather.

Roosting Marbled Whites and Meadow Brown

I have been recording first sightings of Marbled Whites in Toft since their first sighting in 2012; this year a few days earlier than previous records and a month earlier than the early year. Unfortunately there are not many this year so far (8 in yesterday morning's count) - a reflection of the shorter grass or perhaps the very enthusiastic and early summer mowing last year since they are a species that lays their eggs in long undisturbed grass. Bonus yesterday was the dew on the wings - especially impressive on the Meadow Browns. I hadn't taken a tripod so not able to focus bracket successfully but they give the feel of an early morning meadow as the sun came up (5-7 am).

 

Dawn in Toft

I chose to live in Toft more than 50 years ago because of the walks straight out of the front door and have never regretted it especially now that we are not permitted to travel for our exercise. Beautiful soft dawn this morning - the bird song was deafening in the Wood and a Barn Owl flew across the fields as I waited for the sun to come up (too distant for my lens).