April was one of the driest April on record and probably one of the coldest too with night frosts and cold biting winds. So what of May then? Well it seems that once again Mother Nature is all about righting the wrongs of April and delivering more rain to even things out. The cold conditions continued but with, sometimes heavy, showers. The first half of May being much more like April showers.
The weather then has had an impact on the wildlife with flowers at least ten to fourteen days behind where they were last year, butterflies severely reduced and migrants held up on their journey north with very few Swallows and House Martins to be seen around the village. Eventually the Bluebells burst into flower and Old Down wood was once again carpeted by these beautiful flowers. Even the small area of Old Down Wood shows a variation in the flowering of these flowers, with those on the south side of the wood coming into bloom first.
No apologies for the amount of photographs of the scenes around the wood, the Bluebell season is restricted to about three weeks and you have to take advantage of this slot.
These from the north perimeter path area of the wood just past the Brislands Lane entrance.
This along the south west perimeter path
A white "bluebell" amongst the blues.
These from the north east perimeter path towards the middle of the month.
A lovely contrast of the blue and sunlit patches with the dark shadows
the footpaths around the wood are surrounded by the delicate greens of the emerging leaves and the blue hue of the bluebells.
Other flowers and plants are emerging around the wood. As the leaves appear the canopy closes in and the light is restricted to the floor. Dog Mercury and Solomon's Seal are beginning to replace the blue bells. Wood Spurge can be found in clumps, the lime green leaves standing out in the darker patches.
In places the Wild Garlic or Ransoms is also starting to flower. The best place to find this though is along Brisland's lane just past the entrance to the wood, it covers the side of the lane and the garlic fragrance is best just after a shower (which we have had a lot of!).
However the one flower I am looking for at this time of year is the Early Purple Orchid. Their appearance is hit or miss with some years finding them along the perimeter path. However there is always one in the same spot, the trick is to get there before someone tramples it down. This year my timing was perfect.
As its name suggests, the Early purple orchid is one of our
earliest flowering orchids, appearing from April to June. It is often found in
habitats with non-acidic soils, such as hedgerows, banks, ancient woodland and
open grassland. The pinkish-purple flowers appear on a spike of medium height.
The Tawny Owl is still to be seen in the usual tree and sometimes it is joined by its mate. It is never easy to see and fortunately I would imagine it watches many persons walk by, oblivious of its presence.
A surprise walking along Brislands just past the Recreation Ground turn was a calling Stock Dove. I managed to locate it in one of the taller trees. This is the first time I have seen one away from the wood and pond. This year is looking like a good year for them.
Firecrests are all now in song around the village. I managed to find one in Goldcrest Way right in the middle of the new housing estate. This one though is the well photographed bird along Brislands.
This is my favourite photograph so far this year.
A Nuthatch surprised me along Brislands too, foraging amongst the lichen.
I had my concerns about the Long-tailed Tit nest, but they seem to have been unnecessary. Gradually over the days since the start of the month the nest appears to have swelled and I have been able to witness the adults bring food and actually taking it into the nest.
Second broods are now the story and many of the local birds are singing once again. Robins, Blackbirds and this Song Thrush can all be heard in song.
I mentioned earlier that the Swallows and House Martins have been delayed, I was able to catch up with this Swallow hawking over the field alongside the footpath from Gradwell on the 10th, the first I have seen there this year.
A Treecreeper has been a regular visitor to the dead pine tree along the north-south footpath through the wood.
Juvenile starlings can be seen all around the houses and on lawns and one unfortunately fell to the resident Sparrowhawk in the garden. The adults though have set about their second brood. A male bird uses the same tree branch outside my office window to sing and display while I suspect its mate is sitting on another brood in the roof of the house. In the afternoon when the sun comes out it highlights the beautiful iridescent petrol colours in the plumage of the starling.
And while we are the subject of second broods it looks like Donald's mate is sitting again. Donald though comes to be fed on a regular basis, staring me out with this stare at me through the kitchen window.
While walking along the north east perimeter path I was able to get a view of the Four Trees along Brislands that have always caught my eye as I leave the wood walking towards Gradwell. It was nice to see them in a different aspect.
Butterflies have been conspicuous by their absence, the only records being a Red Admiral, the first of the year, in Old Down Wood on the 10th and a Orange Tip and Small White through the garden on the 12th, all dodging showers and taking advantage of the warm sunshine.
Finally one animal that appears to be doing very well is the Rabbit. The horse paddock alongside the footpath towards Gradwell Lane was covered in Rabbits with more than one on look out for the resident Buzzards in Old Down Wood.
Hopefully the latter half of the month will bring some more settled weather and some warmth, we shall see.
