Monthly Archives: April 2017

Early purple orchid at Brockadale

The early purple orchids were in full bloom at Brockadale today, in the woods as well as the meadows. I also had a raven fly over.

Posted in Nature notes | Tagged | Leave a comment

Butterflies at Engine Wood, Nostell Priory

On the edge of a large nettle bed close to Engine Wood I watched a male small tortoiseshell butterfly establish a courtship territory. It was basking in the morning sunshine and suddenly taking flight high into the sky to investigate … Continue reading

Posted in butterflies, Nature notes | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Sunshine and showers at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park

Today, braving the cold wintery showers with occasional sunshine, a walk around the lakes and woodland at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park was rewarded with some wonderful wildlife sightings, including two stoats at first oblivious to my presence whilst chasing each … Continue reading

Posted in Nature notes | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Alder Leaf Beetle at Fitzwilliam

I was walking around Fitzwilliam Country Park this afternoon when I spotted lots of metallic black/blue beetles on the leaves of an alder. I think the alder is Italian alder (Alnus cordata). I believe that the beetles are Alder Leaf … Continue reading

Posted in Nature notes | Tagged , , , | 13 Comments

Spring Moth-Trapping

The weather has been a bit cool but I have put out the moth trap on a couple of nights this week. There was a threat of some overnight drizzle, so I used my usual arrangement of a tripod and … Continue reading

Posted in Nature notes | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Wormstall Woods, Ledsham – Wildflower walk

A chill wind caught us as we walked up the sloping track brightened by dog’s-mercury, cuckoo pint, white dead-nettle and a clump of hairy violet. We stopped to admire clumps of goldilocks buttercups amongst the celandine, up in the woodland … Continue reading

Posted in Nature notes | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

A walk to Newmillerdam

We had a walk from our house in Ryhill to Newmillerdam in the superb spring sunshine going via Haw Park and the Walton Canal. Grass snakes have been seen regularly along the canal of late but we weren’t lucky enough … Continue reading

Posted in Nature notes | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Peregrine Update

This year’s clutch was completed with the laying of a fourth egg just after 3 a.m. on 1st April. The birds have, therefore, been incubating for a little over two weeks and they are well into their usual routine. The … Continue reading

Posted in Nature notes | Tagged , , , | 11 Comments

Morels at Stanley

It’s the time of year for morel mushrooms to appear but they can be hard to find. They are significantly less common in the north-east of England than in some southern counties and they are more numerous in some years than … Continue reading

Posted in Nature notes | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Spring Sightings

During a walk at Howell Wood, South Kirby, I found masses of opposite-leaved golden saxifrage (Chrysosplenium oppositifolium) in flower along the banks of a stream. This is an attractive and common plant but it isn’t as well known as some of … Continue reading

Posted in Nature notes | Tagged , , | Leave a comment