hedgerows

hemp agrimony about to flower - reputedly a rough medicine, or an ointment when mixed with hog's lard.

the scorpion fly returns

this is the common scorpion fly (identified instantaneously thanks to the experts at wild about Britain see link) in a clump of brambles. The scorpion bit refers to its tail appendage but is not very obvious in these photos. The head reminds me of Star Wars: the clone wars

an occasional visitor

great spotted woodpecker, one of my favourite but only very occasional visitors to the garden

the slightest thing

a green lacewing (chrysopa perla I think) in amongst the grasses and sorrel. The pollen was coming off the grasses in the meadows in great clouds today. And there was a great flash of blue as a kingfisher flew past chinking as it went like two coins knocked together.

a small skipper

the small skipper (male with little black bands on wings), quite common at this time of year but frisky and can be difficult to catch on camera

off spring

a goldfinch showing its youngster the ropes, and a blackbird doing all the work for its youngster

summer days

fresh frisky tortoiseshell posing on some silverweed

and a two coloured leaf beetle (chrysolina polita) on a flag iris

tableau des agneaux

finding a cool place on a hot day

human landing strip

 

In late May and early June, especially on warm days, you can see these longhorned moths performing little dances in the lanes, rising and falling before they mate. Here they are taking a rest before resuming the great battle to procreate.

walnut tree

tiny flowers have appeared again on our much nurtured young walnut tree but will we get any walnuts? Watch this space for the next riveting installment.

the thrill of the chase, and at the winning post

a day at the races

some very small jockeys (this brave little lass came second in the pony race) and their larger connections.

in the paddock with the trainer

a day at the races

we spent yesterday at the South Tetcott Hunt point to point (see link) Steeplechase at Upcott Cross, Halwill Junction with the owner of two of the horses running. It is hard to describe the ambience of these meetings but to me it feels like the essence of rural England, circa 1955, something past, something lost. The still strong rural tribe was out in force and in uniform... 'dedicated follower(s) of fashion'.

paradise found

the meadows at Greenscoombe are full now of butterfly orchids (the lesser variety) which are slender and have a barely detectable but sweet fragrance. There is in these things a deep sense of joy in having lived at all in this vast cosmos, and to know that one has lived.

for all fellow bloggers these lines from Milton seem very apposite

For who would lose,
Though full of pain, this intellectual being,
Those thoughts that wander through eternity...

 

the house that martins built

you fly all the way over from Africa, you build a nest out of mud and saliva during the dryest spring in 50 years, you line it with moss and you get ready to lay eggs and then a bunch of scruffy sparrows come and commandeer your living space .... and a gang of 10 of us can't shift one miserable little sparrow. What a bunch of losers! (the little chap on the roof in the bottom photo is a very feisty sparrow, and his mate is going into the nest in the top picture)

nature's garden

Coming across scenes like this is one of the joys of walking in the woods. I guess many gardeners would love to capture this essence of Nature's random brilliance.

marsh tits

it is becoming increasingly difficult to spot birds as they take advantage of the leaf cover. This is (probably) a marsh tit which prefer deciduous woods, although it could be a willow tit.

green lane

the canopy of leaves is almost complete and once more the lanes have become long green tunnels

waiting for the call in Linkinhorne

two images from a walk around the tiny hamlet of Linkinhorne yesterday evening, where things have been very sensibly arranged for parishioners both past and present. This is the church of St Melor, another of the less well known Breton/Cornish saints (usually said and written as Mylor).

things we saw today - heath fritillary

and cowwheat, with its funny bearded upper lip, and best of all, the rare heath fritillary which feeds on it, out very early this year, especially for our visitor Carletta.

things we saw today - orchids

five species of orchid, marsh orchid (above), both types of butterfly orchid (just emerging), heath spotted orchid (below) and early purple orchid.

 

things we saw today - May fly

the family name for Mayflies is ephemeroptera, which seems very poetic; I am not sure which species but possibly it is what fishermen call a pond olive.

robin feeding

young robin with characteristic mottled plumage being fed on the ground by a parent. The parent hops into the air to put the seed (in this case, they are usually insectivorous) into the gaping beak.

three things blue

 

 wild aquilegia (columbine )

newly emerged damsel fly warming up in the sun

 

common dor beetle underside showing iridescent metallic blue

den-izen of Treven orchard

three cornered garlic growing in the orchard, and under the spreading laburnum tree

Treven's orchard

campion and bluebells in the orchard

real stars

Star of Bethlehem growing amongs bluebells in the orchard at Treven farm

definitely back -the house martins return

a bit later than usual but definitely back for the summer. I think the pair who appeared about two weeks ago and didn't stay were young buyers looking at our house martin des res but couldn't afford the mortgage.

wait for me!

a family of mallards on the Tamar this morning