deer park woods

just for a change today we went for a walk in Old Deer Park woods (see link SX381724). We came across two invasive species, one of which, mimulus, we quite like, and the other, Japanese knotweed, is regarded as an absolute pest. The Japanese knotweed appears to have displaced the mimulus which is now growing along the course of the small streams in the wood. I am not sure that many of the plants in the woods are truly native, we must have one of the most disturbed and unnatural floras of anywhere in the world.

showing off our long tails

about this time of years groups of small birds of the tit and finch families, like these long tailed tits, start to group together and forage on the berries and seeds. Long tailed tits seem to be very excitable and flit quickly from tree to tree which makes them elusive subjects to photograph. They usually give themselves away by making a high pitched squeaks (Si Si)

another spot of colour

And just as conspicuous a tortoiseshell sunbathing on Felix, our monumental cat.

spot of colour

a fritillary adding some vivid colour to a meadow full of devil's bit scabious and betony (below). To our eyes these butterflies seem very conspicuous; maybe they are advertising that they are highly inedible.

web central

mission control receiving data from the tortoiseshell rover

curiosity

the tortoiseshell rover has landed, our mission of exploration has started