Elizabeth the first arrives at Venterdon

Harriet arrives with the new duck, now named Elizabeth . At first she (the duck, that is) looked a little lost after the long journey from Launceston, but she was soon to meet the handsome Sir Francis, and life on the Venterdon duckpond would never be the same again.

Spring again

dog violet and may flower (or lady's smock, or cuckoo flower) making their first appearances of the year, everything's coming out for May (should be a song!).

a Spring walk 3

This is an unusual view of the little hamlet of Oldmill, until now hidden behind conifers. In the distance towards the skyline is the Temple (the folly, see some pictures earlier in the blog), the sheds of Alren farm below, and note the little pink house (Owl Wood) to the left, whose front door and avian inhabitants are shown below. A front door to die for I think.

a Spring walk 2

It was a sunny day of many firsts of this year, the first peacocks, the first brimstones, the first stitchworts, the first ramson flower, the first swallow (that we have seen, they have been back for a few days already), and possibly the first fritillary (glimpsed rather than seen). Brimstones are very fidgety and hard to photograph at this time of year but their vivid buttery yellow colour is unmistakeable against the brown colours of early Spring.

a Spring walk 1

The mallard squadron returns. Two drakes and a female showing off their fancy specula (?). the speculum (in birds) is a bright patch of coloured feathers on the upper wing (see link), purple in the drakes and blue in the females.

Up in Greenscombe meadows there is little evidence of any meadow flowers yet, except for a few solitary daffodils that indicate what these meadows were used for many years ago.

camellia time

At long last the camellias are coming out in full. There is a bit of frost damage on some of the more exposed blossoms, and a female house sparrow is enjoying the view.