on the first day of winter

Alfie, today's guest dog. I have no idea what he was doing in the top picture, possibly looking for water-fowl or otters, but we had a 2 hour swim and run marathon along the Inny which exhausted the lurchers but not Alfie.

Hard though it is to remember, these meadows were full of butterflies only a few months ago (see link). Below is an example of witches' broom, a gall of birch caused by a fungal infection

autumn

Light pouring into the woods today, and, away from the sun's warmth, a frost flower in bloom.

dawn

all avian life trying to warm up in the morning sun after a long cold moon lit night

autumn 13

 

images from our walk in Greenscombe woods today

deep sleep

A tortoiseshell caught hibernating on a log from the wood shed. It is extremely well camouflaged in this situation by the seemingly drab pattern of the underside of its wings.