Summer Colour

The hedgerows and verges are filled with summer colour - despite the changeable weather. Along 'Donkey Walk', the dominant colours are yellow, from the Ragwort and Melilot and white, from the Hedge Parsley.

This morning, the Ragwort flowers were busy with Honey Bees and Hoverflies.

Another splash of yellow, came from several patches of Toadflax. Looking like small Snapdragons, their two-toned flowers are rather paler than the Ragwort, but still a joy.

Stretching up above the taller grasses, Creeping Thistle flowers add a very pale lavender colour to the verges and are also very popular with bees.

A stronger colour is provided by the Rosebay Willowherb. This large stand of them, is just one of several to be found on wasteland close to home.

On the dry meadows of Shipley Woodside, carpets of Birdsfoot Trefoil.

Their bright yellow flowers also hide some small patches of white, Wild Carrot and Yarrow flowers. These are kept small and stunted by the very poor soil of this area.

It's all very colourful - and more to come. Hopefully!

Odds and Ends

The weather has turned a little 'changeable' to say the least, so I thought we'd have a few odds and ends from some of our walks over last few weeks. We start with a shot across the water of Mapperley Reservoir and the Yellow Water Lilies. At the end of last month, the flowers were just starting to open and the lily pads were providing cover for lots of fish fry.

Along Slack Lane, we encountered this fabulous little Meadow Pipit on an overhead cable. Tricky to identify unless you see the very long claw on the hind toe, which separates it from a Tree Pipit.

Shipley Woodside was looking glorious in the sunshine a few days ago. The Bee Orchids have not shown themselves this year (unless we've missed them), but the Bird's Foot Trefoil were making up for it with a carpet of yellow flowers.

Closer to home and the Sparrows are busy filling themselves on the seed - when the Woodpigeon doesn't try to hog the lot!

At Head House Farm, the herd of White Park Cattle, has expanded, with the arrival of several calves...

and they're absolutely charming.

Wild Carrot flowers are opening and attracting lots of insects, especially these attractive Soldier Beetles.

By now, the Yellow Flag Irises have all but finished flowering, but they have been quite spectacular as always.

High Summer Flowers

The recent downturn in the weather, has meant that the local flora has put on a bit of a growth spurt, making the whole countryside, green and pleasant. Many of the wild flowers are in bloom too, from the lowly Birds-foot Trefoil...

to the Common Spotted Orchids. Sadly, these little beauties do not seem to be flowering in such abundance as usual this year. Perhaps the hot, dry spring didn't agree with them.

Thistles are starting to flower all over the place too, with Marsh Thistles being particularly well represented. Normally these have fabulous purple flowers...

But occasionally, they throw up in a white flowered version for good measure.

Amongst the wetter parts of the countryside, where the ground doesn't dry out too much, the Meadowsweet is filling the air with its own delightful fragrance.

 And it's time for the Rosebay Willowherb to join in the summer fun too.

 Tall stands of pink-flowered loveliness - who could want more?

It's all pretty spectacular.