Monday 15 May 2017

A Bit of This, That and Tuther!


Lovely balanced tables - everywhere! (Click over to enlarge)


Sunday 14th May 2017 - Hutton Roof (East Side - Pathway 2) 1200hrs to 1500hrs

One of our regular Garden Warblers was recorded as being back and singing merrily away on the East Side above Kelker but on the Pathway No.2 (which runs to the East side of Mossy Stones).  Also checked out the 2nd population of Beech Fern we have on the East Side of Hutton Roof and this is doing well - all OK. Also checked out Pathway No.1 for the Kelker Redstart, but still no calling coming from its known place far down below! nem mind try again very soon I hope.

I wrote the following stuff whilst on the hoof today because that's how my mood seemed to take me so it may be a little scrambled to you, but its all OK (don't worry! thank you)

Looking up towards the squaking calls high in the sky, and the Crow is hoining the Buzzard whilst his/her mate watches on! but why do they do that because the Buzzard could soon sort out the Crow if he/she really wanted too. Well the Crow soon tired and soon broke away from offering that torment, whilst cawing out loud to tell the World he/she had won!
Willow Warblers are everywhere and their calls are bumping into one another - great isn't it - think of those Winters when we don't have a single WW call, well this makes up for all that..... must have had over 20 calling in such a small area - a spot for "good insect grub I'd say".
And now the "hum" of a very close BIG fly sounding to my left ear whilst at the same time my right ear listens to the distant sirens of a passing emergency ambulance down on the motorway far below.
Redpoll the little beauty high over this Golden (Yellow) Gorse calling "Chum chi chum chi chum and more" Nesting not far away I'll bet!
Speckled Woods and lots of other flying "spectacles" but never a proper name to go with them (one day I might study to be a entomologist!)
Wow that wind gust every now and again and today it was 20mph and which had changed to coming from the NW direction - well that's different its been Easterlies and South Westerlies for ages.
A "Yaffler" calls from over the other side - the same path which leads eventually to Uberash or up to Burton Fell.
Dulling down (ny) Blue Moor Grass with occasional Magenta of the EPO (Early Purple Orchid) smiling through its jungle of wild disowned grasses, Til torment was given, and also by the drooping heads of Cowslips, but too early for Dropwort which abound right here (very soon) and no "flitter" of fritillary today - maybe a couple of weeks away and then the Small Pearl Bordered Butterfly will rule!
Wood Sorrel peeping through with its special leaves which I am sure if airborne would spin and spin and spin.
Lovely stuff! Our Garden Warbler has returned for yet another year to it's almost same spot! and today it's generously bubbling away with such a special tune which I want to capture in my mind and keep forever. I came up last Friday looking for him but no sign and so today's perseverance (return visit) has paid off!
Beeched again with a four metre area of that fine fern which just at this point lines our path, its a well liked fern by the many and not just the Pteriologist. It's triangular shape which stands on two dangling legs and loves the company of others. There are 8 families of this special fern on Hutton Roof and this particular family is a probable breakaway from the "Kelkerites" clan.
That wind is making such a noise from the outside!, yes for me It seemed at this point like I was cocooned whilst travelling through a woodland closed on canopy, so well protected yet you could hear all the noisy din on the outside!
Robins are singing all along the route - how many birds can there be! they seem to be every 50 yards or so or is it the same old Robin "bob bob bobbing along the way". Without doubt up here they must be the commonest bird today and nice today to see them for now friendly and not sparring up against their fellow neighbours.
Looking down toward the floor the only leaves I recognize are "Sanicled Strawberries", what the heck are them you may say! so sorry about that and what I should say is that the leaves are that of the shady Woodland flower "The Sanicle" and lots and lots of leaves from the "Wild or is it the Barren Strawberry". Everywhere I have passed have shown Dog Violets.
Another Chiffchaff is singing and I am sure it's a new site, whilst at the same time that sad Bullfinch pipes his woe - lots of Bullfinches about is also great news!
This woodland is full of Juniper and Yews and I'' bet there could be rare Pugs or moths about that frequent the "gin berry trees", in fact I do know a guy who comes up regular to try and find them!
Looking over to my right there are so many of these "stone tables" (look at the photo at top of page)
they seem to spring up all over the place and must have balanced for many a year on their precarious looking small boulder supports. It remind me just of that blinkin heavy rucksack I carry which seems to get heavier every day I go out!

Its a heavy load I have to bear, 
my back feels like it soon will tear,
With a sack full of binos, camera, glass (both 10x and 30x), spare pen, notebooks, waterproofs, water flask, sun hat, brollie, set of numbers in readiness for the "orchids", my gps, spare batteries for camera and gps, plasters, and probably a score or two more things as well!

"Be prepared" that's what they taught me as a little lad"

Lots more to write about but had enough for now, but please come back soon

PS: Nearly forgot on way back had another new Chiffchaff, and do you remember old "(Miss) Miss-A-Note" down in Lancelot, well this one is calling with missed notes and different octaves and so I have lovingly called her  "(Miss) Miss-A-Double-Note"