Brownfield

On my way home from work, I paused on our cycle path to see what was about in the rough field that lies North of our main campus buildings.

A little later in the year, there will be 5 spot burnet moths everywhere, forming huge mothy clumps on the flowering teasel. Meadow browns and ringlets also love this area.

At the moment, random clumps of iris have grown, and there are plenty of these emerald green insects on the various flowers. Like little jewels glinting in  the sun.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 29.05.18

Retro Cars on Parade

Yesterday at the Sconce all the child Pokemon hunters - and adult ones - would have found it rather harder to snaffle their snorloxes as the park was invaded by a family fun day, and a big classic car rally.

The cars weren't classic in the sense that child me would think of; Austin 7s and their boxy compadres, but it is 35 years down the line and what now qualifies as "Classic" is something rather more modern.

My stepfather as a former Triumph Spitfire owner would have enjoyed seeing a couple of them there; I remember being driven 240 miles to Scotland with my pet gerbils and I on the non-existent back seat. To make up for him missing them, I bought him an AC DC T-shirt a bit later on.

There was an Austin Maxi, which surely would have qualified as the ugliest British car ever made if it wasn't for the existence of the Austin Allegro hatchback; one of these in classic 70s brown was also present, as was a Morris Marina.

If only there had been an Austin Princess parked on the grass, then there would have been a full house of the cars that between them destroyed the British automobile industry.

The sun was out, and it made the already polished-to-within-an-inch-of-their-lives cars shine like suns. They were all very very gorgeous indeed.

Irony - I have never learned to drive.

Si

All images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 08.08.16

Cannons on the Park!

I knew this event was taking place yesterday, and had gotten my bee hunting run out of the way in order to make my way down to the park.

To watch a Civil War Battle.

The weather was dire, but the sound of gunfire as I left my flat indicated that the event was underway. It was loud a mile away, so heaven knew what it would be like when I got there. I'm not very good with loud noises.

As it turned out, the next salvo happened just as I cycled into the park grounds, and the concussion was such that I nearly rode my bike into the side of the now very appropriately named Rumbles Cafe. The weather was poor, so the turnout was low, but the Sealed Knot re-enactors, with their commentator, were still giving it everything with their pikes, muskets and earth shaking artillery. Apparently a historical skirmish, "The Battle of Muskham Bridge" was taking place, although I'm not sure there would have been quite so many caravans involved back then.

The Royalists seemed to be a pretty nasty bunch, as a captured Scottish trooper was subjected to a firing squad. He survived this however, only to be caught when he tried to run away - presumably full of musket balls - and then giving a good kicking before being run through with a sword.

It was a hard and short life being a soldier back then. Imagine collecting a cannon ball in the midriff! Luckily the commanders must have realised this, and decided that having groups of men waving large sticks at each other was fairer.

Frankly I could do with a 16 foot pike when I go into town on Saturday nights.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 13.06.16

Quackers and Honkers

Had another spring walk today, through the cemetery and past the lake. Flowers are still great, crocuses open to their fullest extent, like the sandworms of Dune. The primroses have covered their little area by the left hand ditch, soon, bluebells will appear by the right hand one. Friary Gardens have some lovely patches of squill, and more and more flowers are appearing in people's gardens.

Coltsfoot and lesser celandine are now out properly down by the drain next to the lake, but I haven't seen any cowslips yet as has been reported by others, and there were no butterflies out today either. But more bumblebees are making their way out into the world.

The geese were sporting today. A pair were sat on London Road pond, and one of them was making the most incredible honking at another pair of geese on the far side of the lake, one of which started honking back, like two drunks conversing from one end of a crowded pub to another. I don't know whether this was some sort of breeding bravado or whether it was some sort of conversation, a friendly "Hey Keith" bellowed across the waters.

It started the ducks off, who then started chasing the ladies about, before taking to the air and circling the lake. They are such strong flyers, fast short wingbeats cutting through the air, they are one of the speediest birds you see on the wing.

They need to be I sppose, to avoid the gun...

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 14.03.16

White crocus

And the purple

In the realm of the primrose

In close up

Lesser celandine

Nice little clumps on the water's edge

The honker, nearest the passing coot

Mallards race to escape the camera

Coltsfoot

Squill bed

So blue

The dazzling river

Operation Egret

I started off the day with this militarily planned attempt to go and photograph some little egrets today, at a spot next to the River Trent near South Muskham where I often see them fishing from gravel spits at the edge of the water.

Unmilitarily, I had forgotten that the river is rather high at the moment; sure enough, when I cycled by, there was a whole lot of water and no egrets.

However, Operation Egret turned out not to be a washout, for as I passed the A1 Fishery between the two Muskhams, I noticed 3 little egret, and a greater black backed gull about the size of a car door sailing in front of them.

My first ever opportunity to photograph these snow white birds! Operation Egret was a success.

However, things got rather more exciting as I cycled on to the reserve at North Muskham lake, for among the usual tufted duck on the water, I noticed a rather similar looking, but smaller, bird energetically diving near a small reed bed.

At first I thought it might be a little grebe bobbing about, but when I got closer, I wondered what it was I was looking at, a smart looking black and white duck with a prominent yellow eye.

Revelation came when it joined up with the stunning male. It was a goldeneye, the James Bond duck, and for me, a so called "lifer".

I know. It's not much of a lifer, they are common in winter! But I've never seen one before for definite, let alone photographed one!

It was a great day's birdwatching, for there were fieldfares that might actually be mistle thrush, and a buzzard watching me from a haystack!

Hopefully this is a good omen for the year.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 01.01.16

Little egret

Two little egrets

Tufted duck flotilla

Pochard

More pochard!

Mrs goldeneye

The happy couple

Mr goldeneye

Heron

Not a fieldfare

Wondering if these birds wandering around a field were actually mistle thrush. They look a little large to be song thrushes

Buzzard

Watching from his haystack