Yellow Archangel

Another flower putting on a great display this year is one of my favourites - the Yellow Archangel (Lamiastrum galeobdolon). This is around in its wild form in two sites near the trees around the East Field.

Stoat and Lesser Horseshoe Bat both back in residence!

Yesterday a stoat was spotted behind the garage - probably occupying one of the rabbit burrows there. Many fewer rabbits around this year but they are around and no doubt breeding furiously. Also the single male Lesser Horseshoe bat is back in the shed - that's 11 years of residence so far! Good news all round.

Spring Sedge

Spring Sedge (Carex caryophyllea) is having a very good year. It has spread widely in the last few years and the distinctive two-tone flowers with cream anthers and white stigmas amke it an attractive addition to the early flower line-up.

Newts

Clearing some of the leaf and grass debris from the large pond I have twice found newts in the water. I'm fairly sure they are Palmate Newts but next time I find one I'll look at the throat as the Palmate Newt has no spots there which is one of the ways to distiguish it from the Common Newt.

Roe Deer

There were two Roe Deer on site yesterday - the first time I have seen more than one here. They are definitely a class above the Fallow Deer that are here on a daily basis - more elegant both in looks and movement.

First orchid rosettes

The first four were recorded on 12th April which is 10 days later than the first rosettes last year. Last year was very odd with loads of orchids coming up early (76 by the 15th April vs 10 this year) but when we returned from holiday on the 8th May there was a steep drop off resulting in a big decrease from the previous year. It will be interesting to see the numbers for this year.

Spring flowers

The usual selection of Spring flowers are here. Definitely a good showing from Common Dog Violets but the best display this year are the Cuckoo Flowers. Whether this represents weather at the seed dispersal time last year or weather this year or indeed some other random factor I have no idea.