April Notes

by David Tidmarsh - 17:52 on 26 April 2012

                                       Ken’s Nature notes.

Well we had all of the four seasons in the last week in March and the first week in April, from full summer weather to winter snow, you certainly have to be adaptable in our climate.

The daffodils seem to be past their best now but following quickly on are the bluebells which can be seen in various locations in the village. In the wood I spotted a “White” Bluebell this is a strange description of a plant, certainly not a natural occurrence. One of my favourite wild flowers are the Ransom, commonly know as wild garlic, it has lovely fresh broad leaves followed by delicate white bell flowers and if you crush its leaves you get that lovely smell of garlic, not everyone’s favourite but I like it.  New growth on the trees with fresh new leaves are always a lovely sign of spring and with these April showers they are just what we need to thrust out the vast array of colours from silver leaves to fresh juicy greens. It is truly  a wonderful time as the new growth colours the bareness of the once dormant trees and shrubs.

I stood for a few moments yesterday to look at some mown grass and even though it was green it was amazing how many different shades  you would have to use to paint that view, things that you just glance at can be very complex when to take time out to study them.

Birds are well on now with the breeding season, we have a nesting brood of blackbirds in our conifer hedge, the good thing about this site is that it is out of sight of the dreaded magpies, if there is one bird I hate it is these predators. I know it is in there nature to hunt but I cannot feel any warmth to these birds.

On a lighter note, I have been watching Wood peckers in the plantation at New Lambton, I nearly got a photograph of one pecking away at one of the bird boxes that we had put in the wood last year. It already has a large entrance gap but the spotted woodpecker keeps hammering away at the boxes. At this rate no other birds will be wanting to nest in the boxes, if you had a noisy neighbour like that you would stay well away.

I am nearly finished harvesting the willow at the allotments, this needs to be cut down every year to encourage new growth for the next harvest, I keep on increasing the area we have of willow but it is like making a rod for my own back, I will never learn.

June is adding to her collection of Hellebores, at this rate we will have the national collection.

So keep your brolly handy and remember the old song, April showers will bring the flowers that bloom in May, all together now!

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