Well I'm Still Finding Things!

 I've been doing a fair bit of running again, and getting faster to boot! This seems to be spurred on by the purchase of a new semi-smart watch, an Amazfit Bip 5 with onboard GPS. Sadly, because I live in the centre of town the GPS is often borked on one one of my main running routes and has me running 2km before it even registers one, but outside of that one road it seems fairly accurate, and I'm now running 5km in just over 29 minutes.

We are still getting days of mild weather, often preceded by grimly misty mornings for me to cycle through. Lights are on all the time now, including my head torch at night. Sadly, I haven't been able to see Comet A3, town lights are too intrusive. 

So that's running, cycling and being rubbish at astronomy covered, what of nature? We have entered the autumn holding pattern, with goldfinches flocking up and robins the only birds still singing. Meadow pipits have arrived at work for the winter. When I can find something in flower, there's still the occasional hiney bee around which gives me joy and delays winter sadness. 

Counting down already to the first snowdrops.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 23.10.24

The Beauty of Small Things

 I'm not seeing many "big" pollinators at the moment, but as the occasional, well, I'd hardly call them "bursts" of sunshine have appeared - more like watery visitations of a sun like object in the sky - there have been plenty of smaller pretties on offer. 

I like to take every opportunity to get outside, waving my cameraphone around hopefully, to see what might be out there, and I like to advise everyone to do the same, if only with their eyes. Because at this time of the year, beautiful things are emerging, and they might not all be of the largest size.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 07.03.24

Autumn is Here

 It's October, one of what I think of as my two "doom" months, where wildlife and flora declines and everything goes green and brown, until December where the first snowdrops appear indicating that spring is on the way. 

I've restarted running now the cricket season is over. It was a painful and slow start, by golly gee I get so stiff now after a run compared to my younger days. But after a few weeks, I'm back under 30 minutes for 5km, so I've still got a bit of fitness left. 

It really helps with my mental health too, burning up some of that Tourette's and ADHD energy that would be otherwise used in highly constructive pursuits like waving my arms around, or hurting my already tic destroyed neck that is waking me up every morning with painful little spasms. 

The odd hirundid makes its way over the workplace, where the kestrel has resumed hunting after breeding season, and buzzards try and find thermals on the brighter days. Hopefully with the warm weekend forecast they will be able to do that.

But as thing stand now, rain is falling on the washing on my line. First world problems eh?

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 05.10.23

Burnet Moths and Bumbles

 Some years at work, we have had scores of five spot burnet moths colonising the larger thistles and teasel flowers at work. Sometimes you would see twenty of these delightful faerieland creatures on an individual flower, a wonderful sight to behold.

Sadly this hasn't been the case in the last couple of years. As you may have seen on this blog, I have found individual moths, but not the thriving, writhing masses weighing down a single plant. 

So the sighting of a single rather tired looking specimen was pleasant, yet also rather sad. 

But we still have plenty of butterflies, with second flights of small tortoiseshell around, migrant red admirals, and tiny brown argus sneaking amongst the long grass. We have a beautiful linnet flock, and chiff chaffs are still calling. Lots of bumblebees on ragwort and thistle. Lots to see. 

I'm just keeping my eyes, and my mind, open.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCRackeredNature 17.06.23

Skippers Everywhere!

 At the moment in the long and gloriously unkempt un-mowed grass verges at work, it is almost impossible to look at any patch of ragwort or creeping thistle without seeing a little splash of golden brown sitting on top, nectaring happily with a ridiculously long tongue.

These are the campus small skippers, which even on dull and slightly damp days, seem to be everywhere.

Their strange wings are unlike most other butterflies, looking almost like little orange dart flights, or for the more science fiction minded Star Wars X-Wing fighters. They are also a lot more confiding than the other high summer grass land species, allowing close up photography unlike the skittish meadow browns which seem frightened of their own shadow let alone mine. 

As ever, just spending five minutes watching out for life in the long grass is wonderfully distracting, a mental palate cleanser from the of the odder things the autistic or tourettic mind can get fixated on. 

The campus curry plant is very much coming into its stinky own, and seven spot ladybirds are absolutely loving it. Rather more than I do...

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 27.03.23

Just a Few Photos

 Nice things, small things. Some of them from one clump of ox eye daisies at the cricket ground from last SAturday. The two spot ladybird was a lovely find!

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 03.06.22

A Late Late Butterfly

 I had taken myself round town after picking my prescription up, no particular destination in mind but perhaps with a vague hope of spotting the jay that has been reported in the church gardens.

Secretive bird that it is, if it was around I didn't see it, but I've never seen so many squirrels in there, crashing through the fallen leaves, leaving food in caches, picking up food from others, and generally causing quicksilver mischief. 

It was as I left the park, going down some steps actually, a way I've never been before, where a kind chap pointed to the butterfly that was sunning itself on his wall and told me to take a picture. 

I don't know if he'd realised I was a nature spotter from the head in the air way I walked around the garden, or whether he just liked to point things out to people. But I was very grateful for him for giving me the heads up. Interesting thing to photograph are in short supply as we head into deep autumn. 

It was of course a red admiral, the species that hangs on longest into the colder months and indeed I've seen a specimen on Boxing Day one year. It was trying to warm itself up in the thin November sunshine and so was an easy subject to photograph. 

It wasn't the only insect to be sunning itself in a desperate attempt to get some warmth into its body. On one of the threatened sycamore trees by the library, there were large numbers of harlequin ladybirds sat in a low state of activity on the leaves. It appeared some of them were huddling away into wrinkles in the leaves, getting ready to hibernate. 

Blissfully unaware of the threat that tree is under. 

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 02.11.21

A Female Orange Tip

 Warmish day today, in so much as this spring we are conditioned to regard 15C as "warm" and consequently a few butterflies were out an about at work today.

Well, to be strictly accurate, 3 butterflies.

The first I saw was a slightly battered looking peacock that I couldn't get near as I had to cast it in shadow as I moved towards it as it rested on the hawthorn blossom, which is just so lavish at the moment. 

Another was a male orange tip, which I was happy to see as I think they've had a hard time during this rather rotten spring, but it never settled.

What I did manage to capture was a female orange tip, which parked itself on some cranesbill and allowed me to photograph it half decently for a change.

I also think I've found my cricket bowling mojo again after practice tonight.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 13.05.21