Just Ambling in the Breeze

I've been at cricket nets tonight, struggling to bowl "pace" and swing into a screaming headwind that got up in the early evening. However, I've been trundling about for chunks of most of the day, and it has been blowy all day.

What I've really noticed today is how glorious the dandelions are at the moment. A really under-rated flower, there's some areas of town densely packed with these vivid yellow-orange flowers, and they seem to be really large this year too. They are an important source of pollen for the early rising insects, especially queen bumbles who seem to love them.

Speaking of bumbles, saw my first common carder of the year, a very vivid orange specimen I found feeding on the honesty randomly growing along my drive. I'd been beginning to worry about carders, you normally see them quite early as they seem to be pretty tough.

Getting chillier by the day again. What an odd spring.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 23.04.18

More Nature at the Cricket Ground

Another day, another practice match...

Unlike the poor first yeam yesterday, who had a friendly in freezing temperatures and a strong wind, we had it merely chilly, albeit with a wind blasting in that made it rather off putting to bowl in.

We batted first, and rather disappointed to be out in at 10 after my stunning 17 not out last week, I took in my customary walk around the ground to see what I might find.

What I was most pleased to find, in a blossoming tree at the castle side of the ground, was a pair of greenfinch pottling about. Greenfinch are only recovering slowly after the devastating plague that seemed to wipe out at least 70% of their numbers, so to find a hopefully nesting pair at our ground was fantastic.

I heard, but didn't see an oystercatcher, and other than fast moving geese and ducks  hurtling over riding on the winds, birds and especially raptors were having a day off. However, the ground plants like speedwell, ground ivy and white flowering nettle were attracting the odd bee. I wonder if I found some bugle at one point too.

So, after my nature expedition, I went back to the pavilion, and tried to convince a new Kiwi player to get out there and have a go. He's very handsome, built like a lifeguard and is first XV player at the rugby club.

Something tells me he'll be pretty good.

Anyway, I didn't get to dazzle with my batting, but I'll keep working on it.

Bowling wise I was lively, unlucky, and cursed by the full toss disease that bothered me last year. GRrrrrr!!!! I hate it! It makes me look hopeless!

And like so many things in my life, I have no idea what causes it.

No matter, our team won the game, there was tea, there was a BBQ, there was my fat stomach...All is ok!

Si

All text and imagess are copyright CreamCrackeredNature 30.04.17