Squirrel Funs

The bright weather has brought the squirrels out in abundance.

Paying no respect to the dead, the other day brought 7 squirrels within about ten metres of each other in the cemetery, feeding on the ground. In addition to that, another two provided more aerial entertainment, crashing about through the trees and chasing each other around like maniacs in a display of savage, Tufty murdering aggression.

Why those two were being so territorial - assuming it was two males - while the others were content to graze calmly around the bases of the trees, is beyond me.

I'm not sure what they were feeding off, but judging by the digging activity, it might have been that unused food caches from the mild winter might have been being dug up. I feel like joining them, with my current "nowt but fruit" diet for my lunchtimes at work.

When Mick Jagger wrote "I can't get no satisfaction" he must have been talking about having a banana for lunch.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 11.04.16

Grebe on the Nest

I first noticed the pair of grebes building their nest a week or two ago, the male fiddling about with some long twigs, which he promptly dropped when he saw me observing him. I was surprised it was so close in to the bank of the Blue Lake in such a public spot, rather than in a quieter area around the other side of the lake.

Yesterday, when I was out running, I noticed that the female - I presume - was sitting on but I didn't have my camera. Today, I made a special visit to the nest to photograph her.

She is unflustered, but watchful of the observer although I can't imagine I'm the only person to have papped her in the last day or two as there is no cover for her at all. The island nature of the nest is plainly apparent, but I worry about the vulnerability of its position. It's easily in stone throwing range for any passing "badmen", when it should be a positive opportunity to teach people to respect and enjoy nature, rather than destroy it.

I have no idea when the chicks might hatch, but I hope she produces a good clutch.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 09.04.16

A Touch of Waterfowl

Today I saw my first brimstone butterfly up, its vivid yellow colour catching my eye from a long way across the road. I've normally seen one before now, I normally catch them in March, but the weather on my off days has not been great.

I think March 6th is the earliest I've ever seen one.

It has indeed been a lovely day in the sun today, and the waterfowl are looking iridescently fine. The mating scraps seem to have stopped, everyone has perhaps settled down for the season, and indeed there's a great crested grebe on a nest on The Blue Lake, of which more later, hopefully.

I'll leave you with these admittedly rather common birds, but they are all looking their best.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 08.04.16

Why Run when you can Fly?

Last night we had a family meal at Zizzi's which I was kind of nervous about. I'm not really one for eating out - I'm far too restless to sit at a table for ages - and our Zizzi's has delivered me burnt pizza or snappy pasta the odd time in the past.

As it happened, the only problem was the wait, but that wasn't all bad, for it was enlivened by the sudden appearance of a fast flying raptor screeching along the Trent past the barge pub in the dusk. It scattered the pigeons on the castle wall, which circled frantically before flying off in all directions, before settling down on the  East bastion to watch proceedings, with no other bird in sight.

Eventually it flew off back down the river, and from the long tail and wing shape, it appeared to be a kestrel. They aren't usually town birds though, and I'd attribute such pigeon chasing behaviours as being far more likely from a sparrowhawk.

Perhaps it was a very aggressive kestrel, all pumped up on voles and steroids.

Today, I've done a lot of walking and photography, including this set of a pair of robins hunting for food next to the Parkrun course at Sconce park. Unlike me, robins aren't stupid enough to do Parkruns at 9am in the morning, and must find the saturday antics of us earthbound humans rather daft.

No wild animal seeks to lose weight, after all.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 07.04.16

Spring in the Garden

We're very much an extended family at the moment, as my sister and her other half are visiting, but delicious chicken has been eaten, apple pie and ice cream devoured, diet thrown out of the window and my first spring walk round the family garden taken.

It's always the same, the garden, but always slightly different. This spring, the newcomer is a couple of patches of - wait for it - the inevitable lesser celandine, which has found its way into our garden the same as it seems to have found its way everywhere else this spring. If it were like a triffid, then humanity would be in big trouble, but luckily it's a pretty, small flower that at no point is going to rise up and sting the human race to death before eating them.

Yellow flag is making its way out of the pond, and the bird box sits high on the silver birch tree, as yet uninvestigated close up by the local tit population, but I've seen them in the other trees around it.

The evening skies are a beautiful blue, but still, we don't have the warmth for the butterflies I seek. But I'll still be out and about in the next four days, to see what I can see for you.

Si

Nestbox in the birch

Willow

Yellow primrose

Purple primrose

Lesser celandine

Yellow flag emerging from the rather neglected pond

A thing on top of a thing

In one of the tubs

Lovely leaves

Garden as a whole

Up in the birch

Nooshie's catstone

Spring Wanderings Miscellania

The majority of these pictures were taken on a run, and a walk, on the Grange Road field towards Hawton. The walk took me straight back into town and a cup of tea at the park, but the run took me into the muddy squelchness of Pykett's Wood after an unsuccessful look for wheatear and yellow wagtail on the Cotham Flash paddocks.

During both journeys, bright weather alternated with scudding clouds and squally showers.

These are the routes I enjoy taking me so much, out in the countryside without having to go very far, and always the chance of seeing something new, like I did when I flushed a battalion of 200 whistling wigeon, or spotted a hummingbird hawk moth about its long tongued business amidst the Hawton lungwort.

Now is the time to think about longer trips; the bike ride to Whisby Park, the walk to Southwell with a picnic, another attempt to penetrate the Barnby to Claypole Passage, and perhaps a 40 mile cycle of the Robin Hood Way.

Give me a sunny day after an early night, all of these things may be possible.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 03.04.16

Under the weather

Red nettles

Lichen

Blossom

Approaching squall

Periwinkle

The rain passes

Violets are out

As are the vivid currant flowers

First bluebells on the sconce

The old oak wood. Dry here

Unlike Pykett's Wood

Stapleford Woods by Bicycle

Until last year, I hadn't been to Stapleford Woods since I was a child.

I remember walking through it with my parents as a child, past mysterious signs saying "Station 7" and these massive flappy things for beating out fires - they don't have those any more - and then suddenly we stopped going. I never went again for years and years.

It never left my life however. In my teenage years it became the venue for illegal raves my friends went to, but I never did. I was always hoping to get a secret invite, it would mean I was one of the cool kids. I so nearly did once.

Nearly. But never.

More recently, it became notorious, and still is, for dodgy evening "adult" activites. I'd rather have the raves, to be honest.

More recently, I wanted to visit it for my nature activities, but always thought it was too far away to run to, and too dangerous to cycle to. Luckily, I found that it wasn't, and resumed visiting last year.

It's not that big a wood, but it has a lot of memories, and I intend to explore it much more seriously this year. Even found a little cycle track to ride on yesterday!

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 01.04.16