Week 25 11/06/14 - Summer Foliage and Livestock return

Photo Blog Week 25 - Wed 11 June 2014

I've been away for two weeks and much the same has happened at Lyme Park as has happened to my lawn at home, a massive amount of green growth.
The wild flowers are changing with of the early spring varieties fading or gone including the bluebells and in the long grasses there are less ground flowers. Buttercups are bright and chirpy and new flowers are appearing but these tend to be more individual and larger like the foxglove rather than carpeting drifts.
The grasses on the hillsides are long and lush and as well as the resident deer, in other parts of the park, sheep and cows have moved in for the summer to browse and help maintain the ecology of the Park.
The tree canopies are now thick and heavy bringing a quietness and deep shadows to the woodland.

Around the Park Route: This week I started on a project in which I hope to record a walk around the park as close to the boundary as  possible but always within the Park, on paths and not running against dead ends. I completed my first sortie around the Northern half of the park today in an anti-clockwise route from the Hall but today I did do the dead ends!

route: from Hall toward Est Lodge; edge of Red Deer Sanctuary to Coalpit Wood; along Coalpit Wood to Reservoir and along boundary to Admissions. 

Heading East

Red Deer dotted around Cage Hill on warm grazing slopes

Rhododendron on the Red Deer Sanctuary side of Coalpit Wood under threatening skies

Leaving East drive on path toward The Cage

Red Deer

At this time of year, the Park Herd are often out of their sanctuary browsing on Cage Hill. The stags are growing their new antlers for the rut later in the year. The young and mature stags can be seen together and the hinds are close by.

I wasn't aware previously that as well as lead stags there are also lead hinds who are already weighing up the stags as to the best mating prospects. Not only do the stags fight for status but the hinds follow a leader with respect to choice of mate in the few days that they are in season.

Unlike the sheep and cows, the red deer are pretty savvy with regard to dogs and will scatter if necessary as well as being very fast if they need to be. But that doesn't mean that dogs should not be kept under control!

Mature Stags' new antlers coming along nicely

On the skyline by The Cage

Handsome Stag in long grass on Cage Hill

Heading North along Coalpit Wood

Small white flower clusters in grassland - Not identified

route: Admissions; Main Gate; track to North entrance into Elmerhurst Wood; parallel to Main Drive and into Crow Wood; loop around wood to Play Scape.

Not in Lyme Park but through the fence to your left as you drive in

Wood Sorrel past flowering but still pretty

Cottage en route to Elmerhurst Wood

Woodland Undergrowth

Rosebay Willowherb growing tall but a while to flowering yet

Herb Robert, Buttercups, Nettles, Brambles and Rosebay Willowherb

Bracken and Buttercups

not yet identified

Sun dappled woodland path

Out of focus but still pretty

Foxglove (digitalis purpurea)

I was always told as a child not to touch as very poisonous. I believe it is the source of a drug used to stop the heart. I don't know where the toxicity is so I'll stick with my Mum's advice and just look.

Yellow Iris or Flag Iris (Iris pseudacorus) by the brook

Stepping 'Logs' in Crow Wood

Dock ?

Orchid of some type - any ideas readers?

Squirrel

route: Exit Crow Wood; cross bridge to Timberyard complex for lunch; return and continue along Mill Pond; cut up to path behind Turtle Brew and on toward Four Winds; Cross Meadow then over summit to The Knott Car Park

Broken egg in grass. - identification welcome from readers, please use Comments 

leaving Turtle Brew toward Four Winds

Sheep grazing with North Cheshire behind

Cheshire Plain

Long grass 

route: Leave Car Park through gate; cross stream to woodland path parallel to Westpark Drive; merge down to drive then leave via lower path into Quarry; climb out of quarry and follow difficult valley side path to Clews Hey entrance stile.

Baby Squirrel. All together... "Awww"

All that's left of the Bluebells disappearing under the new undergrowth

Stile into Cluse Hey

route: Retrace steps and climb to Rock outcrop; climb path up to grassy ridge; follow fence line toward Paddock Cottage pass to right of building; cross step stile into Drinkwater Meadow; cross Meadow diagonally on grass tracks aiming at The Cage; pass through gate to Main Car Park.

odd freeze frame of Crow landing

Cows are back in Cluse Hey for summer. Not doing much today!

and the sheep are in Drinkwater Meadow

Thistles are sprouting up in woods and meadows. A bee enjoying this one.

Lambs on Drinkwater Meadow getting chunky

Not a sign you see every day! 

The Mill Pond

We had a couple of reports from public that a large carp in the Mill Pond was in distress. This isn't the case.
In the warm water it comes to the surface and browses on weed. It sometimes just stays still, fin and tail on surface of water for ages but several minutes later it will be cruising around just under the surface.

Canadian Goose chick with Mum on the Mill Pond

5hr 30min 8.2 miles

Yeah, thanks guys. 

Leave it for the Dog Poo Fairy.... or a Child to pick up.