Week 28 02/07/2014 - Fish, Fruit and Flowers

Photo Blog Week 28 - Wed 02 July 2014

The brilliant greens of Spring are now fading and browns gently creeping in among longer grasses and reeds. The trees, full and lush, are beginning to bare fruit and the Mill Pond is populated by small fish. Mature Red Deer Stags' antlers are coming along nicely with some spectacular sets.
As I walk around the Park, I revisit the same views but as the seasons progress they are always different as the various flowers, grasses and trees change shape and colour. The skies vary all the time from stormy black to azure blue with never to be repeated cloud forms skimming across them.

I had a chat with Ranger Gary before setting off and he requested a check of part of the more distant wall. Any deer sightings outside the park tend to be put down to the Park as first suspect though there are wild deer out there. Happily, I found nothing that would not have been stock proof.

Circular Walk

Having already walked the highest most distant part of the Park, I continued and tried out my latest draft of a round the park walk which turned out to be about 8 miles.
If anyone is interested in test running draft walk instructions please leave me a private message via the following contact page. The route is described in 4 units of 3-4 miles which mix and match to upto 10 miles of varied terrain and difficulty.

Teamwork

Occasionaly you get a reminder of the professionalism of the Park Staff and what an asset Radio communication is. Today we had an incident where an individual from a group was missing and, from a quiet normal day, Staff and Volunteers all over the Park were involved via the radio with vehicles brought into service where necessary. I was over the far side of the Park so not involved but it felt good to be part of a team working together so effectively.
(I understand that the individual in question had actually left the Park).

Lost Hat

Much to my disappointment, I lost my favourite Tilley Hat somewhere in the Park Wednesday 26th June. If anyone sees it in the bushes or hears of it being handed in please let me know. Ta!
My name and address are in the secret pocket.

River walk, Zion Nat Park, UT USA, 2013

route: Timberyard; Mill Pond; behind Turtle Brew; Four Winds; Green Farm entrance; The Knott Car Park

Remember "DA" haircuts? 

Plenty of weed eagerly consumed by the ducks and geese on the Mill Pond

Catch the light right near the Timberyard and there are loads of fish at the moment.

(Left and top)

Classic British summer sight, green grass, full trees and sheep

Long grass and reeds already showing signs of brown as the season changes move on

Common Tormentil (Potentilla erecta)

The meadows are full of these bright yellow points low in the grass

A nice specimen Foxglove (Digitalis)

route: Woodland path by Westpark Drive; Deer Clough; Cluse Hey; Park Moor; Bowstonegate Farm

 

Bracken nearly shoulder height in places now

Pine wood path

 

Ground Elder (I think!)

These trees look as if a spray shop using orange paint has leaked out.

I started looking up fungi and mosses but it's an Algea, Trentepohlia Abietin.

Read about Trentepohlia Abietin at National History Museum

 

Bracken filled hillsides

Looking back toward Manchester after rapid ascent from bottom of Cluse Hey

NOT a Dandelion! Cat's-Ear (Hypochaeris radicata) has rounded hairy rather than jagged edged smooth leaves and long flower stems.

 

Cluse Hey cattle considering what they think of me

 

The Wallers have started work on the Boundary Wall collapse by Park Moor Cottage.

As is usually the case, the original semi circular hole is having to be extended back to good wall to restore from.

Over quite a distance, this fowl was following the narrow path in front of me but always hidden by grass when the shutter went. (Bottom centre)

Looked the shape of a partridge but not able to get a clear look.

You get a feeling of the size of Lyme Park from the back of Park Moor.

Paddock Cottage a quarter from left.

Still a long way along the boundary around to Bowstones on ridge.

(sorry about focus)

Every time I try to photograph Skylarks they see to be doing airobatics. One of these days I'll get a good shot.

route: Bowstone Gate; View Point; Lantern Wood; Red Deer Sanctuary; Coalpit Wood

If any reader knows anything about this old metal enclosure on the way from Bowstones to the high view point please let me know via comments.

Good view down onto Lyme Hall showing shape enclosing inner courtyard.

Tops of Crow Wood Playscape rising out of wood behind.

Stone post near Lantern Wood.
Maybe a Boundary Marker of some sort?

Heath Bedstraw (Galium saxatile)
Whilst I have opted for the 'Heath' variety, Bedstraw has a lot of very similar varieties.

Stags in the long grass in the Red Deer sanctuary with their antlers looking like odd trees

 

Conkers on the Horse Chestnut trees

route: Coalpit Wood; Horse Coppice Reservoir; Admissions Hut; Elmerhurst Wood; Crow Wood; Timberyard

Last week I mentioned the damage the deer do to trees when shedding the velvet from their new antlers. This is an example of this damage at the edge of Coalpit Wood.

 

Moth / Butterfly ? yet to be identifed #####

These flitty things were all over the Moor but closed their wings the second they landed thus hiding their colours.

White Clover (Trifolium Repens)

Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolata)  common

Also called "Jack by the Hedge".

Some of the blossoms on the brambles have a lovely pink shade rather than the more common white

Raspberries

These two pictures show the difference between the Raspberry and Blackcurrant 'brambles'.

The Raspberries have distinct vertical shoots, hence 'Raspberry Canes', whereas, the Blackberry is a mass of crawling intertwined shoots.

 

A small Willowherb variety I think ?

 

Blackberry blossom

 

yet to be identifed #####

Beech Nuts on the Beech trees

Fruit on the Lime (Tilia) trees.
 Maybe Small-leaved Lime rather than the Common.

The Cage

 

Vivid red of new shoots on this Hawthorn

 

The above three pictures of Hogweed.

I suggest you famiarise yourself and your children with the appearance and avoid touching.

Severe rashes can develop from skin contact.

Copper beech (Fagus sylvatica f. purpurea),
also known as 'purple beech' due to the purple colour of the leaves in summer

yet to be identifed #####

yet to be identifed #####

Updates to Posts:

Items marked "yet to be identifed #####" are updated when identification is established.
If you are interested, come back later and see if more information has been added.
If you know what it is, leave me a comment.

5hr 15min  8.25 miles