Delta Ged, Volunteer Ranger @ National Trust Lyme Park : Week 29 09/07/2014

Photo Blog Week 29 - Wed 09 July 2014

Another good day in Lyme Park. It is always good to see it being enjoyed and experienced and today there were several school parties in. One party, self led, were setting off in the morning and I chatted with staff as I walked alongside for a while. They were setting off toward the Knott starting an orienteering activity. Looking back from Drinkwater Meadow I could see them, like horses when first let out into the field, galloping excitedly on the slopes of Turtle Brew searching for a post. I saw them at the end of the day and they had had a wonderful day. The children, who I think were from an inner city school, had been fascinated by seeing the Beetham (Hilton) Tower; that amazing experience of Lyme of wild open high country yet within sight of the centre of the great metropolis.

I did see it, honest! A day of being too slow with the camera with a Hare running across my path in Drinkwater Meadow, a Wren on a bramble, Grasshoppers which I could hear but never find and an amazing large startled Bird on the Moor.

'Seeds' are the main theme of the Park at the moment, the trees have developing fruits and nuts, the meadows and moors are covered with waving plumes of grass seed heads and many of the wild flowers are now going to seed.

Welcome to Lyme Park Rangers! I bumped into Chris Dunkerley, our new Lead Ranger. He'd heard about this blog, gulp. Clearly a manager, referencing this blog he asked, in that manner managers do, "...and you'll be carrying on doing that?"*, followed by "I expect to see the next post tonight."* (Jokingly.... I hope.)
* Both comments paraphrased, can't remember actual words.
I wish Chris and his family well and hope they settle in and enjoy their new home.
I also saw Assistant Ranger Dan Pilkington for the first time since his appointment and congratulated him.

route: Drinkwater Meadow; Paddock Cottage; Cluse Hey; Middle Moor Wall

The grasses in Drinkwater Meadow are really high

Blue skies and fluffy clouds over Drinkwater Meadow

Nature's Artwork: Wrecked tree, maybe a lightning strike a long time ago?

Not many fungi at this time of year. Well preserved or fresh?

Looking up from the path behind behind Paddock Cottage

The great metropolis spreads out across the plateau

View from Rock Outcrop; Knightlsow Wood, Middle Moor Wall and Bowstones on horizon

Small Heath Butterfly (Coenonympha pamphilus)

Butterfly identifications courtesy of www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/index.php

Looking down into Bracken covered slopes of Cluse Hey

Grass seed sparkling in the sun

Forget Me Nots

Moor Grasses

The seed heads of the grasses make an interesting study. Feathery soft from fawn to reds and greens, others are dry and tight to the stem and others still spread like miniature tree canopies. All waving in the breeze.

Cheshire Plain

Path ambling through the bracken toward Park Moor

These grasses have pink/red stems depending which way the sun hits them

There was a Grasshopper in there somewhere

Middle Moor Wall

Bracken to left and Grasses to right where the Red Deer Moor Herd roam.

route: Middle Moor Wall; Park Moor; top of Knightslow Wood; Bowstonegate Fm entrance

Passing one of the small quarries, I was startled as a large bird suddenly took off from a rock wall and shot over me. Colouring included the orangy brown of a Kestrel but it seemed too large, though it was close. The size I perceived it to be would suggest more like a Buzzard.

I'm fairly sure that this is where it took off from

Meadow Brown Butterfly (Maniola jurtina)

The Moor Herd are out there.

Very much spread about individuals, quite different from the behaviours of the Park Herd.

Brilliant flowered Thistle with a Bee gathering pollen in the sun

The Bees also appear to love the White Clover

Ambling back downhill along Bowstones track

route: descend from Bowstonegate Fm; Knightslow Wood; Drinkwater Meadow; Main Car Park

Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly (Aglais urticae)

Buttercups still provided highlights in the dark woods

Nettles, 'in flower' I guess.

Sun dappled woodland floor in Knightslow Wood

Lyme Hall and The cage through the trees from Knightslow Wood

Thistle Pulling

En route back through the Car Park, I bumped into Ranger Dan and the Conservation Team setting about the Thistles by the gate. They had a large job in front of them and spare Thistle Forks so I abandoned my intention to head over East and joined them for a hour.
The technique is to go in close to the root, pull back on the fork and get fingers in at ground level to pull the root out of the ground. OK in theory but bits of dead thistle leaf at ground level ensure finger tips get spiked. Even with a spare pair of gloves lent to me I was picking spikes out all evening.

Thistle Fork

Pulled Thistles

route: Main Car Park; The Stables; Turf House Meadow; Mastiff Trail; Return to Car

Unusually, the catkins of the Sweet Chestnut are erect whereas on most trees they hang down.

Cheek End

I had intended finishing and heading home but returning my radio at the Ranger's Office in The Stables, the walling team were discussing a 'Cheek End' the were building and sorry they had no photo's of the work in progress so I offered to head over to Turf House Meadow and get a few pic's for them.