Articles From April 2018

Cuckoo flower

Signs of Spring

Posted in General on Monday 30th April 2018 at 3:21pm

Right on schedule the cuckoo came calling on 21st April into the West Webburn valley. Both of us heard it while we were out with the cows in the early morning. Unlike other years we have not heard it again, a sign of the times, due to declining numbers. We do have other indications of the spring arriving despite our unpredictable weather. The Cuckoo flower or Lady’s Smock – Latin name: Cardamine pratensis -  is blowing around in the breeze all along the leat path. The early purple orchid is sprouting lush spotted leaves, the bluebells are just starting to flower and the Stitchwort is fairly abundant now. Add in the weeds and we have yellow dandelion, white Stitchwort, blue Bluebells and soon the purple of the orchids to add to the mix of green grasses and leaves emerging all over the woodland. Nature’s colour palette.