Spring is on its way!
Posted: Fri Mar 02, 2012 2:44 pm
Not wanting to detract from Kiya's sunset pictures on another thread, but as she was joking about me sending her all our awful drizzly weather I thought I had better give you a weather update. Well surprise, surprise, but yesterday was lovely and it tempted me out with my camera. I was going to go and take a few more pictures of the flowers at a local private Hall that allows visitors to view the garden during the early Spring, as they have a fantastic collection of Snowdrops.
However I got sidetracked and decided to visit instead a local church that was nearby and to check out the churchyard as they are often great places to see wildlife and naturalised flowers.
The Daffodils are only just about starting to come out in my part of the country, but those that are out are looking very colourful. I much prefer to see these flowers when they have reverted to an almost wild state within these semi tended pieces of ground, it is more attractive to see these large clumps that have spread naturally through neglect, rather than commercial flowerbeds. Another bonus is the size as they tend to be smaller and more delicate, possibly returning to the basic flower of Wordsworth’s time.
Crocuses are another early flower that will spread naturally if left alone and although quite a delicate flower they will put up a good show albeit for a short time. Saffron is derived from the Stigmas of this flower, although from a different variety, it was grown years ago in the UK as a spice, hence the name for the Essex town of ‘Saffron Walden’ where it was once grown commercially. Looking down on this small flower it is easy to see the bright orange Stigmas and see how labour intensive it would have been to pick them by hand.
Also scattered about are wild Primulas that peep out of the grass as if they are trying to hide themselves in the dappled shade, another sign of Spring on its way.
There were lots of small woodland type birds flitting about in the trees and shrubs and they were easy to see as the trees are still bereft of any foliage, but there are signs, I spotted my first little splash of green on a Hawthorn bush on my way to the church, so I reckon Spring is only about three weeks away. Some kind soul had hung a peanut cage on a tree and it was attracting lots of attention, so I leaned against a tree and waited. The sun was not in a good position and I had to zoom quite a bit which is not good for a hand held shot, but I did get a couple of reasonable pictures. You can always rely on the Blue Tits to come for the peanuts, but as I watched a Tree Creeper scurried down the trunk and onto the wire cage and I managed a quick shot before it disappeared again, they are not rare, but very shy birds so that was a result. Notice how both species have the black line running across the eye to camouflage themselves.
Last week I did managed to visit the hall and look at the Snowdrops and although it was the brightest day for some weeks it was still quite cold, so although it made a change from sitting indoors it was not that warm and I didn’t stay as long as usual. However I did take some photographs and the Snowdrops in the garden areas are looking very good this year, but the ones in the woodland areas seem a little late to me and not up to the usual profusion of previous years.
I may have mentioned this before but you often find that the underside of what appears to be a plain flower such as Snowdrop, can have a very interesting underside. So my tip is to carry a small mirror with you and place it beneath the flower to get a reflected picture, here are a couple to show what I mean. The first is a cropped picture and the second shows the mirror being used to take another picture prior to cropping.
However I got sidetracked and decided to visit instead a local church that was nearby and to check out the churchyard as they are often great places to see wildlife and naturalised flowers.
The Daffodils are only just about starting to come out in my part of the country, but those that are out are looking very colourful. I much prefer to see these flowers when they have reverted to an almost wild state within these semi tended pieces of ground, it is more attractive to see these large clumps that have spread naturally through neglect, rather than commercial flowerbeds. Another bonus is the size as they tend to be smaller and more delicate, possibly returning to the basic flower of Wordsworth’s time.
Crocuses are another early flower that will spread naturally if left alone and although quite a delicate flower they will put up a good show albeit for a short time. Saffron is derived from the Stigmas of this flower, although from a different variety, it was grown years ago in the UK as a spice, hence the name for the Essex town of ‘Saffron Walden’ where it was once grown commercially. Looking down on this small flower it is easy to see the bright orange Stigmas and see how labour intensive it would have been to pick them by hand.
Also scattered about are wild Primulas that peep out of the grass as if they are trying to hide themselves in the dappled shade, another sign of Spring on its way.
There were lots of small woodland type birds flitting about in the trees and shrubs and they were easy to see as the trees are still bereft of any foliage, but there are signs, I spotted my first little splash of green on a Hawthorn bush on my way to the church, so I reckon Spring is only about three weeks away. Some kind soul had hung a peanut cage on a tree and it was attracting lots of attention, so I leaned against a tree and waited. The sun was not in a good position and I had to zoom quite a bit which is not good for a hand held shot, but I did get a couple of reasonable pictures. You can always rely on the Blue Tits to come for the peanuts, but as I watched a Tree Creeper scurried down the trunk and onto the wire cage and I managed a quick shot before it disappeared again, they are not rare, but very shy birds so that was a result. Notice how both species have the black line running across the eye to camouflage themselves.
Last week I did managed to visit the hall and look at the Snowdrops and although it was the brightest day for some weeks it was still quite cold, so although it made a change from sitting indoors it was not that warm and I didn’t stay as long as usual. However I did take some photographs and the Snowdrops in the garden areas are looking very good this year, but the ones in the woodland areas seem a little late to me and not up to the usual profusion of previous years.
I may have mentioned this before but you often find that the underside of what appears to be a plain flower such as Snowdrop, can have a very interesting underside. So my tip is to carry a small mirror with you and place it beneath the flower to get a reflected picture, here are a couple to show what I mean. The first is a cropped picture and the second shows the mirror being used to take another picture prior to cropping.
And your usual clutch of nicely captured pictures. 
I hope not though!
