It's been hot much of the time and that has meant early starts in order to get a walk in before it's too hot for furry dogs and their paws. Not to mention their owners.
The trees are continuing to struggle in the extreme conditions, dropping huge branches, coppiced trunks and in some cases falling completely and taking other trees with them as they go.
While the landscape is mostly still lush, with no end in sight to temperatures nudging 30°+, it will be tipping into sere any day now. Here's Badock's Wood on the River Trym, modelling both looks.
Top to bottom, left to right:
red and white clover; moon daisy;yellow rattle; broadleaf enchanter's nightshade; honeysuckle; broomrape; white dead nettle; foxglove
large-leaved avens; common twayblade; hemlock water dropwort; milk thistle; loosestrife; bindweed; meadow bindweed; hedge woundwort and agrimony; common centaury; hairy St John's Wort
broad-leaved willowherb; mallow; field rose; rosebay willowherb; self heal; ragwort; meadowsweet; valerian; buddleia
hogweed; black mustard; mallow; corn cockle; tutsan (St John's Wort); ivy-leaved toadflax, chicory; wood dock
poppy; corn flower; corn marigold; ground elder; tufted vetch; crow garlic; wild carrot; spear thistle; hemp agrimony; fleabane
Buddleia and chicory at Blaise Castle
moon daisies, ragwort, hogweed and tufted vetch on Purdown
Vassall's Park
... and Bury Hill Fort at Frenchay, both of which, while not exactly atmospheric in the high summer heat, were looking good.
assorted fungi
Ermine Moth caterpillars
Top to bottom, left to right:
ermine mother caterpillars; treble brown spot; froghoppers
painted lady; cinnabar moth caterpillar; ladybird
Red admiral
We've been to one new place and that was Lower Woods in South Gloucestershire, one of the largest areas of ancient woodland in the south-west and an SSI to boot. Unfortunately it was very hot and the wide rides cut through the trees did nothing to protect woman and dog from the boiling sun. Also, lots of the woodland, at least where we walked, was fenced off. Important to manage it for wildlife, I know, but it felt far from the immersive experience promised online. Maybe a visit in spring or autumn would be more interesting, but I found myself thinking fondly of our feral woods locally, and how I can get lost on their winding little paths in deepest summer even though I go there most days. No chance of that here.
There was some light relief when we got back to the car park. I opened the boot of my car, took out a water bowl, filled it with chilled water from a flask, and waited while Cwtch drank it, only to find, when I went to put it back, that the boot now contained a Jack Russell terrier, who was busy eating some mouldy bits of kibble that had been spilt some time ago from the box of crow food. (I feed the crows at Asda when I go shopping.) He showed no signs of jumping out again, I didn't want to pick him up in case he was a biter, so in the end I rattled the box and shook a few bits of (fresh) kibble onto the ground to get him out, before quickly shutting the boot and heading off.
Most of the wildlife I've got a close look at has been dead, sadly, which is the usual state of affairs when you're walking a dog. (Not, of course, that Cwtch killed them; it's just that sensible creatures get out of the way when they spot a collie.)
Top to bottom, left to right:
roe deer; thrush eggs; crow; robinling
snail massacre; shrew; squirrel having a peek; vole
That said, the feather season has started in earnest, with the first three jay coverts found (always a reliable indicator):
magpie; tawny owl; jay; great spotted woodpecker; sparrowhawk; green woodpecker; nuthatch; long-tailed tit; greenfinch; robin; buzzard
But mostly it's been beautiful despite the heat. I'm really looking forward to getting lots more walking done through the rest of the summer.
View across Stoke Park at Purdown
my favourite Purdown oak at midsummer
hoggin
Cwtch at Blaise Castle
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