Valley Orchids.

 For a second year running we have  Orchids blooming in the valley. A single Southern Marsh Orchid has reappeared in last year's locaton, and a single, rather small, Pyramidal Orchid has appeared in a new location. The Pyramidal Orchid which was found last year was, most unfortunately, dug up and all that remains in that location is a trowel shaped hole. Orchids do not transplant, so, please, if you do come across one, do not pick it or attempt to move it. The seeds of Orchids are described as very numerous and very small. They are wind borne and a single bloom can, if left undisturbed, result in large numbers of flowers.

My Cuckoo leaves the country.

 The latest BTO bulletin on my Cuckoo JAC.

 

  Our other Welsh Cuckoo JAC has left Havant and flown 315 km (196 miles) south-south east, crossing the Channel and arriving in France. The most recent update from his tag showed him in woodland to the north of Fontaine-la-Guyon in the Eure-et-Loire department of northern France.

Cuckoo on the Move

The latest BTO bulletin on my Cuckoo JAC .

  JAC

                       

Since our last update Llangollen Cuckoo JAC has reached Havant on the south coast of England. The last transmission showed him between Nevill's Park and the Fat Face distribution centre. We are due another transmission soon, will he still be touring Havant or will he be in France? Last year he arrived in northern France on 24 June and remained here for approximately a month.

Poison.

 The orphaned lambs which have, in recent weeks, been  penned on the wide verge in the centre of the village, have proved a source of interest and delight to many villagers, young and old. It is sad therefore that I have to report that one of them was poisoned and became very ill through, no doubt, well meaning children, who thought it was a good idea to give them some of the plentiful 'Cow Parsely' growing in the nearby stream.  Unfortunately what they picked wasn't the innocuous Cow Parsely but the very poisonous Hemlock Water Dropwort, Oenanthe crocata  which grows profusely all along the South Winterborne stream in the village,

 

   Hemlock Water Dropwort.  Photo. John M Elliott

                                                                                                Click on iage to enlarge.

 The very similar Hemlock, Conium maculatum, which history relates caused the death of Socrates, also grows along the stream down the Weymouth Road, and is also poisonous. It may be told from the Hemlock Water Dropwort by the small purple blotches on the stems.

The lamb, fortunately , recovered from the poisoning. A Labrador in Dorchester which ate the roots of Hemlock Water Dropwort a year or two ago didn't.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Cuckoo JAC Heads South.

The latest bulletin from the BTO; my Cuckoo is on its way to Africa.

    JAC

 

  After a brief visit to Church Stoke in Montgomeryshire, Llangollen Cuckoo JAC moved on to Hereford and spent yesterday morning exploring the countryside to the south of the town. Last year he stopped briefly south of Worcester before pressing on to northern France

A Welcome Visitor.

Hedgehog.   Photo. John Elliott

 For much of the nearly half a century that I have lived in Martinstown Hedgehogs were frequent, almost nightly, visitors to my garden. On one memorable occasion I had to rescue one from the attentions of a Badger that was trying to unroll it. Over the last decade they have occured less and less so it has been a great pleasure to see one pottering around the back garden in the late afternoon recently. They are usually considered to be a nocturnal animal but this one doesn't seem to mind coming out well before dusk.

Flowers for Butterflies

Mallard's Green Butterfly Flowers. Photo. John Elliott

Mallard's Green Butterfly Flowers. Photo. John Elliott

The sowing of flowers alongside the footpath behind the new houses at Mallard's Green is now providing a rich feeding ground for our village butterflies. Oxeye Daisies predominate together with Cornflower and Corn Marigolds. Butterflies nectaring yesterday included Painted Lady, Red Admiral and Small Tortoiseshell.