April
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| European larch (Larix decidua) Larch Rose |
Just a quick visit to the park as it was Easter and the world and his wife were out! The trip wprked out well as I got to see the first butterfly of the year (at the park) and my first
Small tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae)
European larch (Larix decidua)
The European larch was introduced into the UK from Central Europe in the 17th century. Unusually for a conifer, it is deciduous and displays small, greeny-red cones on brittle twigs.
An introduced species in the UK, the European larch is an unusual conifer because it is deciduous. It has small cones on brittle twigs that start off green and red, but turn brown as they mature, eventually opening their 'scales' to release the seeds inside. In spring, the needles are bright green, but they turn golden-yellow in the autumn, before they drop.
The European larch has clusters or 'tufts' of short needles on its twiggy branches, and small (2-3cm long), upright cones that look reddish before hardening. There is usually a thick layer of shed needles beneath the tree.
(LINK)
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| European larch (Larix decidua) Larch Rose |
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| Greenfinch |
On my travels I have seen a few Siskins, got a bit to carried away thinking this Greenfinch was a Siskin. to be fair have not seen one looking so bright.
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| Not sure which finch? |
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| Chaffinch |
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| Goldfinch |
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| Long-tailed tit |
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| Small tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae) |
The small tortoiseshell is a colourful Eurasian butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. Adults feed on nectar and may hibernate over winter; in warmer climates they may have two broods in a season. While the dorsal surface of the wings is vividly marked, the ventral surface is drab, providing camouflage.
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| Goldfinch |
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| Greenfinch |
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| Bird cherry (Prunus padus) |
Prunus padus, known as bird cherry, hackberry, hagberry, or Mayday tree, is a flowering plant in the rose family Rosaceae. It is a species of cherry, a deciduous small tree or large shrub up to 16 m tall. It is the type species of the subgenus Padus, which have flowers in racemes.
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| Bird cherry (Prunus padus) |
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| Speedwell |
Not sure which Speedwell this is as there are a few species at the park, you can tell better if you look at the shape of the seeds, no seed on it today so will check again.
A wildflower to "speed you well": the speedwell is as common on roadsides verges as it is garden lawns. Travellers in years gone by appreciated its bright blue petals and in Ireland it was sewn into clothes as a charm to protect against accidents.
Well done on first butterfly this year and glad you managed a short trip to the park. Lovely photos and some good wildlife. I do love the little blue flowers of Speedwell.
ReplyDeleteThanks Caroline, I too like the pretty flower of the Speedwell, did check for seed heads the next day but new plant so none as yet. They can be quite tricky to get right.
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