Damsels in Delight

The sun burned down on the Lake bringing out the Damselflies in force

Most were Common Blues and there were dozens in the air at a time

There were more males than females so courting couples were often shadowed by a gooseberry

There were quite a few Large Reds as well

An enterprising spider had strung a web to ensnare a few

Eggs were deposited

and much fun was had by all

The Chaser was back

and then there were two males in the air with a bit of competitive buzzing as the female arrived

A brief mid air mating and then she was busy dabbing eggs on to the water surface

Meanwhile Dinah was resting. She is supposedly in pig – due in a week – but we will believe that when it happens

The Field Mice have not had difficulting reproducing

Pond Census

Pond 1

Pond 1 is not much more than a metre in diameter but is teeming with life. There may be newts in other ponds but here they can easily be seen. Shine a torch into the water after dark and they are immediately visible. It is surprising there is any room for them considering the growth of Water Lily. Despite having other water available, birds like to drink from here – when the level is a little low they perch on the side and then fully invert their bodies to reach the water below.

Pond 2

Like Pond 1 this was inherited from our predecessors. Here it is being dug out in 2002

It was in the middle of grassland with a few small shrubs and saplings round about

Those saplings are now mature trees which, together with ten-foot bamboo, overshadow the water which easily fills with leaves. That is fine as it now provides unique habitats – and has newts.

Pond 3

Was dug out eighteen months ago and has attracted a fascinating range of animals

One Water Lily root, extracted from Pond 1 last year is expanding to take advantage of the space

Pond 4

Is taking shape at the bottom of the large polytunnel, known as Zenith. Living at this altitude, with this weather, we have discovered that polytunnels are a wonderful way to create micro-climates. The first one is strictly utilitarian – grapes, figs, kiwi-fruit – the run of the mill stuff but Zenith is slowly taking shape to combine growing space with a sensuous and stimulating place to be. This includes a place to sit when the weather is a bit inclement, looking at the view – and Pond 4

(not that we do sit – but just planning for ten years hence)

Elsewhere in Zenith the tomatoes are being set out – ready to be supported by bamboo from Pond 2

Chasing the Chaser

Our male Broad-bodied Chaser is back

He may not be the same one – last year we had one, this year we have one

What he might not know is that we have already seen his objective

Meanwhile, Waterlily buds surface (again)

and the Water Iris blossoms

This juvenile Sparrow is being a bit pathetic when it is standing in a feeder

but it gets what it wants

Who can resist the Comfrey?

Hard to come inside this evening

Outside a Song Thrush is serenading the moon

and the air heady with Lilac and Hawthorne.

Earlier, the Comfrey was a buzzing

Wild Garlic looking bright and spikey

The Lake Flags are showing the first tip of yellow

In the Meadow, the all-important Rattle is starting to flower – and seems to be spreading its reach

We have let the Runner Beans out of the greenhouse

Other moments from today

Rolling Thunder

Thunder rolled round the horizon, cloaked in mist and cloud. From time to time the the moistness swelled into an approaching drum roll as a storm shower swept over.

All was refreshed

The Berberis was shedding its petals in any case

accelerated today to make a golden lawn

Other blossoms resisted the downpour

The May is coming in as May is going out

Yesterday the Lily buds were nosing out

Today, raised water set them another few inches of growth

Nearby the Large Red Damselfly rests

(it is a large red damselfly and it is a Large Red Damselfly)

The Buddhist tree is fully robed

and the Iris spikes are sharpening

The seed-sown beans are raring to get outside and join their bought in competitors

but they have not seen the slugs

Don’t turn your back…

Internet down (again) for three days this week and the problem is that when we can communicate we are overwhelmed with the pace of things.

Turn your back on a plant and it erupts with something new

This red hawthorne was planted in memory of Muriel so exceptionally exciting to see the first show of colour

We were wondering if our runner beans would germinate. We betrayed them by buying in some seedlings

We looked behind us at the Greenhouse

and later that day found this

You just let trees get on with life and then look up and see that several inches of new growth have appeared while your back was turned

Goodness know what the bees have been doing while we weren’t looking

but we are ready for expansion

the Bumblebees look after themselves

The late Spring has compressed the season into a couple of weeks. The Apple blossom came and behind our back dropped the petals

to get on with the next stage

The bird feeders continue to be busy

and with the ground baked dry we put out mealworms for the Blackbirds

One day we will have time to sit down

Out of the water, into the air

Last summer we were delighted when our newly made pond brought in damselflies and dragonflies. One of the most engaging was the Broad-bodied Chaser. He had read the book which said “He regularly returns to the same perch after swift flights out across the water” as that is exactly what he did – adopting a horizontal twig on a hazel stump from which he did regular patrols round the pond.

His residency must have included a successful relationship as today a nymph crawled from the water, for some reason traversed a meter or so of grass, before choosing a stalk for its metamorphosis.

Very slowly its wings began to expand

In this vulnerable state the colour and shape of the wings blended with the surrounding grass stems

and from above, while its head was spectacular in colour and shape, it was also very similar to the surrounding Meadow Buttercup buds

It took about an hour and a half to prepare – no movement was apparent but its shape and colour were constantly changing

Eventually her (this is a female) wings parted slightly

before suddenly flicking open to full spread

Then it was off, leaving the empty exuvia still clinging to the grass

White out

Today we have mainly been seeing white

and a bit of orange

May needs to be rationed

Actually, there may be people who live in a place where the year-round climate is like a May day in Wales. If so, I bet they don’t appreciate it.

Having come through six months of gales, mud, frost, snow and darkness we can appreciate it properly:

Ah Spring, the season of yellow and golds…