#Red Campion

[jillraggett]

Plant of the Day

Monday 29 July 2024

In this wild, coastal ‘rock garden’ the short-lived perennial or biennial, Silene dioica (red campion, adder’s flower, Robin Hood, cuckoo flower) was flowering in a range of deep to pale pinks. The species has male and female flowers on separate plants with seed capsules having toothed edges as they open to disperse ripe seed.

Jill Raggett

[itsstreetlove]

Red Campion

To see a World in a Grain of Sand And a Heaven in a Wild Flower Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand And Eternity in an hour 

William Blake ~ Auguries of Innocence

[lost-harts]

May 2024

[dansnaturepictures]

Our wild adventure in Yorkshire 1st-8th June 2024 

Over the past week we have had another fantastic, packed, relaxing and breathtaking wild holiday this year, this time returning to the Yorkshire coast for a trip based around visiting the incredible RSPB Bempton Cliffs. It was an amazing week. 

The main highlights came on the visits to Bempton on Monday and Friday, going on a boat trip underneath there and Flamborough Head on Wednesday and visits to Flamborough Head and North Landing and Thornwick Bay where we were mesmerised to be immersed in bustling seabird colonies. It was magical especially to be ensconced in the elegant world of Gannets, seeing these remarkable and bold sea kings and queens in huge numbers was an honour getting views of ones with vegetation in their bills, scuffles and many flying and still views. The enchanting Puffins with their parrot beaks were also stars of the trip, I can never tire of these birds which awaken by heart. As do Guillemots and Razorbills, more awesome auks treasured at close quarters this week. Another of my favourites the Fulmars meandered in the wind and brought me much joy. Also making Bempton and Flamborough stand out are true seagulls, the angelic Kittiwakes whose onomatopoeic calls provide the colonies’ main soundtrack, precious to witness seeing the quirky sight of the ones nesting on buildings in urban Bridlington too. The sight, sound and smell of seabird colonies enriched my soul. Also seen this week were Herring Gulls well including young, Shag, Sandwich Tern and loads of Little Terns on a first visit to places I had always wanted to go the peculiar and almost otherworldly Spurn and Kilnsea Wetlands.  

At Kilnsea Wetlands we saw a surprise bird of the trip with exhilarating views of our first Yellow Wagtails of the year, part of a rich farmland double of bird year ticks for me this trip alongside thrilling views of a grand pair of Grey Partridges on a walk from Bempton. We were spellbound to watch two owls, brilliant Barn Owl views at Bempton and epic views of stunning Short-eared Owl at Flamborough North Landing just before setting off for home today. Also standing out throughout the week were a scattering of other pretty passerines; luxurious views of Bempton’s gorgeous Tree Sparrows birds I love seeing, strong Sedge Warbler views, Whitethroat, Chiffchaff, Stonechat including young, Reed Buntings, Dunnock, House Sparrow, Starling, Goldfinch, Song Thrush, lots of views of hirundines Swallow, House Martin and Sand Martin including on nests and Swifts. It was good to see Pheasants and Stock Dove too. Beautiful Little Ringed Plover, Ringed Plover, Avocet, Grey Plover, Oystercatcher, Lapwing, Grey Heron, Teal and Wigeon mostly at Kilnsea Wetlands and Spurn were nice wader and waterfowl sightings with a Cuckoo’s call heard in a third area of the country for us this year alongside Hampshire and Scotland reverberating over the North York Moors landscape at Fen Bog Nature Reserve. 

Lepidoptera played a big part in the week with my treasured first sighting of a Small Copper this year a butterfly I needed to see at Fen Bog Nature Reserve and it was also good to see some of my last Orange Tips of the year I shall imagine with them coming to their end especially at home with lovely Painted Lady at Bempton Cliffs, Red Admiral, Dingy Skipper, Speckled Wood and Green-veined White other butterflies enjoyed. Silver Y and Mother Shipton were good to see too as was Brown House moth where we stayed. We also saw some nice caterpillars, burnet moth, Garden Tiger moth and Brown-tail moth. 

Onto other wildlife and mammals starred in the week with astonishing sightings of Weasel and Field Voles at Bempton Cliffs providing me some of my moments of the year, making my mammal year list my joint highest ever alongside last year’s total. It was breathtaking to watch iconic Grey Seals from land and from the boat at Flamborough Head with some powerful intimate experiences. Brown Hare on another holiday this year, Rabbit and Grey Squirrel were nice to see too. Fen Bog brought more marvellous moments with my first giant Golden-ringed Dragonfly and thrilling Common Lizard of the year, with bees, lots of snails and slugs including Black Slugs, flies, a Green Tiger beetle at Fen Bog also seen in Scotland, at home and Yorkshire for me this year and Long-bodied Cellar Spider at where we stayed other highlights. 

There were some fabulous flowers seen with hogweed and red campion painting swathes of colour on Bempton’s seaside meadows. Common butterwort and heath bedstraw at Fen Bog Nature Reserve and many marsh orchids adorning the coast were other key species seen. Other key flowers enjoyed across the week were meadow crane’s-bill, herb-Robert, yellow rattle, plantain, white and red clover, groundsel, oxeye daisy, daisy, chamomile, hawksbeard, sow thistle, milkwort, comfrey, poppies, mouse-ear chickweed, green alkanet, roses, buttercups, cuckooflower, vetch and seas of kidney vetch painting cliffs.

Thursday brought something slightly different for us with a look at nearby to where we stayed Sewerby Hall and Gardens; feeling inspired to see the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition and enjoying gladiolus, roses and forget-me-not in the gardens and Humboldt Penguins, Racoon Dogs and Rheas in the Zoo among others. Quite something to see Penguins which I love then see the auks Guillemots, Razorbills and Puffin on a look at Thornwick Bay later in the day; my early childhood obsession with Penguins meaning I was drawn to these northern hemisphere counterparts when I first got into birdwatching in my mid-late childhood sowing the seeds for my hobby and passion something I reflected on a lot this week in this big seabird experiences. Finally particularly centring on rugged and stunning coast but also including meadows, moor and marsh and hints of woodland with picture postcard seaside at Bridlington too I have taken in some breathtaking views this week and nice sky scenes too. An unforgettable and extraordinary week. 

The photos I took in this photoset from the week are of; Tree Sparrow, Yellow Wagtail, carrot type flowers at Flamborough North Landing, hawksbit type flowers with a fly and beetle on at Fen Bog Nature Reserve, view at Spurn and snail at Flamborough Head, view at Thornwick Bay, Kittiwake at Flamborough Head and views at Flamborough North Landing and Sewerby Gardens.

[greencheekconure27]

[heather-rajendran]

Red campion (Silene dioica) wildflower photo I took 12/05/2024, Wakefield, West Yorkshire, UK

[torotillo]

Heaps of red campion in Cornwall.

[blossom-adventures]

Red Campion is such a beautiful flower

[elaurianwellness]

Some relaxing earth magic to start the week 🌿🌱☘️

[ultralowvelocityzone]

Midsommar in Norbotten

[jillraggett]

Plant of the Day

Sunday 14 July 2024

In the roadside verges of Orkney the Silene dioica (red campion, red catchfly) is flowering with the grasses. This plant will thrive in woodlands, hedgerows and moist meadow conditions.

Jill Raggett

[watership-down-garden]

Campion

"It was Campion's principal duty to search the outskirts of Efrafa at morning and evening and to report anything new... An expert tracker, he missed little or nothing and was one of the very few rabbits for whom General Woundwort felt a genuine respect."

From Watership Down chapter 34: 'General Woundwort' by Richard Adams

There are several varieties of campion; the plants pictured above are known as red campion, though the flowers are actually pink. They are happy in partial shade and provide food for a variety of insects including bees, butterflies, hoverflies and moths.

[crudlynaturephotos]

[dansnaturepictures]

13/05/24-Speckled Wood which it was brilliant to see well, Mallards, some early in flower wild carrot and view at Lakeside Country Park and Noble False Widow spider at home.

Great Crested Grebe chicks, Ring-necked Parakeet, young Starlings, House Sparrow, Goldfinches, Swift, vetch, red campion, cuckooflower, garlic mustard, oxeye daisy and speedwell were other highlights today.

[greencheekconure27]

[heather-rajendran]

Red campion (Silene dioica) wildflower photo I took recently, West Yorkshire, UK