#winter helitrope

[dansnaturepictures]

04/03/2022-Flowers, fungi, blossom, birds, nice sky scenes and more at Lakeside and home

There were some spectacular linear sky scenes today which looked great, I took the first, ninth and tenth pictures in this photoset among others of scenes I really liked seeing. I enjoyed seeing flowers and plants in the front garden and just across the road and going across the green out the front when going for my lunch time walk including; camellia, daffodil, daisy, groundsel and cleavers as shown in the second picture in this photoset. Alongside blossom and buds in a memorable scene of some on a bush by the north eastern kissing gate entrance I noticed the possible ragwort leaves in the third pictures in this photoset. 

On my weekly perimeter lunch time Lakeside walk I first headed through the eastern meadows of the site and to the grass verge by the entrance that treated me to wildflowers three weeks ago and it did again. First I was thrilled to notice a star of it three weeks ago winter heliotrope one I’d stopped seeing a bit since, a lone flower in a sea of luscious green leaves sparkling in the sun. I’d noticed these leaves by the road side on my way to the train station on office days lately where I first noticed the flowers a few weeks ago and did admire them. I hadn’t twigged until today the leaves might belong to the flowers and for my first flower learnt in 2022 I confirmed this with the trusty PlantNet ID app. My first Lakeside primroses of the year and ever possibly and more sweet violets like the ones in the fifth picture in this photoset dazzled here too adding colour to the verge. Then I was delighted to spot some golden lesser celandine including the one in the fourth picture in this photoset. I saw some of these further up behind the visitor centre too. It was smashing to see these beautiful flowers, for me one of my favourite signs of spring and features of early spring so I was so excited to see these today. 

As I proceeded past the steam railway station and visitor centre down the lane I was happy to as hoped see a nice clump of daffodils on a bit of verge by the car park which I enjoyed seeing last year, a splendid sight. I enjoyed some dock sticking up between them too a second day in a row I saw dock well here by the visitor centre after yesterday. I had another glorious moment for the little things of nature when with the second group of lesser celandine and a load of nettles I spotted a lovely red scarlet elf cup. A nice mushroom at this time of year that I have enjoyed seeing at Blashford Lakes before including lots last month when there, but I’d never seen one at our very local Lakeside so this felt really good to see. Periwinkle in the flower beds by the visitor centre as I enjoyed here last year in a strong spring 2021 I had for them looked nice today too its great to be seeing things this year for flowers I did last year.

I took the sixth picture in this photoset of a nice view over Kornwestheim lake as I walked past it. It was lovely to see lots of Canada Geese on this lake they’re not always at this lake, I loved seeing and photographing three together on a fishing jetty which was a beautiful scene. They seemed quite territorial and the steps towards spring felt ever prominent seeing them. There were smashing views of Great Crested Grebe, Black-headed Gull like the one in the seventh picture in this photoset as I saw on the green out the front before getting into Lakeside looking exciting with summer plumage brown heads now, Coot, Magpie and Blackbird as I made my way west of the lakes and then back along the northern path. I took the eighth picture in this photoset when back in this afternoon and ninth picture in this photoset of one of the typical sky scenes today.

This evening with me finishing work early I had a brilliant evening walk at Lakeside as the sun that had emerged more as the day went on drenched the landscape. This created some beautiful scenes with blossom, buds, Blue Tit and reed beds in the light of a lowering sun. I also enjoyed seeing a Wren well along the northern path. When walking down the path between the fenced off areas in a quite lengthy walk for an evening one for me I was so happy to spot a Roe Deer with its smooth fury coat shining in the sunlight. Far away as it was near the northern path but a brilliant view of it so well out in the open. I took and tweeted a photo of this. A peaceful and powerful end to my outdoor week. The sky looked lovely on the evening walk and until sunset, I took the tenth picture in this photoset of a sky scene on the walk. I took photos of a nice crescent moon and varied carpet beetle from and in my room this evening too.

Wildlife Sightings Summary: One of my favourite birds the Great Crested Grebe, one of my favourite mammals the Roe Deer, Moorhen, Coot, Canada Geese, Greylag Geese flying past my bedroom window, Black-headed Gull, Wren, Blue Tit, Goldfinch, Starling, Collared Dove, Magpie, Blackbird and varied carpet beetle.