Kingfisher with Minnow Sculpture

Regular readers will be familiar with my photographs of the Bulmers Woodpecker sculpture captured in a variety of different weather situations.

Fifty years since creating this iconic Herefordshire artwork sculptor Walenty Pytel has graced our landscape with a new piece; Kingfisher with Minnow.

It was commissioned by the Cider Museum and stands between the museum and Sainsburys’ fuel station.

Walenty Pytel was born in Poland in 1941 and moved to the UK at the age of five. He studied graphic design at Hereford College of Arts and has become a renowned artist specialising in metal sculptures inspired by nature. You can see more of his work here.

Bulmers commissioned The Woodpecker to celebrate their eponymous brand of cider, presumably the Kingfisher is a nod to the cider apple orchards that grow alongside the River Wye where kingfishers reside.I have to say that it is easier to spot and photograph than the real thing.I think the graceful silhouette of his 50 year old woodpecker are hard to beat. Which do you prefer?

Thick-legged Flower Beetle

This beetle must have one of the best names in the animal kingdom – the thick-legged flower beetle, Oedemera nobilis.

It is quite apparent why it has been given this moniker, just look at those thighs! It is only the males that have these swollen looking thighs.

The females are rather more mundane.

The larvae grow in hollow plant stems emerging as adults to feed on open structured flowers. In my garden they seem to particularly enjoy the rock roses.

They do seem to prefer hot sunny days, perhaps to show off their iridescent green metallic jackets.

Ashy Mining Bees

The ashy mining bee, Andrena cineraria, is described as being one of the easiest of the solitary bee species to identify. This is how I know one when I see one.

They are black with two ashy grey bands, the males and females are similarly marked, but the females are larger and the males have tufty grey hairs around their face. You can submit a sighting here.

They fly between early April and June. They nest in the ground, sometimes in groups, in lawns and flower beds. They prefer sandy soil and a sunny position.

They feed on a wide variety of blossoms and flowers. In this instance there were four of them feeding on cow parsley. There were also many other bees and hoverflies at the same time, but cow parsley is also a useful food source for butterflies and moths.

Cow parsley, Anthriscus sylvestris, is often found in woodland and verges. It is a member of the carrot family with distinctive white umbels. It has the fancier name of Queen Anne’s Lace, the common name suggest that it is an inferior parsley. The leaves can indeed be used in salads. However, cow parsley is easily confused with hemlock which is deadly. It is also known as Mother-Die as superstition had it that if it was brought into the house it would kill your mother. The hollow stems can be used as pea shooters.

Yet another name used is kecks, and it is using this term that Shakespeare mentions them in “Henry V”. The Duke of Burgundy refers to them in rather disparaging terms:

Wanting the scythe, all uncorrected, rank,
Conceives by idleness and nothing teems
But hateful docks, rough thistles, kecksies, burs,
Losing both beauty and utility.

Being idle myself I have failed to scythe these kecksies, but the various bees and hoverflies have benefited and personally I find this inferior parsley to be a very attractive plant; a froth of white dancing among the greenery.

 

Hereford in the Snow

Following on from my post about the poppy display at Hereford Cathedral in the snow, here are some more photos from my walk into Hereford City during the Mini Beast from the East’s blizzard.

I thought this blossom looked very pretty in the snow. At first I thought it might have been blackthorn, but there were no thorns and some green shoots were showing, so I expect it is some sort of cherry plum type thing.

Far more easy to identify is Holy Trinity church, a Grade II listed building dating from around 1870.

In the grounds stands a memorial cross dedicated to the men of the parish who died in WWI and WWII. For more information on the memorial, the wording and the names inscribed see this website.

Regular readers will be familiar with the Bulmers woodpecker. This is my only photograph of it in the snow.

Next to it is the WWI memorial poppy bench.

Another opportunity to save my soul; Eignbrook church. It is another lovely building.

Now we reach the old medieval walls that used to encircle the City of Hereford. Not much of a deterrent to ingress these days, unlike our traffic system. Note the snow squished daffodils.

This part of the wall was the site of one of the entrances into Hereford and the area is still called Eign Gate.

Now we come to the cathedral, it is currently hosting the WWI poppy display “Weeping Window” as mentioned in a previous post.

Skipping along to the nearby Old Bridge, we get views of the River Wye ….

… and the other side of the cathedral.

Walking down by the river and sheltering under the New Bridge we have the Old Bridge and cathedral in one direction.

Hunderton bridge emerges through the blizzard in the other direction.

Back at the cathedral, Sir Edward Elgar patiently waits for the pot holes to be repaired before it is safe to cycle home to Malvern.

Also left out in the cold is Bully, the sculpture of the iconic Hereford bull.

He is guarding the Old House. It strikes me that we Herefordians are not very imaginative when it comes to naming things!

Oh well, time to trudge back home for some hot chocolate.

Snowy Garden

If I haven’t already bored you with my photos of snow in hereford parts one and two, brace yourselves for more of the white stuff.

Even a dull suburban garden can be turned into a Narnia type winter wonderland.

The evergreen yew tree was groaning under the weight of the snow.

It sprang back afterwards, demonstrating why yew was used to make longbows as it can bend under a lot of tension without snapping.

The deciduous apple tree having shed its delicate leaves was able to take the weight on its sturdy branches.

The apple tree also provided some shelter under which I provided food and fresh water for the birds.

And the squirrel.

The squirrels were busy in other parts of the garden also.

There were some impressive icicles on the buildings.

There were also icicles on the plants.

And clumps of icy snow adorning most surfaces.

Snow! In Hereford! – Part Two

Following on from my post about my excitable jaunt through the blizzard on 10 December 2017, I went for another walk two days later once it had settled.

I finally got my snowy dawn photos.

I’m sure my friends in Scandinavia, Russia and North America etc are wondering what all the fuss is about. Well, I’m like a big kid and we very rarely get any snow that sticks in Hereford, at least not in recent years.

Indeed most of the UK gets very little deep snow which is why we are so poorly equipped to deal with it when it does happen. We don’t own snow chains for our cars, local authorities don’t invest in equipment to clear snow and so the nation grinds to a halt.

People still hop into their cars determined to get to work, no doubt terrified of losing a promotion, or even the job itself. As we have so little experience of driving in snow people often come a cropper.

Snow Berries in the Snow

Perhaps if non-essential workers were given time off work during heavy snowfall people could relax and have fun in the snow.

Nice Weather for Dogs

I also take the point that it is deadly serious if you are homeless or can’t afford to heat the home you have got, but those are social issues that should be remedied and not really the fault of the weather.

Whatever your opinion is of snow, surely we can all agree it does make the scenery pretty.

It is also important not to confuse weather with climate. There is an overwhelming body of evidence that global temperatures are rising and agreement amongst climate scientists that the cause is man made. The predictions for a warming climate are for more extreme weather events, this includes cold ones. For more information about climate change with easy to understand facts and myths debunked see the NASA website; it even settles the debate about whether cow belches or cow farts produce more methane.A less than cheery fact for you; every winter around 100 people in the USA die from shovelling snow. Using your arms not your legs is more strenuous; heart rate and blood pressure increase. This combined with the cold air causing arteries to restrict creates the perfect ingredients for a heart attack. So, take it easy and wear a hat.

On the plus side, shovelling snow burns approximately 233 calories per 30 minutes. This means that with Easter just around the corner you can reward yourself with a 150 calorie Cadbury Creme Egg and still lose weight.

And yes I do still have some more snowy pictures left over for another post.

 

Snow! In Hereford!

It’s not that it never snows in Hereford, but it seems to be becoming increasingly rare. When it does snow it tends to be fleeting and doesn’t stick.

However, 10th December 2017 in the wee small hours it started to snow and it didn’t stop all day. I decided to take a short walk early in the morning as I hadn’t been expecting it to last. The street lights were still lit illuminating the falling snow.

Hereford is situated in what meteorologists call a “rain shadow area”. Most of our weather is blown in from the Atlantic, the moist air hits the Welsh mountains where it is forced to rise. The barometric pressure is lower at high altitudes which has a cooling effect. This condenses the moist air into water droplets which are shed as rain or, when it is very cold, snow. Once over the Welsh mountains the less moist air descends and warms and so is more able to contain what moisture remains. Hence Hereford gets a lot less rain and snow than the Brecon Beacons.

Although Hereford did get a lot of snow, 18cm/7″ in our garden (20cm was recorded in Hereford), Sennybridge in the Brecon Beacons was deluged with 33cm/13″. In fact Hereford’s climate is described as being wet, just not as wet as Wales.

I had been expecting to see lots of dogs gamboling about in the snow, but the place was deserted. There were footprints so I was not the first. I hate ruining pristine snow.

I had also been hoping to take a sparkling snowy sunrise photo, but if anything it seemed to get darker as the snowfall became faster and heavier.

What even is snow anyway? Apparently snowflakes are formed when water droplets are supercooled around particles in the atmosphere. The particular shape the crystals form depends on temperature, moisture density and a whole load of other complex variables.

Although the ice that forms snow is clear the crystal shapes reflect light around causing snow to appear white.

Snowflakes tend to fall between 1 – 4 mph and each one is unique.

Here we are at the bridge. Hopefully the troll is still asleep and the snow will muffle my clippity-clopping and trip-trapping.

The babbling brook bubbles along through the blanketed banks.

The indigenous people of Nunavik in Canada have 53 words for snow, including “qanik” meaning falling snow.

At this point I am starting to not be able to feel my face.

The trees look pretty though, very Christmassy.

Farewell bridge.

Hello civilisation … maybe.

The driving conditions were dire, but there were still a few people who felt the need to venture out on a Sunday morning. Perhaps the people we depend upon such as emergency or medical personnel.

I did see a gritter lorry with a snow plough attached, but it didn’t seem to be using it. Snowflakes were also accumulating on the camera lens creating interesting lens flare.

I did contemplate crossing the “road” and walking through the field but it seemed to be getting darker, I was getting colder and the camera was getting wetter.

I stood under a tree for a bit of shelter. Dear reader, learn from my mistake; a large clump of snow slid off a branch and slithered down the back of my neck.

Still, the streetlights provided some spooky atmospheric lighting to the snow.

One last look at the snow laden trees.

Then another, then it was time to head home.

For those of you who like your snow moving, I posted a short clip on You Tube here: https://youtu.be/Iwou1e2JHtk

November Colour

After so many storms there doesn’t seem to be many colourful autumnal leaves left on the trees. However, there is still autumn colour to be found. The smoke tree seems to have managed to retain most of its leaves, sheltered by the conifers.

A snapdragon plant that I bought cheaply from a DIY store on account of it being nearly dead has made a remarkable recovery despite my care and has started to flower.

The last of the cyclamens are blooming on the lawn.

The golden rod has gone to seed and is now more of a silvery rod.

Michaelmas daisies are paying no heed to the religious calendar.

There is always herb Robert to be found.

The purple bee lavender is looking glorious, but watch for lurking spiders when you admire it.

Evening primrose is the best substitute for the missing yellow disc in the sky.

Fox and cubs are a blaze of orange amongst the murk.

And of course we have the usual autumnal suspects of berries …

…and fungi.

A Cemetery Stroll

As it is nearly All Hallow’s Eve, the night when the souls of the dead are supposed to return to the mortal realm, I though it would be apposite to post about a cemetery stroll. This is especially true as I believe I am acquainted with more souls in Hereford Cemetery than in the rest of the City!

The last time I took you on a Graveyard Bimble it was the middle of summer. Now as we are well into autumn the place is even more windswept and barren.

I visited shortly after dawn on a rainy morn.

There is still autumn colour to be found.And the gardener had made good use of some ornamental grasses.The nearly bare trees made beautiful outlines against the moody skies.

“Grandpa Ratz” is the latest family member to book in to Hereford Cemetery’s bed and board. His flowers survived Storm Brian and added a splash of colour to the bleakness.

He loved flowers and I’m sure he would have approved of these.

So here’s to all souls past and present; have a safe and enjoyable Hallowe’en.

September Scenes

Just a few scenes from the start of September. So far this month we have had some nifty clouds.

Blue skies and red berries.

A stubbly field with the trees just started to change into their autumn outfits, and half a rainbow.

Cyclamen adorn the lawn.

Down by the Roadside

Down by the roadside doesn’t sound quite as bucolic as down by the riverside, but here we are. You might be surprised by what gems of nature you can find on a roadside verge. Since the 1930s it is estimated that we have lost 97% of our wildflower meadows. With agricultural fields becoming patches of pesticide soaked monoculture crops our native wildflowers are clinging to the edges.

Many rare wildflowers are to found on our roadside verges such as betony, ragged-Robin, orchids and fen ragwort. Plantlife have produced a report about wildflowers on verges which you can download and read here.

However, even here this precious ecosystem is in danger. Understandably local councils need to ensure visibility for drivers, but Plantlife feel that they are cutting too much and too soon. They would like councils to wait until the flowers have seeded before cutting back. You can petition your local council from Plantlife’s website here.

I took some photographs of just a small section of verge recently. I didn’t find anything rare, but it was buzzing with bees and looked so pretty.

I believe it was mostly cow parsley (or one of its carrot relatives), buttercups, red clover and a variety of grasses.

The verge is augmented by a hedgerow full of bramble flowers and dog roses. At other times of the year this hedge has blackthorn and hawthorn blossoms.

So the next time you stop your car in a lay-by or take a stroll along a road side verge, take a look and see what you can find.

Grasses

If the rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain, what do you get if you sit on the plain? Answer at the end of the post.

So in the interest of botanical curiosity and nothing at all to do with idleness, I didn’t mow the lawn for the month of May and this is what grew. Firstly there was a lot of Ribwort plantain, Plantago lanceolata. The tiny flowers attract small butterflies and moths and in the autumn the seeds provide food for birds. The leaves are used in herbal teas and are said to be good for relieving coughs.

There were a few different types of grass that I have not had time to identify. The long grasses with their attractive seed heads somehow seem evocative of carefree childhood summers. Unless of course you spent a childhood cursed by hayfever. 

Grasses are flowering plants that are wind pollinated. Their pollen is very small so that it can be carried on the wind and also into the respiratory tracts of humans, triggering an immune system response that causes the sufferer flu-like symptoms.

It is thought that there are around 10,000 different species of grass in the world ranging from the turf that we mow on our lawns to the mighty forests of bamboo. Their seeds, known as grains, form the basis of most of the crops that we grow for human and animal consumption.

Answer: A grassy arse! Apologies to my Spanish friends.

May Flowers

Now that we are at the beginning of May I thought I would just quickly post some photos of what has been flowering recently. Starting with the lilac.

The lilac contrasts nicely with the yellow laburnum blossoms.

The Spanish/hybrid bluebells have been posing with broom, tulips and primroses.

More tulips.

Purple bee lavender.

Candytuft (iberis).

The bladder campion is starting to flower.

The cuckoo pint looks interesting.

Greater celandine.

Forget-me-nots and strawberries are flowering all along the path around my alpine trough ….

…which is also doing well.

And the dog violets are still gracing the lawn.

<pre style=”background: none; border: none; padding: 0;”><textarea style=”background:#f0f0f0;border: solid 1px #cccccc; color: #777777; font-size:100%; height: 50px; margin:auto; text-align: left; padding: 7px 0 2px 5px; display: block; width: 90%;”>&lt;div align=”center”>&lt;a href=”http://www.ramblingratz.wordpress.com&#8221; rel=”nofollow” title=”May Flowers”&gt;&lt;img src=”https://ramblingratz.files.wordpress.com/2017/04/lilac-200417.jpg&#8221; alt=”May Flowers” style=”border: none; height: auto; width: 200px;” /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div></textarea></pre>

Generate your button code

Spring Things

So, spring seemed to burst into life before being hit by an icy blast again. Here are some of the things that came out in the sunshine. I will start with the dark purple tulips that I planted.

Red tulips.

Mini tulip.

The comma butterfly posed nicely for me, while an orange tip butterfly thwarted my every effort.

The holly blue came out rather overexposed, but I was just grateful that I got a shot of it.

There were hoverflies, I think this is a Marmalade Hoverfly.

I thought that this was a sort of hoverfly, but it seems it is a sawfly.

I think this is a type of solitary bee.

Pretty sure this is an Ashy Mining Bee.Bee enjoying the last of the flowering currant.

I was rather pleased with this shot of a buff tailed bumblebee in flight. Sometimes I get lucky.Some ladybirds were getting friendly with each other. Unfortunately, as they are non-native harlequins, they aren’t friendly to anything else.

Weeds? I don’t seen any weeds, just pretty flowers that feed our pollinators.

And finally, here is the lilac bush taken by flash at night. It gives off the most lovely scent day and night.

Being a Fly

Who would want to be a fly?
If you could fly you’d be a bee.
Cried the bee-fly, “Not so! And why?
Just leave us bee-flies be.
We have fat fluffy bodies and one set of wings,
And a very long tongue for sticking in things.”

I have blogged about bee-flies before, here. However, to sum up; these are Dark-edged Bee-Flies Bombylius major. If you see some you can record your sightings here.

I had a discussion with a Twitter friend about how they seem to be particularly fond of blue flowers, so of course one decided to be the exception that proves the rule.

Sometimes they just want to sunbathe on a leaf.

 

Pareidolia

Pareidolia, the phenomenon in which the human mind sees a familiar object (usually a face) in a random pattern. I recently took this photo of a birch polypore on a standing dead birch tree and felt that it resembled an elderly muppet with its false teeth removed. An American friend was reminded of a bitten into jelly and peanut butter sandwich.

I think we can all agree that this fallen tree resembles an elephant lurking amongst the trees.

Marching Towards Spring

Only one more week until astronomical spring in the Northern Hemisphere. Let’s see what is blooming; the cherry plum blossom is still clinging to the trees.

The cream primroses have been joined by purple ones.

The lilac buds progress.

The dwarf narcissi in pots are flowering.

However, the big daffodils in the garden are still thinking about it.

The yellow crocus has outlived its purple cousins. It has also avoided being eaten by sparrows, I have been informed that they have a penchant for yellow petals.

The forsythia gets ever more yellow.

The quince is going strong.

Newcomers include grape hyacinths.

Dog violets.

The flowering currant.

Red dead-nettle.

For those of you who remember the pinnacle of my gardening prowess, the alpine trough, here it is.

Spring is Blossoming

The cherry plum tree has started to blossom. It is not yet in its full glory, but with bad weather forecast I thought I ought to capture it while I can.

The snowdrops, quince, primrose and lilac buds are still going, though the crocuses are past their best now. There were some huge bumblebee queens buzzing about the mahonia, sadly they had made themselves scarce by the time I had fetched my camera.

Blooming Flowers

Vernalization – Whereby a prolonged period of cold (winter) induces plants to produce flowers in the spring. It’s all kicking off folks. It starts with the snowdrops.

Hello hellebore.

The lawn has been covered with crocuses for a couple of weeks now.

However, they will only open up if there is sunshine.

I blinked and nearly missed it.

There was even a yellow crocus this year.

Primrose looking prim.

Mahonia.

Forsythia having a serious think about flowering.

Quince, looking fancy.

Finally, the lilac is coming into bud.

 

Winter Blooms

The weather in the UK this winter has been somewhat variable. I think this might be confusing the winter flowers. Last week the garden snowdrops looked like this:

This morning, not much change. It is as if they pulled back their sepal curtains a crack and said, “Nope. Not coming out.”

The crocuses looked as though they were going to carpet the lawn with purple again this year. However, they seem to have been battered back into the ground by the wind and rain apart from a few still heroically standing.

Oddly the crocuses growing in the cracks in the path seem to be faring better as they caught some snowflakes this morning.You might also like: Early Spring Flowers – Vol1 and Snowdrops and Crocuses