What have you seen

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  • cyberyacht
    cyberyacht Forum Participant Posts: 10,218
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    edited March 2021 #3212

    How come your tracks are so dry, Brue? We did a circumnavigation of Portchester Castle today and the path through the woods is still like Paschendale. Loads of Brent geese still about and our local egret. No sign of our resident kingfisher who seems to show up for everyone except me. Haven't seen her for ages.

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited March 2021 #3213

    The recent good weather has dried most of ours paths but there are some bad patches, I'm showing a better bit, very sandy soil too so it does drain out. By Wednesday we'll back to mud looking at the forecast...

    We also have a kingfisher on the local stream CY but only OH manages to see it! 🌞

  • Rob2CathDavies
    Rob2CathDavies Forum Participant Posts: 145
    edited March 2021 #3214

    Just to reply to wherenext, we had an opticians appointment in Llandudno and our postal address was our sons address in Stockport at the time but we were living in the caravan near Llandudno as we were between homes and the local council had authorised the site we were on for β€˜homeless’ like us, and for key workers, of whom there were six.

    wouldn’t dream of breaking any lockdown rules.

    we combined our exercise with our opticians appointment that day.

    We have since bought our new home in North Wales, guess what, we miss the caravan!

  • Bakers2
    Bakers2 Forum Participant Posts: 8,196 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 2021 #3215

    Noticed this blossom this morning on the edge of a copse of trees, tree branch and trunk to assist if needed. I don't recognise it does anyone else?

    Mud photos I felt I should share, it is getting better in places 🀣🀣. Picking your route is crucial. Even the areas that appear grass and are for a bit can suddenly turn very boggy in the oddest of places! eh as you reach the top of an incline when starting from the bottom 😱. Must be good old Essex clay..........

  • Rocky 2 buckets
    Rocky 2 buckets Forum Participant Posts: 7,101
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    edited March 2021 #3216

    I’m thinking-Blackthorn(Sloeberry) they’re field border bushes/trees, they are very early flowerers & in the early flushes they’re red/pink but end up an off white. They smell beautiful B2πŸ‘πŸ»

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited March 2021 #3217

    Not sloe, here's some in our hedging just now. Bit of a mystery B2.. I looked up hazel and poplar but no luck there. If I take a photo on my phone I can check it out against possible names.

  • Bakers2
    Bakers2 Forum Participant Posts: 8,196 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 2021 #3218

    Definitely not sloe/blackthorn, here's some from another copse. I always think its a very delicate pretty blossom. Perhaps thats why its cold and grey here - what my dad always called the blackthorn winter!

    The other one reminded me of a spidery witch hazel/hamamellis. A bit like winter sweet but different colour. I was sure folk on here would know I feel better about not recognising it.

    Brue I'm interested in your mention of photos on phone??Β  I tried a Google search but only comes up with cherry or blackthorn and its not those or cultivated trees.

  • Bakers2
    Bakers2 Forum Participant Posts: 8,196 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 2021 #3219

    It was the only branch on the tree that had this. Must checking out again on my next visit.

    Don't think its a parasitic blossom as I checked the branch back to the trunk.

    Definitely not a sloe blossom but I agree they can have a hint of pink.

  • Wherenext
    Wherenext Club Member Posts: 10,607 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 2021 #3220

    Fair enough, thanks for explaining situation.

    Nothing to stop you buying a tourer.wink

  • Wherenext
    Wherenext Club Member Posts: 10,607 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 2021 #3221

    Bakers,Β I think it's called the Covid Bush. The flowers look just like the b*****s.

  • Bakers2
    Bakers2 Forum Participant Posts: 8,196 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 2021 #3222

    🀣🀣🀣🀣

    I was hoping for constructive answers, but humour most acceptable. Just what do they look like??? πŸ€”

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited March 2021 #3223

    B2, I think it's Maple Blossom, not sure which maple but it matches what I've seen on line. 🍁

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited March 2021 #3224

    If I take a photo of a plant on my phone I can do an "ask Google" about it and it will come up with plant matches, names and photos.

  • Wherenext
    Wherenext Club Member Posts: 10,607 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 2021 #3225

    Bakers,Β 

    Look vaguely similar?😁

  • Bakers2
    Bakers2 Forum Participant Posts: 8,196 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 2021 #3226

    OMG

    Am I genius or spreader??

  • Bakers2
    Bakers2 Forum Participant Posts: 8,196 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 2021 #3227

    Oh so clever. So can I - thanks for the tip.

    Its brought up a very credible image to match, sanicula bipinnatifida, but the word description  no good at all. Native of North American perennial herb 😱 so that's not it. But that's it. 

  • Rocky 2 buckets
    Rocky 2 buckets Forum Participant Posts: 7,101
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    edited March 2021 #3228

    B2, In my garden I have a β€˜Prunus cerasifera Nigra’ prunus is the Blackthorn family-the pic below is what I get late March to early April. Around now(in my garden) I have what looks very much like your picπŸ‘πŸ». That is what I was basing my guess on. If I’m wrong-no worries it was just a suggestionπŸ‘πŸ»

  • Bakers2
    Bakers2 Forum Participant Posts: 8,196 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 2021 #3229

    Rocky that's beautiful, but the flower/blossom I photographed isn't that. Theres a very great likeness to the COVID molecule Wherenext posted 😱

  • Bakers2
    Bakers2 Forum Participant Posts: 8,196 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 2021 #3230

    OH brue I think you've hit the nail on the head. πŸ‘πŸ‘πŸ‘

    I intend to mark the branch, in a natural damaging way to see what develops over time. Cos once they all get leaves it will be hard to tell.

    Sadly my newly learnt skill didn't offer that 😒

  • Bakers2
    Bakers2 Forum Participant Posts: 8,196 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 2021 #3231

    I also cheated, friend's son and daughter's contemporary, is deputy director and head of science at Oxford Botanical Gardens, name dropper πŸ˜‰. But sometimes these things take time to be recalled and used!

    I'll still mark the branch to be certain πŸ˜‚

    Brue he thinks red maple, time will tell.

  • Wherenext
    Wherenext Club Member Posts: 10,607 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 2021 #3232

    Mickysf

    There's a photo of some flying Scoters on the Dee Estuary webpage. Link attached. Scroll down a bit and you'll see them.

    www.deeestuary.co.uk

  • Rocky 2 buckets
    Rocky 2 buckets Forum Participant Posts: 7,101
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    edited March 2021 #3233

    I think Mrs Brue Marple has solved the Maple conundrumπŸ‘πŸ»πŸ‘πŸ»πŸ‘πŸ». Excellent workπŸ‘πŸ»

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited March 2021 #3234

    Well Miss Marple strikes again...wink

    In the name of science and curiosity I took a walk out on our footpath to look at a neighbouring tree, a big dark red maple called Acer Crimson King and not a sign of the little florets on it! The bark was also very smooth...I must investigate further.Β laughing

  • Bakers2
    Bakers2 Forum Participant Posts: 8,196 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 2021 #3235

    Brue our neighbours have one on our boundary. Variety unknown I've done the same as you and had a good look. No flowers of any description and the bark is lighter and smoother.

    Time will tell.

    Must put something in my pocket and dog handbag, mine not the dogs! Contains poo bags and treats and these times, masks, gloves and hand sanitizer. About to be given some ribbon too 🀣

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited March 2021 #3236

    I had Cortana on my laptop which identifies photos but we've disabled it. It will be interesting to hear if you identify what you've seen.

  • Wherenext
    Wherenext Club Member Posts: 10,607 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 2021 #3237

    Mrs WN thinks it's a Red Maple but the fronds haven't yet developed fully. So there!

    I still prefer the Covld Shrub.smile

  • Wherenext
    Wherenext Club Member Posts: 10,607 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 2021 #3238

    Just before going out this morning I looked out of the window and watched a Woodpigeon fly down the garden and fly smack into the bird feeder hanging on a metal pole. Fell to the ground, obviously dazed but within a minute or so flew up to the fence, rested for a few more minutes then it flew off.

    Obviously a Learner Flyer.

  • Takethedogalong
    Takethedogalong Forum Participant Posts: 17,060 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 2021 #3239

    .......or blinded by Love? They are x rated in our garden at the momentπŸ˜±πŸ˜‚

    Β 

  • Wherenext
    Wherenext Club Member Posts: 10,607 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 2021 #3240

    Very short sighted trying to mount a bird feeder, especially at speed.surprised

  • Bakers2
    Bakers2 Forum Participant Posts: 8,196 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 2021 #3241

    I checked it out again yesterday, more branches now have blossoms. I have tied discreet ribbons, not yellow πŸ˜‰ on the branches and near the trunk. Possibly a bit of over kill but you never know if folk will remove. I will remove myself once I've identified the tree, but I'm pretty convinced it is red maple.

    Sadly the bench in front of the copse had beer cans, I removed, along with a scorched black nylon something with straps and the back of the bench wrenched off an thrown where there has been a huge puddle because of footwear 😀🀐😒.

    The blackthorn/sloe bush closely has been to show colour so expecting it to turn colder very soon.

    I have to say that the COVID virus does look attractive, despicable little beggar. Maybe thatΒ  was what caused me to really look? Yeah dream on.........

    Plenty of bird activity and calls, spring is coming. I love all the seasons in turn but the promise of rebirth makes spring extra special.