I’m back!

After three local walks, I couldn’t resist posting some spring flowers. On Roborough Down, there were lots of violets and March flies related to the St Marks fly but resting with their wings out, making a cross with their little scorpion-like bodies. Next was Devon Wildlife Trust’s Andrews Wood reserve. Glorious sunshine with lots of orange tip…

Town hall clock

Moschatel is a very prompt flower, befitting its common name of Town Hall Clock. Last year and the year before, it flowered at the end of March along with shining cranesbill, greater stitchwort and bluebells. This year it is here again for Easter, but the other flowers are way behind because of the persistent cold…

Ugborough Beacon to Aish

A lovely varied walk around Ugborough Beacon to Three Barrows and back to Moorhaven via Corringdon Ball and Aish.  The grass on the more sheltered eastern face of Ugborough Beacon was full of heath milkwort in colours ranging from ultramarine through white to pink. I checked the bracken above Peek Moor gate to see if…

Along Bittaford Road

Spring has definitely arrived along the verge. Near the houses, there are bright blue forget-me-nots and carpets of yellow celandines and primroses. Ivy-leaved toadflax on the walls, and cornsalad. On the grassy verge, daisies, primroses, common mouse-ear, greater stitchwort, Alexanders, dog’s mercury, cow parsley, and a rather early greater burnet saxifrage.  Purple and white sweet violets and early dog…

Slapton

We went to Slapton to see the humpback whale that has been visiting Start Bay since the end of February. We didn’t see the whale – apparently it comes into the bay with the incoming tide – but we did see a harbour porpoise and reed buntings. There were swans, grebes and a lot of…

Spring

Some welcome sunshine this week   From a car, Wrangaton Road is fast and litter-strewn, but the views are lovely and the open verges between Bittaford and Ivybridge station support a different variety of flowers from the shady lane between Moorhaven and Green Lane.   Alexanders is just coming into bloom. Also known as Roman parsley,…