1981 July & August
July 1st
Today is
rather cold with an overcast sky and a strong wind, but the sun
shines now and again. Nearly every day now I see a family of
Wagtails in the well or on the lane - one pair of adults and two
juveniles. There aren’t many Wagtails for this time of year
because the bad Winter took a great toll in their numbers.
Across in Willows Den the Germander Speedwell is flowering: it
started to flower a week ago.
July 2nd
The sky is
overcast, full of looming grey clouds. There’s a strong cool
wind churning the leaves on the trees making them show their
undersides. This morning to my surprise and delight I saw a pair
of Goldfinches on the back garden fence. Goldfinches are rare
visitors to the farm and I think they just stop here for a rest
while passing on a long journey. It was the shrill voice of one
of them that first made me detect their presence.
The Gorse
bush is covered in blossom at the moment. Although the golden
blossom is lovely to see, the bare prickles are quite deadly to
touch. The Elder has started to blossom, its clusters of creamy
lace flowers reaching up for the sun. In Radcliffe’s Hay Meadow
the tiny Eyebright plants are flowering. In all of the fields
Ladies Bedstraw is flowering.
July 10th
I have seen
so many wonderful things today it is hard to tell were to begin.
Although the sky was overcast it was very warm with the sun and
blue sky peeping through the clouds at intervals.
I went
across to the island. At the back of the island I saw nine
Canada Geese; six juveniles with adult plumage; two grey downed
goslings; five adult geese without goslings (probably last years
goslings, because they don’t breed in their first year) and four
adults. In all 17 Canada Geese - nine adults and eight
youngsters. It was a pleasure to watch this family swimming
gracefully along. I can now say that we have an established
population of Canada Geese on the reservoir. They have certainly
made it their summer home for the past three years, with
feathers and droppings covering every part of the island’s
shore. I hope they will continue to do so.
After being
on the island I walked up to the far end of the reservoir where
the group of Pussy Willow trees are. Under the shade of the
trees Bog Bean was flowering, with Ragged Robin and Yellow Flag.
As I waded through the marsh with Cindy gathering Yellow Flag
flowers as I went, it became apparent that if I was not very
careful I would get “bogged down”. Luckily this did not occur.
I decided to
walk home along the pavement as there is always a good variety
of plants growing there. I hadn’t walked far before I came
across a cluster of white flowers on the opposite pavement. I
crossed over and gathered a handful of the pretty Ox-eye
Daisies, which I never before knew grew there. Further along
there was a grassy embankment to the pavement where yellow
Meadow Vetchlings, Eyebright, Bush Vetch and several other
plants were flowering. It always amazes me the different types
of flowers that grow up through and along the sides of the
pavement. This is one of the few things that make me enjoy a
walk along the roadside. I saw a Heath Spotted Orchid growing on
an embankment which was pleasing to see as I only knew of them
growing at Willows Den.
July 15th
Today the
sky was overcast with blue showing through occasionally. It
seemed fairly warm despite a cool wind. Down at the lodge I
crawled through the rushes on my belly to watch five Snipe
feeding at the waters edge of an island. I have never watched
Snipes before because they always fly away as soon as I spot
them.
July 16th
There have
been many showers of rain this morning. There’s a cold wind and
an overcast sky. I’ve seen many House Martins flying across the
barnyard but only one Swallow. House Martins have completely
taken over from Swallows. I don’t know what has happened to the
Swallows. A few years ago there were loads of them and only a
few House Martins. Now it’s vice versa. It is becoming a rare
thing to see a Swallow. This is a shame because I like Swallows
more than Martins. They’re much more colourful and graceful
birds.
July 27th
Today we are
having some good weather for a change. For about a fortnight the
Giant Hogweed has been flowering on the overgrown right hand
pavement. On the pavement I found a group of very large headed
Red Clover - about twice the size as those that grow in the
meadow. It has been the hottest day for three years, reaching 84°F.
The Croft is
the nicest field to look at with short lush green grass,
purple-red feather grasses, Red Sorrel, White Clover and
Buttercups to carpet it. It is kept in such a good condition
because the bullocks and sheep are not allowed into it. The
grass although it looks green and lush has little nutritional
value and is hard for the animals to digest. In the barnyard
Wild Chamomile is flowering - a new arrival at the farm.
August 1st
Today the
sky was blue with clouds and warm sunshine. I walked round the
reservoir and the level of water is extremely low. Far lower
than last year when I walked round for the first time. A
Wheatear landed on the stone wall next to a female Kestrel. The
Wheatear wagged its tail up and down in the Kestrel’s face but
the Kestrel ignored it. The Kestrel looked rather shabby and I
presume it was moulting.
In Willows
Den, Marshwort, Meadowsweet, Valerian, Tufted Vetch and Knapweed
are flowering, and Devils’-Bit Scabious has about started. It’s
amazing how many lovely plants grow there. The Meadowsweet with
their creamy white flower heads look quite enchanting. I like
the knapweed with its lovely purple flower heads, because unlike
the Thistles they are possible to pick.
On Hill
Sixty the Creeping and Spear Thistles cover the hill completely.
I have never seen so many Thistles. Spear Thistles have a lovely
perfumed smell which helps attract the Bumble Bees.
August 9th
All day the
sky was overcast and it poured with rain. The lane became a
stream, and everywhere was soaked. What a change in the evening
though. The sky became clear blue. A deep blue with not a single
cloud. However the most colourful and beautiful thing that
evening was the sunset. The sun sank behind the hill, casting
golden shadows and lighting up a deep pink and blue sky. With
lilac clouds that faded with the sun to dark purple and then
what seemed like black. The sunset stretched quite a way across
the sky and was one of the most beautiful I have ever seen.
On the shore
of the island I saw a large flock of about 200 Lapwings. They
seem to roost on the shore at day and night, only moving when
the mood suits them or when disturbed. Great flocks of Lapwings
seem to gather at dusk and fly across the land. Spreading out
and loosing one another in long threads from the central flocks
as they go.
I heard
first, and then saw, a small flock (about twelve) of Curlews
flying across Fisher’s land. I have only seen the Curlews very
rarely on our land. They seem to like Fisher’s desolate fell and
moor country.
August 11th
Today it was
warm but with an overcast sky. At the bottom of the lane a small
flock of birds flying very closely together flew chirruping over
head. They looked like Waders but the sound they made seemed
most unusual. Later with the help of my bird book I identified
them as Dunlin. These handsome little Waders I have not seen for
quite some time. Preferring heaths and fells they too probably
nest on Fisher’s land.
August 12th
The sun was
warm today almost hot with a strong, cool and very fresh breeze.
There were some cotton wool clouds in the sky. I went a walk up
the back. In the marsh I gathered some Bird’s-Foot-Trefoil,
Ground Elder and Bog Willow Herb. The Ground Elder has flowers
rather like Hogweed though stained pink with more delicate
flowers and longer stamens. The leaves are almost exact in their
resemblance to Elder leaves. For quite some time I’ve been
puzzled by the leaves of this plant growing in several damp
places around the farm. Although similar to Hogweed now I know
its real identity.
August 15th
The lodge
today was a deep dark blue with the tiny waves that curled and
lapped across it. It was there to my surprise I saw the family
of geese swimming - all seventeen of them. So close but they
didn’t seem a bit alarmed. I watched these graceful birds from
the side of the road, realising I think for the first time just
how magnificent they are.
Soon they’d
leave our land to fly to the estuaries where they would spend
the Winter. But that didn’t matter for being able to fly ‘living
free’ all the world was theirs, indeed it was an honour that
they should choose the reservoir for a home. When the geese have
left, things won’t be quite the same. The days will pass by with
me waiting eagerly for their return. For as long as there are
Canada Geese I hope they will return to the farm.
August 18th
This
afternoon I walked up Hill Sixty. The hill was almost smothered
with Thistles; the Creeping Thistle covering most of the lower
half of the hill in virtually impenetrable clusters. At the top,
large Spear Thistles can be seen, growing all over the place and
making it impossible to walk four paces in any direction without
running into one. In a gully, Marsh Thistles grow five or six
feet tall which makes it look as though varieties of thistles
have been cultivated in this particular field.
Today when I
went up the hill I saw a great selection of insects - among them
Flies, Cabbage White and Small Tortoiseshell butterflies, Garnet
Moths and Bees; all busily feasting on delicious nectar of the
thistle flowers. I must admit those Spear Thistles have a very
sweet smell. It was interesting to see how many moths were
flying around in broad daylight. One particular large brown moth
with a green sheen on its wings seemed oblivious to everything
except the flowers.
There were
plenty of Bumble Bees and an odd Cuckoo Bee. Cuckoo Bees have a
red tip on their tails and live mainly solitary lives. Bumble
Bees are more sociable. There were quite a few Garnet Moths
hovering in the air. They hardly move whilst suspended on the
breeze with wings that must beat hundreds if not thousands of
times a second.
I did see a
couple of Ladybirds, which was reassuring after the bad Winter,
when I began to believe they’d all been killed. The sky was blue
with several clouds, warm sunshine and a sort of Summer haze.
Sweet smelling perfume from thistles and the lazy drone of
humming insects filled the air.
August 23rd
The weather
has been wet, much the same as yesterday. The sun shone through
the clouds across a soaked land. When I walked through the Croft
Side gate I could not believe what I saw. Two beautiful rainbows
bridging side by side, a colourful arch across the sky. The
first rainbow was rather faint, but the second had such vivid
colours that if I were to write about it for a hundred years I
could never portray its beauty.
Rainbows
fascinate me. Whenever I see one I cannot help myself but stand
and stare in amazement. Where do they begin? Where do they end?
They come and go so quickly. You may never walk under a rainbow
because they are the spice of dreams. It’s hard to tell whether
they even exist or not, but just to see one always convinces me.
August 28th
Every so
often I have a rather special day that is to say something
different, out of the ordinary. Today was such a day. The
weather was fine with warm sunshine blue sky and just a few
whispery clouds. Walking back from the village I heard a bird
singing in Pump House Wood. The song wasn’t familiar, neither
was the bird - small and slender, built like a Wagtail. It had
an orange cream breast, brown streaked head and back with a most
noticeable russet red patch on its tail feathers. The red patch
helped me identify it as a female Redstart. I’ve never seen one
before. They only stay in England for the Summer.
In the
afternoon I decided to go for a walk on the moor. Cindy chased a
young fox out of the rushes. It was smaller than her but its
long bush made up for its size. I walked to the other side of
the moor which to my delight was covered in Heather. There’s
nothing quite like masses of sweet smelling purple Heather.
Before now I never knew that it even grew on our moor. The sun
began to sink, so loaded with Heather I returned home promising
myself to return soon.
While on my
way back a large brown bird flew out of a clump of heather
making a weird clucking noise. With a whirring flight and
rounded wings it disappeared down the hillside. I knew it must
have been a Grouse. Another bird I’ve never seen on the farm
though I’ve heard their weird cry.
In the
evening the sky was a deep blue with long thin strands of cloud
stretched across it. As the sun set the clouds became tinted
with pink. You may have noticed I often write about the sky. To
me it is an endless source of colourful beauty. Forever changing
and never twice the same.