Lady Bridgeman's Garden
I paid a quick visit to Castle Bromwich Hall Gardens yesterday afternoon.
Looking towards the Upper Wilderness from My Lady's Border
After the recent rain water levels are much higher in the South Pond.
I managed to find a few plants still flowering
Mirror or West Pond
Although there was still some sunshine when I arrived it soon completely clouded over and light levels were really low. Camera rather struggled even with high ISO shutter speeds were really low.
The Spinney and South Pond - I was chatting to a member of staff there today and was pleased to learn that there are still Great Crested Newts in this pool and, even better, they have spread to the other two ponds.
I found these fungi on a fallen log in the Spinney - I think they are Turkeytail. If anyone can confirm the id I would be very grateful.
Edit Thanks so much to Abbey Meadows who has confirmed these are indeed Turkeytail. See comments.
Lower Wilderness
Spindle berries
Upper Wilderness looking towards Castle Bromwich Hall - now a hotel
Lichen growing on the trunk of an Ash tree
Just the usual species of bird around although it was nice to see a party of Long-tailed Tits. This is usually a good site for Redwing during the winter months but no sign yet.
After leaving I did visit a nearby road where a couple of Waxwings were seen two weeks ago. No sign today but I counted 30 trees or bushes still full of berries so I will keep an eye out.
8 comments:
It looks good even at this time of year. The Spindleberry always fascinates me.
lets hope you get a newt pic
Toffeeapple - Thanks. I love the Spindleberries too - so pretty (although poisonous I think)!
Pete - I shall be looking in the Spring!! I thought they were found in the big pool which is fenced off so you can't access but now I know the main colony is in the smaller pool it will be easy to look. BTW could have done with your Fuji to capture the colours!!!!! :)
Spindleberry sounds like something from a once upon a time fairy tale:) I love the reflection pond. Beautiful placed in the gardens. I think it's such a pretty place. Such a nice place to let the mind wander:)
Rohrerbot - That's brilliant :) You are right though does sound something out of a Grimms fairy tale!
Glad you like the Gardens - they are a great place to switch off and escape :) And such a sense of history there - I would never be surprised to bump into a lady wearing a crinoline!!
Turkeytail it is but I like the Lichen shot but I struggle with mosses and lichens though I really like them and are great to photograph
Hi Caroline, A lovely selection of photos again, It is beginning to look quite wintry there now. I was surprised to see a few flowers soldiering on :-) I have always liked Spindleberries, my Mother did too.
I saw large flocks of Winter thrushes today but they were very flighty so no chance of decent photos. No sign of Waxwings here so far. I wonder if I will manage to see any this time, I am always very envious of your lovely header photo.
I can tell from your last sentence to Chris that you and I are as fanciful as each other ;-)
Abbey Meadows - Thanks so much for confirming the Turkeytail - its much appreciated :)
I've got a Field Studies Council id guide to Lichens somewhere. Once spent several happy hours in a churchyard with guide and hand lens trying to id some. As you say though not easy!
Shy Songbird Hi Jan. Last frost finally finished any flowers left in our own garden!
I've seen a few Winter thrushes too on my travels but as you say they are very flighty. I do hope we both catch up on the Waxwings. I was incredibly lucky with them when I took the header photos. They were so tame and I doubt I would get photos like that again. Even though I was shaking with excitement and had only just had the 70-300 lens, the photos turned out much better than I expected :)
I can imagine we both have rather vivid imaginations :) :) But it makes life fun :)
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