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Image-of-the-Day by Subject
Plants Page 6
Image Taken on 06 Apr 2012
at 07:28 Image of day on 29 Apr 2012
This is a detail of the lovely catkins that form on Black poplar
trees. They fall long before the leaves emerge. Black Poplar are
either male or female - ours and possibly all that are left are
males - the females are said to smell badly at times of the year
and were not planted. We propagated ours by cuttings from fallen
branches, although this is a low branch on a tree planted about
1938.
(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20120429_df1_20120406_0728_042 black poplar catkins (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 29 Apr 2013
at 07:09 Image of day on 10 Jun 2013
The Black-Poplar trees (all males nowadays because the flowering
females emit an offensive smell & didn't get planted) this year
produce a fabulous show of Catkins giving the trees a red haze
for a couple of days.
(r+mb id@576).jpg)
Ref: 20130610_df1_20130429_0709_111 black poplar catkins on several twigs (orig)(r+mb id@576).jpg
Image Taken on 29 Apr 2013
at 07:09 Image of day on 10 Jun 2013
(r+mb id@576).jpg)
Ref: 20130610_df1_20130429_0709_114 black poplar catkins twig detail (crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg
Image Taken on 08 Apr 2020
at 07:27 Image of day on 20 Apr 2020
Black Poplar trees make these attractive maroon and yellow Catkins
weeks before the first leaves appear.
.jpg)
Ref: 20200420_d73_20200408_0727_231 black poplar tree catkins(r+mb id@576).jpg
Image Taken on 29 May 2020
at 15:58 Image of day on 01 Jul 2020
This immaculate female Black-tailed Skimmer Dragonfly spent several minutes
fluttering around the 'garden' near the house.
(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20200701_d73_20200529_1558_158 black-tailed skimmer dragonfly female perched on grass stem (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 29 May 2020
at 16:00 Image of day on 01 Jul 2020
This immaculate female Black-tailed Skimmer Dragonfly spent several minutes
fluttering around the 'garden' near the house.
.jpg)
Ref: 20200701_d73_20200529_1600_185 black-tailed skimmer dragonfly female perched on nettle stem(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 30 Jun 2014
at 10:58 Image of day on 07 Sep 2014
Near a sheet of corrugated iron (to attract snakes but this year
abandoned even by the ants!) we find this blackberry (Bramble)
flower we have not noticed before with larger and more complex
stamens than normal. It seems to be an Elm-Leaf Blackberry (Rubus
ulmifolius) that has somehow found it's way to our patch and is
growing a healthy clump.
 flowers and part leaf (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20140907_df2_20140630_1058_028 blackberry elm-leaf (rubus ulmifolius) flowers and part leaf (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 11 Jun 2017
at 09:35 Image of day on 04 Aug 2017
A group of Blackberry flowers. As the flowers age the tips of the anthers turn brown.
.jpg)
Ref: 20170804_df3_20170611_0935_066 blackberry flowers(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 04 Aug 2019
at 12:32 Image of day on 26 Sep 2019
A cluster of Blackberry flowers that have a particularly strong pink tint.
This one at one end of the path shows this colour each year.
(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20190926_df3_20190804_1232_048 blackberry flowers with very pink petals (montage for focus)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 07 Dec 2010
at 09:05 Image of day on 31 Jan 2011
In our own patch this blackberry leaf is outlined by frost.
(r+mb id@576).jpg)
Ref: 20110131_p34_20101207_0905_745 blackberry leaves in -8c frost (crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg
Image Taken on 13 Mar 2017
at 11:07 Image of day on 22 Apr 2017
On the grass border outside our patch this blackbird was hunting in the soft mud under
the grass, moving about in the characteristic 'kangaroo like' bounding motion they use.
This was photographed at about 7 fps.
(r+mb id@1024).jpg)
Ref: 20170422_df3_20170313_1107_032-036 blackbird female bounding over grass 03-07 of 20 (accurate montage)(r+mb id@1024).jpg
Image Taken on 13 Mar 2017
at 11:07 Image of day on 22 Apr 2017
A few frames on, the bird is in mid-leap with an unusually good view of the claws
(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20170422_df3_20170313_1107_042 blackbird female bounding over grass 13 of 20 (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 13 Mar 2017
at 11:07 Image of day on 22 Apr 2017
Finally she made for a hole in the hedge back through into our patch, and 'vanished'.
(r+mb id@1024).jpg)
Ref: 20170422_df3_20170313_1107_045+046+048 blackbird female bounding over grass 16+17+19 of 20 (slightly stretched montage)(r+mb id@1024).jpg
Image Taken on 20 Apr 2017
at 09:26 Image of day on 14 Jun 2017
This female Blackbird regularly feeds on an overgrown gravel path outside the
study patio doors. But here she is clearing some of last years dead grass,
undoubtedly to make the nest a bit more comfortable.
(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20170614_e65_20170420_0926_007 blackbird female collecting dried grass nesting (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 02 Apr 2017
at 06:36 Image of day on 23 May 2017
A female Blackbird collecting material for her nest.
(r+mb id@432).jpg)
Ref: 20170523_e63_20170402_0636_080_fb1 blackbird female collecting dry grass for nesting (crop)(r+mb id@432).jpg
Image Taken on 04 Jun 2017
at 14:42 Image of day on 31 Jul 2017
A female Blackbird decorating, or being decorated by, Buttercups and Clover.
.jpg)
Ref: 20170731_e62_20170604_1442_142_fb5 blackbird female in buttercups and clover(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 09 Apr 2011
at 07:34 Image of day on 12 May 2011
... hidden in Ivy high on a South facing wall.
(r+mb id@432).jpg)
Ref: 20110512_df1_20110409_0734_059 blackbird female on nest in ivy (crop)(r+mb id@432).jpg
Image Taken on 09 Aug 2022
at 09:19 Image of day on 18 Sep 2022
A female Blackbird seems to be almost gleeful as she pecks at the ground
at the meadow site. The thin fibrous material you see on the ground is Badger fur.
.jpg)
Ref: 20220918_e6a_20220809_0919_081_fb5 blackbird female picking up food on desiccated grass at meadow sie(r+mb id@768).jpg
Image Taken on 09 Apr 2011
at 07:32 Image of day on 12 May 2011
Female Blackbird quite near her nest with a beakful of dry detritus
for the nest ...
(r+mb id@576).jpg)
Ref: 20110512_df1_20110409_0732_050 blackbird female taking materials to nest in ivy (crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg
Image Taken on 19 Apr 2021
at 09:47 Image of day on 15 May 2021
The female Blackbird at this site gathers nest lining.
We are surprised she can see where she is going with load on board.
(r+mb id@768).jpg)
Ref: 20210515_e63_20210419_0947_015_fb1 blackbird female with beak crammed with dried grass (orig)(r+mb id@768).jpg
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