Image-of-the-Day by Subject

Image-of-the-Day by Subject

Seasons Page 4

Image Taken on 03 Nov 2010 at 07:40 Image of day on 30 Dec 2010

Ref: 20101230_d45_20101103_0740_201_fb1 blackbird male with autumn debris(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 17 Jul 2015 at 12:53 Image of day on 21 Sep 2015

Standing on the edge of a flat roof over this male Blackbird has found a probably slightly under-ripe Sloe (the Blackthorn berry) in the adjacent hedge.

Ref: 20150921_df3_20150717_1253_010 blackbird male with blackthorn fruit (sloe) in beak (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg

Image Taken on 11 Oct 2024 at 11:37 Image of day on 21 Nov 2024

Another male Blackbird, this time landing at the Meadow site.
This one has a dull eye ring and a Black/dull yellow beak. Opinion seems divided over what these are:-
First year birds
Scandinavian winter migrants (the older explanation).
We have no evidence either way.

Ref: 20241121_e6a_20241011_1137_083_fb5 blackbird male with dark beak (1st winter or scandinavian (q))(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 12 Dec 2022 at 07:33 Image of day on 05 Jan 2023

"What's gone wrong with the world?"

Ref: 20230105_e64_20221212_0733_116_fb2 blackbird on freshly fallen snow at woodland site(r+mb id@768).jpg

Image Taken on 02 Dec 2010 at 16:21 Image of day on 23 Jan 2011

Ref: 20110123_d5c_20101202_1621_042_fb2 blackbird with icy beak kicking up snow(r+mb id@768).jpg

Image Taken on 23 Apr 2015 at 18:13 Image of day on 14 Jun 2015

The Blackthorn blossom has been exceptionally gorgeous this year. This is the overgrowth of the boundary hedge to our west.

Ref: 20150614_df3_20150423_1813_157 blackthorn blossom (crop 2)(r+mb id@768).jpg

Image of day on 20 Mar 2005

Blackthorn flowers before the leaves appear, unlike Hawthorn where the leaves come first.

Ref: 20050320_p20_1000064 blackthorn blossom 2005mar17_12-28-22(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 15 Apr 2023 at 09:20 Image of day on 27 May 2023

A heavy rain removed any of the blossom petals that we 'thinking' about falling, leaving this intricate pattern of stamens and large water drops supported but also misshapen by the stamens within.

Ref: 20230527_d72_20230415_0920_010 blackthorn blossom after rain has removed most of the petals (crop 1)(r+mb id@1024).jpg

Image Taken on 15 Apr 2023 at 09:20 Image of day on 27 May 2023

A detail from the above, complete with magnified stamens and an inverted image of the world behind in the water drop at the bottom.

Ref: 20230527_d72_20230415_0920_010 blackthorn blossom after rain has removed most of the petals (crop 2)(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 03 Apr 2023 at 12:46 Image of day on 12 May 2023

Blackthorn Blossom is wonderfully delicate. Blackthorn blossoms before the appearance of any leaves, while Hawthorn leafs before flower appear.

Ref: 20230512_df3_20230403_1246_111 blackthorn blossom detail(r+mb id@768).jpg

Image Taken on 31 Mar 2021 at 17:41 Image of day on 25 Apr 2021

Blackthorn blossom tumbles over the top of the freshly leafing Hawthorn hedge.
With a bit of luck we may get a 'mirror image' when the Hawthorn flowers.

Ref: 20210425_d73_20210331_1741_407 blackthorn blossom tumbling over top of hedge like snow(r+mb id@768).jpg

Image Taken on 29 Apr 2006 at 16:49 Image of day on 04 May 2006

All the hedges around us are 'hung with snow' as Housman's poem describes. Photographs don't really do it justice, but here we have tried to capture a patch. The hedge at the top contains just one or two Blackthorn.

Ref: 20060504_p32_20060429_1649_501 blackthorn hedge blossom (crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 20 Mar 2012 at 12:51 Image of day on 15 Apr 2012

Our 20 year old boundary barbed wire and net fences are mostly overgrown with self-set Blackthorn, but one corner has self-set with a 5 metre length around the corner post of what is probably wild cherry. The Cherry wins the race to first flowering every year.

Ref: 20120415_p10_20120320_1251_080 blossom (probably cherry) on fence at ne corner (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg

Image Taken on 12 May 2006 at 14:10 Image of day on 19 May 2006

The orchard apples, plum and pear trees are smothered in blossom like we never remember before. Here is an 80yr old apple tree. Note the nestbox bottom right.

Ref: 20060519_p32_20060512_1410_902 spring blossom in orchard (se corner looking sse) (web crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg

Image Taken on 19 Apr 2020 at 15:26 Image of day on 08 May 2020

This decades old Apple tree is notable because EVERYTHING is red - flowers, the wood and sap, the skin of the apple as well as the flesh. It makes a good cooking apple even if whatever you make comes out pink!
Only when we worked on this photo did we spot the Comma Butterfly at the top, and a fly just to the Butterfly's left. That crenelated wing edge is marvellous camouflage.

Ref: 20200508_d73_20200419_1526_019 blossom of red apple tree with comma butterfly and fly(r+mb id@768).jpg

Image Taken on 03 Apr 2025 at 14:07 Image of day on 16 May 2025

Gusts of wind cause showers of petals from the blossom laden trees & hedges.
In some places the effect is reminiscent of a light snowfall

Ref: 20250516_df3_20250403_1407_059 fallen blossom on path + detail insert(r+mb id@768).jpg

Image Taken on 16 Apr 2012 at 07:04 Image of day on 09 May 2012

An atypically cold night for April reached -3C air temperature and much the blossom was crusted with frost.

Ref: 20120509_p10_20120416_0704_297 blossoms after night frost (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg

Image Taken on 04 Apr 2024 at 14:12 Image of day on 30 Apr 2024

... and opening buds.

Ref: 20240430_df3_20240404_1412_015-017 blue tit eating tree buds 1-3 of 3 (montage @ 7fps)(r+mb id@1024).jpg

Image Taken on 27 Jan 2024 at 13:03 Image of day on 17 Feb 2024

There suddenly seem to be Blue Tits and Great Tits all over the site, feasting on the emerging buds. This one was perhaps 6 metres up a willow tree.

Ref: 20240217_df3_20240127_1303_031 blue tit eating willow buds(r+mb id@432).jpg

Image Taken on 04 Jan 2017 at 15:11 Image of day on 09 Feb 2017

A Blue Tit pausing in it's 'attack' on the just opening Pussy Willow buds. The desiccated leaves make some interesting shapes.

Ref: 20170209_df3_20170104_1511_043 blue tit feeding on opening willow buds (pussy willow)(r+mb id@768).jpg

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