We visited Apedale in the morning – it was very wet and rainy, and quite cool too. We walked to the pond/small lake in the direction of Knutton.
It was definitely the weather for slugs and snails. We don’t know much about molluscs, but we wonder if this one is a brown-lipped snail:
This is a large black slug (although it looks a bit brown to us). It is enjoying a breakfast of clover.
We saw some holes in the side of the pond – we were wondering what creatures might live there. Danny thought it might be rabbits.. Mum thought it might be rats!
The best spot of the day was on the small island in the centre of the lake. This is not a great photo because we were quite far away, but we identified this bird as an Egyptian goose:
These geese were originally introduced as ornamental wildfowl species on private lakes and ponds, but some escaped into the wild. They are most common in north Norfolk, so we are very lucky to see one here in Staffordshire.
These bright yellow flowers cheered up quite a gloomy day:
It is called black broom, apparently because when the shoots dry they become black.
There was a beautiful patch of orchids up by the edge of the wood:
And we also spotted these black seed pods of the bush vetch:
Danny spotted this interesting spider’s web amongst the reeds, but we didn’t have time to look at it closely.
There are lots of small anthills by the side of the path:
We picked up this stripy feather, but we have no ideas about it, sadly.
It was sad to see so many burnet moths which had not made it out of their chrysalises. We aren’t sure why this happens – we wondered if it was because of the cold, or perhaps because the moth is diseased in some way.
Danny took this great pic of a tree complete with holes in it. We think it’s an ash tree, judging from the bark.
He also photographed this car tyre covered in plants, in the middle of the forest. It shows the power of nature!
The lime trees along the main road to the Visitors’ Centre are covered in flowers. They smell beautiful, but it was so rainy, it was hard to tell. These lime flowers can be collected and dried to make delicious tea:
And something to eat with your cup of lime-flower tea – hazelnuts! But they won’t be ready until autumn, and no doubt the squirrels will get to them first!
We met a lovely black and white dog who had a ball in her mouth. Sadly we didn’t manage to get her name – which is always disappointing. Maybe another time…
Apedale Nature Blog 