CloseEyeOnMay

Ribwort Plaintain is a short plant often found in low grassland and disturbed places. It has a delicate flowerhead that is almost always only partially in blossom.

nobody@smugmug.com (Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)) — Fri, 09 Dec 2005 02:30:28 -0800

Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)
Ribwort Plaintain is a short plant often found in low grassland and disturbed places. It has a delicate flowerhead that is almost always only partially in blossom.

Herb Robert is a common flower of the woodland floor. The small pink flowers are eyecatching, but in fact the distinctive deeply lobed leaves are perhaps even more attractive.

nobody@smugmug.com (Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)) — Fri, 09 Dec 2005 02:30:13 -0800

Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)
Herb Robert is a common flower of the woodland floor. The small pink flowers are eyecatching, but in fact the distinctive deeply lobed leaves are perhaps even more attractive.

This is one of the commonest plants along the grassy verges of Crane Park and can be seen in flower much of the year. Despite the deep blue flowers it is known as Green Alkanet.

nobody@smugmug.com (Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)) — Fri, 09 Dec 2005 02:30:09 -0800

Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)
This is one of the commonest plants along the grassy verges of Crane Park and can be seen in flower much of the year. Despite the deep blue flowers it is known as Green Alkanet.

Often the closest views that can be obtained of butterflies, such as these Orange-tips, are if you are fortunate enough to find a pair getting up close and personal.

nobody@smugmug.com (Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)) — Fri, 09 Dec 2005 02:30:16 -0800

Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)
Often the closest views that can be obtained of butterflies, such as these Orange-tips, are if you are fortunate enough to find a pair getting up close and personal.

Invertebrates are challenging to identify. Close inspection of this image reveals that this one at least seven legs and so may be some kind of orb spider.

nobody@smugmug.com (Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)) — Fri, 09 Dec 2005 02:30:10 -0800

Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)
Invertebrates are challenging to identify. Close inspection of this image reveals that this one at least seven legs and so may be some kind of orb spider.

Juvenile birds are a common sight in May as the first broods leave their nests. This freshly fledged Great Tit has just taken its maiden flight from the nest.

nobody@smugmug.com (Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)) — Mon, 19 Dec 2005 15:02:13 -0800

Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)
Juvenile birds are a common sight in May as the first broods leave their nests. This freshly fledged Great Tit has just taken its maiden flight from the nest.

The longer days and warm spring sunshine provide ample energy to activate some of last autumn's acorn fall. This Oak seedling has found a patch of open light and already looks well-establish ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)) — Fri, 09 Dec 2005 02:30:15 -0800

Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)
The longer days and warm spring sunshine provide ample energy to activate some of last autumn's acorn fall. This Oak seedling has found a patch of open light and already looks well-establish ...

Although this exquisite bloom looks fresh from the tropical house at Kew Gardens, it is just in fact one of our commonest and most majestic trees, the Horse Chestnut. In May they are bloomin ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)) — Fri, 09 Dec 2005 02:30:12 -0800

Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)
Although this exquisite bloom looks fresh from the tropical house at Kew Gardens, it is just in fact one of our commonest and most majestic trees, the Horse Chestnut. In May they are bloomin ...

Both Pink and White Campions can be found in some of the meadow areas in Crane Park. They grow fairly tall and provide a real splash of colour to open areas.

nobody@smugmug.com (Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)) — Fri, 09 Dec 2005 02:30:19 -0800

Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)
Both Pink and White Campions can be found in some of the meadow areas in Crane Park. They grow fairly tall and provide a real splash of colour to open areas.

Drops of dew must seem like large puddles to this Seven-spot Ladybird as it hunts for aphids in the lush fresh undergrowth that by May has begun to cover Crane Park.

nobody@smugmug.com (Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)) — Fri, 09 Dec 2005 02:30:20 -0800

Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)
Drops of dew must seem like large puddles to this Seven-spot Ladybird as it hunts for aphids in the lush fresh undergrowth that by May has begun to cover Crane Park.

May often sees a profusion of snails in Crane Park, especially on damp mornings. This one is easily defying gravity as it clings to a dead Lesser Burdock stem.

nobody@smugmug.com (Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)) — Fri, 09 Dec 2005 02:30:22 -0800

Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)
May often sees a profusion of snails in Crane Park, especially on damp mornings. This one is easily defying gravity as it clings to a dead Lesser Burdock stem.

The close eye of this Song Thrush is glinting in the light of a May afternoon as it dust bathes in a sunny corner of Crane Park.

nobody@smugmug.com (Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)) — Mon, 19 Dec 2005 15:02:15 -0800

Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)
The close eye of this Song Thrush is glinting in the light of a May afternoon as it dust bathes in a sunny corner of Crane Park.

Elder is one of the commonest shrubs along the Crane. While the bountiful blossom is attractive, its scent is distinctively less so.

nobody@smugmug.com (Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)) — Fri, 09 Dec 2005 02:30:27 -0800

Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)
Elder is one of the commonest shrubs along the Crane. While the bountiful blossom is attractive, its scent is distinctively less so.

This sedge grows amidst areas of rank grassland along the Crane. The colour contrasts of cream and purple are exquisite and the almost random geometric alignment of the head as it opens out ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)) — Fri, 09 Dec 2005 02:30:23 -0800

Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)
This sedge grows amidst areas of rank grassland along the Crane. The colour contrasts of cream and purple are exquisite and the almost random geometric alignment of the head as it opens out ...

This is an ideal month to go bug hunting in the grasses of Crane Park. This is a species of weevil known as Phyllobius pomaceus, which is commonly found on the leaves of nettles.

nobody@smugmug.com (Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)) — Fri, 09 Dec 2005 02:30:24 -0800

Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)
This is an ideal month to go bug hunting in the grasses of Crane Park. This is a species of weevil known as Phyllobius pomaceus, which is commonly found on the leaves of nettles.

During warm weather in May several species of moth are easily attracted by evening lights. This is the Brimstone moth and it is flying around the Crane in May.

nobody@smugmug.com (Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)) — Fri, 09 Dec 2005 02:30:06 -0800

Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)
During warm weather in May several species of moth are easily attracted by evening lights. This is the Brimstone moth and it is flying around the Crane in May.

Nature's design is often surprising. The Guelder Rose is an excellent hedge plant and starts to flower from the outside in during May. This plant forms part of the hedgerow on the west of Cr ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)) — Fri, 09 Dec 2005 02:39:00 -0800

Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)
Nature's design is often surprising. The Guelder Rose is an excellent hedge plant and starts to flower from the outside in during May. This plant forms part of the hedgerow on the west of Cr ...

Comfrey comes in various colours, with purple, white and cream all easily found in disturbed areas along the Crane. This purple flowering plant is well-established in Mereway Nature Park.

nobody@smugmug.com (Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)) — Fri, 09 Dec 2005 02:30:30 -0800

Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)
Comfrey comes in various colours, with purple, white and cream all easily found in disturbed areas along the Crane. This purple flowering plant is well-established in Mereway Nature Park.

The Mute Swan is fairly commonly seen along the Crane as far upstream as Kneller Gardens. This bird attempted to breed in Kneller Gardens but the nest was soon abandoned. It was too close to ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)) — Fri, 09 Dec 2005 02:30:29 -0800

Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)
The Mute Swan is fairly commonly seen along the Crane as far upstream as Kneller Gardens. This bird attempted to breed in Kneller Gardens but the nest was soon abandoned. It was too close to ...

Shieldbugs are amongst the most easily observed bugs along the Crane. This is the Dock bug, Coreus marginatus, and has chosen a Wild Pansy on which to bask in the sunshine of a wonderful Ma ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)) — Fri, 09 Dec 2005 02:30:32 -0800

Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)
Shieldbugs are amongst the most easily observed bugs along the Crane. This is the Dock bug, Coreus marginatus, and has chosen a Wild Pansy on which to bask in the sunshine of a wonderful Ma ...

Eurydema oleracea is the scientific name of this commonly seen shieldbug, which also goes by the names Brassica Bug or Crucifer Shieldbug. This is the commoner white-spotted form and is ofte ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)) — Fri, 09 Dec 2005 02:30:33 -0800

Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)
Eurydema oleracea is the scientific name of this commonly seen shieldbug, which also goes by the names Brassica Bug or Crucifer Shieldbug. This is the commoner white-spotted form and is ofte ...

Crane Park has at most a few pairs of Treecreepers. This one is nesting behind the park of a decaying Horse Chestnut tree on Crane Park Island.

nobody@smugmug.com (Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)) — Sat, 21 Jul 2007 14:14:44 -0700

Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)
Crane Park has at most a few pairs of Treecreepers. This one is nesting behind the park of a decaying Horse Chestnut tree on Crane Park Island.

The froth known as "cuckoo spit" is a sure sign that Common Froghoppers are present, since their larvae live within these viscous bubbles.

nobody@smugmug.com (Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)) — Sat, 21 Jul 2007 13:58:43 -0700

Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)
The froth known as "cuckoo spit" is a sure sign that Common Froghoppers are present, since their larvae live within these viscous bubbles.

Two bright orange sawflies (Arge pagana) perform a traditional spring dance amidst the glow of a Creeping Buttercup on Mereway Nature Park.

nobody@smugmug.com (Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)) — Sat, 21 Jul 2007 13:59:50 -0700

Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)
Two bright orange sawflies (Arge pagana) perform a traditional spring dance amidst the glow of a Creeping Buttercup on Mereway Nature Park.

May is not always about green. The new leaves of this plant are an almost autumnal red.

nobody@smugmug.com (Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)) — Fri, 09 Dec 2005 02:30:25 -0800

Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)
May is not always about green. The new leaves of this plant are an almost autumnal red.

In May these small (just over one centimetre in body length) dark Wolf Spiders can be seen sprinting across the surface of leaves in open glades, rarely pausing for such a good look as this.

nobody@smugmug.com (Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)) — Sat, 21 Jul 2007 14:06:37 -0700

Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)
In May these small (just over one centimetre in body length) dark Wolf Spiders can be seen sprinting across the surface of leaves in open glades, rarely pausing for such a good look as this.

Following a spring shower, the tracks of Crane Park come alive with a variety of species of snail. This Brown Garden Snail is the largest species that you are likely to see.

nobody@smugmug.com (Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)) — Sat, 21 Jul 2007 14:07:13 -0700

Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)
Following a spring shower, the tracks of Crane Park come alive with a variety of species of snail. This Brown Garden Snail is the largest species that you are likely to see.

Tendrils of the cover theme plant for CloseEyeOnTheCrane are creeping through shady patches of the Crane woodland in May, although the unusual greenish flowers are far less conspicuous.

nobody@smugmug.com (Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)) — Sat, 21 Jul 2007 14:08:06 -0700

Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)
Tendrils of the cover theme plant for CloseEyeOnTheCrane are creeping through shady patches of the Crane woodland in May, although the unusual greenish flowers are far less conspicuous.

The sweet trilling of wrens is the most common bird sound along the Crane, although it is always surprising that the rippling song comes from such a diminutive bird.

nobody@smugmug.com (Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)) — Sat, 21 Jul 2007 14:12:20 -0700

Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)
The sweet trilling of wrens is the most common bird sound along the Crane, although it is always surprising that the rippling song comes from such a diminutive bird.

The hardy Common Nettle often has a bad reputation, but caught in a burst of morning light it can be an object of delicacy and beauty.

nobody@smugmug.com (Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)) — Sat, 21 Jul 2007 14:13:43 -0700

Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)
The hardy Common Nettle often has a bad reputation, but caught in a burst of morning light it can be an object of delicacy and beauty.

The queen of the Crane water margins is Yellow Flag, best seen around Crane Park Island Nature Reserve.

nobody@smugmug.com (Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)) — Sat, 21 Jul 2007 14:15:51 -0700

Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)
The queen of the Crane water margins is Yellow Flag, best seen around Crane Park Island Nature Reserve.

The energy of spring is most charismatically conveyed by the resounding croaks of Marsh Frogs on Crane Park Island. The far carrying territorial calls of the males project from their astound ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)) — Sat, 21 Jul 2007 14:16:14 -0700

Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)
The energy of spring is most charismatically conveyed by the resounding croaks of Marsh Frogs on Crane Park Island. The far carrying territorial calls of the males project from their astound ...

After a long night of foraging, a Red Fox curls up to rest on the edge of the Crane Park Island reed bed.

nobody@smugmug.com (Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)) — Sat, 21 Jul 2007 14:16:38 -0700

Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)
After a long night of foraging, a Red Fox curls up to rest on the edge of the Crane Park Island reed bed.

The flies of the Crane come in many shapes and colours, and are often objects of surprise. Volucella inflata has striking orange stripes down its back.

nobody@smugmug.com (Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)) — Sat, 21 Jul 2007 14:18:56 -0700

Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)
The flies of the Crane come in many shapes and colours, and are often objects of surprise. Volucella inflata has striking orange stripes down its back.

Most hawthorn blossom is white but there are several pink hawthorns along the Crane. This one grows on the northeast corner of the meadow that lies to the west of the A316 crossing of the Cr ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)) — Fri, 09 Dec 2005 02:30:17 -0800

Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)
Most hawthorn blossom is white but there are several pink hawthorns along the Crane. This one grows on the northeast corner of the meadow that lies to the west of the A316 crossing of the Cr ...

Bursting with roe, a female perch finds a still backwater of the Crane in which to lay her masses of tiny white eggs.

nobody@smugmug.com (Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)) — Sat, 21 Jul 2007 14:19:42 -0700

Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)
Bursting with roe, a female perch finds a still backwater of the Crane in which to lay her masses of tiny white eggs.

A few pairs of Nuthatch live in the maturer sections of woodland in Crane Park. This bird chose to nest in a box on Crane Park Island and the young bird is just days from fledging.

nobody@smugmug.com (Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)) — Sat, 21 Jul 2007 14:36:07 -0700

Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)
A few pairs of Nuthatch live in the maturer sections of woodland in Crane Park. This bird chose to nest in a box on Crane Park Island and the young bird is just days from fledging.

Morning May dew forms on a soft downy discarded woodpigeon breast feather. Woodpigeons are by far the most numerous birds in Crane Park in the winter. By May many have dispersed to breeding ...

nobody@smugmug.com (Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)) — Fri, 09 Dec 2005 02:30:08 -0800

Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)
Morning May dew forms on a soft downy discarded woodpigeon breast feather. Woodpigeons are by far the most numerous birds in Crane Park in the winter. By May many have dispersed to breeding ...

It is well worth looking out for the attractive Orange (16-spot) Ladybird in hedgerows along the Crane in May.

nobody@smugmug.com (Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)) — Sat, 21 Jul 2007 14:21:44 -0700

Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)
It is well worth looking out for the attractive Orange (16-spot) Ladybird in hedgerows along the Crane in May.

This remarkable creature is the first form of the Green Shieldbug, which has just hatched from the tiny lime green eggs that are clinging to this sprig of thyme in a Crane garden.

nobody@smugmug.com (Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)) — Sat, 21 Jul 2007 14:33:21 -0700

Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)
This remarkable creature is the first form of the Green Shieldbug, which has just hatched from the tiny lime green eggs that are clinging to this sprig of thyme in a Crane garden.

May marks the return of swifts to the Crane. Their reeling acrobatics will form an ever present aerial delight until they leave, suddenly and without a hint of warning, in August.

nobody@smugmug.com (Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)) — Sat, 21 Jul 2007 14:40:48 -0700

Anita and Keith Martin (borsuk)
May marks the return of swifts to the Crane. Their reeling acrobatics will form an ever present aerial delight until they leave, suddenly and without a hint of warning, in August.