The Windflower

Anemone nemorosa, is known as both the Wood Anemone and the Windflower, the latter derived from its latin name is directly related to Greek Legend. It is said the wind, Anemos, sends his Anemones in the earliest days of spring, to herald his coming.





nemorosa relates to the species habitat, meaning wooded or covered with trees.




Interestingly the flower has no scent as it does not require fertilisation by insects to produce seeds.




The flower has no true petals, instead six modified sepals.




For the majority of today I've been on the ground filming these beautiful little flowers, hopefully the weather may provide an opportunity to revisit them tomorrow.




If there was ever a moment for pictures to transfer scent, this would be that time. A few Blackthorns clustered together in a corner of the Dene, filling the air with their scent.

Red House Farm

Had a walk over to Red House Farm today, just the usual about, Woodpigeon, Robin, Wren, Blackbird, Herring Gull, a Magpie family, Blue Tit, Carrion Crow, Greenfinch, Chaffinch, Linnet, a lone Moorhen at the pond, and rabbits.

Quite a lot of sloes are now showing on the Blackthorn, my dads planning on making some sloe gin this year this can't begin until after the first frost so he'll have to wait. The pond has almost been completely choked at the back due to Willow and Greater Reedmace growth, hopefully it will cut back a bit for the arrival of the Kingfisher. I lifted up a bit of old plastic tarpaulin to find a mass of cherry stones which had been chewed open, leaving small circles with serrated edges, most likely from a Wood Mouse.

Blackthorn Prunus spinosa

Cherry stone remains from a Wood Mouse