Monday 21 March 2011

Butterbur

I was out with my Monday birdwatching class today at Puldrite in Rendall. Despite the blustery conditions we saw some notable birds including Barnacle Geese, Red Grouse and summer-plumaged Golden Plovers. Signs of spring included bubbling Curlews and plenty of Lesser Celandines, Coltsfoot, Daisies and Daffodils. Another indicator of the turning earth is well illustrated at the Doocot where the marshy ground heaves with the circular leaves and pink/purple flower spikes of Butterbur. Today, the south facing banks had a few flowering specimens that were at the most 10cm tall but it will be a couple of weeks before the ground looks like a Butterbur jungle, as was the case in the photos below, taken in April 2009.

Butterbur at the Doocot, Rendall - April 2009

Butterbur at the Doocot - April 2009

Butterbur at the Doocot - April 2009

Butterbur at the Doocot - April 2009

The following image was taken  at Gyre, Orphir where there is a little forest of Butterbur carpeting the Gyre woodland - a forest within a forest. The picture was taken on 18th April. Domino the Dalmatian let it be known (sit down strike) that nothing would tempt her to cross the Butterbur jungle. The lady was not for budging.

Domino refuses to walk through Butterbur - April 2009

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