snowdrops at Loynton Moss

I have been waiting for some sunshine to visit Loynton Moss again but the days the sun has shone I have been busy and as our last visit was over a month ago and the snowdrops had already started flowering, I just couldn't leave it any longer!

Bees, kingfishers. terrapin and leucistic crows

Today we visited Staffordshire Wildlife Trust Wolseley Centre to pick up more sunflower hearts - stocking up for the Autumn, we also bought our tickets for 'An Audience with John Craven' and we had time to stroll around the grounds too.
The scabious was out in full bloom and when the sun shone it proved a huge attraction for the bees and hoverflies

We then spent an hour or so watching kingfishers - the lens on my camera is great for doing close up of bees on flowers, not so great for photographing a kingfisher on the other side of the river, but I had to try!

these aren't the only kingfishers at the Wolseley, there is also this magnificent kingfisher in the grounds

the resident terrapin also put in an appearance 

and whoever planted this garden, can they come and do mine please!

... and finally hopping around the grounds are blue eyed leucistic crows.

Not to be confused with albinism, leucism is an inherited condition caused by the absence of cells responsible for the production of melanin. You can find out more about leucism and albinism on the BTO website 

Brankley pastures in the rain

Today we decided to visit Brankley Pastures a Staffordshire Wildlife Trust reserve to take a look at the new wild flower meadow, it was spectacular even in the rain.

Bluebells at Brankley Pastures

Today we managed to get out for a lovely afternoons walk around Staffordshire Wildlife Trust Reserve Brankley Pastures.

We followed the path through the reserve which took us through some arable land, a bluebell wood, wood pastures with veteran oak trees some around 500 years old, and new woodland plantations.

A much quieter option to the awful bird scarers that keep going off  near our home!!!

and just a few dandelions in the plantations

There were a few butterflies flitting around but very few were landing, orange tips, one speckled wood and two peacocks

and many bees and hoverflies

On the 19th March 2011 we visited Georges Hayes to view the beautiful show of daffodils, and after all the snow and wintry scenes over the last week and this Easter weekend I had hoped that a return visit today might just prove that Spring is actually happening.
We arrived to find the whole woodland covered in snow, undeterred we continued with our walk.
The wood looked spectacular even under steely skies and at time we caught glimpses, where the snow had melted, of a late spring to come with a mass of wild garlic leaves.

But we really had to hunt for any sign of daffodils, treading very carefully, wherever possible on the same footprints of  previous walkers, as we were aware that under our feet daffodils could be on the verge of breaking through the snow.

So this weekend wasn't the right time for viewing the daffodils this year - hopefully in a couple of weeks time they will be out in their full glory