Winter Nature Walk

 Bright winter brings a strange architectural beauty to the landscape.

Spiky, flamboyant teasel heads dominate the marsh.

Outlines are more defined -  edges are crisp and sharp against the clear blue sky.

Oak galls resemble a structure of miniature domes.

Rose hip boughs form decorative arches, and geometric designs.

Even the ragged edges of the fallen leaves seem to create distinct  abstract shapes against the earth.

Looking closely at the natural world opens the doors to so much new interpretation...

Nature journaling - on a former landfill site!

Almost 10 years ago I had to move from a tranquil spot in the Gloucestershire countryside to live on the outer edge of a city. Culture shock was immediate, traffic, people everywhere - and so much noise! Accustomed to roaming through fields, bluebell filled woodland and past gentle streams,  I felt bereft. Desperate to find green space, I had to explore!

We live on the floodplain of the River Severn. Behind our home appeared to be an area of waste ground, close to the industrial site of Avonmouth, and adjacent to a roaring stretch of the M5 motorway.  I was told the area was a landfill site until 1988! Despite this not being the most appealing idea, my natural nosiness got the better of me.  I followed the decommissioned tarmacked road,  past fly tipped rubbish, and found, to my delight, a wealth of nature. 

This site, (now renamed Saltmarsh Drive Open Space) is indeed, old salt marsh. It's crossed by drainage ditches called rhines (pronounced rheen). Some of these watercourses date back to the medieval period. The Merebank Rhine, is actually a Scheduled Ancient Monument!

A few quick sketches managed this week!

The watercourses, and the scrub land surrounding them are a magnet for wildlife, and the soil of the former landfill site has allowed a unique diversity of plant life to emerge, including  stunning wild orchids.

This is one of the few places in Bristol which is home to the delightful water vole. 'Ratty' from The Wind in the Willows. A common sight in my childhood, spotting one is now rare - and a thrill. Otters have also been observed using the rhines.


Small groups of our shy native roe deer frequent the scrub, and  kingfisher and heron are regular visitors to the waterways. There's a wealth of bird life, ruled over by the resident buzzards, who soar above like miniature golden eagles.

 My journaling has changed  a lot in the last 3 years!

No one visits here much. There is litter from the motorway, and strange items which pop up from the landfill. Dog mess, ignored by careless owners, is a hazard; and tuning out the noise from the busy motorway, (and sometimes off road motor cyclists) is a necessity.

Nature, however, ignores these minor irritations; she goes about her work, making this unlikely spot a very special place indeed.

Midsummer Rain

It's June 20th, and raining, and raining, and raining. It hasn't deterred the birds though. Green finch and goldfinch chicks have fledged,  and are busy emptying our bird feeders every day! Blue tit, great tit and woodpecker parents are still working hard collecting food for their babies.

 

 When it's not actually raining, the birds now tolerate me sitting and drawing very quietly on what I call the 'patio', alongside my rusty, trusty wheelbarrow!

Deer, Roe deer, Roe deer....

Deer have been much in my mind of late, and then I saw Tammie's invitation to this drawing challenge!  A while ago I was thrilled to find a Roe deer antler on the marshland behind our home, and made a journal entry about it.

These deer are British natives. Unlike most deer species, they are solitary, but form small groups in the cold months.  I though I'd try some wintry sketches of a buck...

 and a doe.....

 
Then this evening,  I got a tweet from the National Trust, who saw this photo I took of the Fallow deer herd at Dyrham Park. They loved it and asked if they could use it in their social media promotional material! So I'm feeling that deer are very dear today!

The story of a wildlife garden - so far.

I've been off line quite a bit as I've had labrynthitis and kept wobbling about! It's getting better so I thought I'd pop in and post a few photos of the beautiful blossom in our wildlife garden.

This garden is the fourth I've had and it's like no other before! When I moved here in 2008 I was a bit shocked to find it such a long way from our flat, with no water or power. It was originally like a small, undulating field which had been cleared of brambles, with just two old buddleia plants in it! All that visited were a couple of magpies, so I suggested to Himself that we could have a garden for wildlife. He's unable to do gardening, but loves wildlife as I do, so he thought this was a  great idea. The top border was dug out  in 2009 and shrubs to attract bees, butterflies and pollinating insects  planted. Since then we have planted five trees and a wildlife hedge of native British shrubs,  and many herbaceous plants and herbs. The garden has to be manageable for me as we still have no power outside and  all water has to be carried down from our second floor flat! (The garden in front belongs to the old gentleman who lives below us.)

This is the border a couple of years later.

And here it is today! This viburnum is filling the spring air with perfume.

 

The kerria attracts loads of insects and looks beautiful.

Likewise this lovely peach coloured chaenomeles.

 The bees love the ceanothus.

Our little trees are growing so well too,  the weeping crab apple is all set to take centre stage.

And the pear trees are out in full bloom.

 The forsythia was originally a tiny cutting my mother in law gave me! (The squirrels and magpies have displaced the bird feeder stand going after peanuts, and it needs sorting out!)

Even tiny gooseberry blossom is important for emerging pollinating insects.

 And of course, dandelions are very important! We have a lot of these! :)

 Our bug and bee retreats are already attracting potential nest builders and egg layers.

The hellebores are still blooming,  and have been since early January. They are probably my favourite cultivated plant. The old brick path is very weedy and broken down, but I'm loath to change it!

 Bee friendly wallflowers! The colours are just gorgeous.

This peony appears to have been planted in the original 1950's garden and  still comes up every year!

 And this is the wildlife hedge - the first spring after I planted it in December 2011.

This is what it looked like this morning! We have blossom!

I'm excited waiting for the guelder rose to bloom for the first time!

And maybe the wild roses?

 Anyway,  our garden visitors seem to like it,  this little poppet flew down to  investigate while I was taking the photos!

 

  

It's great to  look back and realise how far we've come,  now we have a variety of birds, mammals insects and amphibians visiting us regularly. I hope this year will bring even more. How's your garden?

Early spring walk to Penpole Point - and Penpole Dial

I thought I'd take you  on a walk. Yesterday was  a beautiful early spring day, so late in the afternoon I packed my sketching bag and headed up to Kings Weston. I decided to walk up to Penpole Point, through the wood.

 Celandines carpet the woodland floor like tiny golden stars.

I found the first signs of  spring cleaning activity at our badger sett, under the ancient lime trees - the badgers know spring is here.

The woods were filled with bird song, and squirrels busy scurrying about; or  like this one - doing a spot of  sunbathing!

Woodpigeons  cooed lazily and enjoyed the sunny hillside of Shirehampton Park.

 And tiny white violets covered the ground along the footpath.

David Martyn

The beautiful old stone compass dial on the hill top looked wonderful in the afternoon sunshine. It's been here for at least 400 years, acting as a navigation point for  ships entering the Port of Bristol. Although the trees  and scrub have hidden much of the view it's still a much loved local landmark; our wonderful KWAG conservation volunteers have done loads of work to clear the brambles and this image gives  you an idea of what it was originally like when the hillside was clear. I bet it could tell a few stories! Here it is, painted in 1840 by Joseph Walter, with the view across to the city and port of Bristol - what a change!