Spring - signs of new life

This Spring has been a chilly one, with the coldest April for 60 years, so things are coming out more slowly than last year. Nevertheless, the Mound is beginning to show plenty of blossom on the trees and shrubs. The Cherry blossom is over and there are tiny cherries appearing already. Summer food for the birds and small mammals.

There are flowers on the Crab Apples, Rowan, Hawthorn and Holly, providing nectar and pollen for pollinating insects.

On my latest visit yesterday, I encountered plenty of flying insects and a pretty little Spider called a Cucumber Green Orb Spider (Araniella cucurbitina) settled on the leaf of an Alder Buckthorn.

There was also a colourful Drinker Moth caterpillar here.

The grasses have also started to flower, including the fragrant Sweet Vernal Grass and Timothy Grass. There are also some Garlic Mustard plants flowering now alongside Red Campion in the damper parts. Garlic Mustard is the caterpillar foodplant for the Green-veined White butterfly, so we hope for some this Summer.

Our first planned tidy-up was rained off last week, unfortunately, but we are planning another one soon. We are always looking for volunteers. Some of the canes and spirals need to be removed or replaced. We have also had our first noticeable deer damage to the bark of a couple of trees. This is pretty unavoidable given our proximity to Winkleigh Woods, but I hope not too much damage will be done.