It has been such a wonderful autumn day today - sun all day long - no grey skies and no wind - perfect for a little trip down to our local reservoir. Binoculars at the ready but no camera, AGAIN, we spotted lots of coots, a couple of dozen Canada geese, grebe, mallard and gulls. I even saw one gull sweep down and try to pinch a fish out of a grebe's mouth. The crafty so-and-so, but the grebe was too quick and dived again before the gull had a chance.
A very bad phone picture taken long distance of mum and dad swan and their three signets, having a good wash and brush up (notice the big piles of poo on the boardwalk - yuk).
The reservoir was smooth as silk and beautiful in the autumn sunshine. I saw these beautiful garlands of bryony berries
but other berries seemed very scarce, no sloes, not many hawthorn - the poor birds will be short-changed this winter I fear.
At the end of the reservoir road there was a bush that caught my eye, so unusual - I have no idea what it is, perhaps you could help with identification. I have a feeling it is a domestic garden escapee.
Aren't they just beautiful. Can you help?
The reservoir was smooth as silk and beautiful in the autumn sunshine. I saw these beautiful garlands of bryony berries
At the end of the reservoir road there was a bush that caught my eye, so unusual - I have no idea what it is, perhaps you could help with identification. I have a feeling it is a domestic garden escapee.
It's been a beautiful day, the most vivid sunset is just fading now too. The berries you found are those of the spindle - the deciduous Euonymus europaeus, one of our beautiful hedgerow natives. We added a couple into our young hedge, which will hopefully bear such beautiful fruit when they're a bit bigger!
ReplyDeleteI see someone has beaten me to the ID :-)
ReplyDeleteYes it's Euonymus europaeus, or the native Spindle; as the wood is extreme dense and hard it was the choice for making spinning spindles.
I wouldn't be without a Spindle tree/bush in my garden; the autumn colours against a blue sky are one of the best sights at this time of year. The shade of green of the stems is particularly beautiful too, and in Spring there are dozens of cream star shaped flowers.
Celia
xx
We also had a lovely day on the other side of the North Sea. You made some beautiful pictures of different berries. We also have Euonymus europaeus in our neighbourhood in hedgerows along the pathes where I walk with Snarf (dog)in the morning. We call this shrub translated in English 'Cardinal's hat'.
ReplyDeleteGlad someone could make the ID for you -- very interesting little flowers!
ReplyDeletei do like the red berries. I can see them in beautiful Christmas wreaths. Do you?
ReplyDeleteIt's worth making the most of a day like if you can as this time of year. Flighty xx
ReplyDeleteLovely flowers, and I now know what they are called!
ReplyDeleteHi Elaine, just stopped by to id the spindle but see I'm far, far too late! Beautiful aren't they? And yep, look like they should be an exotic garden escapee and not a native. Dave
ReplyDeleteI can't believe I have never seen these before - I pride myself in knowing all the local hedgerows intimately, but not once have I ever come across this lovely native plant.
DeleteElaine, I like the new look of your blog. It has changed perhaps? Or have I been away too long?
ReplyDeleteHi Jayne - yes I changed it a little while ago now, you have definitely been away too long.
DeleteHow lucky you are to have so many birds to watch.
ReplyDeleteI do love that bush but have never seen before, the closest we have in the UK to something like that is broom, a lovely scented plant. Beautiful pics.xxxx
Hi Snowbird, apparently it is a UK native but must admit this is the only one I have seen.
DeleteWell, I'm with you on not recognising the spindle, so at least there are two of us! I must have seen it somewhere (other than here), surely?
ReplyDeleteThe bryony is definitely auditioning for a role as a Christmas garland!
Amazingly exotic seedheads for a native plant. Lovely.
ReplyDeleteLovely photos of the spindle. There is just one shrub of it in the hedgerow around here and I sneek a bit in late December to add to my Christmas decorations.
ReplyDeleteI've only just found your lovely blog, but I'll be a regular reader now. Do you live in Leicestershire, by any chance? I was born & bred there but moved to Cornwall in 1986.
ReplyDeleteI can't believe I've never seen/noticed a Spindle! I can never remember names of plants but I don't even recognise it. I shall search diligently now and try to snaffle some seeds for my garden.
Yes I do live in Leicestershire, where did you live before you moved? It was the same for me and the Spindle this was the first time I have ever found one I obviously hadn't noticed the bush when it wasn't in flower - it isn't prolific around here.
DeleteI've found one! A Spindle bush! Two days after seeing your photo here, I was out walking my collie and had my camera, so I was searching for subjects to photograph. There were some colourful berries in the hedgerow, then I saw this cloud of pink - and recognised it straightaway because of your blog! I have collected a few of the seeds and I hope that some will grow so I can put them in my garden. I'm absolutely thrilled to have found a Spindle! Can't believe I've never noticed it before - must go round with closed eyes!
ReplyDeleteI lived in several Leicestershire villages - Barwell, Earl Shilton, Narborough, Newtown Unthank, Sproxton (nr. Melton Mowbray), Cosby - my birthplace was Huncote.
There you go you see blogging does come in useful. All the places you lived are further north in Leics. the nearest one to us is Cosby.
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