Went to a strip of fields that I have always known as the Lightfield Strip today, which are close to Gordon. They are a wonderful strip of fields that vary in wetness, from those that are barely damp meadows, through the whole scale of wetness to the far extreme where there are patches of bog vegetation, rich in Sphagnum mosses. For the most part, following various abortive attempts at improvement, they have been left to there own devices. As a result, though changed they are a wonderful haven, within a highly agricultural area, and due to a number of Birch shelter belts they are so kept warm and sheltered. This does though have its disadvantages, as some are now suffering from encroachment from new areas of scrub.
Wet Meadows, Lightfield Strip – 16 April 2012 (Copyright – Carol Jones)
At this time of year, spring has hardly started here, many species remain just the way they were when the winter frosts killed off lasts years growth. However, though the over tone remains mainly brown, under the remaining litter and purple brown of patches of Heather, there is a wonderful rich green carpet of Sphagnum mosses, ranging from a very light almost whitish green colour, through to the rich olive greens and in places patches of a glorious rich claret colour. It’s a pity that at this stage I didn’t have time to stop and work on identifying the species, my moss identification has suffered from lack of use.
Bog and Birch Scrub, Lightfield Strip – 16 April 2012 (Copyright – Carol Jones)
Above the Sphagnum there were also clumps of Hare’s-tail Cotton-grass, producing distinctive tussocks, that were just showing a touch of new colour. At this time of the season, growth of the new shoots is just beginning, as the plants are putting most of their effort into flowering. By now the heads have passed the yellow stage, when they are covered with anthers, but have yet to reach the classical white seed head of the hare’s tail. At present they are fairly grey, almost like a hairy cigars, and the bog lacks the typical scene of wavy white heads, but they are still visible within the tussocks.
As for snakes in the grass – well while wandering, there came the best sight of the day, which was when my accomplice shouted, and there disappearing into the Heather, was the tail-end of an Adder that had been happily sunbathing in the morning warmth before being almost stepped upon.
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