Far From the Madding Crowd

Friday, 31 May 2013

Marsh Fritillary

Marsh Fritillary, a photo by Linda Yarrow on Flickr.

Had a lovely trip to Powerstock Nature Reserve. The Marsh Fritillarys are now out, managed to get some good pictures of them. The grass verges on the way to the nature reserve are fantastic at the moment, there is a wonderful mix of wildflowers; Bluebells, Red Campion, Cow Parsley, Buttercups and Wild Garlic. Saw a Hare crossing the road and also spotted a Weasel (or maybe a Stoat) and plenty of Yellow Hammers flying around along the hedgerows.

Wednesday, 29 May 2013

Holly Blue butterfly

Holly Blue butterfly, a photo by Linda Yarrow on Flickr.

Went to Durlston Country Park, saw a few butterflies; two Common Blues, an Orange Tip, two Small Blues, possibly a Clouded Yellow and a two Large Whites. This butterfly, the Holly Blue, was very obliging when I was taking pictures of it.

Monday, 27 May 2013

Spring Gentian

Spring Gentian , a photo by Linda Yarrow on Flickr.

Spent a week up North, County Durham. This is a little jewel, the Spring Gentian, at Cow Green Reservoir on a very cold blustery day.

My Blog

I have taken the title of my blog from Thomas Hardy's fourth novel 'Far From the Madding Crowd' which he wrote in 1874. He took his title from Thomas Gray's poem 'Elegy written in a Country Churchyard' completed in 1750. Thomas Hardy was born in Dorset where he lived for most of his life and where he based the stories in his novels. The word 'madding' means frenzied and there is a sense of freedom I get being out in the countryside and being close to nature away from the frenzied atmosphere of the towns and cities. I live in Dorset and like Thomas Hardy, it is where I have lived for most of my life, my blog is mostly about nature in Dorset. I am a member of the Dorset Wildlife Trust. I will include my garden and anything of interest about the natural world in Britain.