Seasonal Gallery

Below is a range of seasonal pictures taken around Priory Fields.
Click on the thumbnail pictures to see an enlarged image and description.

Spring

Field Maple flowers

Field Maple flowers

Ladies Smock or Cuckoo Flower

Ladies Smock or Cuckoo Flower

Buttercups in abundance

Buttercups in abundance

May or Hawthorn blossom

May or Hawthorn blossom

Cowslips

Cowslips

Daisies

Daisies

Hornbeam Flowers

Hornbeam Flowers

Ladies Smock

Ladies Smock

Germander Speedwell

Germander Speedwell

Cowslips

Cowslips

Green Alkanet (introduced species)

Green Alkanet (introduced species)

Blackthorn blossom

Blackthorn blossom

Gorse blossom

Gorse blossom

Red Dead Nettle

Red Dead Nettle

Catkins of Goat Willow also known as the Pussy Willow or Great Sallow

Catkins of Goat Willow also known as the Pussy Willow or Great Sallow

Willow flowers

Willow flowers

Hornbeam catkins

Hornbeam catkins

Summer

Mallow

Mallow

Pepper Saxifrage

Pepper Saxifrage

Slow-worm

Slow-worm

Female Common Darter Dragonfly

Female Common Darter Dragonfly

Common Sorrel

Common Sorrel

Red Tailed Bee on Dandelion

Red Tailed Bee on Dandelion

Bitter Sweet

Bitter Sweet

Beetle on Blackberry flower

Beetle on Blackberry flower

English Oak seedling

English Oak seedling

Grass seed heads in the West Meadow

Grass seed heads in the West Meadow

Lesser Swine Cress

Lesser Swine Cress

Birds Foot Trefoil in bud

Birds Foot Trefoil in bud

Birds Foot Trefoil

Birds Foot Trefoil

Blackberry or Bramble flower

Blackberry or Bramble flower

Field Rose

Field Rose

Seven Spot Ladybird

Seven Spot Ladybird

Small Skipper on Birds Foot Trefoil

Small Skipper on Birds Foot Trefoil

Wasp Beetle and Five Spot Burnet Moth

Wasp Beetle and Five Spot Burnet Moth

Himalayan Balsam

Himalayan Balsam

Hornbeam Keys

Hornbeam Keys

Leaves of Wild Service Tree

Leaves of Wild Service Tree

Hay Meadow ready for cutting

Hay Meadow ready for cutting

Spinning the hay and helping to spread the wild flower seeds

Spinning the hay and helping to spread the wild flower seeds

Baling the hay

Baling the hay

Autumn

Thistles have been left around the edges of the fields to provide food for flocks of finches

Thistles have been left around the edges of the fields to provide food for flocks of finches

Elderberries

Elderberries

There are lots of hips and haws which will provide food for migrating redwings and fieldfares later in the autumn

There are lots of hips and haws which will provide food for migrating redwings and fieldfares later in the autumn

Hawthorn Berries or Haws

Hawthorn Berries or Haws

Comma butterflies can be very elusive as they sit on branches and look like dead leaves.

Comma butterflies can be very elusive as they sit on branches and look like dead leaves.

Hornbeam "keys" are abundant and will provide food for birds and small mammals such as field voles and mice.

Hornbeam "keys" are abundant and will provide food for birds and small mammals such as field voles and mice.

Harvest mice are leaving their summer breeding nests and move into the hedgerows surrounding the fields for the winter

Harvest mice are leaving their summer breeding nests and move into the hedgerows surrounding the fields for the winter

Buttercups can still be seen flowering in the meadows

Buttercups can still be seen flowering in the meadows

Fungi are beginning to show and good numbers of parasol mushrooms can be found near the St Giles graveyard

Fungi are beginning to show and good numbers of parasol mushrooms can be found near the St Giles graveyard

Blackberries

Blackberries

Hawthorn berries

Hawthorn berries

Parasol Mushroom open

Parasol Mushroom open

Parasol Mushroom before opening

Parasol Mushroom before opening

Rosehips

Rosehips

Sloes, ideal for that sloe gin

Sloes, ideal for that sloe gin

The stream on a late autumn afternoon

The stream on a late autumn afternoon

Black Knap Weed

Black Knap Weed

Holly berries

Holly berries

Wax Cap

Wax Cap

Small Copper Butterflies can still be seen flying in the autumn sunshine

Small Copper Butterflies can still be seen flying in the autumn sunshine

White Spindles Fungus

White Spindles Fungus

Winter

A fine January day in the West Meadow

A fine January day in the West Meadow

High water in the brook after heavy rain

High water in the brook after heavy rain

Water in the ditch after the winter rain

Water in the ditch after the winter rain

Winter sun on the old oak tree

Winter sun on the old oak tree

There is still some colour in early winter

There is still some colour in early winter

The Old Bridge in the snow

The Old Bridge in the snow

There is always somewhere to rest even if you have to brush off the snow first

There is always somewhere to rest even if you have to brush off the snow first

You can see more of the fields when the trees are bare

You can see more of the fields when the trees are bare

How many winters has this tree seen?

How many winters has this tree seen?

December sunset

December sunset