Cowslip

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 The cowslip is closely related to the primrose but the flowers are held up on a stalk. This flower used to be as common as the buttercup in the UK but changes in faming practices since the 1930's have led to it becoming far less common. The flowers have started to bloom here along the verges of the lanes where the vegetation is cut only once or twice a year and herbicides are not used.


The plant gets its name from cow pats! Apparently it was thought to grow up from an area where a cow had "slupped" (a fine onomatopoeic word). The plant has a wide range of local terms and uses as a medicinal plant. They soon become "overtopped" by more lush vegetation so we only see them briefly in the Spring.

Diary
The cold weather continues - still below freezing at night. We saw a siskin on the bird feeders this week. Its not an uncommon bird but we very rarely see them here for some reason. I failed to get a photo I'm afraid and don't seem to have a siskin shot in the archives. Sparrow hawk is still hanging about. My camera traps over the last few days have recoded roe deer and badger and wood mice. I was pleased with the roe deer shots so I am posting them here.


I also got a nice shot of the willow catkins which are very pretty at the moment.







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