Directives and Decrees

With the petty absolutists of SWT, SCC and NE there are no two ways about anything. They believe the public are so enfeebled that their soulless uglification schemes will meet only the mildest protests.

The idea that the activities of a small number of enthusiasts on a very few days in the year could be worse than their own 365 days management of ecological plunder and pillage is plainly absurd. You only have to look at the 80 acres of "nature reserve" given over to sheep grazing to realise that only tank manouevres could make it worse.

It's possible that some people may have been persuaded to attend this event. There are ways of getting what you want. Or can they be bothered? The wording tells us clearly enough. They are not interested in what anyone has to tell them, unless it's what they want to hear, namely what they were just about to say themselves. Still it looks good from the outside to anyone who's not spent some 15 years trying to hold a meaningful dialogue with them.

Decaying

Dying and decaying, sometimes with dignity.

Loud Noises

What's wrong with roaring or bellowing?
The word "bolving" is an ugly and a clumsy invention.

Was a committee involved?

Questions

Submit your questions to our expert peat-free gardening panel now! #BogFest17 https://t.co/a6hAkS8Uol pic.twitter.com/zI8ZQ7LwaP

— Moors for the Future (@moorsforfuture) September 11, 2017

"Where is the nearest tree and why should we have to go so far to find it?"

" Is this site really being managed for nature?"

Late Appearances

Cultivated gardens often target flowering throughout the year and many find colour in this season by turning to imported varieties. Native wild flowers of wayside and woodland can't rival such displays. My walks do find some colour however. Ragwort could be native or could be an introduced variety.

But one of the wonders among wild flowers for extended flowering time is herb robert, so commom we hardly notice it until everything else has died back. This surely would make an excellent border flower if it were not so leggy; many relatives in the cranesbill family are found in borders and rockeries.

Another wonder is the mountain cranberry. It has already flowered and produced a good crop of berries which may have been used for an excellent preseve. Now, as late as this, it is flowering again. Should conditions be favourable, mild temperatures and enough insects, they may bring a crop just a week or two before Christmas.

The mountain cranberry here could well be described as cultivated or semi-cultivated in that it is only here in such profusion due to human intervention, the often referred to management for heathland, via chain saw and cowpat.

Early Birds

Sunrise at 06.44. The woods before that.

Birds were already calling out declaring their territories.

Feeding time comes a bit later when it's easier to see.

The nuthatch knows just where to hang out to be first in the queue.

Seeker

A mature stag wanders across speculatively. Perhaps hoping to come across females.

Disappointingly the only females in sight are these, and they are only welcomed by those making money out of them.

These days we see few larger stags compared to ten years ago and often wonder why. We do know that the wildlife trust have absolutely no interest in protecting them and are more likely to worry about the boring bovines. We also know that a number of local landowners like to use their guns.Very depressing thoughts.