Dog's Mercury male flowers opening now in Bluntswood and Paiges Meadow Nature reserve.

Despite the freezing weather, Dog's Mercury male flowers are beginning to open now.

The sexes are on separate plants.  They are all males in these photo's.

These pictures were taken in Bluntswood, Haywards Heath, which would be an even more delightful place if irresponsible dog owners were to keep their dogs on leads and pick up their excrement.

A Walk around Wolstonbury hill; Early-purple orchids emerging.

With such sunny weather today, a stroll up Wolstonbury hill was a joy.

Cuckoo-pint or Lords-and-Ladies, Arum maculatum is pushing up everywhere as is wild garlic.
However, the most exciting plant to see was an emerging Early-purple Orchid, below.

Orchis mascula, emerging from the earth.
For orchid walks and nature talks please see www.peterlovettwalks.eu and www.peterlovetttalks.co.uk

Badger activity in a Sussex wood today

There is an animal track going under the fence in this picture.

Hair caught on the barbed wire suggests that it is a badger track.

It looks like badger hair to me.

The badgers have been busy expanding this sett.

From this sett the bedding has been changed.  The old bedding is strewn everywhere.
This was a great day to be in the woods.
For more information on badger setts see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sett

For great days out see www.peterlovettwalks.eu
And for illustrated talks on nature, focussing on Sussex, please see www.peterlovetttalks.co.uk
I am an accredited speaker for both East and West Sussex W.I.s.