Cyn's Nature Notes: River Walk with Kingcups

Sunday 25 April 2010

River Walk with Kingcups

Down to the river where clouds of midges hang heavy round our heads and lay in sheets just above the water – more midges than I have ever seen before.

Daisies, dandelions, blue and white violets, narcissi and celandines prettied the riverside and in a field grew large clumps of delicate ladies smock, all the same beautiful pale pink except for one plant of pure white flowers.

Across the river cascading down the bank and growing up into the bushes alongside the path is a periwinkle, deep blue with surprisingly large flowers, further on we found another periwinkle, low-growing and creeping over the ground, still blue, but much paler and with smaller flowers, just as pretty as its larger cousin though.

At the river’s edge, we spied a clump of marsh marigolds. I have never seen them here before and hope nobody digs them up for their garden, because they look beautiful growing by the river’s edge, and it would be excellent to watch this patch of eye-catching, bright and deep golden flowers grow larger year on year.

Marsh marigolds, or kingcups as I know them, grow in damp places. They are thought to be one of the longest established British plants as they would have thrived in the meltwaters at the end of the ice-ages. They are a member of the buttercup family and have many other names: mayflower, may blobs, molly blobs, polly blobs, horse blobs, water blobs, water bubbles, Gollins and the publican, but I still think kingcups is the best name. They hold a special place in my heart because when I was a small child my father came home from work one evening, came through the back door his top half hardly visible for he was carrying the largest bunch of kingcups imaginable. They filled our hearth for what seemed like ages and I could not take my eyes off them. I saw a beautiful picture of them by Keith Edkins online.

The highlight of our walk was seeing a heron balancing on round scaffolding-like side of a bridge, watching the river for fish. We were within ten feet and he must have been aware of us, but took no notice and we stood in awe and wonder, admiring him.

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About this Blog

When we moved to our present home in December 1987, I was very ill and bedridden. My garden was a life-saver, although it was very different then. The first thing I did was to put up bird-feeders, and long hours were spent lying indoors in a recliner. This was when I discovered many things. Do you know the underside of every blue tit’s tail is differently marked? Gradually, over the years, the garden changed. We put in shrubs and plants that would not only enhance the garden, but would also be good for wildlife. The first rabbit we saw was so joyful for us. The deer eat the flowers, prune the apple trees, eat the marrow, and are wonderful to watch. Foxes have been a major part of our wildlife. We have fed them each night for more than 20 years. They are such a delight, especially in late summer and early autumn when there are youngsters. They behave like puppies and are great fun to watch.

I love all wildlife: the mason bees that nest in the brickwork of the bungalow, the hornets that last year made their home in the roof above our bedroom, the bees currently nesting in the roof above the bathroom. On a hot evening, if you stand quietly in the bathroom, you can hear this amazing sound: it is very rhythmic and reminds me of the waves at the seaside. It is made by the beating of the bees’ wings as they fan their nest to keep the temperature at the right level -- how many people have heard that sound? I feel so privileged.

Obviously, I feed the birds. When I open the window in the morning I call “Come on Bobby and Blackie”, and one followed swiftly by the other they fly immediately to the bird table. Each morning, on rising, I make my way to the kitchen and find the squirrels already sitting on the window ledge waiting to be fed. Winter brings the moorhens and spring time the mallards. Our pond is a poor effort from a human point of view, but wild creatures see it differently. On summer days, the grass snakes spend long hours in the pond: eating the fish, froglets, toadlings, newts, and any other living creature they can swallow. Although I hate to see the pond emptied this way, I do enjoy the snakes and feel they are an important part of the balance of nature in the garden. Watching a dragonfly nymph climbing out of the pond, up a plant stalk, and then over the next few hours gradually transforming into a beautiful dragonfly -- these are contented hours well spent.

It has been my pleasure to write and publish a nature column each month. I am always delighted to hear how much pleasure this brings to my readers. I have often been asked if I have written a book, so I am making more of my writings and photography available through this web site and blog.