Road works and a puncture

All Stretton, Wednesday 27 June 2018

We were late arriving on site.

No, we had not been delayed setting off; we should have arrived in plenty of time. But just after passing Bayston Hill on the A49 we ground to a halt and then set off at a crawl as the traffic negotiated a "mobile" road works.

There was a person with a STOP/GO sign but he was not STOPPING or GOING the traffic, then there was a van parked at the side of the road. A few yards further on we came across someone doing some work - he was hand strimming the grass verge. Finally we came across another STOP/GO sign-man who was as effective as the first.

Why were they cutting the verge with a strimmer?

Anyway we made reasonable progress after getting past and should have arrived more or less on time until we ground to a halt again in Leebotwood.

This time there were traffic lights. And the cause of the delay - resurfacing.

We were definitely going to be late.

And despite there being no more delays we were.

Apologies were given to our host for the day, then we got ready to survey.

"Er! Keith …. you seem to have a puncture."

I had. The rear nearside tyre was as flat as the proverbial pancake.

It was no good worrying about it at this stage; it could wait until we had done what we wanted to do.

Despite the early setbacks it was a glorious day.

We started in a grassy field and had an early surprise when a Pearl-bordered fritillary put in an all too brief appearance.

Photograph: David Williams

The grass was swept and vacuumed, the trees were beaten and the hedgerow inspected to reveal a good range of species but none matched the exuberance of the fritillary, although a small skipper came close.

Photograph: David Williams

As we entered a small patch of woodland we found an aphid that had been parasitized.

Photograph: David Williams

The aphid is glued to what looks like a slice of orange and is unable to move.

Curious!

By the time we had worked our way through the woodland it was, you guessed it, lunchtime. As the sun was beating down we looked for some shade and found it in the middle of a sheep pasture where an ash, just in picture on the left of the following photograph, provided some relief from the sun.

The views from this field are excellent. The above photograph shows Caer Caradoc which is across the valley from the site. And for any of us feeling homesick the Wrekin was just over there, dominating the far horizon!

We were not alone in seeking out lunch. In my tray a crab spider was tucking into a mirid bug. A sizeable snack.

Photograph: David Williams

From the pasture we moved into a meadow. This area and its bordering vegetation and trees were searched for quite a while before the relentless heat took its toll and we ground to a halt. I should not complain, we were not getting wet through precipitation from the skies.

Rested and thirst quenched we moved on through more woodland bordering a stream to a further meadow. Again we searched and rested, searched and rested before deciding to call it a day.

Having returned to our start point a wasp's nest was located.

Photograph: David  Williams

The above composite photograph shows wasps, Dolichovespula saxonica, at the entrance to the nest

One problem remained - the flat tyre.

"Leave that with me" were the wonderful words uttered by one member of the group. So I did as asked.

I wandered off to look at a sparsely vegetated area returning after a while to find the emergency tyre in place. Thank you.

The day was rounded off with a cold drink and home made scones. Brilliant!

My thanks to Mags Cousins for allowing us to visit her patch and providing refreshments; to David Williams for allowing me to use his excellent photographs; and to Jim Cresswell for changing the wheel.