Images of Canford Heath Title
After one of the warmest summers on record followed by the hottest October on record, many of the trees on Canford Heath, Upton Heath and in Delph Woods are still in full leaf. In fact such are the vagaries of the weather that I even found a wild Rhododendron in flower....in late October. There is a bumper crop of colourful fungi again, and despite the threat of the disease in Horse Chestnut that has so decimated many around the rest of the country, all those in this area seemed untouched and there were conkers in abundance.
Sweet Chestnuts
Sweet Chestnuts on the ground
Not Horse Chestnuts but Sweet Chestnuts, best roasted on an open fire, and used to make the stuffing for the Turkey at Christmas......
Sweet Chestnuts out of shells
Sweet Chestnuts, on the ground
Image of collection of fungi
During one of my walks I collected two huge bags of chestnuts, but not without some difficulty and a great deal of humour....As fast as I opened those spiny husks, with the heel of my boot, the squirrels who had been lying in wait, would rush in and grab the shiny brown nuts and rush off into the woods and bury them....even more hilarious was the sight of thieving Crows quickly unearthing them and flying off....This happened several times before I had bagged as many as I could carry on my trip....Very enterprising are the woodland creatures...
Image of the waterhole now almost full
Images of Bullrushes that grow along side the water hole
After nearly a month of above average temperatures, al fresco meals and little need to wear anything more than the lightest of clothes, the weather broke to bring much needed rain. Mostly at night, the days remained warm and very sunny, balmy almost. The water holes that had become dry, reduced to dust bowls, filled up over night and the frogs in the garden were croaking with pleasure.The streams now swollen and rushing with water, giving rise to many little water falls and the sound of the trickling water and the birds was better than any tranquilliser. Everywhere the glistening of rain drops on cobwebs all across the Heath...and the sun shining through the trees on the way home, gives the feeling of a warm comforting woolly blanket.
Image of the woodland walk home
Image of second largest lake on the Heath with reflections in the water...
November 2006, Remembering John Keats, "SEASON of mists and mellow fruitfulness," that is exacty how it has been here in Dorset. Days of glorious sunshine and frosty mornings. Producing jewels on the Moors. The early morning mist covers the whole of the Heath in these shimmering and sparkling gems.
Cobwebs sparkling in the sun
Another cobweb in the mist covered in droplets that sparkle in the sun
Cobwebs in the mist
Changing landscape as the tress lose their leaves
With the early morning mist, and the frost the landscape of Canford Heath changes yet again as the trees lose their leaves and the heather flowers die. The bracken is now the lovely colour of tobacco.The rabbits and the squirrels are busy preparing for winter. The deer are very evident, their rut a little delayed by the very warm weather, are only now showing signs of mating. Both mares on Upton Heath, separated now from their young offspring are very pregnant so I look forward to new foals in the Spring. Another cycle is almost over.
Image of flooding on Canford Heath, with Pickles.
Image of flooded Canford Heath
After 4 days of almost torrential rain, thankfully mostly at night, today 27th November the sun came out and I took the opportunity to see what, if any, damage had been done to the Heath. So often after such heavy rain, the erosion is so bad that many of the paths become impassable. Being mostly sandy it just washes away leaving dangerous gullies and pits in the recognized paths. Above are just a couple of pictures which show that athough there is a great deal of water about, in places gushing down from higher ground like small waterfalls, turning many paths into fast flowing creeks. the paths are still there and will dry out very quickly once the waters have time to recede. At least Pickles enjoys it.
Image of trees in colour, Canford Heath
Image of trees in colour Canford Heath
Today 14th July I took the dogs to a part of the Heath I haven't visited for a couple of weeks. It is an area that becomes waterlogged in heavy rain, and we have had a fair amount of that of late. To my delight I was rewarded with the most beautiful sight, an new born foal. Unlike the other 2 foals born here last year, this one is a perfect little bay....Not sure if this is a filly or a colt. It sure is a little beauty. Love the white flash. Below are just three of the pictures I managed to get today....At a guess I would say this little darling is only a day or two old.
First pictures of a newborn bay foal...with white flash
New foal with Mum
Another image of new foal with Mum
Picture of Pickles the hairy pooch and Benji the little tan terrier
Picture of Pickles in the heather.
Just a couple of pictures of Pickles with Benji in the first and the second of Pickles in the fading heather. Below are the pictures of Pickles I promised, this is her in quick retreat from the Canada Geese. At least she stopped long enough to retrieve her ball...
Pickles chasing the Canada Geese
Picture of Pickles retreating from the Canada Geese.

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Updated on ... July 14th, 2007....