Selsley common 15th April


I havnt been to Selsley common  since last year and have been desperate to go and went today 

I do have a cold as of writeing but that didn’t stop me going so I took the opportunity it took half an hour to get there even though it’s not far cause it is further down than Coaly peak 



on the way to the top I saw and heard the skylark Selsley common are famous for but we didn’t have much time to stop cause we didn’t have long so the photos abouve were while walking I didn’t stop to take them and preceding the photos I didn’t manage to get photos  of the  skylark but I recorded them calling cause the whole part on the way to the top they were busy calling 

I might not of got a picture of the skylark that I have been waiting so long for but I managed to record there call and another thing I came for was Wildflowers and wild orchids. by Summer the hill is full of them 

on the way to the top there was a buzzard soaring then when we got to the top I saw lots of cowslip which I usually see I looked for other wildflowers to and hoped to find an orchid and by luck I found one. But only one in that section it’s not completely open yet but it will when it’s time for them to flower 

early purple orchid 

cowslip

May hill, Forest of Dean. in front of Coaly peak on the way back in the car 

The famous view of sugar loaf mountain in wales from Coaly peak in Stroud behind the river Severn it apears faint but with binoculars or a telescope you can see a lot more detail

Much closer view of May hill as we go right past Coaly peak on the way back 

The sign showing the way to wales






and thats about it I hope you enjoyed the trip

  • I think its good that theres a sign when you first arive that says theres skylark and there is a path to walk through but some people might not know skylarks are protected and that walking through the long grass on the sides would be disturbance when they start nesting Exspeacially if there’s people that havnt been there before and not everyone is going to look at the unobvious sign that says there’s skylark cause it just goes through what birds you find there and not everyone who visits will necessarily be birdwatchers and some might come just to walk they’re dog or meet up with people and have a chat and walk around Or enjoy the views 

    At one of the other commons there is a fence around the part of the grass where the skylark nest in the ground and a sign that says caution skylark nesting I think that there could be more awareness like the other commons even though it is famous skylark that doesn’t mean everyone who visits knows it’s famous for skylark or are aware there ground nesters. Since it’s a AONB site a protected area and SSI I think it could do with a sign like the other commons around the time of year they start displaying and nesting 

    You wont hear and see them when you first arive cause they arnt usualy in the grass on that part of the common but normally halfway to the top on both sides of the path in the long grass so I think there should be a caution skylark nesting sign at thst part during breeding season so that people dont acidently disturb them without being aware of it

  • Other than that there’s lots of wildlife to see there I hadn’t been for a long time so it was exiteing. Again I hope you enjoy the photos