A few meadows were just buttercups, but this one below was mixed with long grass seed heads, giving a more variagated feel, rather than than the in-your-face, bright yellow, pure buttercups fields
Despite the recent rains this field was dry enought to rest a while (aka coffee break).
Many more meadow pictures in the gallery – so hard to shortlist.
This fungus was right by where we sat. If I have the ID right, it is extremenly poisonous. Liberty Cap (Psilocybe semilanceata) 
The dandelions and daisies wre more benign (see gallery). We noticed a profound lack of insects, so all I can muster is, probably, a house fly on Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolata) – or is it Mustard Garlic?
Seven-spot ladybird (Coccinella septempunctata) on Cow Parsley (Anthriscus sylvestris)
And a butterfly Green-veined White (Pieris napi)
David explained the story behind the hounds at the gates to Crowsley Park
Among Crowsley Park’s former owners were the Baskerville family, one of whose members, Henry Baskerville, was High Sheriff of Oxfordshire in 1847. Stories about the family and its association with fierce dogs were among the inspirations for Conan Doyle’s The Hound of the Baskervilles (published 1901–02) in which “Sir Henry Baskerville” is a leading character.
The connection with the Baskervilles is preserved in statues of hellhounds with spears through their mouths which sit on the stone gateposts at the entrance to the park and atop the front of Crowsley Park House.
….
The remainder of the estate consists of wooded parkland used as cattle and horse pasture. Three (formerly four) very large (11-metre diameter) satellite dishes used by the BBC are on the north side of the estate. Until 2014, there were also many traditional radio aerials (antennas) spread across the park.
The BBC leases the estate to private tenants, operating its receiving station from a modern building erected for the purpose near the centre of the park.[wikipedia]
See the gallery for the sateliite dishes and the gates to the house.
We returned though beech woods, now filtering out sunshine; such a contrast to last week.
In the woods some fine fungi – Chicken-of-the-woods (Laetiporus sulphureus)
Afterwards a splendig tea – thanks David and Heidi.
Long may this weather last.
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4 replies on “Photos from walk on Thursday 9th May from around Sonning Common”
Great photos David!!!
Thank you David, lovely photos as ever (only missing the Tea!)
Great photos-especially the Green-veined butterfly- as fitting memory of a happy and beautiful walk through exciting early summer landscape— thank you David.
Fine photos as always! I liked the low angle shot of our coffee break. The toxicity of liberty cap was a surprise!