Gall

It’s easy to see how the Oak Apple Gall gets it’s name, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a tree full of rosy examples as I did today. The gall is formed by a gall wasp laying eggs in dormant leaf buds. The eggs hatch in spring and the parasitic process of forming the galls gets underway.

The dairy pastures in the valley had been mown for hay/silage (extra) which had caught the attention of the Red Kites. The local crows were not impressed. Not so much butterfly activity but I did see a few Green Hairstreak, Speckled Wood, Holly Blue and Orange-tip about.

Later I went down the hill to the Live Room in Saltaire to see kora player Suntou Susso with band - my first gig by a kora musician since seeing Dembo Konte and Kausu Kuyateh around thirty years ago. If you’ve not come across it, the kora is a 21 stringed instrument from West Africa which sounds a little like a harp.  Suntou is from the Gambia, but Bristol-based and his band were all local Bristol musicians. Their music is probably best described as jazz fusion, although they did also do one reggae styled song and the West African influence is there throughout, not least because Suntou sings in the Mandinka language. It was a good evening and I came away with a signed CD which is usually a positive indicator. Their tour continues and they’ll be at Sidmouth, Greenbelt and other festivals during the summer.