April on the Southwell Trail

April was a great month for photographing the blossom on the Southwell Trail although it presented the annual challenge of identifying the different types of flowers. I try to be as accurate as possible but each year I manage to confuse myself! So, here goes, my best guess on the types of blossom for this year....

Judging mainly by the leave shape I think this is wild pear:

These are cherry tree blossoms, possibly wild cherry trees. There are a number of cherry trees along the trail and the fruits are already showing as I write in June:

When I see blossom without leaves I tend to think blackthorn although damson is very similar. If I can get close, the presence of thorns will confirm blackthorn, although that is not always possible:

This is apple blossom, I believe:

In addition to blossom, there were many wildflowers starting to bloom in April. These are a few that I picked out starting with the aptly named 'Spring Beauty':

A common vetch:

Common storksbill:

Garlic mustard and wild garlic:

Spanish bluebells and a white bluebell

Stitchwort

And finally, not a wildflower or a blossom, in fact I wasn't sure what it was, particularly as it seemed to be growing on an oak tree? My best guess, after some research, is an oak apple gall - an abnormal growth of plant tissue caused by a parasitical gall wasp: