"For now we are young let us lay in the sun and count every beautiful thing we can see" Neutral Milk Hotel.

Saturday 1 March 2014

4 new moths, 5 newts, a Peacock, sun, fog and a brilliant sunset

Another glorious day on the patch began with thick fog swirling around the dunes and marshes. It became patchy by about 9 am but dimmed the bright sunshine until early afternoon whenever it held sway. 2 Avocets and 2 Greenshank fed on Lavender Marsh - the former only recently back from wherever they winter. A Cetti's Warbler gave a burst of strident song, unseen, along The River Hun. 2 drake and a duck Pochard were on Broadwater, with several Tufted Ducks, whilst Shoveler were numerous on the North Fields and a lone Fieldfare fed on the still-abundant Sea Buckthorn berries. 230 Golden Plovers and Bar-tailed Godwit fed amongst the Curlew on the grazings whilst a noisy Great Spotted Woodpecker proclaimed from the pines. A light left on in the porch of The Firs had attracted a stunning-looking Shoulder Stripe, a Mottled Grey and at least 5 Dotted Borders and a search of a bunker later in the day revealed two hibernating Heralds - all new moths for the year. Robert had come armed with new sieves, vast flexi-bucket and new gloves so we spent some time sifting through debris on the strand line and on the immediate landward side of the dunes. We collected a couple of vials of beasts to identify - including several snails, a couple of woodlice and something smaller and altogether less interesting. Julia Masson joined Robert, Phil and myself for a moss-hunting session in the afternoon (list below), during which we also found some excellent lichens and 5 Smooth Newts. A Peacock was on the wing in my garden.

Mosses this afternoon at Holme NWT - dunes, dune-slack and a wall

Hornschuch’s Beard-moss    Pseudocrossidium hornschuchianum 
Broom Fork Moss     Dicranum scoparium 
Neat Feather Moss    Pseudoscleropodium purum 
Lesser Bird’s-claw Beard-moss  Barbula convoluta
Heath Star-moss                        Campylopus introflexus

Great Plait-moss Hypnum lacunosum 
Yellow Feather-moss  Homolothecium lutescens 
Redshank Ceratodon purpureus 
Marsh Bryum Bryum pseudotriquetrum 
Grey-cushioned Grimmia Grimmia pulvinata 
Cylindric Beard-moss Didymodon insulans
Great Hairy Screw-moss Syntrichia ruralis ruralis
Sand-hill Screw-moss      Syntrichia ruralis ruraliformis
Capillary Thread-moss Bryum capillare

White-tipped Bristle-moss Orthotrichium diaphanum
Bird’s -claw Bear-moss Barbula unguiculata
Endive Pellia                              Pellia endivifolia


The Herald, Holme 1st March 2014



Mottled Grey, Holme 1st March 2014


Smooth Newt, Holme 1st March 2014


Shoulder Stripe, Holme 1st March 2014


Dotted Border, Holme 1st March 2014


Heath Star-moss Campylopus introflexus, Holme NWT, 1st March 2014


Lesser Bird’s-claw Beard-moss  Barbula convolute, Holme NWT, 1st March 2014


Broom Fork Moss Dicranum scoparium, Holme NWT, 1st March 2014




End of the day, Holme 1st March 2014


End of the day, Holme 1st March 2014


2 comments:

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