I managed a reasonable walk at Lakenheath Fen today, on my way to take a rehearsal with Ely Sinfonia. There were very few people around and it was very relaxing to just be in this amazing environment. Although there are several warbler species to be found on the reserve it was pretty quiet today: I heard Cetti’s warbler and saw chiffchaff, but my only new species for the day was an obliging sedge warbler that sang it’s song and then flew into view briefly.
Brenda writes: “At this time of year it only takes a bit of warm sunshine and suddenly there are new species in flower. Today, as I went about my duties in Wells – which included an unusual funeral where the hearse was a motor-bike and sidecar – I was able to log three species. We always have a wonderful show of marjoram on either side of the porch door at St Nicholas Wells and as I left the church after the service I noticed that it is coming into flower.
Then on the way back home I saw a fine clump of honesty which is usually pink but occasionally can be see in a white form. Its papery disk-like seed pods are a familiar sight later in the year.
Then finally, crossing the green to our house, where the cowslips are now growing in profusion I finally saw my first dove’s-foot cranesbill flowers. I’m beginning to realise how enormous and varied the geranium family is. The slightly fanciful name for this species comes from the fact that the edges of the leaves are cut to about a third down. I suppose it might look a bit like a dove’s foot.
That’s not a bad haul for a five minute walk! There was a rather lovely new moth today too, a marbled brown.”
New species for April 18th:
Birds: sedge warbler
Moths: marbled brown
Flowers: honesty, marjoram, dove’s-foot cranesbill
TOTALS TO DATE:
Birds = 163
Moths = 19
Wildflowers = 56