Today was Brenda’s birthday. I had found it hard to know what to buy her but managed a book about flowers (Flora Brittanica by Richard Mabey) and a book about moths (Much Ado About Mothing by James Lowen). Perhaps a little predictable, but she seemed happy with them! I managed to see a garden warbler in the grounds of Dungarthill along with various other warblers and song birds.
No new birds today and Brenda is definitely catching up with the flowers, but I only have three to go to get to 200, so I’m still optimistic!
Brenda writes: “Today was my birthday – spent very pleasantly at Dungarthill House. My moth trap had a nice selection including two new moths, common marbled carpet (a very variable moth) and shoulder-striped wainscot.
James’s chain of three traps had a really good variety in them. Although he identified them, with time – and my field guide – I would have worked them out. So I’m definitely counting them! Scorched wing is beautiful and really lives up to its name.
The others are listed below, and really helped my moth total. My extremely lazy day included another walk around the grounds. Every day I am struck by how we are reliving aspects of spring, like the bluebells, and a late primrose I found today.
There were two new species of flower down by the curling pool, dame’s violet and large bittercress, both members of the cabbage family.”
New species for June 2nd:
Moths: common marbled carpet, shoulder-striped wainscot, scorched wing, small phoenix, birch mocha, coxcomb prominent, early thorn, common white wave, silver ground carpet, foxglove pug, clouded bordered brindle (melanic version), purple bar, tawny-barred angle, red-green carpet, flame carpet
Flowers: dame’s violet, large bittercress
TOTALS TO DATE:
Birds = 197
Moths = 78
Wildflowers = 160