I had a concert with Norfolk Symphony Orchestra today in King’s Lynn and so was conducting a rehearsal in the morning and then the concert in the afternoon. However now that it’s lighter later it meant that there was still plenty of daylight when I left King’s Lynn at about 5.30pm. Since it was also a rather nice day in terms of the weather I decided to have another walk at Thornham on my way home, since it had been such dreadful weather when I had been there two days earlier!
I hadn’t appreciated what a great spot the area around Thornham harbour is, and it was great to see it in the sunshine. The two wood sandpipers were still there, and I also saw the male garganey well. It was a short but enjoyable sojourn and a nice way to end a good day!
Brenda writes: “Despite the continuing cold weather and low numbers of moths in the trap I’m at least getting a steady stream of new moths. Today there were 5 shuttle-shaped darts & two new ones. Turnip is a rather mundane name for quite a handsome moth.
Of the rustics I think my favourite is the vines rustic which is greyish with its wing markings clearly delineated by a fine white line.
There was also a micro moth, the tiny black and white cochylis atricapitana. When I let it out of the pot it found perfect camouflage on the table cloth!
Today I was all over the place doing services but managed a walk around Warham All Saints churchyard, the older part of which is currently a most wonderful wild flower meadow. There are drifts of dove’s foot cranesbill and spotted medick, bright blue patches of germander speedwell, and the hedges are covered in white hawthorn flowers. A patch of meadow saxifrage is coming into flower & I saw my first goosegrass or cleavers flowers. As the alexanders subsides the cow parsley is taking over. There are those who would say this churchyard is being neglected but I think this is beautiful and very special.”
New species for May 14th:
Moths: turnip, vines rustic, cochylis atricapitana
Flowers: goosegrass (cleavers)
TOTALS TO DATE:
Birds = 189
Moths = 42
Wildflowers = 79