Spring-like

 Sunday, February 21

The sun is shining, it's 15C on the patio, there were moths in the traps, and the first alpine flowers in bloom had an enormous Bumblebee feeding amongst the yellow Irises. 

 

Even better, I had a Facetime call from my younger grandson, Josh, in Brisbane. The last time I saw him, he'd had his head virtually shaved. He now has a cap of curls again, thank goodness. I wonder how long that will last.

We trapped 12 macro moths of 5 species overnight, a Satellite the only one new for the year. 

 

Spring Usher

and Chestnut

 

The first micro was the ubiquitous Agonopterix Heracliana - Common Flat-body, I must get used to the increasingy widespread use of common names for micros, virtually all of which have been, until recently, known by their scientific name only. Norfolk County recorder Jim Wheeler has published a book giving them additional vernacular names.

 

There was also a half a centimetre long, thin, black caterpillar, as yet unidentified. We have a copy of the latest Lewington caterpillar book, which is beautiful and mind-boggling at the same time. We'll tackle that later........

The apples put out for the birds have been non existent by morning. The trailcam put out overnight came up with the suspected culprit. A female Muntjac, which looks suspiciously heavy bellied. It's sniffing a mole hill.

 

All our nestboxes are clean and back in situ. Now for some tenants for these very des res homes. The first Wheatears and Sand Martins have been noted, the first appeared in the Cardiff area.a couple of days ago.