Rainy Lockdown

Sunday November 15 

 The first lockdown coincided with a spell of fine, warm, and sunny weather which enabled everyone with a garden to  spend more time tending to it and to enjoy the wildlife. We now have a spell of very rainy weather, short daylight hours with often, only minutes to go oudoors.

We still have moths to watch out for. We trapped a very good micro last Tuesday night. Fortunately, I took a photo of it in the pot, the only one as it turned out. Pam's attempts the following day ended in the moth escaping.

Although it looks distinctive, it did not look like a good match for any photographs we could find. Eventually, Pam plumped for Acleris hyemana, Heath Button. I agreed and sent the photo to Richard for confirmation. When he concurred, I posted the record on the Norfolk Moth website recording page.

 

Norfolk status
Scarce.
Occupying heathland and moorland.
Characteristic purple-brown and silvery-white coloration.
Most active in the spring with male flying in sunshine.

Recorded in 11 (16%) of 69 10k Squares. First Recorded in 1874. Last Recorded in 2019. Additional Stats... Total Records 26 Total Specimens 72 Earliest Adult on Jan 24 (2003) Latest Adult on Nov 15 (2018) .

The record, plus photo, is on my recording page, but as yet, does not appear in any statistics

Alerted by a phone call from Ruth next door, we saw a white Pheasant in the garden yesterday. Not an albino as it had head markings.I managed some distant shots from the sun lounge door, using a small point and shoot, as it scuttled away.

 

 

That vegetable patch has been winter dug, no fresh and rotted manure to add, we've had to make do with bags of dried farmyard manure this year. That will be added pre vegetable planting in the spring. Our horse manure supplier - at a delivered £4 per trailer load - has moved too far away.