Denge Wood

The walk into Denge was very pleasant with sunshine making the greens sparkle. There were a number of Common Spotted orchids along the track and once inside the reserve they were everywhere. The Lady orchids were mostly in their prime but numbers of these seemed down. Being a bit later than usual the Greater Butterflies were perfect and there did seem to be more this year.
At the end of the reserve a search of the primroses found one Duke of Burgundy looking quite fresh.
A took a slight diversion on the way home where we found 2 Man orchids but little else.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Dungeness Point

A short walk out to the edge of the trapping area to do some botnising. On the way we found a fresh Brown Argus as well as some Common Blues.

We were looking for Broomrapes and found several Common Broorapes, some just coming up and some well up. As we walked we were kicking up xylostellas with nearly every step, especially through the grassy and brambly areas. As well as Gorse Shieldbug clambouring through a grasshead.

The bean plant is growing well within it's bramble shelter. It should produce a few beans.

The main purpose was to see this broorape, which, despite it's size and colour, is probably just a common one.

One of the thigs about Dungeness is the variety of species that can be found. One family that seems to thrive is the vetches, a couple of are pictures below.

The willow bushes of the trapping area are absolutely dripping with cuckoo spit. Standing inside a bush is a recipe for getting wet, with the sound of drips falling on the bramble leavews echoing round the area.

Some of the plants are so small that you have to get down on your knees to really appreciate their beauty.

April

I am not a diary keeper but having looked back I thought I might try again as it is nice to keep track of what I do and see.
Walking round Park Wood  has been a real pleasure the last two weeks. The sun was shining and birds were singing albeit common woodland species, it was still a spirit lifter to here the tits and wrens belting it out. This week we heard Chiffchaffs singing for the first time, there were at least 5 proclaiming their presence, a real affirmation of the arrival of spring. It is often the car park area that has the most activiity and it is quiet in many parts of the wood but this morning Nuthatches, Wrens, and Blue and Great tits were evident in all parts the wood and there were even 3 Coal Tits feeding in the slowly bursting buds.
Taking part in a small project looking at the phenology of woodland trees and plants makes me look around me in a slightly different way and it is interesting how trees of the same type break into leaf earlier than others. Quite a few of the oaks have green leaves showing but my oak is still bud bound although they are swelling and the Silver Birch is just showing a hint of green wheras many of the other birches are a greeny haze.