June 2014

Excellent Bird!

This morning I had an amazing, but strangely extreme experience that makes quite a nice story, which I will share. On 9th June, I was being driven by my wife Amanda south of Wych Cross when I noticed a large raptor with a pale underside to the east of the road to Chelwood Gate. I wondered what it was, but not having further information and not being able to stop, dismissed it without much thought. At that stage, I had heard of a Short-toed Eagle in the New Forest, and vaguely thought I might go for it, if it hung about. On the tenth, I read amongst the reports from Rare Bird Alert, that a...

Fridge ticking moths

Britain's first record of the noctuid moth Aedia funestra made the lepidopteran headlines this weekend. Trapped by Nigel Jarman at Kingsdown, Kent on June 13, it was then taken on a short journey to Dungeness where it was on show to all who wished to see it. There would have been a number of people who travelled a few hundred miles to do so, even if they had made the same journey less than a week before to see Britain's second Banded Pine Carpet, trapped by Barry Banson in his Littlestone garden. This 'exhibition' of rare moths is not confined to Dungeness - most permanent coastal MV's (...

Wonderful Jersey

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Submitted by peewit on

A holiday in early May to Jersey, my first visit to this island, gave me the opportunity to extend my plant species in a big way. With the help of a lovely lady who gave up her Bank Holiday and took me to La Carriere Dunes area where I noted 18 new species. These included Jersey Pigmyweed, Spring Vetch, Little Robin, Sand Catstail, Dwarf Pansy. We later explored Corbiere where 6 additional new species included my target Sand Crocus, also Four-leaved Allseed, Upright Chickweed, etc. Later in the week Lax-flowered Orchid was in flower. A memorable few days.

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