Firecrest and Houghton Forest work party

Firecrest, Regulus ignicapillus

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Yesterday I joined a work party at Houghton Forest where we created a new clearing for the Pearl-bordered Fritillary. On the way I called at a site where a Firecrest has previously been reported and was pleased to find it in good early morning light. Afterwards I checked out Angmering Woods again but still no Orange-tips. I took some woodland flower shots for Sue's blog.

female Chaffinch, Fringilla coelebs

Neil in woodman mode

Primrose, Primula vulgaris

Wood Anemones, Anemone nemorosa

Cootlings and cygnets

Coot and Cootling, Fulica atra

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On Thursday I joined Mark at Arundel WWT and we had an enjoyable morning ambling round the reserve, finishing with cappuccino and bread & butter pudding cake. One Small Tortoiseshell was seen nectaring on Sallow catkins. It was lovely to see two cootlings being fed by their parents. There were also Mallard ducklings and two Black-necked Swan cygnets. Mr Swan was his usual feisty self and swam across the pond to tell us what he thought of our presence. A wren hopped along the base of a reed bed. I looked around Swanbourne Lake and saw my first Marsh Marigold of the season on the outflow stream. Finally at Angmering Woods I took more shots of the Scarlet Elf Cups and found another cup fungus, this time brown. Sadly I saw a rabbit grazing with full blown Myxomatosis showing on its head.

Black-necked Swan cygnet, Cygnus melancoryphus

Carrion Crow, Corvus corone

Coot and Cootlings, Fulica atra

Queen European Wasp, Vespula germanica 

female Chiffchaff, Hylloscopus collybita

Greylag Goose, Anser anser

Mallard duckling, Anas platyrhynchos

Pheasant, Phasianus colchicus

Robin, Erithacus rubecula

Small Tortoiseshell, Aglais urticae on Sallow catkin, Salix caprea

Wren, Troglodytes troglodytes

Swanbourne Lake area:

Herring Gull, Larus argentatus

Herring Gull, Larus argentatus

Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos

Marsh Marigold, Caltha palustri

Angmering Woods:

a brown cup fungus, Peziza species

algae, Trentepohlia abietina

Common Ivy berries, Hedera helix

Lesser Celandine, Ranunculus ficaria

Scarlet Elf Cup, Sarcoscypha coccinea

Wood Violet, Viola riviniana

Rabbit with Myxomatosis, Oryctolagus cuniculus

Heyshott finale

view from Heyshott escarpment

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This morning I joined five BC Sussex members and seven Murray Downland Trust members for our last winter work party at Heyshott. It was a tough climb to the top of the escarpment, but when the haze cleared later the view was spectacular, especially as we had increased the panoramic vista by 30% by removing scrub and trees. Plenty of primroses, wood anemones, celandines and cuckoo flower were out and I saw one Small Tortoiseshell and a Red Kite soaring overhead. I called by Angmering Woods on the way home and found some Scarlet Elf Cups, one of them the size of a five pence coin.

Daffodil, Narcissus pseudonarcissus

Dan

Neil and Mike

Primrose alley

a gap has been created at the top of the escarpment

Cuckoo Flower, Cardamine pratensis,
food plant of the Orange Tip

Cuckoo Flower, Cardamine pratensis

Scarlet Elf Cup, Sarcoscypha coccinea

Wood Anemones, Anemone nemorosa