More Orchids

Greater Butterfly Orchids are now flowering at the Pentwyn reserve. Here are a few surrounded by a rich mixture of meadow flowers and grasses.

Twayblade time

Twayblades are out both at Pentwyn and New Grove and for me they are a particularly beautiful orchid. They seem plentiful at New Grove this year.

Burnet Companion

I haven't tried to identify any moths yet but a day-flying moth flew into view yesterday so I can now record my first moth species. No photograph I'm afraid, as it had disappeared by the time I got my camera, but it was a Burnet Companion (Euclidia glyphica)whose larval foodplants include Bird's Foot Trefoil of which there is plenty in our fields.

Masonry bees

There are a lot of bees showing great interest in holes in the stone on the front of the house. For the moment I will assume this is the common mason bee Osmia rufa, as I struggle to identify different species of bumblebee let along the 20 species of mason bee found in the UK. If I get a book on them I will do a more precise ID.

Daffodils

We live very close as the crow flies to Maragaret's Wood, which has a slope down to the road which is currently ablaze with wild daffodils - and a fair few wood anemone as well.

Antlers

Two fallow deer with presentable antlers came by today. Strangely both deer had a limp. It was interesting to note that they clearly had a memory of the land in that when I went outside they casually went to go through a gap in the hedge that I had in fact blocked some months ago. Finding it blocked they panicked a little and rushed off to find another escape route.

Coral Fungus

As well as a range of waxcaps we also have a coral fungus in our 'East' field. The particular species is Crested Coral (Clavulina coralloides)which the books say is normally found in woodland. However I am told it also turns up in grassland if there are trees nearby.