Showing posts with label Wild Onion. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wild Onion. Show all posts

Saturday, July 1, 2023

1 July 2023

I put on my wellies on for a wade around Boundary Fen this afternoon.  Among the many insects there were large numbers of Large and Small Skippers.  I presume that Large Skippers are slightly the larger but it is not easy to tell.  More reliable distinguishing features are the patterning on their wings, whereas Small Skippers are a more uniform orange colour.

Small Skipper Thymelicus sylvestris [Boundary Fen]

Large Skipper Ochlodes sylvanus [Boundary Fen]

Other butterflies around included Marbled White, Ringlet, Red Admiral, Comma and Large White.

Ringlet Aphantopus hyperantus [Boundary Fen]

Comma Polygonia c-album [Boundary Fen]

The Marsh Lousewort has spread rapidly since being introduced four or five years ago and is an important plant in the ecosystem here.

Marsh Lousewort Pedicularis palustris [Boundary Fen]

Rather more delicate is Bog Pimpernel, which grows in large quantities in Boundary Fen and has tiny, but very ornate pink flowers.

Bog Pimpernel Anagallis tenella [Boundary Fen]

I played a few holes around the Green course afterwards and came across this Wild Onion, one of several in the long grass to the left of the path near the 16th tee.

Wild Onion Allium viniale [16th Green]





Friday, July 2, 2021

1 July 2021

I managed to find the ninth and probably the final species of Frilford orchid this morning, the Fragrant Orchid.  These have tall thin spikes of small pink flowers and are in Two-pine Fen nearest the 16th fairway, 

Chalk Fragrant Orchid Gymnadenia conopsea [16th Red]

On the 14th Red I came across Wild Onion just on the left of the fairway.  This is as close as it comes to having flowers.

Wild Onion Allium vineale [14th Red]
Other new flowers include:

Perennial Sow-thistle Sonchus arvensis [16th Red]

Musk Mallow Malva moschata [7th Blue]

Imperforate St John's-wort Hypericum maculatum [4th Green]

A few birds around the ponds on the Blue.  The resident Grey Heron was moving between the 1st and 3rd this morning and a Kingfisher was doing likewise this evening.

Grey Heron [1st Blue]

Kingfisher [3rd Blue]

I recorded this Whitethroat repeating the distinctive short phrases of its song besides the pond on the 3rd.  There are still quite a number singing around the three courses.