Enjoying the Lockdown

I think I have adapted well to confinement.   Staying close to home therefore (no more than 2 to 3 km away), the flowering plant count is now up to around 100 for April, and now includes Adder's-tongue fern, (Ophioglossum vulgatum) in a calcareous field at Coldharbour, which is I think a first for the Hook Norton hectad, but even more excitement came from finding 2 plants of Herb-Paris (Paris quadrifolium) for which there are a scattering of old records, but super to see, and one of my favourites.   I would not have been any near where I found it in any normal year, and there are still a few more corners nearby that I plan to explore, so there might be further delights to find

Herb Paris

Adder's-tongue Fern

I did stretch the rules a bit on Friday, but don't think I transgressed.  I drove 8 km to Wolford Wood, but then spent several hours there.  Lots of Early purple orchids (Orchis mascula) and of course bluebells, bluebells and yet more bluebells.

Early Purple Orchid

Early Purple Orchid

Meanwhile moths seem to have gone into lockdown.  The dry weather allowed me to put the trap out on 4 occasions in April but the counts have been derisory.  So far only 12 species year-to-date compared to 16 in 2019.

House Arrest

Instead of Andalucia, the Chilterns and Dorset, the lockdown has meant Manor Farm, Coldharbour Farm, Belle Isle Farm and Court Farm at points east, west, north and south out of the village along footpaths no more than a couple of miles from home.  As I went, I counted flowering plants, just under 40 in each direction, but in aggregate over 70 in the last 10 days.   All of course common, and in another year I would have ignored them, but in these strange times....

In addition five butterflies (Orange-tip, Brimstone, Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell and Small White) four mammals (Roe Deer, Grey Squirrel, Rabbit, Hare), and at least 20 birds including a flock of maybe a hundred or more fieldfare, getting ready to fly north.

I found leaves of three orchids (Common twayblade, Common spotted, and Pyramidal) - I could be studying them quite intensively this year, being only a couple of kilometers away and within walking distance, whilst my normal study areas are out of bounds.