Saturday 8 June 2024

Lizard Orchid in coastal Suffolk

About a week ago, I heard about a Lizard Orchid seen in coastal Suffolk, found by Jane & Paul F but sworn to strict secrecy to protect the plant and again today I travelled to the site to see how it had developed. About half the sepal flowers were out. The evening sun bathed it in sunshine. About half the plant, the lower flowers were out. I also saw 43 Pyramidal Orchids with a nice group of 30 the inland side of the path, around 5 Bee Orchids seen too, a male Stonechat was seen and as I walked back on an area where the beach led to June, I saw a Tiger Moth in front of me but which one? I had to move if as it was on the path and in danger of being trampled, it alighted on my camer bag before I put it on some Marram Grass, where amazingly another Tiger Moth was sighted. As I was walking back to the car past some cottages, it was heartening to see 3 screaming Swifts flying low over the ground. On the drive back home on the left hand side after a village and before a layby on the right, I saw an amazing Little Owl perched on an old telegraph post by a Farm, it later flew back to another telegraph post 100 metres further back. This is my first Little Owl for 3 years, they have declined dramatically, so I am withholding the locality of this bird. POSTSCRIPT: Consulting: Townsend, M., Waring, P. and Lewington, R. (2007) The Moths of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Gillingham: British Wildlife Publishing. book when I arrived home, it was clear the Tiger moths, I had seen were Cream-spot Tiger Moths. I think this is a new Moth species for me!

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