Sunday, March 24, 2013

Springtime? Pah!!

Under several warm layers of clothing I braved the elements and gave TQ1960 a couple of hours worth of attention. Waterer's Cotoneaster, Hazel Wood Wart and Crescent-cup Liverwort were new for the year. I found a couple of leafhoppers shivering away on the underside of Cherry Laurel leaves (quite wise seeing as the uppersides to those leaves were dusted in snow) which I'm hoping will be identifiable. I'm still waiting for life to burst into being overnight but won't hold my breath...c'mon springtime, we're all fed up of this cr*p!!!

Today's meagre additions:

342 - Crescent-cup Liverwort Lunularia cruciata - alleyway by Lewins Road
343 - Waterer's Cotoneaster Cotoneaster x watereri - presumably birdsown, near Bramble Heath
344 - Hedge Woundwort - small leaves coming through, very whiffy! - Epsom Common
345 - Hazel Wood Wart Hypoxylon fuscum - no sign of Nemapogon clematella damage - yet
346 - Pyracantha Scab Venturia inaequalis f. sp. pyracanthae - on Firethorn near Lewins Road

I need to generate some proper enthusiasm tomorrow, see if I can get past the 350 barrier. The mud issue really is quite outrageous here, it is tricky to move around in some parts! I keep looking out for near-naked female wrestlers, but I guess they must be loitering in an adjacent 1KSQ? Am very definitely looking forward to overhead hirundines, warblers in the scrub and flowers with inverts in profusion. And no more mud/wind/snow.

4 comments:

  1. No near-naked female wrestlers here I'm afraid. Bit of a letdown, really.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Glad to have someone to share my sorrow, lol. You checked out Squires GC for Uloborus plumipes yet? Probably the warmest place to be at the mo.

    ReplyDelete
  3. "NEAR-naked"? Aim high Seth, aim high.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Umm...what, like "near-naked female lichenologist wrestlers currently expanding their knowledge into soil-dwelling collembola and aquatic pondlife whilst also being pretty damn hot at bryophytes and microfungi and a need to impart their vast knowledge to a generalist natural history pleb when they find one wandering through their mud"-type thing?

    OK Mark, I'll aim high! Cheers for the tip, (we don't usually do things like that on the mainland but if it works for you....)

    I'z off to find me some of the aforementioned females. Wish me luck

    :D

    ReplyDelete