Puss and Drive

 Monday July 1

Kwrkyn, the Puss moth caterpillar, is now an impressive 6 cms long final instar. It's still eating voraciously but beginning to wander. Signs of pupating. Its been given both cardboard and barked twigs as it needs one of them to form a pupa. First choice should be bark but its got a choice. His tail is spread as I caught him whilst he was defecating.


A first of the month outing is always enjoyable. Today's was particularly lacking in sightings. By the time we'd driven to Thorpe Market, we'd seen a total of two birds, a Yellowhammer on top of a post near home and a Wood Pigeon. Such a lovely day too. The highlight was the hedgerows which seem to have been left uncut this year. They were full of wild flowers and grasses. Vipers Bugloss, Mullein, Mallow, Poppies, Oxeye Daisy and Wild Carrot were prevalent. The field edges which have been planted with a wildflower meadow mix have been mown, a good practice to enable the meadow to flourish. Still very few butterflies to be seen.

I found four Mediterranean Gulls asleep on the mud amongst the many Black-headed Gulls at Snettisham, a total of six Red Kites, five Kestrels, one Marsh Harrier and no Buzzards.  The only waders we saw were Redhank, Curlew, Avocet and Oystercatcher. 

A young Muntjac grazed the grassy area in front of the coast Caravan Park at Snettisham - the only photo I took all day.


Home in plenty of time to watch today's European Championship knock-out rounds. Non football watchers must be sick of their watching schedules being filled with football at the moment.


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