Back at Barmston

Light easterlies and late May can sometimes being rich rewards to the coastal patcher and so inset out at 5.30 this morning to Barmston with dreams of drift migrants. As is so often the case reality and expectations diverged but I did manage my 2nd patch record of Bar-tailed Godwit plus additional patch year ticks in Garden Warbler, Reed Warbler and Swift. 

A Whimbrel south was a bonus and Fulmar over the fields was just odd. The new additions took me to 97 species/113 points for patchwork challenge. I also managed a new flower, Columbine Aquilegia vulgaris, which looks pretty natty I think. 

Bog-based Botany

I am a novice botanist but I'm trying hard to make some progress in this area and a dearth of upland plants is in the process of being rectified. Four new ones today were Bogbean (above), Round-leaved Sundew (below), Common Cotton-grass and Dwarf Birch. This moves me onto 1126 for my pan-species list and my 300th plant species. This all coincided with some epic birding. A breeding plumaged Black-throated Diver preceded Merlin, Hen Harriers, Golden Eagle, Greenshank, Red Kite and a Marsh Harrier! Madness.