Nature Notes June 2024
Nature Notes June 2024
You would think that having grazing animals on a nature reserve would be counter-productive, in that the animals would eat the vegetation that needed protecting. In fact the opposite is true. Swannington Upgate Common is in a natural depression alongside a stream, which has been transformed by the periodic grazing of Norfolk Wildlife Trust ponies. It used to have a few interesting plants in small pockets but since the introduction of grazing, these have been able to spread across the whole area, which is now much more open. It was particularly pleasing to find big patches of Marsh St Johnswort, with their grey hairy leaves poking up out of the many shallow pools left by the abundant rain we have had recently. They will have dainty yellow flowers during the summer. Nearby, the jagged edged leaves of Marsh Cinquefoil covered another pool, where their dark red flowers were being visited by bumblebees. Stands of Yellow Flag were also attracting insects: as well as bumblebees, there were patterned flower bugs and sawflies with long yellow legs and yellow and black bodies. The bright magenta spires of Southern Marsh Orchid flowers drew the eye on the dry southern edge of the hollow, but out in the pools, were slim-stalked Meadow Thistle flower heads, each one with a male green-armoured Swollen Thigh Beetle riding the swaying blooms. The Thistle head will be his leking ground, as he hopes to woo a less flamboyant female. Out in the deepest water, the long, upright, spear-shaped leaves of Water Dock could be seen from a distance. This is the most spectacular of our local docks, growing up to two metres in height by midsummer and always in areas that rarely dry out, so more often found in the Broads than our part of Norfolk.
David had a daylight, close encounter with a hunting Barn Owl. The bird was methodically quartering a horse paddock near the Marriotts Way and didn’t take any notice of him standing quietly alongside a hedge. The previous night had been wet, so presumably the owl had not been able to hunt, and it may well have had hungry young in the nest. He watched it for about ten minutes but didn’t see it catch anything; eventually leaving it still hunting, but he did get some good photos.
Do let me know if you see any interesting wildlife (rachel.42rr@btinternet.com)
