Saturday 12 September 2009

Why bother ?

Every cloud, they say, has a silver lining. So an ill-advised trip up to Oare Marshes in search of a (the?) glossy ibis was not all in vain, when I noticed that a restharrow plant on the causeway had spines. Not at all interesting to most, but I've got into the habit of checking out restharrows for prickliness, in the hope of finding the rather less common spiny restharrow.

So there we are....a life tick. Not quite as impressive as a glossy ibis, but that's my history of twitching for you. I never have time to spend the required amount of time, so invariably leave disappointed, while the sought-after bird lurks somewhere nearby. Even more irritating, when the bloody thing appears after I've gone 'showing well'.
Was it. Really. Great.

There were plenty of birds around, including three ruff...
...and I was pleased to meet Bo, the Fat Birder, at last. Especially when he pointed out a merlin 'showing well' in a nearby bush.

On the way back to DIY-land, I detoured to watch the harvesting of the hops, now in full swing. No stilts these days, of course. I'd like to think that the hops are taken a couple of miles down the road to the Shepherd Neame brewery.
And most of the oast houses (which were used for drying the hops) have now been converted into des res housing.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

A good find with the Ononis spinosa.
I thought I'd found it earlier in the year but despite three-inch-nail-like spines at every node it didn't measure up in the other criteria (arrangement of stem hairs, leave proportions etc) which determine the species - drat!

Anonymous said...

Steve,
Bad luck with the ibis. Felt sure you'd bagged it because my pager was sounding off all day saying it was showing well.......
perhaps it's only pensioners being supported by the working few who manage to twich rarities.
Steve

DOT said...

And I like to think of the eventual product from Shepherd Neame finding its way down my throat.

On a different topic, I and a friend living in Lewes have recently been plagued by a bug, or moth (I think) and would love you to identify it. Best way, I guess, will be to post a pic on my blog.

Kingsdowner said...

Rob, you won't be surprised that your comment sent me back to the pictures to check, but I think that the more upright habit clinched it.

Steve, I didn't bother with another trip to Oare; I'll leave it to you OAPs.

David, I had a pint of Sheps today within sight of the hopfields, just to celebrate.
Please send photos to my email address (tucked away on the profile page) so that in the likely event that I can't help, I can post them for others to comment.
All the best,
Steve

abbey meadows said...

Don't get Spiny rest harrow up here...hope you enjoyed your trip up north, I was in the west country at the time as I would have joined you and BB.