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The man from
North Downs and Beyond is in town, so I went to meet him - and it's true, he does indeed look like Brad Pitt. His quest to see every plant and beast on the planet has taken him to a very respectable total, but a week's solitary confinement at Sandwich Bay observatory may be giving him time to reflect on the wisdom of his quest. He does, however, have an impressive breadth of knowledge, and I was unable to help him as he knows the locality better than I do.
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In fact, he showed me a plant that I had never heard of -
sea milkwort (
glaux maritima, not a milkwort at all), with just a few tiny plants in a slough at the tip of Sandwich Bay point, which was where we looked in vain for the county's other population (allegedly) of Deptford pinks.
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The amount of sea bindweed was greater than I remember, and when you're with experts you tend to see obscurities like long-bracted sedge, at possibly its only Kentish place.
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Butterflies were at a premium, but a common blue appreciated a warm paw, and a small skipper looked good on southern marsh orchids.
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A long walk in good company, and my few meetings with fellow-bloggers have all been very pleasant. You reap what you sow!
PS the photo at the end of the last post was of a deformed stem of purple toadflax. It was not a discarded bathing hat, though Rob gets the prize for his valiant attempt.
3 comments:
Steve ,
I've seen that Sea Milkwort on another Blog recently , but as usual , can't remember where .
Good job we didn't meet today !
George Clooney ???
Yes Fred - foul weather indeed. I'll return to the north-west soon and give you a call.
Re George Clooney, it must have been the drink talking!
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