I put out the moth trap on Monday evening. But with a minimum overnight temperature of 0.5 degrees centigrade, I wasn't at all surprised to find no moths in the trap next morning. I still haven't seen a moth yet this year!
To be honest if I wasn't participating in the Garden Moth Scheme, I wouldn't bother trapping at the moment whilst temperatures are so low. However, you can only miss so many weeks and as far as GMS is concerned a report of no moths trapped is still an important record.
The weather doesn't look promising this weekend either with snow forecast and minimum overnight temperatures down to -3!!
Theatre
I went with David to see a play on Tuesday evening - a Birmingham Rep production called Heather Gardner. It's an adaptation by Robin French of Henrik Ibsen's Hedda Gabler. It was excellent and I really enjoyed the evening. Birmingham Rep stage some superb plays - I've loved every one I've seen there. We saw an Ibsen play "The Lady from the Sea" there a few years ago and it was another play that made a really deep impression on me.
Crows and Flowers on Arthur's Seat
6 hours ago
14 comments:
Yes, you are so right; it's been a pretty awful March for moths so far. When I fill in my GMS form and it's a zero, I try to console myself that it's still a valid scientific result. Yeah right!!
Jerry - Just hoping when Spring (and later Summer) finally arrives this year will be better than last for moths (and butterflies).
Not the weather for moths! Driving in the dark, usually they are everywhere in the headlights by now but not a single one yet. So glad you enjoyed the theatre. It sounds like a great production.
Em Parkinson - Thanks. Don't think I shall be putting out moth trap tonight - heavy snow forecast!!
H I Caroline :-) I was about to say there won't be much point putting the moth trap out tonight but I see you said it yourself above ;-) We too have heavy snow forecast for tomorrow. Last year on the 23rd (husband's birthday) we sat by the river in Stratford in warm sunshine eating ice cream...I don't think we'll be doing that this year, more likely a DVD by the fire!
Glad you enjoyed the theatre, i do like a good play. Funnily enough I was listening to a review of Heather Gardner a couple of days ago on the radio and it sounded interesting. I remember seeing The Doll's House on the tv some years ago and enjoying it.
We`ve had snow falling all day up here today Caroline...and it`s set to remain cold for the rest of the month :(
ShySongbird - Hi Jan :) Has been snowing heavily here all afternoon and forecast to continue overnight :( I remember how lovely the weather was this time last year - and there were butterflies about!! Happy Birthday to your husband - hope he has a lovely time regardless of weather :)
The play was good - haven't seen any reviews yet but hope it gets good ones because it deserves them :) David has finally had enough of local journalism (can't see a future in it) and has asked to take voluntary redundancy in September. He acts as Art Editor at the moment so once the free tickets "dry up" I don't think we shall be going as often to the theatre :(
You might prefer not to read this paragraph as I am about to tempt you to spend money :) The "Birdwatching in Norfolk" dvd I bought in Norfolk is really rather good - next best thing to being there. DVD player still won't play it (its the dvd player's fault btw not dvd!) but the computer will :) Its by Paul Doherty and visits various wildlife locations in Norfolk one month at a time. Its about £17 on Amazon so I got a bargain at Cley :) Might be worth considering for bday/cmas lists :)
I've also got another Edith Holden book that I don't think I've mentioned before. Its only very short and a children's story (so due to length not worth paying a lot!). It consists of some of Edith's wildlife drawings done after the diaries which have been made into a story by her niece Rowena Stott. Charming little book if you see it cheap secondhand :)
Sorry for tempting you again :)
Deano - Its awful Dean - snowing heavily again here at this minute and forecast to continue :( I think we shall just have to hope for a massive improvement come April although I am not holding my breath!!
Hi again Caroline :-) It must have been great fun to be able to take advantage of free theatre tickets, what a shame that may be at an end but I wish David every success in his future endeavours.
The snow we had during the day on Friday didn't settle here and eventually turned into very heavy rain. However, it turned back to snow during late evening and continued most of the night and most of yesterday and then a bit more during the night. Not as bad as some (maybe you!) have had I suspect though.
You are so naughty to tempt me...and you certainly have ;-) particularly with the DVD which I have looked up and see I can get for £11.90 on Play.Com which seems pretty good to me. We do enjoy wildlife videos...apart from the ones that are full of large animals eating other large animals!! We have quite a lot and last Summer used to set aside Friday nights as 'Nature Night' which was fun. We still have some to watch and this one may well be added to the collection. I was pleasantly surprised to see on a review that it includes butterflies etc. too :-) I hadn't heard of the Edith Holden book so will look that up...when I dare ;-)
Hello, I'm enjoying reading your blog very much. The decline of so many moths is very worrying; so the Moth Scheme is important. As you say, snow here at the moment, so it isn't the weather for moths. "Spring" is really behind this year; I'm still waiting to see my first butterfly.
ShySongbird - Hi again Jan :) thank you so much for your good wishes to David. If he's going to change careers probably best to do it whilst still young and living at home i.e. no responsibilities :) I think we shall still go to the theatre as we both enjoy it so much but not so often due to expense :(
Seems to have been snowing here for ever! About 4 inches Friday night - snowed lightly yesterday and more added overnight! Not looking forward to driving tomorrow - although I don't think main roads are too bad.
Sorry about the items to tempt you :) I think your "Nature Night" is a lovely idea :) I've got a lot of nature dvd's I've never got round to watching and would also like to watch all the David Attenborough ones again. I'd forgotten about Play.com - used to buy a lot off them. That is a good price - cheaper than I paid and from memory they don't charge postage and packing. The dvd does include some mammals, dragonflies and as you say butterflies - including the Swallowtail - would love to see one of those even more than (if possible) THE Purple Emperor. I noticed on Wessex Reiver's blog that you are a fan of Matthew Oates too - have you got his Butterfly book? - Oh dear better shut up I'm off tempting you to spend money again!!
To go back to Norfold dvd - the places visited are January Holkham, February Horsey, March Lynford, April Breckland, May Titchwell, June Lakenheath, Weeting and Kelling, July Strumpshaw Fen, August Snettisham, September Cley, October N. Norfolk coast, November Cley and Welney and December Buckenham Marshes :)
Wendy
Thanks you so much for your lovely comment. I have just visited your excellent blog and I hope you don't mind but I have added it to my Blog List so I can keep up to date.
The decline of moths (and butterflies) is very worrying. I have only seen the one butterfly - briefly when I was at some Nurseries. Perhaps we will have a sunny April ?
Hi Caroline, First of all huge apologies for not thanking you very much last time for your kind birthday wishes for G. I had every intention but got carried away with DVDs, you may not be surprised to know I have it on order ;-) Thank you too for the extra info on it. No I don't have the Matthew Oates book, my main one is the one by Jeremy Thomas and Richard Lewington which is excellent but I have read a lot of his articles and may well still add his book to my collection.
My turn to tempt you again now, I've been meaning to mention this. Have you read The Butterfly Isles by Patrick Barkham? I thoroughly recommend it, it is one man's account of his mission to see every British butterfly in one year. It was one of my birthday presents last year and I love it. Don't expect lots of photos, there are some in the middle, but it is just a great read. I think you can get it in hardback for under £8 now.
ShySongbird Hi again Jan :) Goodness please don't apologise re not mentioning G's birthday wishes :) Hope you both had a lovely day :)
So hope you enjoy the Norfolk dvd :)- no I am not surprised you have ordered it :) As I said it really is the next best thing to being there and I can enjoy all the places we missed :)
We are so alike :) Yes, my main butterfly book is the Thomas/Lewington one too :) and yes (sorry no temptation to buy this time) I have the Patrick Barkham one. I just couldn't resist temptation when I read about it and, as you say, its a really great read. Do envy him his journey as I would so like to do something similar :)
The Matthew Oates one is a National Trust publication - I think I bought mine from the Coughton Court shop. Have just started to read it - grabbed from my pile of "yet to read books" which gets higher by the month :)
It's good that you're doing this again. We've had to do the same with bird counts...even if they are not seen. It's still valuable data:)
Rohrerbot - I do like doing surveys and contributing to research - it gives an extra good dimension to your wildlife watching - especially if it can help declining species.
So glad to read on your blog about the enjoyment you are getting from your birdwatching :)
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