JWR and myself did his WeBs count at Branton and Hedgely Pits where the highlights were an adult Cuckoo and 2 Green Sandpipers, supported by 2 Goldeneye and very little else.
After this we had a plan to head up onto the moors to search for Lesser Twayblade. Now this is a tiny, underwhelming orchid that hides on bog under rank heather, and today it did just that, remained hidden. While stooping and searching under the vegetation, a few other bits of interest were found - 12 Crossbills ( not under the heather, but very low overhead) 2 juvenile Buzzards hoping not to get poisoned, lots of Cranberry and Cross leaved Heath with a few Round leaved Sundews and Bog Asphodel.
Speckled Longhorn Beetle Pachytodes cerambyciformis was a new species for me on Hogweed nearby.
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| Speckled longhorn beetle Pachytodes cerambyciformis |
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| Round leaved Sundew |
