Count on Nature – Saturday 8th June
Thank you all so much for being an amazing team and enabling us to celebrate and know more about God’s creation.
It wasn’t very warm was it but what made all the difference was all that we saw, the conversations we had and the fellowship we shared.
Peter Martin – you are a star – introducing us to the moth world of St Mary’s [ 21 different types seen]. We just don’t know they are there quietly getting on pollinating and looking beautiful.
Birds doing well – swifts, pigeons and jackdaws are most frequent, but a goldcrest is quietly there too. Bees were present – more honey bees than before – sorry no butterflies.
A beautiful marmalade hover fly and a starring beetle – the swollen – thighed beetle [ male only] female is slim ! A beautiful green beetle on the moon daisies.
Beautiful yellow flowers – most frequent being Cat’s Ear, Mouse- Eared Hawkbeard and Trefoil. Grasses are many and splendid at this time of year- lots of Cock’s Feet.
Don’t you just love the names….
Peter and Ann keep a careful watch on often overlooked mosses and lichens and all seem to be present and correct. Tomb F101 had special attention – 3 types of mosses and 4 crustose lichens present.
I enter all this data on the Caring for God’s Acre data base which allows the church to begin to understand diversity or lack of it in its church lands. Eco diversity being a special focus on the General Synod along with Carbon neutrality.
Thank you for those special stalls and the most welcome café of delicious cake and hot drinks and for selling honey – he was so grateful in a season which is very difficult for bees and beekeepers.
The children and Michele, the two Clare’s and Gareth did great work with minibeasts – I think woodlice[ chukky pigs] won the count of numbers but we may have seen a yellow ant – mmmm.
Thank you to John and his team who enabled people to enjoy the view from the tower and see the swifts as well. Good view on a cold clear day.
The welcome you gave everyone was wonderful especially Richard in that role at the gate. And we finished our day thanking God outdoors – the right place to be.
I am thinking it would help the data base if we did a little count at another time of year – let you know on that one !!
National Big Butterfly Count begins on 11th July to 4th August – do download the app – the research from it is very helpful.
Oh yes, finally, considering the cold day we did make some money for Ecochurch – £329.94 – amazing and a big thank you.