The weather has been pretty cold at night so moth trapping in my garden and my little nature reserve at work has been pretty slow with only a few moths trapped on each occasion. Moths of note - Streamer, brindled beauty, Powdered Quaker, iron prominent, frosted green, early grey, purple thorn, seraphim, swallow prominent, muslin moth and lured Emperor moth in at both locations.

I headed to the Brecks for a couple of hours after work, first was a look in the Little River Ouse for stream water crowfoot plenty just starting to flower. The rest of the time I spent looking for ladybirds and it was quite productive with a nice selection pine, harlequin, striped, cream streaked, 16, 18 and 22 spot, scymnus sutaralis, and scymnus nigrinus. Also a couple of micro moths, Esperia sulphurella, Syndemis musculana a firecrest and hairy and green shieldbugs completed a nice evening.

After work the last three evenings I have been visiting local sites for Goldolocks buttercup micro species Bourn, Stradisall, horseheath and all produced plenty to see but the ID's a little trickier. I also made a visit for Poa bulbosa Bulbous meadow grass and while there also found three nerved sandwort which I made a trip to Suffolk at the weekend for - typical. I managed to catch up with a nice patch of woad growing locally.

I had no firm plans so thought I would try to catch up with three nerved sandwort (which I never seem to have seen), I had a rough area to try in the woods near Minsmere. With the possibility of looking for adders at Minsmere after. I had a leisurely start and after a brief search found three nerved sandwort along with a nice selection of other plants and a Incurvaria pectinea micro moth. I stopped on the way to Minsmere for a singing Nightingale always lovely to hear. At Minsmere I quickly located a mating pair of Adders which showed quite nicely and I watched them for a while before taking a wander. ashy mining bees and early colletes I had another look at the adders before heading off.

I set the moth traps up in the garden despite the poor moth weather not for moths but to illuminate the garden so I could photograph the badgers. Upto three come every evening and one in particular ignores the photography. Two showed up including the confiding one but I got photos of both during the evening. None of the muntjacs or the fox turned up which was a shame. I did catch 4 hebrew characters in the moth trap.

A sensible start to get over the bridge before it was too busy, the first stop was in Bean Country park where I quickly found my target of southern wood rush, plenty of other plants there incuding some nice moschatel. The weather was good so a quick stop at a wall for some wall lizards getting frisky. Some touristy stuff ensued before heading the Samphire hoe where the Early spider orchids were not in abundance and I only found a handful.

An early start and I was in the peak district to see Soft leaved sedge it was in abundance in a small nature reserve on what was a lovely morning. The rest of the day I did non wildlife stuff but did find an orange underwing moth.

An early start and I was at Barnack Hills and Holes reserve before the dog walkers, here was a nice display of Pasque flowers and I managed to find some Rare spring sedge. But my main target was at Willow Tree Fen, where the common cranes were showing well with their two chicks, really nice to see. Late morning I headed towards home making a stop at Therfield Heath where the Pasque flowers were growing in profusion and it was an amazing sight, Church hill was completely covered in them. I made a stop at Fowlmere RSPB to look for early longhorn moth but again failed in my search, still a pretty awesome day.

Chips - Fish n Chick n, Royston - Battered Sausage and Chips - 8/10

After work I popped to the Brecks in search of ladybirds, my first site had a cracking goshawk flyover low past me. I found a few ladybirds pine, scymnus sutaralis, 7 spot, 24 spot, Rhyzobius litura and Nephus redtenbacheri . A lure brought in a nice emperor moth a good start as I I was in the Brecks for my first local mobile trapping session. Weather was mixed, a bit of drizzle, a bit too windy then it cleared and the temperature fell so I finished up by 1am and headed home. Final tally was 28 species - Satellite, broom tip, pine beauty, oak beauty, water carpet, tissue, Ypsolopha ustella. I also had some moth traps in my little nature reserve one failed (light switch did not work) a small catch of 11 species brindled beauty the pick.

Chips - Historic Fish and Chips, Lakenheath - Saveloy, Chips and onion rings - 8/10

After work I popped to the Brecks in search of ladybirds I found cream spotted, cream streaked, pine and 18 spotted along with scymnus sutaralis at one site in a fairly short period of time. But it was too blowy for sweep netting and my umbrella struggled tapping so I gave up and did some botany instead. A nice selection of the early Breckland specialities were in flower field mouse ear, shepherd's cress, spring vetch, grape hyacinth, fingered speedwell, brecklands speedwell, little mouse ear all seen as I visited a couple of sites.

I started at Fowlmere at dawn a couple of muntjac and water voles and a lone hare but nothing for photos. It was quiet apart for a few warblers. I headed to Letchworth for the black squirrels which were showing well as did a rather nice song thrush. A quick stop at Stocking Springs Wood where the wild daffodils and wood anenome's were handing over to the bluebells. I stopped in at St Albans briefly, some pochards on the park lake were nice and the herons were already sitting on chicks in the Heronry but the highlight was the courting little egrets. I tried Fowlmere on the way home for Early longhorn moths without any luck, only a muntjac and chiffchaff for my efforts and that was enough for the day.

After work I battled with torrential rain, traffic jams, road closures, imbiciles in cars to get to Deal for some chips. The main prize was not too far away, but the weather of rain, strong wind was sub optimal mothing weather - but he who dares. I met up with James Hunter to look for Barred Tooth Striped moth we had some pointers from Local Nigel Jarman but James had found a couple already. We had a good search but after a bout of poor weather we headed home after another mothing sucess.

Chips - Castle Chip Shop, Walmer - Burger, Chips and Mushy Pea fritter - 8/10

After work I headed to the area in Oxfordshire where I grew up, I passed my Dad’s old office and a cricket ground where I played many away games in my youth. The site I went to was new to me yet so close to places I had been many times before. It was only 5 min walk to the site from the parking where down the side of a steep slope I could see 2 giant orchids apparently seeds were scatted here a few years ago and some had finally grown to plants. It was tricky to get down the slope but I got down to see the plants one had been snapped but repaired and the other was OK and in reasonable flower and nice to see whatever to origin.

I finally completed my local Badger Sett survey, I had to use the drone for a couple as they were on private sites with no access. One other site I did trespass to check on. I had a few mammal sightings but nothing of note. I had a few moths a few night back which i forgot to mention. In my little nature reserve a nice brindled beauty the pick but a nice selection.

I Headed to Woodwalton Fen for dawn, a muntjac was the first deer I spotted but I was after Chinese water deer and they showed quite well in the very cold conditions. I had over 30 individuals during my visit and had the reserve all to myself. I had a few marsh harriers, brown hares and the usual common birds on my wander by mid morning I was thirsty so headed back to the car for a drink. A few joggers entered the reserve so I headed off for some lunch. I did some touristy stuff before heading to Bedford Perlieus, I had an area to search for Hairy wood rush, I had a nice wander round, only a couple of people in the reserve and I easily found it amongst the commoner species. I headed home spotting a couple of fallow deer on the edge of my village.