24th May: The Plantlife cowslip survey was done on the cluster. They are not particularly abundant but many won’t have been noticed as the flower spikes are nibbled off by grazers and I was only looking for flower spikes.
Just over a hundred were found. Some couldn’t be recorded as the flowers were not ‘out’. 82 flowering plants were recorded of which 44 were ‘L-morph’ and 38 were ‘S-morph’ (don’t ask, just follow the link below!)
It’s an easy and enjoyable survey to do so if you know anywhere with a few cowslips crack on! Find out how https://www.plantlife.org.uk/uk/discover-wild-plants-nature/cowslip-survey
Also noted were peacock butterflies, two common sandpipers, kestrel, buzzard, pied flycatcher and a cuckoo calling close to Heggs House. There were also a few ‘screaming’ swifts racing around.
The Heggs-Castle Renaturing Project 
38/44 sounds like a pretty good mix then, very positive.
LikeLiked by 1 person
L-morphs were the better team. Consistent and reliable. But the S-morphs rallied and put in a sterling effort at the end, easily outnumbering/playing the L-morphs.
Or in sensible language, the ratio was approximately 2:1 L-morph until the last cluster on a damp brackeny patch.
Note to self: Learn about the different morphs and why!
LikeLike