Some new plants

Dotted Loosestrife

Biting Stonecrop

Wood Sage

I'm still adding plants to the lengthening plant list of the Stobswood area. Dotted Loosestrife was not a surprise as it is a common garden throw out but Biting Stonecrop and Wood Sage were more surprising. There are lots of Alchemella plants but I'm not skilled at telling them apart. At the tip area there were high numbers of Orchids and butterflies. On June 26th I counted over 1200 Ringlet butterflies within the confines of the old tip and the plantation opposite. The opposite plantation has over 10,000 Common spotted Orchids and I have counted over 4000 Northern Marsh Orchids here this year. Large skipper numbers have been 54 and 32 Common Blues all within the confines of the two plantations. No Mother Shipton moths this year but dozens of Common Wave and Yellow Shell. On Saturday a fine male Marsh Harrier was quartering the plantation before casually making its way North via the East side of Widdrington Moor Lake.

Around Morpeth Speckled Wood butterflies have been numerous in June and I counted 12 basking on the footpath down Abbey woods. On the bike I have noticed several Bird Cheery trees covered in the webs of the Bird cherry Ermine moth near Mitford. A Little Owl has been sitting on one of the stunted Beeches between Meldon and Molesden.