Signs of Spring ... Snowdrops in Suffolk

Snowdrops, Martlesham, January 2018

It was a dull windy afternoon, so we went to Martlesham (on the other side of the Deben from Sutton Hoo) in search of signs of spring. St Mary's churchyard will soon be awash with yellow and purple Crocus flowers, but we were hoping to see Snowdrops, our first Snowdrops of the year.

 The church sits above Martlesham Creek ...

... and, sure enough, there were a few early drifts of Snowdrops for us to enjoy.

 Some were still in bud,

 ... while others were in bloom.

I noticed one early Crocus flower ...

There were a few Holly berries, adding a splash of brightness to the hedge.

We peeped inside the church just before it was locked, and saw a wall painting (St Christopher bearing the Christ-Child) ...

 ... and some beautiful panes of stained glass. I particularly liked the sheep faces.

1903 stained glass by Walter Pearce, the Good Shepherd

I was delighted to see my first Daisy of 2019: may there be many more!

My First Mint Moth of 2018

I was delighted to find a Mint Moth (Pyrausta aurata) in the garden this morning. We have seen these small creatures here before, but only infrequently. Each forewing is about the size of a little fingernail, possibly smaller. The strange thing is that to my knowledge we do not have any mint or thyme, but I guess these herbs may grow in neighbouring gardens.  

I had to be quite patient while the moth rested on the underside of a nettle: you can just see it in the photo above. 

After a few minutes of fluttering around and landing once or twice in shady patches of undergrowth, it perched on a Daisy in full sunshine, allowing me a good view. 

You can just make out its proboscis in the photo above so perhaps our Daisies were acceptable as mint substitutes. You can also see the distinctive markings of the underwings and the narrow stripes on the abdomen. 

This shows the insect with its wings together. You can see a fringe around the edges.

More insects... and the first daisies

These photos are a bit of a mixed bag, taken in our garden in bursts of sunshine. The wind has been a chilly one, but in sheltered spots, there have been signs of insect life. 

The flowering currant is always a favourite with bees.

The most colourful corner - Flowering Currant and Forsythia

I was delighted to find this little clump of Daisies. May there be many more as the days grow longer. N.B. For those of us in the UK, the clocks change this weekend. 

And a first Dandelion in the garden, emerging round a paving slab.