Tour of villages - Day 4

Another great day out meeting with residents & Parish Councillors across South West #Norfolk

Today I visited #Southery, #Hilgay, #WestDereham, #Wereham & #StokeFerry

Thank you to everyone who came along & my team of volunteers who helped the day run smoothly

Besides the Duck Mussels, other freshwater molluscs of the Cut-off Channel include Ramshorn Snail (Planorbarius), Common River-Snails (Viviparus viviparus) & am not sure what species of snail, lower right? #FreshwaterSnails #Norfolk #Stokeferry 14/17

Although the recent heavy rain has re-wetted Stoke Ferry Fen, no waders there - only a pair of Shovelers (and a loud Cuckoo).
Self-heal (Prunella vulgaris) & Wild Strawberry (Fragaria vesca) on the walk back up to the Cut-off Channel.
#StokeFerry #Norfolk #WildflowerHour 7/7

After the rain shower, went down onto Stoke Ferry Fen. In the brimming ditches: Celery-leaved Buttercup (Ranunculus scleratus), Water Speedwell (Veronica anagallis-aquatica) & Parrot's Feather? #WildfloweriD

#StokeFerry #Norfolk #Fens #OurWorldIsWorthSaving #Wildflowerhour
6/7

Still a few redhead Goosanders on the Cut-off Channel besides the peeping Teal. A fat fox ran on ahead of me.

Still a wintery sun as it began to set over the #Breckland edge.

#StokeFerry #WestNorfolk #Norfolk #OurWorldIsWorthSaving 5/5

Roadside Lords-and-Ladies (Arum maculatum) good to go.

Big old Norfolk Horn rams clothed in silver fleece in the evening sun along the #Wissey.
Spring snow of Blackthorn (Prunus spinose) being enjoyed by bumble bees.

#StokeFerry #WestNorfolk #Norfolk #OurWorldIsWorthSaving 4/5

Could she really have had 4?

Ashleaf Maple (Acer negundo)? tassels and willow catkins like cuddly caterpillars.

#StokeFerry #WestNorfolk #Norfolk #OurWorldIsWorthSaving 3/5

A lone Mute Swan sat near the remains of another, perhaps a victim of the nearby powerline. A pair of Oystercatchers loafed & the paired up Teal laid low on the brimming river, tossing palomino manes of the reeds against the great, static, still-leafless Beech.
#StokeFerry 2/5

Delighted to come across 2 handsome drake Goosanders on the Cut-off Channel at Stoke Ferry; >4 more downstream by a Little Egret roost & 2 pairs upstream. A Kingfisher flew off up the #Wissey. Also Grey Wagtail & piping Bullfinches.

#MyWalk #StokeFerry #WestNorfolk #Norfolk 1/2

One Hare in a sea of green. He was really inquisitive - or else keen that I snapped him from his best angle.

#StokeFerry #WestNorfolk #Norfolk #europeanhare #hare #easter #EasterHare 7/7

Willow scrub, with Bird Cherry coming into bloom, vibrant with blackbird & warbler song (especially Chiffchaff), into which I saw a Sparrowhawk fly bearing a well grown Moorhen chick from The #Wissey.
#StokeFerry #WestNorfolk #Norfolk. #MyWalk 1/7

Reeds at the end of Common Drain against a welcome brightening of the sky in the W as the sun sank below the clouds.
Surprised to see small herd of Red Deer by Eleven Acre Belt, #StokeFerry Fen.
Plenty of Reed Buntings rustling around in the reeds along the dyke. #Norfolk 2/4

Suckler herd of glossy cows summer-fat on fenland pasture along the #RiverWissey near #StokeFerry #Norfolk

Good carpets of lichen atop the Cut-Off Channel flood bank insterspersed by Evening Primrose. Damson thicket along Limehouse Drove a delicious bonus. Also some groves of Aspen, a particular favourite of mine (when not suckering in my garden). #StokeFerry #Norfolk

Along River Drove, Viper’s bugloss still going strong, along with Dwarf Mallow, White Campion and Common Toadflax. #StokeFerry #Norfolk #WildFlowerHour

Delightful bit of the Cut-off Channel at Limehouse Plantation, the air positively a-rattle with dragonflies (including Migrant Hawkers & Ruddy Darters). Not sure if the Hobby slicing overhead was after them or the swallows noisily expressing their indignation #StokeFerry #MyWalk