The Lyons Share

We went to Old Lodge yesterday to talk about bird monitoring and had a nice walk around. There are lots of Redstarts there that seem 'exotic' to me in a Sussex setting, the feel of the Ashdown Forest being much more like the north western heathlands I grew up very close to. Lesser Redpolls, Tree Pipits and Ravens added to the feel. I saw two specimens of this click beetle which is a new one on me. At first glance I thought it was Agrypnus murinus that I know from chalk-grassland in Sussex but it was too small and looked too shiny. It's Prosternon tessallatum (my 16th click beetle) and I like its military green colouration, like something straight out of World War II. The patterning is formed by beautiful swirling hairs when you look closely at it, somehow make it appear greenish .

We were also shown the location of the Stag's-horn Clubmoss there, two very small plants that even with a GPS I would struggle to relocate. They are even harder to find than the Marsh Clubmoss at Graffham. Not at all like the specimens I have seen in Scotland. My list is currently at 3244.