A further visit to the Pocket Park

I took a stroll over to the Pocket Park earlier today. Conditions were damp but very mild and once again there were plenty of  insects about including the Common Dung-fly Scathophaga stercoraria. These are the yellow flies often seen on fresh cow pats. (Its generic name was originally Scatophaga meaning "eater of dung" and some books still use this spelling). A jay called but I couldn't spot it. Considering how brightly coloured this member of the crow family is, it can be very difficult to find in the tree tops.

I was pleased to see a Field Pansy Viola arvensis in flower; it is a common cornfield weed and seeds had doubtless come from adjacent farmland. This is the 123rd species of flowering plant I've now recorded in the Pocket Park. Most floras regard it as native to Britain but it tempting to believe that, like our scarlet poppies, it was introduced to this country by Neolithic farmers.