White Early Dog-violet

Despite tha long day of travelling, I woke at 4.30 a.m. (which would have been 6.30 a.m. in Cyprus) and couldn't get back to sleep. As dawn broke, I realised it was a sunny morning, so headed out early to do my first breeding bird transect of the year at Thorpe Wood.

The sound of the birdsong was almost overwhelming - all the resident birds were singing, including a very loud Song Thrush, and there were also several Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs. I ended up with a good total, though surprising not to see or hear the Great Spotted Woodpecker.Pheasant and Sparrowhawk were unusual sightings for the wood.

After I'd finished I did another circuit to enjoy the spring-flowering plants - Primroses, Early Dog-violets, Lesser Celandines and Wood Anemones. I came across an extensive close of this pure white form of Early Dog-violet, not a variation that I've ever seen before locally.