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47.

17th-18th Jan. 1954.

On 17th (Sunday) walked from 55 bus termnus at Walkinstown to Rathfarnham bus, via. Greenhills, Tymon Castle, Firhouse, Charleville & Butterfield Avenue.  10.30 AM till 12.30 P.M.  Saw two small birds at flooded field into Butterfield Av. & Daisy heard them calling, where Twites seen a couple of years ago & thought these also Twites.  On the Greenhills earlier watched first a Hooded Crow & later a seagull repeatedly attend a Kestrel, but never  pushed home the attack & seemed much more afraid than the Kestrel.  On 18th the first yellow Crocus in front garden open & not one of those which appeared above ground before Xmas, but one which suddenly shot up on 17th out of a clump of Aubreta.  Also one abnormally early flower on Saxifraga apiculata in W. border of frong arden & one flower open on Daphne blaggiana at back garden.  The Daphne laureola at front door with some flowers open for at least a coupld of weeks now.

Received five Hymenoptera swept by R.C. Faris at Farrinseer, Co. Cavan, on 10th January as follows:-

Centeterus opprimator  ♀︎ ant. 20.
Dacnusa areolaris  ♀︎, ant. 21.
Aphidius sp. ♂︎ ant. 21.
Cynipids 2: 2pp.


19th-22nd January.

Extraordinarily mild, with thick misty drizzles.  Wind turning east on 20th & temperature gradually falling on 22nd.  On 21st saw Alexanders (i.e. plants only) & several alders by the Dodder above Dartry in flower, in the latter case male catkins shedding pollen.  Crocuses now out in garden of No. 10 Clareville Rd. & several seen in other places.  Looked for Coltsfoot flowers at Ballyboden & near Templeogue but none seen.


48.

27 & 28th Jan. 1954.

Very dry & very cold, with strong E. wind at just about freezing point.  Heavy snow in parts of southern England, a little on Dublin hills above 1,500 feet on 27th, but none fell in Dublin itself.  Temperatures in England very low on night of 27th, 28th & 36 degrees of frost reported on BBC, from Midhurst in Sussex.  In spite of cold the brown-leaved Prunus everywhere sprinkled with flowers & the queer green-leaved species near N. end of Rostrevor Terrace, Orwell Road, also with a few flowers.  Flowering Current on opposite side of Orwell Rd. to last also with a few flowers actually open on 27th.

NB.  According to Miss Hilda M. Parker the brown-leaved Prunus also referred to is Prunus subhirtella!


29th Jan. 1954.

After a hard, dry, frosty night, snow began to fall about 11 A.M. & continued till nearly 2 P.M. when about an inch lay everywhere;  later about 4 P.M. a thaw set in & by 6 P.M. much had gone & roads wet in most places.  In todays Irish Times (front page article) it was announced that:-

"That there were icy winds, stormy seas & low temperatures along the east coast, with Dublin slightly warmer - the BAROMETER rose from one to four degrees above freezing point!.

Any comments Mr. Editor?


30th-31st Jan.

Very cold & snow showers.  About 2 inches of snow fell on 31st, later much thawed, but then froze at 5 P.M.  No wind!