With extreme heat having been forecast I came in half and earlier but was grateful for light cloud and a light breeze, which tickled Sycamore leaves. Robins tutted as Wood Pigeon performed see sawing coos. Beside the Observatory I was to see a pair, of what was to be many, Gatekeepers. It was no surprise to find the wildlife pond levels low at about 15cm deep. Water -Measurers maneuverer upon the water’s surface tension. Below was a deceased Water Boatman and there were empty Water Snail shells at the margin. Here Water Mint flowered as did Fleabane nearby. Overhead a Swallows duo danced whilst under two of three “reptile” sheets, were ant colonies including winged ants (Black Garden Ant Queens) and grubs.
A spider’s large sheet web had caught mostly Bramble petals. Along the sheltered “ringers rides” I found Speckled Wood upon Old Man’s Beard flowers. Berries were upon Black Bryony, Bittersweet, Dog Wood and Elder whilst Wayfaring Tree and Wild Parsnip had seed pods.
South Field was beginning to look drier, but this showed Hay Rattle seed pods good to harvest. Hemp Agrimony flowered at the edge of a small scrub island. Beside Hay Rake Quarr two Six Spot Burnet Moths shared a Knapweed flower with a Marbled White. Two Skippers shared another as trio of Carrion Crows explored the ground. In the sky was a waning gibbous moon whilst below a Buff-tailed Bumblebee visited a Woolly Thistle flower. In Ox Eye meadow the yellow flowers of Ragwort and Bristly Ox Tongue were evident. In the distance I saw the Hereford Cattle in the shaded gully part of Field 6.
Upon the downland, the sun was more evident through the cloud, whilst a sea haze was upon the horizon. A few small blooms of Common Toadflax showing their “lemon & custard” colours. Black Aphids upon a Knapweed stem but no predators in sight! Heading west along the coast were a pair Cormorant whilst inland a quarter of Goldfinches passed by. Smooth Hawks-bit had begun to dispense fluffy seed clocks to the breeze. Within a 20cm square were 20 Dwarf Thistle flowers at ground level with their rosettes of leaves. Keep hydrated reader!