Last night the sounds of dinosaurs were heard near the centre, thanks to a Purbeck Film Festival show. Simultaneously, Dorset Bat Group were out surveying for small mammals that emit sounds not audible to the human ear.
In the morning the moth trap revealed more night creatures: Peach Blossom; Portland Wave; Portland Ribbon Wave; Garden Tiger; Scalloped Oak. The vivid yellow of Ragwort and orange of Fleabane contrasted against greens. Our hay meadows remained uncut so South Field held the flowers of Self Heal, Tufted Vetch, Bristly Ox Tongue, Red Clover, Red Bartsia, Corky Fruited Water Dropwort, Greater Knapweed, Pale Flax and Bulbous Buttercup.
About the Hay Rake Quarr bloomed Ox Eye Daisies and here I saw my first (of the year), albeit 3 cm tall, Autumn Ladies Tresses. Further on, more of the grass like flowers stems reach near 7 cm tall. Yellow Wort still flowered as a Whitethroat called, whilst fruit hung from Hawthorn and Cotoneaster. Freshly aerated soil formed bare patches upon a few active anthills. Meadow Browns were seen upon the wing in both meadow and downland. Gatekeepers were less obvious, some amongst Bramble. Just audible was the “cronk” of a Raven, later a pair would fly west, with only their wingbeats then being heard. Magpie and Carrion Crow shared a solitary Hawthorn as a perch, the Crow preening.
In Lighthouse Field Hop Trefoil and False Barley added to the list. It was comforting to see a clattering of forty Jackdaw about gully, green and Lighthouse.