A strong westerly wind. It whistles through the trees, brings a coolness to the air, and jitters the Yellow Rattle across the fields. Undeterred Swallows soar, glide, and dive, their arrow shaped form flying across the sky.
It’s June, and so the meadows have turned white, with an abundance of Ox-eye Daisy now in flower. Their large nodding heads swaying back and forth with the emergent blue Pale Flax, and flowering grass heads: Cocksfoot, Quaking, Soft Brome, and Glaucous Sedge.
Amongst the stems, a bright green Six-spot Burnet caterpillar with distinct rows of black spots in pairs, running along its sides.
Blossoming Dogrose creates a wall of flowers along the hedge, petals beginning to drop and litter the path below. Chiffchaff, Chaffinch, and Wren calling from within the thicket of Blackthorn, green under-ripe sloes upon the branches, and sweet-scented Honeysuckle draped through.
Holm Oak leaves fall from the copse, with two Roe Deer disappearing into the undergrowth. I’m pretty sure I had a quick glimpse of a Tawny Owl: It’s lofty wings moving silently between the trees.
A fantastic display of Common Spotted Orchids in the paddock, and swathes of Birds-foot Trefoil too. Fleabane leaves have started to appear, and the usual patch of Adders Tongue Fern displayed in the corner of Taskers.
Last night we enjoyed an interesting talk from Joe Parker, warden of Lundy Island 2023-2025. Since the eradication of rats on the island, Lundy’s Atlantic Puffin population has recovered from just 5 breeding pairs (2003), to over 2000 birds today. He offered interesting thoughts on the fall of our local puffin colony (From 31 pairs in 1969 to 3 in 2024).