After last night’s superb outdoor performance of Oberon’s Cure I heard the calling of Tawny Owl before I headed to bed. Over breakfast in the chalet garden the day began with hearing Chiff Chaff, Woodpigeon, Green Woodpecker, Carrion Crow and Herring Gulls.
I had a mellow meadow meander with my first delight being a pair of Bullfinches near the bungalow. As the pair perched on a dry stone wall I saw that the male had a far more vivid colour. I also saw some predominantly yellow Blue Tits which I assumed to be youngsters. Along the same hedgerow a family of ten Long Tailed Tits eventually passed through. Briefly the pair of mammals scampering on the ground, which I assumed were for Rabbits, were revealed to be Grey Squirrels which mounted a wall to leap into the scrub to head for the Large Copse. Noisily a Goldfinch passed overhead as did a Swallow and House Martin. A male Stonechat called from scrub in Saxon. Of the pair of Kestrel I first saw above the Large Copse I later saw one perch in the western boundary of Saxon only to fly past me with legs drawn to its body, with what I thought was a Small Mammal in its grasp.
We had the return of a Honey Bee colony into the metal bollard / gatepost at an entrance into Boys Brigade. Most typically the gate closing latch utilises the very fitting the bees are passing by to enter their hive. Fortunately, grazing of said Meadow is some way off.
A plethora of Six-spot Burnet Moths decorated the meadows with individuals seen to visit a range of flowers including: Greater Knapweed; Common Spotted Orchid; Tufted Vetch and Scabious. Indeed five such moths were seen upon one flower of the later. It struck me as curious in that many insects face away from their partners during the mating process. Today Meadow Browns and Gatekeeper were abundant whilst one Speckled Wood was found in the dappled shade at the top of Taskers Path.
In Smithfield two Chervil stems were topped with dark fruits such that one stem drooped under their weight. Still in this meadow near the Lighthouse Road gate the part smashed and fleshy remain of a snail upon a Manhole cover suggested a Song Thrush had been disturbed. Elsewhere I heard a Song Thrush sing then, yet again near the Centre a tapping suggested an unseen Thrush was breaking shells. Today I saw my first yellow flowers (this year) of St. John’s Wort. Enjoy the day!