I had a pleasant meander west through Meadows and Downland. I was a little surprised yet happy that only the entrance meadows had been cut and baled. Many are relieved that Long Meadow will not need to be cleared by hand this year! This staggered cut has meant that cover remained for Skylarks, Small Mammals and Insects. Furthermore, these areas were still to be Ragwort harvested!
In South Field Fleabane remained in flower within an uncut margin, whilst at least two ground hugging Bindweed flowers crept under the hay cutting blades in said field. A disseminating Moon could be seen in the sky along with vapour trails.
At the Saxon and South Field boundary a Roesel’s Bush Cricket perched upon the gate. Nearby an old gate post hole had been reactivated as a Badger Latrine. Later I found a second fresh latrine beside a pile of Limestone I had hoped might support basking reptiles. A Kestrel perched in scrub at the western boundary which failed to concern Wood Warblers that flitted past. On the drove I encountered at least five Long-tailed Tits. A Swallow flew over Johnstone Meadow whilst a Pheasant cock crowed unseen to the west.
Gatekeepers were the most abundant butterfly this morning with my stopping counting round a hundred. Many were visiting Bramble flowers. Some five Speckled Wood butterflies took advantage of some of the dappled shade of the North to South Drove. Also on said drove a Horse Chestnut just protuded up above the scrub but end leaves were either laced by insects or dried to a crisp. Only two Marbled White, one Large White and a Small Blue and one Wall Brown put in an appearance. Amusingly both Hay Rattle and Meadow Browns were happy being beyond their namesake boundaries by being upon the downland!
The Herford Cattle were in Field two and were flown over by two Carrion Crow. Off shore the shadows of clouds passed over the sea whilst a good dozen sailboats took advantage of fine conditions. Whilst I saw two Herring Gull “interact” with a dark large winged sea bird heading west I am not confident as to what it was! A pair of Linnets explored the undulating quarried area of the coastal down land slopes. The downland having more varied surfaces, aspects and depths of soil or rock exposure was better populated with flowers than the meadows at this time.