Yesterday evening I enjoyed watching five Swifts silently sweeping the sky. Fortunately, the clouds were such that Wessex Astronomy was able to share a brief view of the Milky Way. Also observed was the first Quarter Moon, Mars, Saturn, Jupiter and summer constellations.
This morning at the centre a Bloody-nosed Beetle investigated around the recycling bins. Upon approaching Lighthouse Road Bridge it was noted that the Apples had not developed at all remaining squash ball size! I discovered a recent collapse within the drystone wall between Field 10 and Lighthouse Green. Fortunately, I heard and glimpsed the Hereford Cattle out in Field one near Suttles quarry.
I went in search of flowering Great Mullein but only found five dead dry stems (over a metre tall each) from last year within a quarr hollow upon the ridge. Its dry stems stood over on metre tall, whilst shorter dry Hay Rattle stood nearby.
Just as I was considering how this morning’s butterflies had be low flying sward huggers, one flew by over my head. This was as I walked through Knapweed in flower disturbing half dozen suspected Adonis Blue Butterflies. Up until then I had seen mostly Gatekeepers and a couple of Meadow Browns.
The Small Copse trees shimmered in the breeze. Erect Ash poles stood erect whilst limbs of Sycamore reached out like Mr. Tickles’ arms trying to reach some light from under the ever- green Holm Oak. In field 6 by walking a glade through the scrub I disturbed a pair of Rabbits. Later in an uncut margin of South Field further Rabbit activity was seen. At the entrance I could see where Bracken had be cut and gathered to reduce its extent. About three male Great Tits were at the down land margin with two calling from Woolly Thistle heads.
Around Kevin’s Knoll a lot of tall grass had been flatten but not grazed. Perhaps to activity of Roe Deer or Dogs. At this point a Pheasant was heard unseen as had been a Green Woodpecker a couple of times. At most I saw a gathering of half a dozen Carrion Crow over the Meadows whilst more often they scoured the regrowth of each field as pairs. Similarly six Jackdaw were seen briefly upon scrub in the Upper Gully.