A rather misty and grey start to the day, with a few spots of welcome rain making it feel much fresher. The overcast conditions more than made up for by the dazzling array of flowers blooming in the meadows, hedgerows and downs.
As the summer draws on, purple and pinks are starting to dominate among the gold of the grasses. Majestic ‘Imperial Purple’ Greater Knapweed towers above the smaller plants below, with Common Knapweed, growing in profusion. Lilac-coloured Field Scabious sways gently in the breeze, with Small Scabious (much smaller) to be found on the shorter turf.
Skylarks carol breathlessly overhead, with a Linnet also passing overhead, along with a few Swallows and Swifts.
Pink and white Restharrow tangles around the stems of the grass, with Yellow Rattle still in bloom here and there, along with Ox-eye Daisies, Rough Hawkbit, Ladies Bedstraw and Self-heal to name just a few.
The Umbellifers (or ‘Cow Parsley’ family) can be found in profusion, including pink and white Wild Carrot, yellow Wild Parsnip and the similar, but more delicate Pepper Saxifrage. Also in bloom, the structurally similar, but unrelated Yarrow.
A wide variety of grasses in flower, in shades of gold and soft green, from the tiny Quaking Grass, to shiny green Wall Barley and it’s smaller relative, Meadow Barley, Tall Fescue, Cocksfoot and golden yellow Tor Grass among them.
In the hedgerows, Old Man’s Beard, covered in pale green-yellow flowers scrambles across the scrub, with the glossy berries of Wayfaring Tree also starting to appear, with the purple and yellow flowers of Bittersweet around the base.
On the short downland turf, Eyebright, Wild Thyme, Squinancywort, Bastard Toadflax and Dwarf Thistle make a colourful tapestry, while despite the weather, Marbled Whites, Meadow Browns and Gatekeepers are all on the wing.
Our bird ringers have had a good morning, despite the weather, with both Reed and Sedge Warbler captured, recorded and released.