A fresher start to the day, with a north-easterly breeze rattling through the dry grasses in the meadows and making the hedgerows tremble.
As the summer draws on, birds are becoming more noticeable again, now that most of this year’s young have fledged. Lots of Willow Warblers seen or heard this morning, as they start to prepare for migration, with Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps and Whitethroats also seen or heard.
A busy morning for our continuing bird ringing studies, with Grasshopper and Sedge Warblers among the birds captured, ringed and released this morning.
As I chatted to one of the ringers, a quick glimpse of a long-winged, agile bird of prey – too quick to be entirely sure, but probably a Hobby, just by the Learning Centre.
A Kestrel also out hunting above the Lighthouse Field, with a Peregrine Falcon seen near the Observation Point.
With a cloudy start to the day, butterflies not quite so visible this morning, though Meadow Browns, Gatekeepers, Red Admiral, Small Skipper, Large White and Painted Lady seen around the meadows.
A nice, full moth trap last night – we will go through it later, but a Poplar Hawkmoth – tawny and large near the top caught my eye, with Common Footman, Silver-Y and Large Yellow Underwing also ‘sleeping it off’ near the top.
In the meadows, still a few of the red and black, day-flying 6-spot Burnet Moths on the wing, with Bloody-nose Beetle and Soldier Beetle also seen.
Some fine displays of wildflowers to enjoy, including the ferociously spiky Woolly Thistle, the tiny Dwarf Thistle (also known as Picnic Thistle, as it is often hard to spot when not in bloom until you sit on it!) and Creeping Thistle, with it’s paler purple flowers.
Dark purple Greater Knapweed adds splashes of colour to the meadows, along with Common Knapweed, Wild Carrot, Wild Parsnip, Ladies Bedstraw, Ox-eye Daisy, Common Restharrow, Rough Hawkbit and Field Bindweed, to name just a few!