A strong south-westerly wind blowing across the park, making for difficult wildlife watching conditions, the small birds mostly hunkered down deep within the berry laden Hawthorn, Blackthorn and Bramble bushes.
I was however able to hear a conversation taking place between at least 3 Bullfinches, their squeaky calls quite distinct. With this as my guide I eventually tracked down this finch, its black head and grey back blending in with the background, upon turning it pink front showed up well!
Whilst searching for the Bullfinches, Common Whitethroat, Chiffchaff and Dunnock were all found as was a Skylark which emerged at speed from the long grass.
In the sheltered areas a few butterflies were in flight including a Painted Lady and a Large White as well as a Gatekeeper and a Wall Brown. Yesterdays butterfly transect also picked up the second broods of Common Blue and Adonis Blues, many Meadow Browns and a Small Copper.
Some fantastic specimens of Woolly Thistle in bloom, the wonderful spiky concentric circles spiralling around the flower head upon which was perched the purple tuft of flowers.
At the opposite scale is the Stemless Thistle, as its name says – its also known as the Dwarf Thistle and Picnic Thistle, it is at ground level, the leaves flat with the purple tuft appearing to emerge from the turf.
Rough Hawkbit, Agrimony, Wild Parsnip and Ladies Bedstraw all providing yellow flowers, with the whites from Hedge Bedstraw, Field Bindweed and Wild Carrot.
Black Knapweed and Greater Knapweed are both still blooming while lower down the pale almost dirty purple of Red Bartsia, which looks a little like a piece of heather, is showing well.
Growing on a Dog Rose is the fluffy red Robin’s Pin Cushion, caused by the larvae of a tiny gall wasp Diplolepis rosae, which causes very little harm to the plant. The adult wasp lays eggs in the buds or leaves, the eggs then hatch into small white larvae that secrete chemicals that cause the abnormal growth.