It was great to see the bird ringers’ nets back in use in the wildlife garden. My mellow meadow took me to Saxon Field where Deer forms were found. l. It was great seeing that even the most recently grazed areas were population with flowers. Short stemmed Ox Eye Daisies bloomed in the south facing side of Saxon.
It was a good day for viewing butterflies and their nectar sources. Before the Small Copse I had nine Gatekeepers, four Marbled White, three Large White and one Meadow Brown. It was a delight to find on the wing the colourful day flying moth know as the Six Spot Burnet. They had stout hairy bodies and performed far more rapid wing beats than the butterflies! Upon Buddleia bushes in Saxon I was to also see Red Admiral and Peacock butterflies. Additional insect activity included Honeybees that had returned to the Bollard beside the gate, near the centre, into Boys Brigade. Common Red Soldier Beetles flew near the Small Copse, where two elected to take a brief pause upon me! There were plenty of striations coming from sun baked areas of grassland at least including Meadow Grasshoppers. A Common Green Bottle flower showed it metallic body whilst upon an umbel flower.
Under the shade of Large Copse Enchanter’s Nightshade still bloomed whilst Garlic Mustard had developed seed pods. Before the wood Burdock flower were showing faint petals. Box flowered beside the gateway into Taskers. Outside the calls of unseen Herring Gulls and a Green Woodpecker were broadcast. Both a Jay and a Magpies explore Taskers northern boundary hedgerow. Amongst the Agrimony, Ladies Bedstraw, Field Scabious, Greater Knapweed and Red Clover flowers was a new arrival. The indicator of damp patches Fleabane begun revealed and orange flowers.
The Stour Valley Ringing Group reported a score of birds rung today. A Sedge Warbler indicated an early migrant. A pair of moulting Willow Warblers were thought to have bred here. Blackcaps, Whitethroat, Robins, Wrens and Dunnocks were also rung. However, a flock of seven Heron had passed overhead and three Tree Creepers had been caught near the centre this year. It is thought they bred in the Holm Oak woodland. I addition the ringers reported a Hummingbird Hawkmoth in the garden. Outside I spotted a Dragonfly hawking along the trampled grassy paths.