A persistent breeze led us around the back of the learning centre into the surrounding meadows. At a glance, it seemed that the colourful summer flowering had come to an end for the year. However, at a closer look small individuals of what once were abundant could be seen. Red Bartsia were clinging hopefully to the path edges and Autumn Ladies Tresses, an unassuming orchid species, spiralled in white amongst the browning grass. Small individuals of golden Fleabane and purple Wild Thyme added to the interesting late summer wild flower presence within the meadows.
A leaning, wind pruned Hawthorn was displaying its red berries and as we headed down into the drove and out of the wind, there was a fruitful display of silvery Old Man’s Beard, ripening sloe, ruby like Honeysuckle and blackberries not quite ready for crumble. The wind began blowing up the drove, unfortunately meaning not many birds were present. However, we were pleasantly surprised by the presence of Meadow browns, gatekeepers, and a Holly Blue, the earliest butterfly to be seen on the park during spring and one of the very last butterflies present before autumn.
As we headed out of the drove and along the top of the meadows overlooking the lighthouse, two bull-tailed bumblebees shared the nectar of a Knapweed flower. Bees have interestingly been shown to communicate with one other, either warning against predators or where good spots for nectar are. In addition, insect life was present in the form of Robins pincushions, mossy wasp galls located on the stems of Dog Roses. Gall wasps or gallflies are a family of wasps that induce on plants during their larval development.
Wild carrot, Parsnip and Yarrow were all found in larger swathes along the meadow path with the mile markers in view. In addition, tall Purple Woolly Thistle and related Greater Knapweed added a dash of colour to the browning landscape. Finally, a Wren tutted its warning call as we passed through the final gate back towards the learning centre.