Purple flowers are everywhere on the Trap Grounds this month, in the form of thistles, teasels, marjoram, mallow, knapweed, water mint, hemp agrimony, clustered bellflower, buddleia and michaelmas daisies (both of them garden escapes) … and (photographed below) Great Willowherb, Rosebay Willowherb, Purple Loosestrife, and Phragmites australis. Great Willowherb (Epilobium hirsutum — ‘hirsutum’ refers to the softly […]
Here are a few of Nicola Devine’s outstanding photographs taken last month, starting with a Silver-Washed Fritillary observed on 4 July. On the previous day, Nicola photographed a Southern Hawker teneral emerging from its exuvia: and a Six-Spot Burnet Moth emerging from its cocoon, while nearby two of the same species were mating:
Another visit late morning to look for Nicola’s Small Red-eyed Damselflies, again sadly without success. Saw quite a few Blue-tailed Damselflies, lots of red Darters of both species, one Brown Hawker on the Swan Pond and one blue Damselfly (Common or Azure).
I visited this afternoon with my camera to look for Nicola’s Small Red-eyed Damselflies. Sadly there was no sign of them though there were quite a few Blue-tailed Damsels around. There was plenty of other insects to see though, especially in the Meadow area where the Wild Marjoram was buzzing with activity. Butterflies seen included: […]
A pair of Stock Doves were mating today, alongside the owl box that they requisitioned earlier this year for their offspring. It seemed late in the summer for them to be mating, but apparently they mate up to four times each year; and indeed their previous brood were still in the box, calling for food! […]
A fox, glimpsed on the east bank of the Kingfisher Pond, enjoying the sunshine. Nicola Devine
The first reported sighting of a Kingfisher for many months, perched above Tim’s Pond. And then, even more exciting … … a new damselfly, photographed on a butterbur leaf on the bank of Tim’s Pond, and later identified by Stephen Burch (Country Dragonfly Recorder) as a Small Red-eyed Damsel: “An amazing find, as I am […]