The sky covered in grey clouds, the first time for a long time, with a feeling of rain possibly to come. The lack of wind the other noticeable feature of the early morning, these conditions may be a reason for lots of moths in the trap last night, including a large pink and black striped Privet Hawkmoth, Cream Spotted Tiger moth (orange, black and cream, Reddish Light Arches, Light Brocade, Swift and the superb Spectacles.
Singing loudly from above many of the meadows, Skylarks, pouring their melodious tune downwards, meanwhile others were perched on the wall and others skimmed across the tops of the plants disappearing down – hopefully to a nest full of chicks. – please keep yourself and your dogs to the mown paths to reduce the disturbance to these wonderful ground nesting birds.
In an Elder, sat amongst the large white flowers a Lesser Whitethroat, holding something in it beak – again hopefully about to feed some chicks. The scratchy song of Common Whitethroats ringing out from the Blackthorn scrub, while the seeping call of Greenfinches appeared from the tops of the Hawthorn.
The flowers of the Dog Roses are spectacular, the delicate white petals tinged with pink, the inside being visited by a Red-tailed Bumble Bee.
Walking again along the same hedgerow where the Red-backed Shrike was seen on Thursday, no sign of it, but instead Goldfinches flittering along the bushes, showing off its red and gold markings.
In amongst the tall grasses, lots of pea family flowers to discover, from the pink mats of Sainfoin, the mauve/purple Common Vetch, and the Grass Vetchling – a single cerise pink flower of grass like leaves. The various yellows of Dyer’s Greenweed, Kidney Vetch, Yellow Vetchling, Hop Trefoil, Spotted Medic and Black Medic just wonderful to enjoy.
As I was looking at a large patch of Wild Clary – now just gone over, the call of a Yellowhammer distracted me, ‘little-bit-o-bread-no-cheeeese’ it goes – with a bit of imagination! But the bright yellow head of this male easily visible as it sung from the Bramble