Spent the first four days of the week decorating our front room. On the morning of 23rd, I kept a watchful eye on the butterfly activity in the front garden, noting 3 Gatekeeper, 2 Marbled White, 2 Peacock, 3 Skipper (assume Small), Ringlet, Small White & a Red Admiral. Been a good summer on the butterfly front, even better than last year, which was a top one.
The previous day as we enjoyed a mid morning cuppa, this Small Copper appeared on the back lawn feeding on White Clover, only the second record for the garden, (a lot of these things are down to luck, could easily have missed that). As I grafted away with the paint brush, Stewart visited Pulpit Hill finding loads of Chalkhill Blues & a single Brown Argus, along with a newly fledged Common Whitethroat. Song Thrushes have a nest some where nearby, as I picked up a freshly discarded eggshell on the lawn, with the birds carrying beak fulls of food, like wise our resident Blackbirds doing the same. Our House Martins are also busy on the parenting front, with the first clutch hatching on 20th July (extremely late). 3 more pairs in residence, 3 vacant nests plus a pair on neighbouring house having already fledged their first brood.
An Emperor Dragon present in Stewart's garden on 24th.
Juvenile Red Kite; will soon be master of the skies.
As the week progressed, so did the thermometer, peaking on 25th, did a little temperature check at 3-00pm, 41 degrees centigrade in the full sun & 32 degrees in the shade.
Goldfinches are starting to band together with a flock of 8 visiting the garden to feed on seed heads, (I think Hawk Bit).
On the evening of 26th c40 House Martins momentarily above the house as the residents were joined by what I take to be early migrants.
Don.
Images Copyright : Don Stone/Stewart Dennis.
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