Fledglings and Butterflies

The strong winds experienced over the last couple of days have died down so today's walk was a bit more pleasant. I set off later than usual as the weekly lockdown shopping trip had to be done first.

On checking first field for waders I found 3 Common Sandpipers. It isn't easy to view the shoreline as the vegetation is fully grown now but it is do-able.

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Common Sandpipers

The fields are now teeming with Meadow Brown and Ringlet butterflies, and Common Blue Damselflies are growing in number day by day. I look forward to the days when you walk along and a veritable blizzard of blue damselflies rises up before you.

Ringlet and Meadow Brown sharing a thistle head

Ringlet and Meadow Brown

Walking past the wood there were young birds in abundance. Three young Chiff Chaffs, two young Robins and a juv Wren, plus at least four young Whitethroats were zipping around the fence line and hedgerow.

Juvenile Chiff Chaff

Juv Chiff Chaff

Juv Robin

I didn't manage to get a pic of the Wren this time as the brambles got in the way. As for the Whitethroats, they were even harder to get a photo of as they stayed pretty much in the foliage.

Some of the field margins have been cut again, along with the sides of the footpath up to the fence and hedgerow on the south side footpath. I'm not sure this does anything for our wildlife, especially the invertebrates that provide the food for birds and some mammals. The countryside isn't a garden for goodness sake so why trim it and make it neat? Just leave the bits that don't need cutting and let wildlife prosper.

On the edge of a barley field there are poppies growing which add a brilliant splash of colour to the greens and browns. 

Poppy and an ear of barley

In the set aside field, half of the growing wild flowers/thistles has been mown. Again, I'm not an ecologist or farmer or knowledgeable enough to understand why this is done. Why not leave it growing?

Mown set aside

In the growing section there's loads of prickly ox tongue, red clover, thistles, common mallow, musk mallow, corn sowthistle, tufted vetch and a single stem of what looks to be a melilot (possibly golden melilot).

Corn Sowthistle

Possibly Corn Melilot

Musk mallow

Prickly Sowthistle

Tufted Vetch

I do worry about what is to become of our countryside flora and fauna when I see acts of wanton vandalism like grubbing out hedgerows, taking out 30 yard-wide thickets of bramble, briar and hawthorn and cutting down perfectly healthy mature trees. For what reason? To make the fields and woods look tidier for God's sake?? I cannot see any reason why doing this is a good idea. Maybe I need educating.

Anyway, at least the sheep are cooler now and I can see many good reasons why sheep are sheared this time of year. It certainly makes reaching for that extra tasty leaf much easier 😂