It may be the mild autumn, or the strange weather year, but butterflies are still on the move. This is despite some very very heavy rain and thunderous showers. Despite this a number of butterflies still manage to come out of shelter when the sun shines again. Viewed in the last two weeks: red admirals, large whites, small whites, peacocks, red admirals and brimstones. Brimstone
The weekly monitoring of butterflies for the UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme on the Hyden Hill transect has just been completed for 2023. The numbers of butterflies were up nearly 300 on last years results.
The churchyard hay has been cut, turned and is now ready for bailing, when it stops raining! Rather than being collected as loose hay, this year a mini bailer is to be used. There have been many different species of butterflies and other insects using the hay meadow this year.
The famous East Meon mature wych elm, that is sited in Halnacker Lane, appears to be dying. It does have a younger sibling close to it, that appears to in good health. Maybe the recent hot summers have affected it?
Sigi Goolden and others have been busy tidying the wildflower garden beside the sports pavilion. There has been a good succession of pollinators – oxeye daisy, marjoram, white bryony, , woundwort, brambles etc. The lack of water does not seem to be so much of a problem to these plants.
The picture shows a ‘birdsnest orchid’ growing in Duncombe Wood next to the lower path. There are a few other ones in the wood, as well as a number of common twayblade orchids. The birdnest orchid is listed as ‘near threatened’. It generally grows on calcareous soils in deciduous woodland, showing a strong association with beech trees, exactly the area in this part of Duncombe Wood.
There is a very good show of bluebells in Hen Wood, next to Horsedown Farm at the moment.
First swallow of 2023 sighted in Coombe Road today 15 April. Last years first sighting was on 21 April.
Spring wild flowers are coming into bloom at a great rate now. The picture shows wood anemones and celandine in Duncombe Wood. Also heard the calling of chiffchaffs in the wood for the first time this year.
The Toad Patrols on Coombe Road finished on Sunday 26 March. It has been a different year to last year, with a long period in the middle of the patrolling season devoid of amphibians due to the cold dry weather. However the numbers of toads are comparable to last year, and the number of newts up by approximately 60. One thing we did notice was that a number of the male toads were very small. Read more…