The safari actually tried to get a count of the singing Wrens on Patch 1 this morning after admitting yesterday that we had been lax and not bothered doing so for a while. We got seven before we were interrupted by a doggy hullaballoo. A family of young Blue Tits was also noted bouncing from tree to tree, the first seen on the Patch this year.
Butterflies and bees might have a hard time of it as the ‘lawn’ area that was developing into a nice clover rich meadow has be mown to within an inch of its life. End of the flowers = end of the insects that depend on them…all for the sake of ‘tidiness’. We really do need to break this outdated mindset if wildlife is to thrive in our urban, suburban areas and even parts of the countryside, eg roadside verges. The nation is supposed to have a commitment to reversing the decline in biodiversity and yet continues the very practices which are causing that decline. Surely on Patch 1’s lawn/meadow the mow could have waited another week – now all we have is piles of rotting grass everywhere for the few kids to play on…rant over but it is so annoying!
Out on Patch 2 the yesterday’s distant Grey Seal was still distant. Six Eiders might have been a reasonably well grown family of four young and their parents but it was hard to tell in the shimmering haze. Out at sea there was nothing; mirror calm this morning but no sign of anything in, on or over the water except for a very distant tight flock of about a dozen Common Scoters and yes they were far too far away to tell if that elusive Velvet Scoter was with them and a pair of Great Crested Grebes fairly close in, the first of the autumn? And a Swallow winging its way south added to the autumnal theme. The family of Linnets brought the reality that it is still early back; phew cos we’ve not reached midsummer’s day yet.
No Grey Seal again at lunchtime; in fact no notes taken at all – it can only get better can’t it?
Where to next? More of the same or will there be more autumnal stuff or will spring make a late comeback?
In the meantime let us know what season it is in your outback,
Butterflies and bees might have a hard time of it as the ‘lawn’ area that was developing into a nice clover rich meadow has be mown to within an inch of its life. End of the flowers = end of the insects that depend on them…all for the sake of ‘tidiness’. We really do need to break this outdated mindset if wildlife is to thrive in our urban, suburban areas and even parts of the countryside, eg roadside verges. The nation is supposed to have a commitment to reversing the decline in biodiversity and yet continues the very practices which are causing that decline. Surely on Patch 1’s lawn/meadow the mow could have waited another week – now all we have is piles of rotting grass everywhere for the few kids to play on…rant over but it is so annoying!
Out on Patch 2 the yesterday’s distant Grey Seal was still distant. Six Eiders might have been a reasonably well grown family of four young and their parents but it was hard to tell in the shimmering haze. Out at sea there was nothing; mirror calm this morning but no sign of anything in, on or over the water except for a very distant tight flock of about a dozen Common Scoters and yes they were far too far away to tell if that elusive Velvet Scoter was with them and a pair of Great Crested Grebes fairly close in, the first of the autumn? And a Swallow winging its way south added to the autumnal theme. The family of Linnets brought the reality that it is still early back; phew cos we’ve not reached midsummer’s day yet.
No Grey Seal again at lunchtime; in fact no notes taken at all – it can only get better can’t it?
Where to next? More of the same or will there be more autumnal stuff or will spring make a late comeback?
In the meantime let us know what season it is in your outback,
1 comment:
I keep banging on about the over tidy countryside Dave - no-one listens, they think i'm mad :-(
......stop mentioning Autumn!!!!
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