Mid-Summer

The wet weather contues - after the wetness of April, a dry spell in May allowed the first cut of silage to be taken. But now its back to the rain again - and cold nights with it.
Numbers of moths caught in the moth trap have consequently fluctuated wildly. From really low points of early/mid April - with just 3 moths in the trap to 40 to 50 by the end of May, now back to 20 or less.

Still some pretties turn up - the bright yellow Brimstone is probably now just over, but a Poplar Hawk Mothturns up most night. A small catch up on the down on th the 4th produced this Small elephant Hawk Moth.

Juvenile tits can be seen around now so some successful broods must have fledged, although the boxes around  the garden seem to have not been attractive enough. A Robin is sitting on egs at the base of a tree in the garden at present - having  survived a falling silver Birch in the high winds of Thursday, and then my sawing it up with the chain saw for most of the day today.

In the meadows the song of Cetti's, Sedge and Reed Warblers and Reed Buntings forms a sonic mosaic that pieces its self together over the course of a walk. The wet weather has resulted in a burst of growth in the vegitation and a mid-summer look is all around.

A glimpse of sun and there's a flash of blue along side the ditches - damselflies have just emerged.

Around and about the fields are starting to change colour