End of summer

Ah well, nearly the end of August and thus summer is almost done. Not a classic one by any stretch of the imagination, but the wet start certainly had an effect on the plant life on the common. I don't think many birds flourished, but there were large numbers of swallows around today, so at least they may have done well in the last couple of months. Let's hope they accounted for some of the biting insects that got me.

It was very quiet on the common this morning, as of course almost all birds have stopped singing now. Almost the only birds to be heard were the inevitable wood pigeons, but I did pick up the soft calls of some bullfinches.

On Scouts' Pond I discovered a moorhen with a small chick; surely the last brood of the year. Here is a picture of a fringed water lily, just opening at the water's edge.

Walking across the boardwalk I noticed several grass of parnassus flowers. This is one of our signature species, and it is good to see it seems to be doing well. Nice to see a bee on one of the flowers, and as I carried on across the boardwalk towards Warren Road it was encouraging to see large numbers of bees and hoverflies busy on the flowers.

Message from Chairman John (following Working Party 11th August)

Dear All

 

Thanks to all who helped this morning.  Your splendid effort achieved more than any Chairman is entitled to expect and will delight all who use and enjoy the Boardwalk.  Less noticeably (at least to the non-cognoscenti) but equally valuable is the effect of 4 years battle with the Himalayan Balsam which I think we now certainly have on the back foot. I say, "Bravo and Hurrah" to all of you.

 

Regards from John