Big butterfly count

I spent a pleasant hour today counting butterflies for the big butterfly count (http://bigbutterflycount.org/). I found 11 species in all, with the highlight as far as I was concerned being a painted lady. Lots of large whites, peacocks and gatekeepers, with single common blue, small tortoiseshell, small skipper and red admiral. Others found were ringlet and speckled wood 

Also spoke to a Warren road resident, who has seen some white admirals in her garden.

Great for butterflies at the moment

In all this hot sunshine, small skippers and ringlets are visible in abundance on areas A and B (the grassy bit of the Common between Warren Road and the bridge over The Beck). Also burnet moths, which I've had reliably identified as narrow bordered five spot burnet moths.

Should be plenty of lizards enjoying the sun too!

And the reed warbler has started singing again, so perhaps has a second brood on the go.

Himalayan balsam working party Sunday 20th July

Hello All

It’s time to wage our annual war on the Himalayan Balsam and the time to do it is this Sunday, 20th July, meeting at 10:00am at the car park.

There is very little in the usual place, thanks entirely to our vigilance over the years.  But the stuff is ever-resourceful, having moved down the Beck  to where it thinks we either won’t notice or won’t bother.  How wrong can a plant be?!

So there is a job for a some intrepid soul with a good pair of wellies and if that could be you please come along on Sunday morning.  I don’t think it will take very long.

Parts of the boardwalk are also getting overgrown, especially the spur to the cross-roads.  So there is a sweeping job there for somebody if I get it cut in time.

On this occasion it would be useful if you can email me back if you intend coming on Sunday morning so I can make the right preparations.

Kind regards

John

Update: John in the jungle with trophy: