Nature Notes for July 2010

Tues 4th May - Being a sunny morning I decided to go for a short walk on Broadstone Nature Reserve, under one of the refugia I put down earlier in the year I discovered two male slow-worms and one female. Continuing my walk toward the playing fields I noticed along the hedgerow 60+ dead Bumble bees, were they killed by the sudden frost or parasites?

Weds 5th - My wife and I cycled to Corfe Mullen meadow to photograph the Green Veined/Winged orchids, to be found growing there. This is a well-maintained meadow grazed by sheep and then they are taken off prior to the wild flowers showing their heads and then cut for hay towards the end of summer. Apart from the many orchids to be seen you will find wood anemones, yellow rattle, common knapweed, meadow vetchling, fleabane and quaking grass, this meadow is a credit to the Dorset Wildlife Trust.

Fri 7th - I watched a large group of swifts flying over the recreation ground followed five days later by house and sand martins. The common swift (Apus apus) has declined over recent years probably due to their nest sites being destroyed, eg old buildings being modernised and replacing old wooden soffits or fascias with plastic leaving no access for the birds to gain entry.  They also nest in old churches, probably their last stronghold entering the roof via broken tiles. In late April/early May I have watched a dozen or more of these birds "screaming" while chasing one another through the streets and roof-top of the old Methodist church in Poole high street. They used to nest in the roof of the old flower mill opposite Wimborne market gaining entry under the eaves but not any more since the mill was converted into flats.

Sat 21st - I went mothing on Dunyeats Hill, there is a good population of the common heath moth breeding here, this is a day flying moth and can be seen throughout May and June. I also noted a silver y moth and a green hairstreak butterfly, the first this year and at the pond several male large red damselflies danced around the margin while a male hairy dragonfly patrolled the water looking for prey.

28th Dunyeats Hill - Sunny and warm still no reptiles to be found under refugia they are late this year, but there was plenty of activity in the old southern wood ant (Formica rufa) nests once again, and the Slave maker ant (Formica sanguinea) colony was also very active. I noticed on some heather a Teneral Four Spotted Chaser (Libellula quadrimaculata) take flight and then settle again a few feet away. Teneral being the immature phase in an adult dragonflies life. I also saw my first Red-Eyed Damselfly of the year (Erythromma najas) on the wing, which can usually be seen from mid-May to early September.

2nd June - being a mild sunny morning we made our way to Broadstone golf course to investigate Corfe Hills Heath, and were rewarded by seeing a pair of Stonechats feeding their fledglings and finding three Smooth Snakes, the first I have seen this year making the trip worthwhile.

15th - My wife and I decided to survey the wide grass verge between Holes Bay and the main road into Poole, this wild flower rich area usually gets cut just when it is looking its best, we counted 33 species of wild flowers, not including the grasses.  I have occasionally found the beautiful Bee orchid growing here in the past, which is not as common as it used to be, and a few days later found it had been cut down with the rest of the flora by a large flail mower, pure vandalism. There were also several common blue butterflies on the wing.

19th Dunyeats Hill - I found my first smooth snake on site this year, a young male plus one male slow-worm.  The pond was very active with dragonflies and damselflies, and the margins of the pond were alive with small froglets. I visited the pond to see if my favourite day flying moth had emerged the Brown china mark (Elophila nymphaeata) and was not disappointed I was greeted by its dainty flight. This wonderful little moth spends its larval stage under water feeding on pond weeds from September to June it later pupates in a silk cocoon attached to the stem of a water-plant just below the surface when on its emergence it climbs to the surface dries its wings and takes to the air "wonderful".

27th -. I thought I would cheer myself up after watching an abysmal England team get thrashed by Germany I went Badger watching with a friend. After putting down the peanuts we waited patiently, half an hour after settling down the first to appear was a large Rat who wasted no time getting stuck into the nuts, next to appear on the scene was a beautiful Red fox, taking no notice of the peanuts he left as quick as he came. It was nine o' clock before the first Badger appeared followed shortly by the rest of the family; it was a very enjoyable evening, a pleasure to watch.

Moths taken in the trap for May and June

14th May - 2 flame shoulder, 1 muslin moth, 2 shuttle shaped dart (one male one female), 2 nut tree tussock, 1 common quaker, 1 common wave, 1 brimstone plus 4 maybugs.

2nd June - 2 Poplar Hawk Moths, 4 Pale Tussock, 2 Pebble Hook Tip, 3 Scorched Wing, 4 Orange Footman, 2 Shuttle Shaped Dart, 1 Beautiful Golden y, 2 Heart & Dart, 4 Triple Lines, 1 Peppered Moth, 1 Flame Shoulder, 1 Coxcomb Prominent, 1 Light Emerald. The Beautiful Golden y being the prize of the catch.

All moths were released and records sent to the Dorset moth group.

Keith Clements - Parks, Nature Reserves & Heathland

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Nature News Archives

2011 January, March, April, May, June/July, August/September, October

2010 January/February, March, May/June, July, August/September, October, November/December

2009 May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December