A look back to the June Deluges

Just over a month ago, on 19th June 2016 after a series of overcast, humid days, hoping for some sightings of summer butterflies, I was rewarded instead, on traversing the wild meadow where bramble shoots had tangled themselves across the natural foot track overnight - I saw a common whitethroat darting in and out of a bush and a second one collecting food close by. They were obviously a pair with young to feed, silently. Earlier in the month several had been heard singing in different locations

along the riverside bramble bushes where they return each year. 

A few Meadow Brown butterflies were seen but bees were more numerous, being able to withstand the heavy rain over the past few days.

Tree Bumblebee (Bombus hypnorum) on a bramble leaf in a moment of rare sunlight.

A new species to arrive in the UK in recent times - seen first in the South East, it reached

Scotland only 2 or 3 years ago.

Brambles in flower are probably the most important source of sustenance for bees and many other insects over the long summer months and then when they fruit, provide food for birds in the autumn.

White-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lucorum) feeding on a Bramble flower, collecting pollen on the way.

All bees love Brambles:

This is a Communal Mining bee joining the bonanza:

Communal Mining Bee (Andrena carantonica - scotia)

Apparently this bee is a solitary bee despite its name!

Large clumps of unusually tall Common Bird's Foot Trefoil are now forging ahead

on the fields and grassy banks, like the Lesser Stitchwort growing up through

the grasses. Eventually the grasses will dry out and die down - leaving the meadow

flowers more visible - but this year we'll have to wait…

In addition to the Meadow Brown butterflies this day, 19th June, several damselflies were seen - Large Red damselflies over the river, Beautiful Demoiselle damselflies on riverbank nettles and Banded Demoiselle damselflies over the brambles.

Four blackbirds, four song thrushes and four wrens were seen. two chaffinches, a great spotted woodpecker, ten starlings and two blackcaps were were also seen but only one blue tit.

House sparrows were singing in the hedgerow - about 20.

This was just a quick check on a warm sunny and humid day.