The last day in May - time for a short summary of a magnificent month on the riverside.
It was good to see rapid growth, quite startling towards the end of May with most plants springing ahead in the warm sunshine and no heavy rain to batter down fragile new shoots. We do need much more rain however as the ground is becoming dry, the heavy clay cracking in places. One result of this however is the creation of numerous hideaways for many species of insect, amphibians, small birds and mammals, provided that they are hidden amongst tall grasses. Some species of bee have been found to make very good use of such spaces. The lush growth on the banks and verges has created the perfect nesting habitat for song thrush, blackbirds, wrens, great tits, dunnocks and other small birds, all great singers too, which have been contributing to the very impressive Dawn Chorus each morning.
The large increase in amounts of blossom and catkins produced by plants along the river has attracted more bees and other emerging insects to forage amongst them, overcoming the extremes faced last year with poor spring weather and summer heat and drought. Hopefully we will have a more varied summer this year. more growth and less destruction.
Just cutting down a few branches of flowering Rosa canina or any other flowering plant will deprive bees of a major source of sustenance and cutting a hedgerow during the spring, summer and autumn will cause mass destruction, not just for nesting birds but for bees and many other insects and small mammals. Such habitat is also valuable in winter, providing shelter for many species and should only be subject to 'trimming' in long rotation, not every year.
The latest event for encouraging bees has been the sudden flowering of Rosa canina - dog rose. Cascades of the single flowers are now lining the footpaths and buzzing hedgerows.
A heavily laden bumblebee moves round, gathering pollen as it feeds on a single Rosa canina flower.
Earlier in May some of the first Clovers appeared on the verges:
Large Red Clover flowers
and some smaller wild flowers, just as important:
Greater Stitchwort, another early summer flower.
Germander speedwell (Veronica chamoedrys)
Common daisies cover the grass like snow, in strong May sunlight.
Just leave them to grow!
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