Nature Notes August

The warm dry weather continued through the month.

SIGHTINGS
Birds:   Jackdaws, Carrion Crows, Magpies, Jays, Wood Pigeons, Buzzards, Green/Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Sparrowhawk, Black-headed Gulls, Common Gulls, Robins, Blackbirds, Song Thrush, Dunnocks, Wrens, Goldcrest, Nuthatches, Treecreeper, Coal/Blue/Great/Long-tailed Tits, Siskins, Chaffinches, Goldfinches, Greenfinches, Willow Warbler, Chiff Chaff.
Butterflies/Moths:   Brimstone, Large White, Small White, Painted Lady, Peacocks, Holly Blue, Speckled Wood, Silver-studded Blue, Red Admiral, Common Blue, Clouded Yellow, Large Skipper, Small Skipper, Brown Argus, Grayling, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown, many species of Moths.
Dragonfly/Damselfly:   Small Red, Southern Hawker, Broad Bodied, Four Spot.
Mammals:   Pipistrelle Bats, Grey Squirrels, Mole, Roe Deer, Wood Mice, Common Shrew, Foxes.
Reptiles:   Common Lizards.
Pond Life/Insects:   Pond Skaters, Water Boatman, Sticklebacks, Species of Bees, Hover Flies, Ants.
Plants in flower:   Low growing Gorse, Ling/Bell Heather, Cut-leaved Geranium.

Species of Finch have been seen in flocks in the tree canopies. The warm dry weather has prompted sightings of Damselfly/Dragonfly. Many feathers were seen on the ground as birds were in moult. Foxes were heard barking during the hours of darkness.

Nature Fact

Many juvenile birds are now in the process of change in their appearance to become the same as the adult of their species. Young male Woodpeckers who have red caps on the top of their heads, are now developing this marking further down the neck to the nape. Young Goldfinches (both sexes have the same appearance) are now beginning to develop their red face plumage as summer draws to an end. Young Robins have lost their speckled plumage and are now showing a small rusty breast.