Morning walk 24.07.08

A brief visit along the Ash and up to the golf course this morning. Highlight was a newly emerged peacock butterfly, showing that the2nd emergence of certain butterflies is about to begin. Hopefully, over the next fortnight, there will be plenty of these species around along with some migratory species such as red admiral and maybe painted lady. Keep an eye on local buddlia bushes for these three colourful insects.

Skylarks sang over the wheat field and a family of green woodpeckers called from the sheep field opposite South Cottages.

I stumbled on a newly dead elephant hawkmoth, shown here. Plenty of these night flying creatures around, just hard to find and observe as they hide themselves away during daylight. A new plant, in the form of musk marrow (malva moschata) was photographed along the banks of the Ash whilst a teasel (dipsacus fullonum) showed it was just coming into flower,also on the Ash banks Finally a recently fledged robin called from the cherry tree at the bridge.