Village wander

A walk along the ridge footpath, south towards Much Hadham this morning before it became too hot. Very little, as expected on the bird front. A nesting yellowhammer pair, common buzzard, chaffinch, corvids and wood pigeons along with a solitary swallow were about the sum total for 5 miles. However, meadow browns, small and large skippers, ringlets, small and large whites and good numbers of small tortoiseshells were observed. By the River Ash there is a thistle patch that must have held 20 nectaring sm torts. Other insects were noted; 7 spot ladybird and a member of the Cantharidae family, commonly known as soldier beetles. A fox was noted wandering around a field recently mown for hay.

soldier beetle

7 spot ladybird

meadow brown

small tortoiseshell

7 spot ladybird