6th July

Living in an area of intensive agriculture you have to work hard for your fill of nature. In particular it has a very diminished flora so discovering  (thanks to Chris) this fantastic area of Kidney Vetch yesterday, less than a mile from home, was a real surprise (after all I’ve only lived here for thirty years!!).

A superb spot and interspersed with Zigzag Clover, Bird’s-foot Trefoil and knapweeds. 

Nearby I added a few more flowers to the parish list including Agrimony and Common Centaury…

The whole area also looked fantastic for insects so I walked there this evening in the late sun. Excellent numbers of Red Admirals and Small Tortoiseshells…

and the first of the new generation of Commas was on the wing but the pick of the sightings was this lovely Six-spot Burnet moth…

Not by any means a rare species (although more local in the north) but this was the first record for the village.