Wild Wanderings

Diary Entry 6th July 2018

HOT!! HOT!! HOT!!

The heatwave continues.

It must be three weeks now since we’ve had any rain and the fields and surrounding countryside are beginning to show it. Temperatures are in the high 20’s all the time yesterday it was 31C and the polytunnel was almost unbearably hot and I couldn’t stay in it for long. Just a quick watering.

The long grass Islands that I’ve created in the wildlife paddock now resemble sand dunes (in their colour anyway) and in between them very little green grass.

Birds have been scarce this last week. A few youngsters make the odd appearance and the Pheasants are still a regular visitor.

The river and quarry are very low and so birdlife there has also been reduced a lot. I have had a couple of walks to the river skirting the edges of the crop fields hoping to catch sight of Hare or Rabbits but nothing on that front either.

On my way home, a couple of nights ago I caught sight of a young dog fox. He was scavenging around in the long grass. He didn’t catch sight of me at first and carried on his hunting. He stood stock still staring into the undergrowth as if he’d fixed his sights on some prey. I saw him glance my way and out of the corner of his eye he spotted me. He then became very undecided whether to pounce on the unsuspecting creature or make a dash for it for his own safety. He chose the latter and disappeared through the Hawthorn hedge in a flash. I nipped up the other side of the hedge to see if I could intercept him and grab a photo. But he evaded me. I made a note of where I had seen him and the time as often they take the same routes on their way out from their lair in search of food. I will give it a couple of days and set myself up in the long grass and see if he returns. I would love a photo of him, he was a very fit looking and strongly coloured with a fantastic tail. So, fingers crossed.

Butterflies are now starting to appear but not in substantial numbers. Small Tortoiseshell, Speckled Wood, Whites, Red Admiral, Comma, Small Skipper, and Brimstone have all been noted but they still seem to be fewer in numbers than last year.

The Ring-Necked Parakeet male appears quite regularly but without the female, so I am hoping nothing has happened to her.

Buzzards and Sparrowhawk as indeed Kestrel have all disappeared now. They usually re-appear during hay-making and harvest time taking the opportunity to prey upon any small creature panicked by all the activity.

Till tomorrow