On our meet on Sunday 23rd August 2015, the approach of autumn was evident from the abundance of autumn fruits, berries and acorns, thankfully far more than last autumn when there was a dearth of wildlife food from the start.
The day was very warm and humid with fine misty rain falling later. Nuthatches were now calling loudly from the oaks where two days earlier a Purple Hairstreak butterfly was seen, on 21st August. Other butterflies such as Gatekeepers and Brimstones were also flying, with Banded Demoiselle damselflies over the river. Bullfinch, treecreeper, green woodpecker and other common woodland birds were present too, the star being a kingfisher flying low over the river, its brilliant blue plumage caught by the sun.
Food for Wildlife - Crab apples ripening. Planted for birds such as thrushes, robins, greenfinches
and others which will feed on the fruits in winter.
The early spring blossom on the trees attracts early bees when flowers are scarce and the trees also attract a very large diversity of other insects which in turn attract insect-eating birds.
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