RXwildlife Sightings

A warm and sunny morning so still at first that I could hear Collared Doves calling right across the far side of the valley at Brede. The meadows are deeper than ever in buttercups and red with dock. Honeysuckle pours scent into the shadows. Woodland birds along the railway are busy with young and hard to see in the dark foliage, but a pair of Spotted Flycatchers were in a willow and a single Turtle Dove was purring (but there were 3 last year - there seem to be very few of them around). Green Woodpeckers were calling from 5 sites and GS Woodpeckers from 2 - a noisy family party was dashing about between the station and the bridge.

Raptors were in evidence, with 2 Kestrels, a Sparrowhawk, a Buzzard and at least 2 Hobbies, chasing the many dragonflies and a hapless passing Peregrine.
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The Common Blue is the most widespread blue butterfly in Britain, males are conspicious but the females are more secretive. In southern England the upperwing colour of the female can be completely brown. This species occurs in a range of grassy places, the male in the picture was at Ternery Pool. Common Bird-foot-trefoil is the main foodplant for the larvae, which is common on the Beach Reserve.