Before
we set off a curiosity was produced by Sara: a bed bug, safely dead and bottled
as supplied by a local entomologist. This neat, light-brown insect was about
5mm long with a disc-like abdomen flattened dorso-ventrally: a first sighting
for most of us.
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| Silver-washed Fritillary |
Today’s
walk was through a variety of habitats involving woodland, dry and damp heath,
stream and pasture. Thirteen headed downhill through newly flowering heather
then along a cycle track to Dockens Water. Though cloudy with a cool
breeze, a few butterflies, including a Silver-washed Fritillary (right),
were already flitting amongst the bracken and bramble flowers. Near the
footbridge small parties of finches included a single Siskin.
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| Green Woodpecker |
Turning
south-west, the cycle track cut between spaced out dwellings, tall trees and small
fields with Nuthatch calling and two Green Woodpeckers (left), an adult
and juvenile, clinging motionless in tandem to the side of a telegraph pole as
though glued in place. Approaching the small knoll of Black Barrow where the
view opened to the north, Richard spotted a Goshawk passing over the heathland
near Hasley Inclosure. A small drying-up puddle by the trackside bore a network
of Coral Necklace strands, already setting seed, and sundew, mainly Oblong-leaved Sundew, formed clusters among the low
heather and grass.
Just
beyond Black Barrow we left the cycle track, turning southeast over the hill
beside paddocks and through tall bracken with good views west and south over
Black Heath to Red Shoot at Linwood. We turned left at the T-junction, through
a gate and onto a public footpath between and through buttercup fields,
tackling several stiles.
With
the emerging sun came more butterflies including Ringlet, Red Admiral,
Gatekeeper, Green-veined White, Holly Blue (below), Speckled Wood and
Comma. Our last half mile or so zig-zagged between smallholdings and
gardens until we popped out just below the Inn to continue uphill to the cars
with a final sighting of a Common Buzzard.
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| Holly Blue |