Langdyke volunteer Jackie Robinson reports on how the teams are keeping our reserves in tip top condition.
July has seen temperatures in our local area of 19⁰C to 26⁰C with showers just dampening the ground or short, sharp, heavy downpours.
Our Swaddywell cabin pond, which is still in discussion as to how to solve the bulge issue, has gone from almost dry to showing a cracked dried out crust, to now having about four inches of water in a big puddle in the deepest part.
On July 25 a female Emperor Dragonfly was ovipositing in the water watched by a Common Darter and some damselflies. It seems there is no good time to sort out a pond. Even at home my garden pond needs attention but scooping off the duckweed invariably catches a tiny newt that must be gently introduced back into the water. Luckily, they swim away with no harm done.
The main pond at Etton High Meadow has been topped up and the three new ones have all managed to keep water – but only just. The recent rain has seen them partially restored. There are plans to install some rain water harvesters on the site to ensure they can be topped up during future summers.
The butterflies at Swaddywell are still showing in very good numbers, the Gatekeeper, main picture above, especially is really doing well. From last three transects numbers have been as follows:
- July 10 – 340 individuals, 175 of them Gatekeepers
- July 17 – 203 individuals, 119 of them Gatekeepers
- July 25 – 197 individuals, 60 of them Gatekeepers and surprisingly 36 Common Blues. The weather for this last count was dry, quite hot but with a bit of breeze and the butterflies were staying hidden until the sun came out fully and the breeze dropped.
The Thursday volunteers strolled around the Hills and Holes on July 26 and saw a good number of Chalkhill Blues and a lot of Six-spot burnet moths. The cases they emerged from were everywhere on flower stalks and even the fencing around the Pasque flower areas. They do look pretty on the knapweed.
After the dry weather some of the flora at Swaddywell has gone over more quickly than normal but despite the ponds being totally dry in the pit area, the water mint is growing and together with the marjoram smells lovely. The bird’s-foot trefoil and fleabane are giving some bright yellow colour. Knapweed is around in various places and insects are making good use of it. The top field is looking a bit dry, and it feels very ‘bouncy’ where the Autumn Lady’s Tresses hopefully will soon start to show themselves.
Our volunteering jobs continue to be keeping willows, saw-sedge and bramble at bay whilst noting what is visiting the reserve and any new plant species growing.
If anyone sees the Wasp Spider, please let us know, I think she may have to move over a bit as the side of the slope she made her web on the first time I saw her doesn’t yet have much for her to hang on to. The side she was seen last year (RHS coming down the slope) has more stems but the bank below has much more vegetation, just recently there have been may more crickets jumping about so hopefully she’ll show soon. Keep an eye out for her zig-zag web and little wrapped food parcels!
The swallows from Willowbrook have fledged and can be seen with their shorter stumpier tails circling over the top field searching for insects.
A glow-worm count at Swaddywell a few weeks ago, on a drizzly, cool evening showed twelve glowing females in the pit area which was a great improvement on the three we saw last year.
The reserve is attracting more visitors, and you can see what a wonderful job Ann and myself made of clearing the stile along the footpath this week – not a bramble encroaching to grab your foot as you hop over!
Excerpts of summer quotes from John Clare’s poetry: (azquotes.com)
“How oft a summer shower has started me to seek the shelter of a hollow tree.”
“Now summer is in flower, and natures hum is never silent around her sultry bloom, insects as small as dust are never done wi’ glittering dance and reeling in the sun.”
Do get in touch if you would like to volunteer on any of the reserves, you can email volunteer@langdyke.org.uk