What to see in Summer

The beautiful bladder campion

“Ah, summer – that long-anticipated stretch of lazy, lingering days, free of responsibility and rife with possibility. It’s a time to hunt for insects, master handstands, practice swimming strokes, conquer trees, explore nooks and crannies, and make new friends.” – Darrell Hammond

I am not a fan of the cold, so, I look forward to summer and the chance to get out into the countryside, whilst the days are long and warm. Nature clearly agrees with me, as there is much to see and enjoy.

I am huge fan of the Marbled White butterfly and whilst many of our more common butterflies have been in decline (take the Small Copper and Gatekeeper for instance), on my local patch, Barnes Common, these most beautiful of insects have been on the increase. We are not quite sure why this is, but in one particular meadow, the conditions are perfect, so plenty of nectar rich plants (so knap weed and wild carrot) and little or no mowing, allowing the young caterpillars, when they emerge, plenty of cover and all the grass they need to munch on.

Other insects to keep your eye out for are dragonflies and damselflies. Although no friend to the butterfly, the large emperor dragonfly is known to take these out of the air, they are still wonderful to look out for. The lifecycle of both these involves water, so, your best chance of seeing them is in and around ponds and lakes.

Ruddy darter dragonfly

Common Darter

Small Red damselfly

As green shoots of spring merge into summer, the grasses turn golden.

Deer and a flock of starlings captured in Bushy Park.

As the temperature rises, so everyone heads for the shade and the water to try and cool down.

As young kestrels leave the nest and become more independent, you have more of a chance to see them as they practice flying and catching prey.

As August arrives, look out for the heather up on Putney Heath, big skies at the coast and do remember to keep feeding the birds as you never know what might pitch up in your garden?

Putney Heath is known for its heather

The Isle of Wight

Sadly, Green Finches are a rare sight in London these days.

Have a wonderful summer….