Environmental News July 2009
It is quite warm as I write, but luckily not up to Wimbledon standards.
However it has been pretty good weather this month for nearly all the plants and creatures we are privileged to see.
Flowers are around in great profusion, and for gardeners, dead-heading is a constant chore. Almost every flower you could expect to see is in bloom. Having just missed a bus, my wife and I decided to walk down the relief road into Poole. We were surprised by the variety of flowers that we saw, and on returning (by bus), totted up a list. The final total was 44, and I would guess the total is still very similar.
Most garden birds are busy with second or third broods, and our spotted woodpecker is very busy again with his territorial drumming. The green woodpecker successfully raised a fine chick, that looks so large when he is sticking his head out of the hole that I worry that he will not be able to make it.
I have been on several trips hunting butterflies. There are still a few painted ladies hanging on, and thefirst of the mid-summer species are flying. I went over to the NT farm near Corfe Castle, primarily to see their flower meadows, but was lucky enough to arrive at the peak time for meadow browns to emerge. In a four mile walk, I would estimate that I saw 750 at least. Another trip to Morden Bog ( the north end of Wareham Forest) yielded a large colony of silver studded blues. The colony was much larger than last year, so not all counts of butterflies gives bad results. In last weeks good weather, my wife and I did a tour of some of the local Reserves. We were not greatly impressed by Ham Common, and failed to find any snakes or lizards. Bourne valley was much more attractive, particularly the landscaped valley behind Rossmore College. Good marks to BOP. The far end of the Bourne Valley Way, led on to Talbot Heath, and eventually to Coy Pond, where the ducks were scarce but the large fish looked even larger. We also walked over barrow Down, and found it a lovely calm place. An evening walk on Corfe Hills showed a good colony of nightjars again. Finally a short tour of Broadstone LNR and Pocket Park showed it was a bit unkempt, but still accessible to local people. On our trips we saw quite a few butterflies, which could lead to a great improvement in numbers next year.
No info on guided walks at present, but the dorsetaonb website has a comprehensive list for you to study.
Most of the areas run practical conservation groups, and details of these and further interesting walks should be available at the numbers below, or for a wider picture ring 01305 224214 for a copy of Coast and Countryside, or try your local library.
Useful Numbers for tasks and events :-
| Local Dorset Wildlife Trust | 01202 692033 |
| Durlston Country Park | 01929 424443 |
| Avon Country Park | 01425 478470 |
| Poole Countryside | 01202 265265 |
| Moors Valley | 01425 470721 |
| NT (Studland) | 01929 450259 |
| Natural England | 01929 557450 |
Other useful wildlife web sites for wildlife news in this area are:
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