Meadow Cut, Tedded and Baled.

 

We held off the hay cut for as long as possible as it seems criminal to cut the meadow in the height of summer when the bees and butterflies are avidly feeding on the nectar and pollen. Our small plot yielded 17 large bales of hay. I know that in terms of the nutritional value of the hay it will be lower if cut later in the year but my priority is for the wildlife so happy at the compromise. I don't have livestock so I just arrange with those that do to take it away for free if they do the harvesting. Seems like a win win for all. 

Excited to see how the meadow shapes up in year three and if I will need to make more regular cuts in the first few years to help reduce the fertility, all assuming I can bring myself to allow a much earlier cut!

Brimstone Butterfly

 

Brown Argus Female And Male Common Blue

Male Common Blue

Female Brown Argus

 

Kingfisher Returns!

 

The Fisher King taking a stickleback from my pond - Kingfisher Heaven!

 

Stop the killing of bees Sign the petition.

Sign Petition here

https://action.greenpeace.org.uk/ban-bee-killing-pesticides 

Bees are essential for our survival. They pollinate much of what we eat and play a critical role in sustaining ecosystems around the world. But the last decade has been devastating for insect populations, and bees have been hit hard - with populations shrinking by a third in the UK.

Bee-killing neonicotinoids have been banned across Europe since 2013, but the UK government has just approved these deadly chemicals for emergency use - posing a lethal threat to bee populations

Blue tailed Damselfly

 

 

Wildflower Day

 

Butterfly Bonanza

Comma Butterfly on Dogwood shrub

Large  Skipper

Green-veined White

 

Cinnabar moth - Tyria jacobaeae

 

Cinnabar moth on burdock leaf.

Scarce Chaser (Male) - Libellula fulva

 

Four-spotted Chaser - Libellula quadrimaculata

Click to enlarge. Not a great picture but a record none the less.!

 

Red-eyed Damselfly - Erythromma najas

Male. The small red-eyed damsel male can be identified by a small black x shape mark on the last segement of the abdomen.  

 

Common Darter

 

Wildflower Time - What's not to love!

Bladder Campion

Corn  Camomile 

Sorrel

Wild Carrot

Brown Hare - Leverette 

Common Vetch

 

Large Skipper Butterfly (M), Common Blue and Azure Damsel (F)

Large Skipper

Common Blue on a Cornflower

Female Azure damselfly 

I rescued this damsel from drowning in the pond. She was submerged while still being held at the back of the neck by the bright blue male. After her wings dried out, she was able to fly away. 

 

Azure Damselfly and White-tail bee

 

Common red soldier beetle

 

A Facinated Oxeye Daisy!

 

Well I never... Apparently this us what is known as a 'Facinated' flower. It's a quite rare event caused by a number of possible causes including, genetics, virus or fungal infection etc.  In a field of tens of thousands of daisies I was lucky to spot this unique bloom.