July
Weather Stats This Month
Max Temp = 22.8 deg C Min Temp = 7.6 deg C
Max Wind 57.2 mph Max Rain in 24 hr Period = 33.6 mm
Max Rain in 1 hr Period = 6.7 mm Total Rain For Month = 219.1 mm
Diary
23rd. I am thankful that the high rainfall of late has not wreaked any damage like that seen around the country culminating in flooding of homes and buisnesses. My home is about 700ft above sea level and I am situated on a hill albeit part of a valley. The sun rarely shines and the clouds rarely differ from the monotenous grey colour at the moment and I think the garden is suffering from a lack of direct sunlight bringing with it any heat.
The meadowsweet is now in full flower which the Bees like. They are seemingly so intoxicated that they appear to "fall" around the flowers at speed rather than the usual orderly collection seen on most plants. Very few Butterflies are evident with only a few passes of a Comma and Small Skipper to report. Frogs are still out and about round the pond with numerous taddies at various stages being noted.
We purchased a few new plants at the weekend from our now rarely visited garden centre. I was after a new Buddleia plant with "Black Knight" in mind but soon changed my mind when the colour of "Royal Red" caught my attention. I have a "white" Buddleia already at the back or the right hand boarder up against the pergola so I thought I would add this new variety to the same position on the left of the pergola. I was also swayed with a Helanium and some Nicotania which will fill out a few spots that the cat has flattened. Talking of the cat my new devices to annoy the cat visits are working!!! They really don't like the water sprays and this has now taken affect as I now rarely go into the garden and see them in their usual ambush places...hurraahhh!
No more visits from the Lesser Redpoll but we have had a Willow Warbler pass through and a couple of Raven fly over calling late in the evening. This is the second time I have seen and heard them. I have also heard and seen the odd Oystercatcher as they fly over the garden usually heading East or West. Young birds from the finch family are now increasing as juvenile Greenfinch, and in particular, Goldfinch are coming for food supplies.
I headed to my usual spot for bird food supplies only to be informed that the sunflower hearts I buy have increased in price by 22% to £21 for 20KG. This seems to be the trend, unless you are Tesco, that prices are on the increase and by some margin. Working in retail myself I see this trend to be frequent and encompasses a vast amount of products although I can only guess the hearts being of direct consequence of the poor weather for crop growing this year.
14th. A trip to a local spot produced pictures of a lovely bird. A normally nocturnal bird becomes more crepuscular as weather and young birds to feed have an effect on it's normal activities. This gave the opportunity to get some reasonable shots of this Juvenile bird in particular. Sadly the sun was behind it and the owl had it's back to us so I did struggle with the light but all in all I am pleased with the results.
Long Eared Owl
These beatiful birds gave cracking views with 3 young and one parent being present. The parent was qaurtering fields adjacent to where they were roosting and returning with what looked like voles low across a main road that was worrying to watch.
"Balmoral" Barn Owl Chicks
A thank you to Andy Simpson who sent me this picture of "his" Barn Owl chicks which have been legally ringed near their home in Scotland. Andrew has spent time and effort accomodating this, and previous families of Barn Owl, in his Scotish retreat. It must be a real pleasure having these beauties nesting near your home and with the help from Andrew I am sure they will continue to flurish. I would have thought that it showed a very good habitat was in evidence as four, nigh on full grown chicks, are almost ready to fledge.
News in the garden has been in short supply due to the continuation of wind and rain although today has turned sunny with a 2007 July high of 19.8 deg C being reached. The rain and wind has finally taken it's toll on the Bird Cherry I planted about 4 years ago. It was about 3 foot high when planted and reached about 15 feet to present day. After the tree had split a few months back I had doubts it would leave the remaining trunk strong enough and sure enough that was the case as I looked out of the window to see the tree had succumed to the inevitable. I chopped away the trunk and whilst new growth had already taken place below the older broken trunk, I am unsure whether to keep it or to plant something else in it's place. I shall see!
As I was out inspecting the garden and thinking that a lot have plants have not been allowed to reach their best due to the weather I noticed a small insect on the floor in the pergola. At first I thought it was a ladybird but on closer inspection it turned out to be a micro moth of an unknown name. If you could help with it's ID I would appreciate the help. A couple of pictures to may help. It is only about 6-8mm in length.
8th. The rain has been incessant, and this shows in the total rainfall for the month 109.8mm so far thats quite incredible really. Yesterday the 7th, due to a break in the rain, did give me chance to get out into the garden and clear away some of the plants that have succumed to the wind and rain, and I can assure you it has been quite a lot sadly. The taller plants like the Hemp Agrimony, Purple Loosestrife and the Meadowsweet are almost prostrate so I have had to tie them back in several places. The combination of the constant rain and gusty winds (57mph) have left the plants to much to cope with and it has stopped a lot of plants growing as they should have with the usual help of the July sun! As you can see the max temp has been 17.8 deg C and this has been reached only a few time with 15 or 16 deg c being more the norm.
A new visitor to the garden was recorded in June (I forgot to upload the image) and yesterday he brought his sister with him. On this occasion I did not manage a shot of them so the image I took on the 11th of June will have to suffice. Both of them have headed straight for the Sunflower hearts and stayed quite happily for some time before finally dissappearing with Goldfinch.
Juvenile Lesser Redpoll Cheeky Blue Tit
After the first visit by the Redpoll I was very surprised when he returned let alone when he brought his sister so I hope this becomes a more regular occurence. No sign today (11:30) although a quartet of Goldfinch are feeding. The other pic of the Blue Tit just shows how desperate they can become for food as a normally shy bird has resorted to foraging near to us with a supply of mealworm. The feeder he is perched on it about 12" away from us.
Whilst out yesterday arranging my new anti-cat measures I was just about to reach for a bit of hose pipe I have in the "just in case" pile I was stopped by an insect that I have never seen here before. I watched it for some time and then quickly ran inside for my camera. It stuck around long enough to get a few shots of it but the light was poor so only one image was of reasonable quality. It really does stand out with it's cerise abdomen.
Ruby Tailed Wasp A Froglet
The wasp is small about 11mm in length and is parasitoid of other other insects and Bees. The other picture was taken a month or so ago so I wonder if this is not from our pond as it is to far advanced for this years crop.
I have just looked out of the window to see the sun shine has finally made an appearance so I shall wander out to see if anything is about of interest. I hope for just a glimpse of any butterflies as they have been subdued with the rain. The temp outside has still only reached 15.9 deg c and this really could be doing to be higher!