My favourite reserve, Melverley Meadows near Whitchurch, is at its best this month. It’s mostly traditional species-rich hay meadows, managed in the old-fashioned way, and in June it’s a sea of flowers and waving grasses. Common spotted and heath spotted orchids, varying in colour from white to dark magenta, yellow rattle, delicate lacy white pignut, patches of bright bird’s foot trefoil and the taller, scrambling meadow vetchling, all stitch a tapestry across the fields.
Dr Cath’s Nature Notes – June
James Adler
June is the beginning of proper Summer for me. The rush of Spring, with all the new arrivals and changes, is over and the season is settling into full, burgeoning life.
S Edmunds
Wetter patches hold ragged robin and bugle, with meadowsweet following on and the curious seed heads of marsh marigold reminding me of what has passed. Insects buzz, flutter, zoom, creep, hum and chirp, each according to its kind, and the whole reserve is a tiny paradise of simultaneous frantic activity and deep peace.
The hay will be cut in late July, but until then I’ll be there as often as I can to witness the almost daily changes in the flora and fauna.
June sees families of fledgling birds around the garden. Baby blackbirds and blue tits are harassing their parents for another caterpillar, little spotty robin chicks are begging ceaselessly, and if I’m lucky, the great spotted woodpeckers will bring their brood to the old birch stump to learn to climb. You can tell the family members apart – the male has a red patch on the nape of his neck, while Mum’s neck is just black and white, and the youngsters have a jaunty red cap. The patch of long grass and flowers left in the lawn as a mini meadow provides cover for the young birds as their parents forage through the shorter grass – ‘No-Mow May’ has extended into ‘Just-Leave-It June’!
Please don’t forget that fledgling birds might look as if they’ve been abandoned, but they’re just waiting for mum or dad to feed them; they will be somewhere nearby, even if you can’t see them. Unless a healthy fledgling is in obvious danger, leave it alone. If it should be in an obviously risky place, you can move it to somewhere safer, but within hearing distance. The parents will locate it by its begging calls, and won’t mind at all that it’s been handled. I once had a labrador who collected fledgling song thrushes – he had the softest mouth, and the unharmed but rather soggy thrushlets were all returned to their parents none the worse for the experience!
June is a fabulous month for insect-spotting too. The herbaceous border is in full flower, and the cranesbills and Cistus attract masses of different bumble bees, solitary bees and hoverflies. Butterflies active this month include garden favourites such as red admirals and small tortoiseshells, but it’s also a good time to make a trip out to see small pearl bordered fritillaries – try Llynclys Common or the South Shropshire hills – or large heaths at Whixall Moss. The main larval food plant of the latter is hare’s-tail cotton grass, so it’s worth watching areas where the plant is abundant. Most of the damselflies are in their flight season by now and will be out on sunny days, with some of the earlier dragonflies. The white-faced darter is one of these, found at its most southerly location in Britain here in Shropshire at Fenns, Whixall, Bettisfield and Wem mosses, where a nationally important breeding colony thrives.
The smaller, less noticeable insects are important too. They provide the masses of food required by swallows, martins and swifts, as well as all those warblers and flycatchers who come to Britain to breed every year, bats, and larger insects such as dragonflies. June is the month to help Bugs Matter with their national survey to record insect populations. You can find out about how to contribute data at kentwildlifetrust.org.uk/bugs-matter or in the latest issue of our magazine. I’ve got my splatometer ready for my next trip to Shrewsbury. Does that sound intriguing? Get yours too – these citizen-science surveys work best if as many people as possible take part.
So make the most of your 30 day’s wild, and get out to see Shropshire’s wildlife – it doesn’t matter whether it’s as everyday as a singing blackbird or something you have to make a special expedition to hunt for. Every bit of it is special, every bit of it adds something special to your life.
