Common Cow-wheat and Dropwort etc

Common Cow-Wheat in Lancelot Clarke Storth today (22nd June 2015) Click over to enlarge

The weather is still not that great and we had the "Summer Solstice" yesterday. Still damp with rain at times and very greyish weather.  It just is not bringing out the butterflies and what a shame!  when we are having "bumper" populations of Common Rock Rose, but no Northern Brown Argus to take advantage.  Another would be the Small Pearl Bordered Fritillary, its very thin on the ground with Butterflies.  All this forecasting of one of those special years when "Painted Ladies" will have a eruption.  They too are waiting for the weather to turn!

Like I said some of the flora offerings are brilliant this year.  Really good populations of Sweet Woodruff and look at the Cow-Wheat (see photo above).  

Birdwise today was again very thin on the ground especially with our Warblers, I heard one Chiffchaff which was without doubt a "Miss A Note", and just the one Willow Warbler in song, with one just doing its "houwit" contact call.  

Swallows seem down in numbers, I was speaking with local farmers who are definately reporting a decline in local Swallow numbers in recent years.  

Made some records of Woodruff, Common Rockrose, Yellow Pimpernel and Dropwort is starting to come through (see photo).

Dropwort starting to come through now. Click over to enlarge