July - floribunda

Welcome to July’s blog post. Remember that to access the video footage included you will need to go to the Liddells website: www.liddells.co.uk and click on Blog.

What’s That Bird?

What is calling near the buck in the Pit Wood and what is calling in the Scrub apart from the Chiffchaff and Wood Pigeon?

4th July

John and Clare have been concerned for a while about some branches on dying Ash trees that were overhanging paths. Ashes tend to drop branches with no warning and some of these were big branches, so John and Clare asked George to come and attend to them. They didn’t want the trees felled as Ashes provide excellent habitat. George and his workmate made short shrift of the job, leaving the trunks which will most likely produce new growth. Clare and John will create more habitat from the brash.

While John was supervising the work (and marvelling at George’s tree climbing ability), Clare updated her list of plants in flower. She noticed Self-heal, Bird’s Foot Trefoil, Ragged Robin, Marsh Thistle, Tufted Vetch, Marsh Valerian, Hedge Woundwort and Enchanter’s Nightshade.

Clare also took some insect photos and noticed that a buck had used protective Hawthorn brash for fraying - rather the brash than the tree it was protecting.

Clare also spent some time capitalising on the dry conditions to dig out the roadside pond a bit more, removing some of the pondweed that was threatening to take over.

A male Siskin visited one of the niger seed feeders; a species that hasn’t been seen for a while although has been heard by Merlin and ringed by Ruth.

The trail camera in the Pit Wood captured a first view of the older doe with twins. She has had triplets for at least four years now. Perhaps only having twins is because she is getting older.

6th July

More pond excavation for Clare and more insect spotting. It is looking to be a good summer for butterflies.

Clare also noticed a Harlequin ladybird. These come in a variety of colours/patterns. Click here for more information.

The younger doe with the single kid runs through the Pit Wood and the erect hairs of her caudal patch show she is alarmed. You can also see how creamy the kid’s caudal patch is in comparison, making it less distinctive.

The older doe is taking the twins further afield - below you can see her leading them through the Scrub.

8th July

Ruth made Clare’s day by ringing a juvenile Whitethroat. This is the first ever evidence that the species has bred on Liddells. Since the birds are site loyal, the prospects of further breeding next year are encouraging.

More plants in flower - Field Scabious, Black and Greater Knapweed and Great Burnet, all on the Wildflower Meadow. John and Clare noticed that there are apples for the first time on one of the Crab apple trees and that one of the eating apple trees planted last year has a few embryonic fruits.

The camera on the south side of the Pit Wood showed several clips of the twins suckling. Clare has stitched the clips together.

9th July

John noticed that the weather forecast suggested there would be a few good weather days and quickly rang to see if Tom and Barry could cut and bale the Hayfield. Happily they were available and the hay was cut and made quickly. Only seven bales this year, far fewer than usual. Barry said it was the same everywhere because of the dry Spring. He would normally expect 600 bales from his fields and only had 300. It showed Liddells’ meagre seven in a different light!

Rather than photos of hay bales, here is a link to Edward Thomas’ poem ‘Haymaking’ - ‘nettle creeper’ is another name for the Whitethroat.

Clare noticed her first Comma of the summer. It was basking on Holly in the Pit Wood.

11th - 12th July

Clare has commented on how often the deer seem to pause in front of the cameras to have a scratch. Of course they are probably scratching elsewhere and off camera. This doe exhibits a strange neck movement that John has seen many times. Clare wishes she had such a flexible neck.

Meanwhile a buck seems to have turned into a unicorn. It is very difficult to see what is caught on the animal’s head.

15th July

Although determining the sex of new roe kids can be difficult until they are older, Clare thinks it is possible to see the beginnings of differentiation in this next video. Clare thinks it shows a doe followed by a buck. Time will tell. The birds calling in the background are a Wren and a Goldcrest.

17th July

Ruth had another session with her nets and rings. She said the birds weren’t particularly co-operative when it came to photographs however she was pleased to ring the first juvenile Garden Warblers and Bullfinches of the season. She said that some of the warblers are showing signs of moulting ready to leave.

Clare found another half dozen thistles and a couple of Hogweed on the Meadow which she removed - the total for both is still lower than in previous years. She went looking for Broad-leaved Helleborines and found at least ten coming into flower, then she started doing some clearing where the ashes had been lopped.

After working Clare headed for Pond Maggiore and there were innumerable Emerald damselflies. She also checked in with the wildflowers again and added Marsh Woundwort, Ragwort, Betony, Spear thistle, Cleavers, Yarrow and Upright Hedge Parsley to the list of plants in flower. She was also delighted to see how one patch of Field Scabious is spreading.

18th July

Barely a month old and the single kid in the Scrub has grown considerably. You can see the strong markings it has at birth beginning to fade.

20th July

Another stretch of boundary wall has collapsed - the landowner has had cattle in the field recently and they find young Sycamore leaves especially tasty. This involves the beasts leaning over/against the wall. John and Clare had a look at the repair needed and decided it was a job for Gavin the waller.

They both did some tidying from the lopping instead. Clare started a brash pile agains the remains of an old wall. She had noticed that there were many cavities in the wall which would make excellent nest sites for birds or small mammals, so she laid brash alongside the stones to create some protection. Next season it might be a place for a trail camera to see whether any creatures investigate or use the habitat.

The Meadow was covered in butterflies and when Clare looked at the short video she had recorded, she was delighted to see there was a Painted Lady which she hadn’t noticed before. The video doesn’t do justice to the number of butterflies, however it gives a flavour of the activity.

21st July

Clare decided to join the Butterfly Conservation Count. She recorded 53 Large Whites, 4 Peacocks, 4 Commas, 5 Meadow Browns, 3 Small Skippers, 3 Red Admirals, 2 Small Coppers, 3 Speckled Woods and a Painted Lady. Not bad for a 15 minute watch on the Meadow.

Red Hemp nettle goes on the plants in flower list and one of the Junipers has a large number of berries this year. Enough for Liddells’ gin?

The brash habitat has grown with all Clare’s clearing up. Clare spotted a pellet on one of the new gateposts on the Hayfield and noticed how it was encrusted with what seem to be cherry stones. She has removed the pellet with the idea of picking it apart.

23rd July

All is not lost on the stoat front. Although you have to be quick to see them, three young stoats scamper through a corner of the Pit Wood. Another clip from a couple of hours later showed an adult running past the camera. It is good to know there are still stoats around.

Badgers are still making regular trips through both the Pit Wood and the Scrub. Here is a clip from the Scrub which provides an excellent excuse to include an article sent to Clare by long-time Blog devotee Barbara. It’s from the Observer and is one of a series of pieces by Simon Barnes in which he imagines life as a creature. You can read his badger thoughts here.

24th July

The old buck shows that the rut is beginning. Here he is marking his territory near the Story-telling Circle.

The hares are making good use of the cut Hayfield.

25th - 27th July

More clearing from the lopping, then Clare had a walk around spotting Mugwort, Loosestrifes Yellow and Purple, Water Figwort, Water Mint, Lady’s Bedstraw, Harebells, Goldenrod and Fleabane in flower. The Broad-leaved Helleborines are now fully in flower too.

The cameras haven’t captured a fox for a while. Here is one making an early morning trip through the Scrub.

A day after the buck was captured marking territory in the Pit Wood, a kid investigates a sapling he marked. This happens again two days later (only one of the clips included here). Although the sex of the kid is not clear, John thinks the behaviour demonstrates learning by recognising scent markings from other deer and acknowledging territory.

28th July

Further evidence of stoat activity in the Pit Wood is reassuring. Clare hopes they will find the habitat she has created at the felling site and use it for breeding next year.

29th July

Tom cut the Meadow today. John and Clare still have no access to a small baler, however they hope friend Barry will be able to take some of the hay; the rest will be thrown into the pit in the North-east strip.

Clare set about dissecting the pellet she had found on a gatepost. There were 22 cherry stones, fragments of vegetable matter and small pieces of what appear to be beetle exoskeletons (at the base of the circle in the photograph). The absence of fur and bone suggests this is not a raptor pellet. Most likely candidates are Wood Pigeon, Song Thrush or Blackbird. Clare thinks the size points to Wood Pigeon as the favourite. You can read more about bird pellets here.

30th July

Clare collected the discs for the end of the month and there were several clips from both the Pit Wood and the Scrub showing bucks chasing other bucks. The footage shows there are three bucks vying for the territory, the youngest ‘murder’ buck, an older mature buck and the oldest very mature buck. The latter two are distinguishable by their differently muscled hindquarters, the oldest buck’s being bigger. No footage included here, however the activity confirms that the rut has started. John and Clare will keep an eye open for evidence of driving circles and place cameras accordingly if at all possible.

Ruth carried out her last ringing session of the month. She apologised for the lack of photographs, however with 68 birds to record and ring, she had her hands more than full. Most of the 68 were juveniles and included 9 new Bullfinches, 4 new Goldfinches, and a Chaffinch. There were plenty of titmice including 3 juvenile Coal Tits, a new juvenile Whitethroat, an adult Blackcap, a Chiffchaff in moult and a steady stream of young Robins and Dunnocks. Ruth checked her records for the same date last year and noted that there had been 61 birds then. It’s good to know that the populations are holding steady and is an encouraging end to the month.

What’s That Bird?

Night sounds - Tawny Owl; Who is calling? - Robin