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As
the bird breeding season draws to a close, now is the time to
catch sight of many species as they gather together again in
small flocks. The two broods of Tree Sparrow
stay together as tight knit groups into the autumn, whilst several
families of Goldfinch join together
as a "charm" in search of thistle patches. Family parties of
Linnets also gather to roam farmland
in quite large flocks. With
the arrival of August birds of the moors and dales leave for the coast
- Dunlin, Lapwing, Curlew and Golden
Plover. The constant calling between young and adult can be heard
at this time on a warm still night. Towards September, Kingfisher
move downstream and are often spotted around Leighton Moss and
the lower Eden Valley at this time of the year. Similarly Merlin
move to the saltmarshes and September is the best month for seeing them
here. August sees the start of autumn migration of many species including
Little Stint, Curlew Sandpiper, Ruff, Greenshank,
Godwits and Little Ringed Plover,
principally turning up along the coast but sometimes at inland water.
On the other hand Swifts will have gathered
and left the region, probably by mid-August. As we progress towards
September mixed flocks of sparrows and finches gather to feed in safety
of numbers. In
butterflies, Arnside Knott and Smardale are the places to find thousands
of Scotch Argus during August. Around the
coast, especially between Walney and Ravenglass, the dry stony shores
are home to Grayling; the limestone around
Whitbarrow also suits this species well. In the garden the appearance
of flowers on buddleia at the end of July and throughout August attracts
specimens of freshly emerged species like Small
Tortoiseshell, Comma, Peacock, and Red
Admiral, and occasional visits from other species depending on
the nature of the surrounding habitat of the garden. By mid-month
Gatekeepers will be coming to an end. By September, however, Red Admirals
will have started their southwards movement (see "Red Admiral"
on the Insects menu). An
interesting moth activity this month would be to search for signs of
Puss Moth larvae on new suckers of Goat
Willow (see "Kitten" on the Moths menu) and for Elephant
Hawk-moth larvae on Willowherb. Around
reed beds look out for the Water Ladybird
(see "Ladybirds" on the Insects menu), and please report any
sightings. August
is the best month for Hawker dragonflies (see "Dragonflies"
on the Insects menu). The current popularity of garden ponds means that
these turn up regularly in gardens, especially the inquisitive Southern
Hawker (one of which put in an appearance in my greenhouse on
one occasion). Migrant Hawker emerges at
the beginning of August if it has bred in the county. Around boggy moorland
the Black Darter will be present throughout
August and into September. Newly emerged males are likely to appear
yellow, however. As
summer comes to an end, many flowers have a late second flush, but some
specialities of the area are at their best in August. On Arnside Knott
the southern slope is covered in a good year with gentians. The more
common Felwort or Autumn Gentian is usually
pale in colour (pink/lilac), but the scarcer and declining Field
Gentian is typically deeper and more blue in colour - to distinguish
the two species check the calyx, which on Field Gentian is divided into
two large outer lobes overlapping two smaller inner lobes. Felwort occurs
quite widely in Cumbria around the head of Morecambe bay and on the
limestone and sandstone of the Pennines; Field Gentian is much less
common and restricted to short limestone turf and one or two dune systems.
In amongst the tall herbs of any fens by tarns and rivers look out for
Gypsywort - but be warned its sap will
stain your fingers black. Another "wort", this time of the
saltmarshes of the Solway and Morecambe Bay, "flowers" this
month. Glasswort has little more than
a reddish tinge when flowering, with tiny yellow stamens poking out
of hollows along the stem. On Walney, and around Ravensglass and Maryport,
two members of the borage family (both scarce in the county) are worth
seeking out during August. Hound's-tongue
and Viper's Bugloss were once used respectively
to treat bites from mad dogs and snakes, but neither is recommended
now!
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