September 2014

There are signs of autumn on its way; the nights are drawing in, fresher mornings with dewey ground. The more mellow song of the Robin dominates bird song along with its ‘tic, tic’ contact call.

Haws, Sloes, Blackberries and Rosehips are ripening nicely in hedgerows.

On road verges, Wild Angelica is flowering, along with Fleabane and Bindweed; a nuisance for the gardener, but you have to admire the way it climbs up any available plant displaying its crisp pinky-white trumpet flowers. Other plants such as Cow Parsley and Hogweeds have been reduced to mere skeletons.

Autumn Gentians and Autumn Lady’s Tresses are flowering on Bindon Hill alongside the Clustered Bellflowers, Harebells, Greater Knapweed and Autumn Hawkbits.

Chalkhill Blue, Large and Small White, Red Admiral, Meadow Brown, Speckled Wood, Wall Brown, Small Heath and Adonis Blue butterflies have all been seen over the last few weeks, we enjoy these late flyers while we can.

We will be seeing Wheatears for a few months yet until they migrate north.

These have been regularly seen at Durdle Door, Hambury Tout and on Bindon Hill. Every year we speculate as to when the Swallows and House Martins will leave. Swallows have been seen restlessly gathering low on fence lines, a habitual occurrence just before they leave. There are always a few stragglers which will hang-around until October.

We have chosen Autumn Lady’s Tresses for flower of the month which is in the Orchid family, these are in flower on Bindon Hill. The plants latin name is Spiranthes spiralis, which really does describe its growth habit of flowers spiraling around the stem.