In hedgerows Honeysuckle blooms, filling the air with its heady scent. Those combined with Elderflowers and other hedgerow species make it a good time to enjoy them. Hedge Woundwort, Foxgloves, Common Toadflax and Meadow Clary stand proud on green banks.
An array of pink and purple tones joins the yellow on the chalk slopes; flowers such as Wild Thyme, Betony, Marjoram, Selfheal, and Common Restharrow are starting to show. Many Pyramidal Orchids and a few Bee Orchids have been spotted on Hambury Tout and Bindon Hill, so delicate, it’s a relief when they are left un-disturbed. Privet is flowering; its creamy white flowers on show in all their splendour at the bottom of Bindon Hill and Dungy Head.
Members of our team have spotted the first Marbled Whites and Dark Green Fritillaries of the year. The lucky few have seen Small Pearl Bordered Fritillaries on Bindon Hill. This species has undergone a severe decline in England in recent years and is a Butterfly Conservation high priority species.
A pair of Dartford Warblers have been seen and heard on several occasions on Bindon Hill amongst the gorse. These curious birds are not very good at surviving our cold winters. So always a welcome sight!
Small scabious is the pick of this month, which has a dense blue-violet flower head made up of lots of tiny petals on a tall slender stem.
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