Varying shades of pinks and purples of the delicate flowers of Common Milkwort brighten up the grassland landscape. This is the time of year to spot Early Purple and Green-winged Orchids on nearby Hambury and Bindon, especially on the north-sides. This is the first of a succession of Chalk Downland Orchids, though with the spring being delayed this year, maybe they will flower at the same time. The pale blue-purple ‘pansy shaped’ flowers of Germander Speedwell; believed to be a good-luck charm for travellers, are dotted around Bindon.
The bobbley red-green flower heads of Salad Burnet are standing proud of the rest of the vegetation. Their matt-like network of leaves trail along the ground and is a great adaptation to cope with trampling, the exposed windy environment and salty air. In the ‘yellow’ department; Bird’s-foot Trefoil or alternatively named ‘eggs and bacon’ is starting to cover south-facing slopes. As well of the scent of gorse flowers on the wind, the strong scent of Alexanders can be enjoyed this time of year when the flowers are in their prime. These tall members of the Brassica family adorn banks and grass verges around the village.
Stonechats appear spritely, darting to-and-fro from gorse bushes. These have been regularly seen at Durdle Door and Bindon Hill over the last few weeks. Yellowhammers sing their ‘little-bit-of-bread-and-no-cheese’ from their perch in all their ‘canary yellow’ finery.
Another butterfly to add to the list of sightings so far is the Wall, which gets its name from its habit of resting with wings two-thirds open on bare ground and walls.
This makes this orange-brown beauty easier to identify when chased to its resting point.
We have chosen Birds-foot Trefoil from the Pea family for the flower of the month; a nectar source for the Chalkhill and Small blue butterflies which are characteristic of Chalk Grassland. The plants ‘birds feet’ (the un-opened flowers), are red and claw-like, and are a lovely contrast to the bright-yellow open flowers.
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